Here's What Went Down With Doc Spartan After Shark Tank

Doc Spartan is not just fun company name, it is also a skincare brand built on a purpose. Founded in 2015 by Portsmouth, Ohio natives Dale King and Renee Wallace, Doc Spartan began inside the warehouse walls of Portsmouth Spartan Kettelball Club. King opened the gym after returning home from Iraq and seeing how the opioid crisis had impacted his hometown. Determined to make a difference, he offered reduced pricing to those who were in addiction recovery just $5 dollars to work out. 

At the time, Wallace – who taught yoga at King's gym — was researching essential oils because she did not want to use harsh chemicals on her and her daughter's skin. When King caught wind of this, he approached her about creating a natural hand healing ointment for his patrons to use. Before long, they created Doc Spartan Combat Ready Ointment — named in part for its medical association and as a tribute to the gym and a defunct Ohio football team.

The ointment can be used externally for "instant relief and fast healing" on injuries like "blisters, calluses, cuts, scrapes, burns, rashes and dry spots," reads Doc Spartan's website. King and Wallace tout its natural ingredients, which features a combination of refined coconut oil, 100% beeswax and essential oils. The ointments come in roll-on versions, tins and jars. The product became a hit with patrons, and a little over a year later, Doc Spartan took its flagship product to "Shark Tank" during the series' eighth season in February 2017. 

Dale King and Renee Wallace knew how to make a memorable first impression when they appeared on "Shark Tank" to pitch their Combat Ready Ointment. King donned a pair of American flag shorts and put his enthusiasm on full display, saying, "I like short shorts, I love freedom and I believe in the American dream." Wallace was a bit more subdued when she called herself "the brains" of the company, while labeling King "the beauty." The business partners tickled the sharks with their intro and asked for $75,000 for a 15% stake in Doc Spartan.

When asked about their profits, Wallace said the company made $56,000 after being in business for 11 months, adding that the ointment cost just 95 cents to make, and retailed for about $10. Mark Cuban dropped out fairly quickly saying that he did not feel like the pair did the research and preparation that was needed. Daymond John dropped out because he felt that Lori Greiner would be a better fit, but she too would drop out along with Kevin O'Leary. Wallace and King would go on to accept an offer from Robert Herjavec for $75,000 and 25% equity in the company.

Although the deal proved to be successful, King would later share in a 2021 Reddit "Ask Me Anything" that being on the show was somewhat of a learning experience. "We went into the Tank thinking it would be a matter of which Shark we would have to say NO to – clearly we're quite the optimists," he wrote. "Like with any business negotiations you should enter the situation with pre-established left and right limits."

Following its appearance on "Shark Tank," Doc Spartan continued to grow. The company expanded its product line well beyond the original ointment to include tooth powder, mint scrub, deodorant, body wash, t-shirts, moisturizer, perfume, beard care, sunblock, chaffing powder, as well as witty yard signs and stickers. By 2020, Doc Spartan teamed up with a local Portsmouth business to manufacture an exclusive kettle ball.

In 2021, Doc Spartan announced that it was expanding its business in Scioto County, Ohio, with plans to invest over $120,000 into its growth. In King's 2021 Reddit AMA, he shared the company's priority was to focus on increasing online sales (which made sense given the COVID-19 pandemic), while also finding a national retailer. He also noted that the business was still in contact with Robert Herjavec's team on a weekly basis, which suggests the deal made on the show was successful.

Wallace and King's humble beginnings would go on to inspire a mission bigger than a business. In 2018, the pair developed the Neighborhood Internal Defense principle to further their fight against the opioid epidemic in their hometown. King explained on LinkedIn that the approach was inspired by his military experience in Iraq, where soldiers were trained to fight alongside and support vulnerable individuals in the host country. As such, the aim  with the Neighborhood Internal Defense was to equip people with the training and tools they needed to re-enter the work force so they could regain a sense of normalcy and stability in their lives.

King later told Spectrum 1 News in 2021 that every single one of Doc Spartan's employees was in some stage of recovery from addiction. The founder also went on to give a TED talk in November 2018 about how this approach to treatment transformed his community. For its efforts, Doc Spartan was awarded a $50,000 JobsOhio Inclusion Grant in 2021, a prize that would help them purchase new equipment and machinery, as well as fund further professional development for employees. 

Two years later, in 2023, King recalled to Ohio Southeast Economic Development the grant as "instrumental" to the business' success, as well the brand's overall mission. "The growth of our companies is directly tied to the personal growth of our employees and the town of Portsmouth," said King.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

The success of Doc Spartan, along with Dale King and Renee Wallace's appearance on "Shark Tank," brought about even more opportunities to tell their story and help others in the process. The documentary "Small Town Strong," which follows the work that King and others have been doing in Portsmouth to address the opioid crisis, became available on streaming platforms like Apple TV and Prime in 2023. 

King appeared on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," in 2022 to talk about the film and his story. The segment also included a man named Andrew.  He told Clarkson that he had dreams of becoming a marine, but was kicked out of the Marine Corp. for his drug use. Andrew added that he continued to abuse drugs, was arrested a few times, homeless and not active in his daughter's life. After overdosing and dying, he was sent to Portsmouth for treatment where King was hosting a CrossFit program. Andrew said that King's program allowed him to have an outlet for his depression, anxiety and shame while building community. His daughter Jamie, who was also on the program, noted that at the time of airing, he was 4 years sober.

At the end of the episode, Clarkson announced that CrossFit was donating $10,000 to the counseling center that King teaches his classes. As of March 2025, Doc Spartan's website is still live and founders Dale King, and Renee Wallace are active on their brand's social media.