Here's What Went Down With The Matte Makeup Organizer After Shark Tank

After repeatedly struggling to find enough room in the bathroom to spread out her makeup while getting ready, Melissa Clayton took matters into her own hands. The entrepreneur created The Matte, a sturdy, foldable mat designed to place over a sink and hold her products in place so she could really make the most of her counter space. "I was tired of putting my makeup around the edges of the sink and having it fall and break on the floor. Plus, I was putting my hairdryer on top of my toilet bowl because I had no other place to put it," Clayton explained to SVB Private. "I had to bring The Matte to life because I wanted to help the millions of women who I knew had the exact same problem."

But Clayton knew she'd need a little help to really bring her impressive invention to the masses. Though she struggled to get people onboard. "No one wanted to work with me because I was on a limited budget," Clayton explained on The Matte's official website. She eventually had some luck with a freelance industrial designer who agreed to help her create her product, and then it was time to call in the big guns. And that's where the Sharks on "Shark Tank" came in.

Melissa Clayton took The Matte in front of Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, and guest Shark Kendra Scott on Season 12 of "Shark Tank." The entrepreneur was looking for a $100,000 investment in exchange for 20% of her company. She explained to the businesspeople that she'd already racked up $20,000 in sales in the month before she headed into the tank, in addition to $200,000 in sales over the three years the company had been in existence.

But not all the Sharks were so interested in Clayton's pitch. O'Leary was the first to drop out, admitting he didn't really understand the need for the product. Cuban then shared that although he did understand the product's unique selling point, he couldn't see himself investing. Corcoran agreed with her co-star and declared herself out, too. Also out? Scott, who admitted she didn't think the product was quite perfected to an investible level just yet. That left the decision about the company's fate hanging on Greiner. She too admitted she felt Clayton still had some work to do on the product for it to become mass-market, but was willing to help her put in that work. The entrepreneur showed her interest, offering Clayton the $100,000 she was looking for — but for 33.3% of the company. Clayton then counter offered at 25%, but Greiner wasn't willing to back down. All's well that ends well, though, and Clayton then agreed to Greiner's 33.3% offer and the two struck a deal.

In 2021, Melissa Clayton opened up about her time on "Shark Tank" to WCBV 5, and it sounds like there are no hard feelings towards the Sharks who didn't invest. "They were great. I mean it was obviously very nerve-wracking and I was trying to keep my cool," she shared. In fact, Clayton revealed on TheMatte.com that she was actually hoping to get in touch with one of the Sharks who chose not to invest after they bonded over her other business, Tiny Tags, in the tank. "I was disappointed that because of COVID that we could not interact closely but I look forward to contacting Kendra Scott further and seeking mentorship opportunities from here," she shared. Clayton founded Tiny Tags for parents who want custom jewelry to honor their children.

But appearing on the ABC series clearly brought plenty of attention Clayton's way. "The power of the show was pretty amazing to me for me, for The Matte and for Tiny Tags. We've received so many emails inquiring about product partnerships, potential internship opportunities for people in my town," Clayton explained. She added to WCBV 5 that The Matte had already sold an impressive amount of stock, too. "We've already sold 10,000 units over the course of bringing the product to life. I think the sky's the limit, to be honest," she admitted.

As of October 2023, The Matte is still very much in business and has made some big strides since its "Shark Tank" appearance. In fact, the ABC business show isn't the only big time TV show Melissa Clayton has appeared on to sell her product. The entrepreneur also introduced the nation to her innovative mat on NBC's "Today." As for where you can get your hands on one now? The Matte currently offers the black and pink version of the product on its website, as well as a travel bag to contain it.

According to the company's LinkedIn, The Matte has between two and 10 employees. A few of those are members of Clayton's own family! The Claytons' got in on the business, with her sons helping to get the product out to customers. In a 2022 Instagram post, The Matte shared a look at one of the founder's son's helping to unload some inventory from the back of a car, plus another image that showed the two posing with stock in their garage.

Though Melissa Clayton is still working hard to bring The Matte to the masses (her role as the company's founder is still ongoing as of October 2024, according to her LinkedIn page), she's also turned her attention to a few other ventures. Her jewelry business Tiny Tags (launched in 2012), has seen great success. In August 2023, Clayton shared on Instagram that Tiny Tags had been included on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private companies list for the second time. Alongside The Matte, the jewelry brand has experienced significant growth, partnering with celebrities like British model Iskra Lawrence and expanding into Target stores. Meryl Streep has even been photographed wearing the brand's signature necklace.

And it seems like Clayton is ready to help others by sharing her business knowledge with those who may want to emulate her career. According to her LinkedIn, Clayton is a member of the Women in Retail Leadership Circle as of 2022 and The NORTH by Female Founder Collective as of 2023.