Behind the scenes of the most epic 18 months in COLDEST history — from a 1am application to the tank.
Ever since Dave and I were small, we used to watch Shark Tank. The sharks are practically legends to us.
It was December 2022, around 1am. I had Shark Tank playing in the background while working on the business. After the episode finished, I thought — let me just give it a shot, why not? It was an absolute moonshot.
“Our core mission is to create the coldest, best products to help you stay colder, longer™.”
Around 40,000–60,000 entrepreneurs and brands apply to Shark Tank each season. Of those, only a handful make it to the tank. This is the story of what happened in between — the auditions, the workouts, the patents, the prep, the flight, the pitch, and everything after. Learn more about the history of COLDEST.
I applied back in November, and to be honest, it was an absolute moonshot. Around 40,000–60,000 entrepreneurs and brands apply each season. Of those, only a small fraction make it to the tank.
There are 10+ rounds of auditions to get through. At no point in the process are you guaranteed to film, and even if you film, you're not guaranteed to air. We treated every step like it could be the last.
COLDEST is a small business. Everything goes back into scaling. Many people think we're some huge corporate company — we are not. From the beginning, I always thought: if you believe so strongly in something occurring, it will occur. I thought there was so much magic going on at COLDEST that if we could just share even 1% of what's really happening behind the scenes, it would be worth it.
Weeks went by. Then months. And then one day, I got a call from a California number that hit voicemail. It was an ABC producer. The journey began.
3 months leading up to filming, we worked out every day for months (maybe 1 rest day here and there). We didn't know what to expect — only that we wanted to walk in feeling like the strongest version of ourselves.
Set design was one of my favorite phases. It's not only fun — when this stage came up, we knew we were closer to actually getting on the show. We mocked up multiple versions before landing on what aired.
Dave and I are horrible at memorizing things. Always have been. We practiced the pitch a LOT.
From multiple applications, NDAs, submitting business LLC formations, and background checks — the process pulls every thread of your business and personal history. We did it.
We were still running a fast-growing brand. Pictured here is David designing and testing COLDEST prototypes — the 1-Gallon and ½-Gallon were born this day.
No matter how big the moment, the pallets still need to be stacked. Behind every shark tank moment was an everyday-grind moment.
For a long time, COLDEST was scrappy. We still are. Before filming, we filed 10+ patents to protect our intellectual property. View our patents.
In the months leading up to filming, we also filed 10+ trademarks to protect every part of the brand. View our trademarks.
It was an exciting and terrifying time. COVID was just hitting. We were unsure whether to slow down or speed up. We sped up.
The team working hard packing orders through the holidays — while simultaneously prepping to fly to LA.
There were 20+ forty-foot shipping containers stealthily hidden in David's backyard to store product. We were growing faster than we could imagine.
2018–2021 were beyond some of the hardest years for COLDEST. From space constraints to product recalls to financial hurdles. Despite all of it, the brand kept growing.
The day before we were supposed to film, our flight got cancelled. We luckily booked another flight same-day — otherwise we would have missed the entire opportunity.
During the flight to "Hollywood" (Shark Tank studios are actually in Culver City), David and I continued to strategize. What could happen in the tank? What did we want to say?
I had never been in LA. So I snapped this quick picture while waiting for the Shark Tank shuttle.
It was the morning of, around 6am in the hotel lobby. David and I had just grabbed coffees. We felt ready. It felt like the calm before the storm.
This footage was actually taken from Shark Tank's Instagram story the day of. When we saw it, we looked at each other and were like — "dang, that's us."
We didn't know what to do the morning of. We woke up so early before the 1pm pitch. So we burned time the way we know best — a 3-hour workout.
Deal or no deal, we were relieved the pressure was over. Win or lose, we'd end up here — sitting in front of two giant steaks. We earned this one.
The magic of COLDEST is just beginning. Be a part of the journey — join our FB community.
By 2023, we had maxed out HQ v.3 and were already looking to expand. The brand had outgrown itself again.
Warehouse reaches peak capacity. In just 2 years, we outgrew HQ v.3. Time to find a new home.
At the time of this writing, HQ v.4 is officially in planning and will be open Winter 2023. (Update: it's now home — 52,000 sq ft in Fort Myers.)
A theme park vision currently in early design where you can immerse yourself into the expanding Universe of COLDEST. Learn more.
Each shark has a COLDEST color. Find the one that matches your energy.
The magic of COLDEST is just beginning. Join the community and stay close to every drop, drop, and behind-the-scenes moment.
COLDEST filmed for Shark Tank Season 15.
This was the first time we applied. Dave and I always felt like the brand needed to be in the right phase — and 2023 felt like the right year.
We have 10+ patents and 10+ trademarks — most filed in the 3 months before Shark Tank. View patents · View trademarks.
We built the Limitless™ bottle with 10+ improvements over the competition. Shop Limitless.
Most COLDEST bottles fit standard cupholders:
Fits 99% of cupholders: 12oz, 21oz, Universal Shakers (26/36/46oz), Limitless Bottles (36/46oz)
Fits 80% of cupholders: 14oz, 18oz, 32oz, 40oz
We recommend hand washing to extend the lifespan of any COLDEST bottle.
Yes. All COLDEST bottles float.
Zero-Leak is our mission — we are continuously improving our products to be fully leak-free.
Yes — we recommend washing your new bottle before first use.
Paracords are an additional add-on for increased functionality. Watch the 1-minute install video · Shop Paracords.
We offer a lifetime warranty on all COLDEST products. If you don't love it, we'll refund 100% and cover return shipping. Email support@coldest.com.
Yes — from 2015 to 2020, we were called "The Coldest Water." In 2020, we asked: what if it could just be COLDEST? Drop "the" and "water." When COVID hit, we checked GoDaddy — coldest.com was taken. We had no idea how much it would cost, but we got it.
Absolutely. There are two small screws under the handle. Any small screwdriver will work. Turn the screws clockwise until firm. Don't overtighten.
You can sign up for notifications per color to get alerts when each one drops.
You're likely referring to The Blendinator. Twist it onto the bottom of the chug lid to turn your Limitless Bottle into a shaker bottle.
