Here's What Went Down With The Bouqs Company After Shark Tank

In 2014, John Tabis showed up on season 5 of "Shark Tank" with flowers, pitching his business The Bouqs. Tabis had an epic idea to turn the flower business on its head. His business philosophy around flower delivery was straightforward: The product that customers receive should match the photo online. While that sounds pretty basic, it turns out it's not that common when ordering flowers from standard online retailers. Not only that, Tabis promised that there wouldn't be any surprise handling fees at the final stage of checkout. The only problem was that the sharks couldn't wrap their toothy jaws around his innovative plan. Nevertheless, Tabis and The Bouqs have gone on to thrive more than almost any other business to grace the "Shark Tank" stage.

While John Tabis' pitch went smoothly, the sharks were turned off by his assessment of The Bouqs' numbers. Tabis asked for $285,000 in exchange for 3% equity, which shocked the investors. He described The Bouqs as the most genuine online floral solution, and handed bouquets to Lori Greiner and Barbara Corcoran. Tabis then described the "pain points" in the floral industry. He noted that many customers deal with bait and switch product, with final costs significantly higher than the advertised deal. On top of that, he added that many floral companies deliver flowers that look nothing like the photos they use on their websites. 

What made The Bouqs different was price transparency. Bouquets started at $40, including shipping, with no extra costs. Secondly, they shipped directly from eco-friendly, sustainable farms situated on the equator. Per Tabis, this guaranteed freshness, because there was no middleman delaying the shipping time. Lastly, the company offered a concierge service, where someone could schedule a year's worth of deliveries. Tabis shared that the e-commerce business made $700,000 in sales in its first year. Despite all of this good news, including huge future projections, each shark pulled out. Mark Cuban in particular explained that he did not want to be part of a seed fund. Greiner, meanwhile, thought other companies could easily rip off the idea; Corcoran didn't like the name. Robert Herjavec didn't like the 3% equity, while Kevin O'Leary didn't like the idea of waiting six days for a flower delivery. So everyone pulled out.

Even though John Tabis left "Shark Tank" without an investor, the show wasn't the end of his journey with the sharks. In a 2022 "Shark Tank: How It's Going" episode, Tabis shared his extraordinary story since the episode aired. Following his rejection on the reality show, Tabis raised a $1.7 million seed fund and continued to grow The Bouqs. As it turns out, around that time, Robert Herjavec happened to be planning his wedding to Kym Johnson of "Dancing With the Stars." Herjavec needed flowers and thought of Tabis; the shark explained that as Tabis created the arrangements for his wedding, he learned more about The Bouqs as a business. Sure enough, Herjavec was so impressed that he became an investor. In the end, The Bouqs did nab a shark after all.

In the same video update, Tabis shared the staggering growth that The Bouqs had made since "Shark Tank." At the time of his pitch, the business had done about $700,000 in sales. Three and a half years later, they racked in over $88 million. "I hope that I can serve as an example to other entrepreneurs," Tabis said, "to never, ever give up." The other sharks must be kicking themselves for missing that opportunity. 

One can say The Bouqs has thrived because it disrupted the online flower business. The company prides itself on shipping sustainably-sourced flowers at an affordable price with no hidden costs. John Tabis is quick to address concerns about the company, too. On "Shark Tank," it was Robert Herjavec who noted that some people need same-day delivery for flowers; six days for shipping simply won't cut it. Tabis created an option for next day delivery in most areas, and same-day delivery in several big cities. By 2019, The Bouqs had secured $55 million in funding, according to CNBC, and had amassed more than 80 employees, with an office located in Marina del Rey, California. According to Shark Tank Recap, as of 2023, the company has made over $640 million in lifetime sales. 

Its subscription feature, as listed on the company website, offers three different plans starting at $44. Customers can choose weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or every other month flower delivery. It enables a thoughtful gesture without the possibility of forgetting.

At the time of writing The Bouqs appears to be thriving. One can infer that's largely because of its success on social media. The brand regularly posts on Instagram, offering followers giveaways and promotions, as well as compelling advertisements for every holiday that traditionally requires flowers.

The Bouqs is growing in brick and mortar shops, too. In May 2024, the brand announced on Instagram that it would be available at select Whole Foods stores in Tustin, California. Later that month, the company announced that it planned to expand to more locations in the state. According to Investopedia, The Bouqs ranks fourth of the eight most successful companies to ever emerge from "Shark Tank." It comes right after Scrub Daddy. And what makes the brand's story so interesting is that they started as a "Shark Tank" failure. Maybe we should send them a bouquet of flowers to congratulate them.