Here's What Went Down With Behave Bras After Shark Tank

You may remember entrepreneur Athena Kasvikis and her brand of bras from "Shark Tank." The businesswoman appeared in front of the sharks during season 13, episode 15 of the ABC show in 2022, bringing the sharks her line of bras designed for plus-size women. The business was developed out of necessity for Kasvikis, who quickly developed a larger bust while in high school, which made things pretty tough for her. "It's like I woke up overnight with this chest. It was very hard to deal with," she explained to Democrat & Chronicle in 2021, sharing how struggled to continue playing sports. We all know how difficult it can be to find a sports bra that actually works, right? "I was just trying to compress as much as I possibly could, so it wouldn't be painful when I was running around," she said. "I was made to feel like a freak. You're overly sexualized through no fault of your own, and you're trying to hide parts of your body."

Kasvikis went on to start developing prototypes, creating her niche; bras for bigger busts that don't contain uncomfortable underwire. In 2019, that became the business we know today as Behave, which caught the attention of "Shark Tank" producers. Kasvikis was actually asked to appear on the show rather than applying, and it certainly seems like she's done pretty well from the show.

Athena Kasvikis appeared in front of the "Shark Tank" entrepreneurs hoping to land $150,000 for a 15% stake in Behave. Kasvikis explained that the company had been selling bras since 2020 and earned a very impressive $110,000 in the first 18 months, which seemed to pique the sharks' interest. But it wasn't just those figures they liked — She also shared with the Sharks that she sells the bras for 87% more than the amount they take to create, while the panties she sells retail for 83% more than cost. Kasvikis also shared that the company would be getting its patent in two weeks, which was enough to get Kevin O'Leary on board. "I think you're very impressive," the businessman told her, offering all the money for 20%. Kasvikis asked to shave 3% off, but O'Leary stayed put and she accepted (even before the other Sharks could make an offer)! In fact, producers described it as the fastest one in the show's history.

"The show has this natural conflict built into it and walking in with the stakes as high as they were was different for me. I was terrified," Kasvikis told Democrat & Chronicle post-pitch. "I run all aspects of my business. I do my own accounting. I know my numbers. What I wanted to do was tell the most compelling story in front of the Sharks to make the case for why we're more than just a product."

In March 2022, Athena Kasvikis told Biz Women that she was still working on her "Shark Tank" deal with Kevin O'Leary and was trying to find a way to retain more equity than viewers saw her give away on the show. She even admitted that she was left surprised by how quickly the deal actually came about in the tank. But while the deal was still waiting to be finalized, it seems like the boost from the show was more than enough for Behave. Kasvikis explained that the company had a waitlist of 8,000 people looking to fix the problem of ill-fitting bras after her appearance on the show, and more than 2,000 emails from customers to get through.

Behave also didn't stop at "Shark Tank" when it came to TV exposure. After appearing on the show, Kasvikis began selling her lingerie products on QVC, which just proves the investment doesn't always have to close for a "Shark Tank" business to see plenty of success.

As of July 2023, Behave Bras is still very much in business and providing comfortable underwear solutions for those with larger chests. Not only is the company still going, but it's totally thriving. Athena Kasvikis confirmed on LinkedIn in February 2023 that Behave brought in a very impressive $1 million in revenue for 2022. Not bad at all. The company now offers a wide array of wireless bras and panties on its website, with each bra retailing for $75.

The company has also racked up quite the following on social media. On Instagram, the brand boasts more than 3,600 followers and regularly shares updates on new products to keep fans updated. Over on Facebook, the brand has a further 2,000 followers whom the company keeps abreast of upcoming appearances on outlets like QVC. But it sounds like Kasvikis knows she doesn't need to rush things when it comes to growing her company. "This is a sprint and a marathon. There's not one pace that my business consistently moves at, so I embrace the wild sprints as well as the walks," she wrote on LinkedIn. "As long as we're moving forward, I'm happy."

It seems like Behave is all about innovative new ideas, so we wouldn't be surprised to see the company extend its product range even further. Athena Kasvikis has also shared her desire to help other entrepreneurs realize their dream in the same way she has. "Make time, not excuses," she wrote in a LinkedIn post. "Be a mentor to other founders. You will always have something helpful to offer, and it's insane how helping others energizes you for your own business."

But it's not just new products we should expect, as new faces also seem to be on this businesswoman's agenda. "I find smart people and hire them. Can I make a three-statement financial model for my business? Yes. Should I hire a fractional CFO who can do it in a quarter of the time accurately instead of spending the time I don't have creating that? Bigger yes," she shared. But whatever comes next for this brand, it sounds like we can expect Kasvikis to be leading the way for her baby, Behave. "My vision for success is all that matters. You'll get everyone else's free opinion daily. Success can only be defined by the one trying to achieve it," she wrote.