Maya Nazareth stepped into the Shark Tank with the same confidence she’s built through years of combat sports training – and walked away with a $300,000 deal for her company, Alchemize Fightwear, a brand creating fight gear designed specifically for women.
Nazareth entered seeking $250,000 for 5% equity but left with an even larger investment after impressing the Sharks with her story, strategy, and sales performance:
I started training combat sports eight years ago, and it transformed me from a shy wallflower and turned me into the confident woman you see before you today.
She went on to describe a major problem women face in combat sports: gear designed for men’s bodies.
Nazareth recalled an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction during jiu-jitsu training that inspired her to design equipment “built for our bodies and built for battle”.
Her flagship product — a women’s wrestling singlet with a built-in sports bra, high neckline, and double lining — has become the company’s best-seller, accounting for 80% of Alchemize Fightwear’s profit.
Nazareth’s numbers told an equally compelling story: $1.8 million in lifetime sales, growing from $300,000 to $500,000 year-over-year, with projections of $875,000 for the current year.
Despite modest profitability of 3–5%, her direct-to-consumer model, 10% Instagram engagement rate (double the industry average), and $157 average order value impressed the Sharks.
When Lori Greiner and Alexis Ohanian offered $250,000 for 20%, Nazareth countered confidently at 10%.
After a tense round of back-and-forth negotiations, the Sharks proposed $300,000 for 15%, which Nazareth countered again – asking for 12% instead:
I’m going to take my chance. Could we do the $300,000 for 12?
The Sharks agreed, sealing the deal and turning Nazareth into one of the few BJJ-linked entrepreneurs to walk out of the Tank victorious.
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