Pitch Introduction
Ruff Liners came to Shark Tank seeking investment to expand their premium pet car seat protection business that helps dog owners enjoy more adventures without worrying about messy vehicles.
Business Overview
Product/Service: Ruff Liners creates comprehensive car seat protection systems for pets that cover both seats and door panels. The solution prevents mud, fur, scratches and other damages caused during travel with pets. The cover uses velcro attachments and plastic window inserts that slide into door seals for complete protection. These are designed as premium products using heavy-duty materials for durability.
Problem It Solves: Dog owners face the common problem of interior vehicle damage when taking pets on outdoor adventures. Traditional seat covers often shift during use and fail to protect door panels, leaving vehicles dirty and scratched. There was no complete protection solution available for pet owners who want to travel freely with their dogs.
Target Market: The primary audience includes dog owners who frequently take their pets on outdoor activities like hiking, beach trips, or general adventures. This specifically targets adventure-seeking pet families who own vehicles and care about maintaining their car’s interior.
Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Ruff Liners offers door-to-door protection with a patented design system that keeps covers securely in place. Unlike standard seat protectors that move around, their solution uses extra anchor points and specialized window inserts that provide full coverage and prevent shifting.
| Company Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Ruff Liners |
| Founder | Brandon Himmel |
| Industry | Pet Products |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Year Founded | 2022 |
| Website | ruffliners.com |
About Founder’s
Brandon Himmel is the founder behind Ruff Liners, creating the solution after experiencing problems taking his dog Sadie on outdoor adventures. Brandon began his entrepreneurial journey very early in life, shining shoes at age 5 in his grandfather’s barber shop since he didn’t receive allowance and needed to earn money for activities with friends. After high school, he served 5 years in the Marine Corps before pursuing higher education. He earned a physics degree and worked as an engineer for 9 years before quitting his job in July 2024 to focus on Ruff Liners full-time. His initial investment came from inheritance after both his parents passed away within an 8-week period, allowing him to invest $15,000 into developing his first beta product.
- Started entrepreneurship at age 5 shining shoes
- Served 5 years in the Marine Corps
- Physics degree holder with 9 years engineering experience
- Quit stable job in July 2024 to pursue Ruff Liners
- Initial seed funding of $15,000 from inheritance
- Created product to solve problems with his own dog Sadie
Shark’s and Founder’s QnA
Robert Herjavec:
Hi Sharks. I’m Brandon Himmel from La Porte, Texas, and I’m seeking an investment of $200,000 for 5% ownership in my company Ruff Liners.
Robert Herjavec:
Like millions of dog owners, I love taking my dog Sadie with me whenever I go to the beach, hiking, or anything outdoors. But taking Sadie with me on adventures would leave my truck with muddy seats, scratched door panels, and endless fur. There was no way to completely protect the backseat area from the mess Sadie caused. That’s why I invented Ruff Liners.
Robert Herjavec:
Ruff Liners protects my truck so I don’t need to worry about the mess Sadie causes in the back seat area. The door-to-door protection makes it convenient to take your pet on more adventures and not stress about the mess. The cover velcros to plastic window inserts that easily slide into the window seal. So, the door panels are completely protected. My patent pending design is engineered for the ultimate protection, and it’s made from heavy duty materials so that it lasts.
Kevin O’Leary:
Do you sell it for?
Brandon Himmel:
My prices range from about $99 to $150. I’m a premium product in this category. I really try to provide a superior product, not only in the design, but in the materials that we choose.
Kevin O’Leary:
Brandon, you’re saying there’s competition then for this?
Brandon Himmel:
There’s nothing like this extra large. Once my patent got published, I removed all there was like 12 competitors and they all got removed.
Kevin O’Leary:
Well, there are seat liners, right?
Brandon Himmel:
Yeah. There’s a good amount of cheap Chinese manufacturers. So, a couple of things that my seat covers have besides the door panel protection is I have extra anchor points at the bottom so that it keeps everything nice and snug and when your dog’s in the back seat, it doesn’t start to move out of place. I noticed that cuz I have the I’ve bought the liners. You throw them in the back seat and they move. Yeah. Within 20 minutes they move and they’re everywhere.
Barbara Corcoran:
Brandon, do you sell online?
Brandon Himmel:
Most of my sales are online through Amazon. That’s where I originally started.
Kevin O’Leary:
What are your sales?
Brandon Himmel:
2022 is when I launched the brand of Ruff Liners. That was December of 2022. 2023 I did $1.25 million in sales. A million of that was in the last quarter.
Kevin O’Leary:
Brandon, this year, what are you year to date?
Brandon Himmel:
This year I’ve done $3.1 million in sales. I’m expecting to do over $5 million. I think 5.5 is realistic. I should make over 500,000. So far this year, I’ve made about 300,000.
Kevin O’Leary:
What on the 1.25 million? What did you make last year?
Brandon Himmel:
About 40,000.
Kevin O’Leary:
Why so low?
Brandon Himmel:
So, I’ve invested a lot into the long-term differentiator of the brand.
Kevin O’Leary:
Okay, that’s fine.
Brandon Himmel:
Okay. So, I’ve spent money on patents.
Kevin O’Leary:
So, what’s your margins?
Brandon Himmel:
My gross margin is around 73%. My customer acquisition cost is around $20. My cost of goods is between 25 and $35.
Kevin O’Leary:
We know nothing about you. Can you please tell us about you?
Brandon Himmel:
I’ve always kind of just been an entrepreneur. When I was 5 years old, I was shining shoes at my grandpa’s barber shop because I didn’t get allowance. I had to go out and just make money and find ways to go do things with friends. Soon as I got out of high school, I was in the Marine Corps. Spent 5 years in the Marine Corp. Then after that, I went to college. I got my degree in physics. Nine years I was an engineer. And then last year I quit my job last July and now I just do Ruff Liners all the time.
Kevin O’Leary:
How much money did you put into it?
Brandon Himmel:
In 2019, both my parents passed away within an 8-week period. And it kind of made me just realize that like life is short. And I didn’t get a whole lot from them, but I got a little I got enough money to put $15,000 into taking my idea and making a product.
Lori Greiner:
Think of my drop stop guys. They’ve been doing phenomenal. I think we’re like 50 million in sales. They started to get all these knockoffs and recently it’s become really challenging. When I think about investing in something like this, I’m concerned it’s going to be a bit of a rough road. And so for those reasons, I’m sorry. I’m out.
Robert Herjavec:
I’ll make you an offer. You’re lacking two things from what I’m seeing. Cash. You’re going to need like at least a million dollar credit line, which I would provide for you. And the other thing you’re desperately lacking is you’re not doing anything on social, but I can help you with the social and I sure can help you with the cash. So my offer is $200,000 for 20% and I’ll give you a million dollar credit line.
Brandon Himmel:
20% is a little bit higher that than I want to go on my baby that I love and I’ve put in so much work. However, I think my margins could be exponentially better with the help of a shark. I would like to bring that number down closer to 10%.
Barbara Corcoran:
I think we’re like 50 million in sales. I’ll give you 200,000 for 15%.
Brandon Himmel:
I like the number at 10%. I like the number at 15%.
Robert Herjavec:
I do have utility patents. 200,000 for 14%.
Kevin O’Leary:
Could we do a royalty deal to bring you to get your money back and bring you down to 10%?
Brandon Himmel:
A dollar a unit. I’m going to do 50,000 units in the next 12 months or more if I just didn’t grow at all. I’m going to do 50,000 units.
Robert Herjavec:
200,000 10% $5 royalty per unit.
Kevin O’Leary:
Oh, that’s that’s hard on the capital side because if I pay you back, I think it would happen in three years going off my 200,000 10% $3 royalty per unit.
Robert Herjavec:
A dollar a unit. $2. I’ll do that deal at a dollar a unit. Come down to 10%.
Barbara Corcoran:
Would you mind going in together?
Robert Herjavec:
Yeah. Just to squeeze his head.
Lori Greiner:
Would you mind going intogether?
Robert Herjavec:
I will only do this deal because I believe so much in you. Seriously Brandon, let’s do a deal.
Brandon Himmel:
Do I get to keep the dog?
Robert Herjavec:
No, you can’t keep the dog.
Dave Teresa:
Congratulations, Brandon. Well done. Yeah. Let’s go, Lily. The one thing that my dad gave me is a hard work ethic. And so, he he was a good role model to show me that you really got to put in the grind in life if you want to get somewhere. And so, uh, yeah, he he’s here with me today. I just got tired of listening to Robert. So, I had to squeeze his head.
Key Stats & Financials
Brandon Himmel shared impressive financial figures during his pitch, demonstrating rapid growth and strong market validation for his Ruff Liners pet protection solution. His revenue projections showed exceptional year-over-year growth, with substantial profits expected as the business scaled.
- Sales: $3.1 million year to date in 2025, expecting $5.5 million for full year
- Margins: 73% gross margin with customer acquisition cost of $20
- Valuation: Originally seeking $4 million valuation, accepted $2 million deal valuation
- Investment Request: $200,000 for 5% equity
- Use of Funds: Focus on IP development, brand building, and reducing Amazon dependency
| Financial Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2023 Revenue | $1.25 million |
| 2024 Revenue | $5.5 million (projected) |
| 2024 Profit | $500,000+ (projected) |
| Deal Valuation | $2 million |
| Investment Request | $200,000 |
| Equity Offered | 5% requested, 10% accepted |
Business Potential and TAM
Ruff Liners addresses a significant unmet need in the growing pet market with comprehensive vehicle protection solutions. The business potential is substantial given the large target demographic of adventure-loving dog owners who care about vehicle maintenance.
Ruff Liners: Ideal Target Audience & Demographics
| Demographic | Details |
|---|---|
| Pet Owners | Dog owners who travel frequently |
| Vehicle Type | Trucks, SUVs, and family cars |
| Lifestyle | Active outdoor adventurers |
| Income Level | Middle to upper-middle class |
| Age Group | 25-55 years old |
| Geographic Location | US pet-owning households |
Marketing and Distribution Strategy
Ruff Liners initially achieved remarkable success through Amazon sales but recognized the platform’s limitations. Their marketing strategy focused on premium positioning with aggressive advertising investment. Moving forward, Robert Herjavec’s expertise would help expand into social media marketing and reduce platform fees.
Ruff Liners Deal Outcome
Robert Herjavec struck a deal with Brandon Himmel for Ruff Liners, offering investment structure that balanced both parties’ interests while ensuring sustainable growth for the pet protection business. The deal included both cash investment and royalty-based returns.
| Investment Details | Terms |
|---|---|
| Shark Investor | Robert Herjavec |
| Investment Amount | $200,000 |
| Equity Received | 10% |
| Royalty Structure | $1 per unit until investment repaid |
| Valuation | $2 million |
Ruff Liners Post-Show Update
The post-show update for Ruff Liners is pending as the episode aired on April 11, 2025. However, initial reports suggest the business continued its rapid growth trajectory and leveraged Robert Herjavec’s expertise to expand beyond Amazon dependency.
Business Analysis & Lessons
Ruff Liners demonstrates the power of solving personal pain points with scalable business solutions. Brandon’s transition from engineer to full-time entrepreneur showcases how life changes can spark innovation. His investment in patents early on protected his IP while competitors were eliminated after his patent publication. Kevin O’Leary’s concern about Amazon dependency and 27% platform fees highlights a crucial lesson for e-commerce businesses: diversification of sales channels is essential for long-term sustainability. Barbara Corcoran’s point about lacking social media presence shows the importance of modern marketing strategies beyond just marketplace sales.
The deal structure with Robert Herjavec offers valuable insights about investment negotiations. By combining equity with royalty payments, both parties benefited: Herjavec gained ownership stake while Himmel maintained better economics through reduced equity dilution. The presence of multiple offers despite high platform fees demonstrates that strong revenue growth and IP protection can overcome operational concerns.
Pitch Conclusion
Ruff Liners secured investment on Shark Tank by demonstrating strong market validation through impressive revenue figures and effective IP protection. Brandon Himmel’s personal story resonated with investors, while his product’s unique door-to-door coverage addressed a clear market gap. His experience transitioning from engineer to entrepreneur embodies the American Dream and validates the show’s platform for turning ideas into viable businesses. The deal with Robert Herjavec positioned the company for growth beyond marketplace dependency while maintaining founder equity motivation.
Have you used Ruff Liners or similar pet protection products for your adventures? Share your experiences in the comments below or tell us about other innovative pet products you’ve discovered while traveling with your best friend.