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‘Shark Tank’ Star Daniel Lubetzky Discusses What Fans Can Expect This Season
September 29, 2024
The first new Shark in more than 10 years will debut in Season 16 of ABC’s popular series, “Shark Tank.” After five seasons as one of the most well-liked frequent guests on the show, Daniel Lubetzky — founder of KIND Snacks and the Builders Movement — will formally join the regular roster as the first-ever full-time Latino Shark.
Notable investments made by Lubetzky on “Shark Tank” include a $1 million purchase of Yellow Leaf Hammocks and agreements with FitFighter, TANDM Surf, HummViewer, and other companies. Being a Mexican American and the son of a Holocaust survivor, Lubetzky offers a distinct viewpoint that emphasizes creating long-lasting businesses as well as human connections. His investment company, Camino Partners, supports entrepreneurs who are motivated by values and promotes long-term enterprise value in line with this concept.
Lubetzky spoke to RetailWire earlier this week and gave a brief overview of what fans can expect this season.
Tell us a little bit about your addition to the ‘Shark Tank’ lineup. How did that come about?
This is my sixth season on “Shark Tank,” so I have had the opportunity to get to know the cast and crew over the years. It’s such an incredible show with a smart, kind, talented team behind it, so I feel blessed to have the opportunity to join in a more regular capacity. Before I even started as a guest Shark before taking on a regular role, I had watched the show with my family for many years, using it as an opportunity to teach my kids about entrepreneurship.
Tell us a little bit about the founding of Camino Partners. How did that come about?
Last year, we launched Camino Partners, which is our team’s investment platform. We partner with founders and leaders to build long-term enterprise value guided by the core values that were instrumental to KIND’s success: entrepreneurial spirit, open communication, and integrity, to name a few. Many of our team members played leading roles in building KIND Snacks from its founding into a multi-billion-dollar business.
With Camino Partners, we can leverage that operating experience to offer more than just flexible capital, but also lean in when it matters and be trusted thought partners along a leader’s journey. Some of our partners include SOMOS Mexican foods, Belgian Boys convenient breakfasts, CAVA Mediterranean foods, Gimme seaweed snacks, and Ellenos yogurt; but we aren’t married to just CPG food companies. We invest beyond both the packaged food and consumer spaces.
What makes you say ‘yes!’ to a company that is looking for funding from you?
A good combination tends to be grit, wit, and market fit — I look for leaders with resilience and hustle who also have the introspection and critical thought to be able to learn and grow. The product, service, or supply chain should be enhancing consumers’ lives, and the company should be able to demonstrate a clear pathway to sustainable growth. The deals we do on “Shark Tank” are at a much earlier stage than those we prioritize at Camino Partners, so “Shark Tank” gives me the chance to give back and mentor entrepreneurs just starting on their journeys.
You’re the son of a Holocaust survivor, as well as a Mexican American. How do these unique traits influence your decisions on which companies to fund?
Despite living through a concentration camp during the Holocaust, my dad emerged from that experience still seeing the good in humanity. I try to carry on his legacy to treat all people with kindness and to reach across divides to build bridges between people. I am also a very proud Mexican American citizen who immigrated to America when I was 16. I don’t take the freedoms this country has afforded me for granted and love having the opportunity to support entrepreneurs, including immigrant entrepreneurs, who come on “Shark Tank” to try to realize the American dream.
What can we expect from this season of ‘Shark Tank’?
It’s going to be one of the best seasons yet with lots of big surprises, very cool products and entrepreneurs, and all the Sharky banter. You’ll have to tune into our season premiere Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. eastern time on ABC to see for yourself!
Do you have any other projects that are coming up that you’d like to promote?
In addition to my business-building work, I spend much of my time on the Builders Movement, an initiative I founded with hundreds of other leaders to equip people with skills and tools for replacing “us vs. them” division with flexible thinking and constructive problem-solving to prevent polarization and conflict. As we head into the 2024 elections, we’re launching a campaign to encourage Americans to think critically about how the words and actions of elected officials contribute to either problem-solving or division in our nation. Stay tuned for more.
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