What Happened To Stella Valle After Shark Tank?
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Founded in 2009 by sisters Ashley Jung and Paige Dellavalle, Stella Valle began by selling leather bracelets with attachable charms. However, what makes Stella Valle stand out is that Jung and Dellavalle, who were on a quest to make modern jewelry, do not have a background in fashion.
The New Jersey natives are West Point graduates and veterans. Upon leaving the military, the sisters started Stella Valle with help from their parents and two other sisters, per NJ.com. "We realized that, after our military training and experience, we could do anything if we put our minds to it. So that's what this business is all about — following our dreams and not letting obstacles get in our way," Jung told the publication.
In an interview with Glamour, Dellvalle said they first worked out of a garage in their parents' home and were using any resources they had to grow their business. Then came "Shark Tank." Jung, Dellvalle, and Stella Valle were featured in Season 4, Episode 25 of the series, which aired in 2013. Jung and Dellvalle made a memorable first impression when they walked into the tank in army uniforms that they swiftly shed off to reveal they were wearing sleek dresses.
Jung and Dellvalle told the Sharks that they sold Stella Valle at trunk shows at Bloomingdales and Henri Bendel (via YouTube). Likewise, they revealed that they had made $75,000 in sales. Jung and Dellvalle asked the Sharks for $150,000 for 25% of their company, but were the Sharks in?
What happened to Stella Valle on Shark Tank?
On "Shak Tank," Ashley Jung and Paige Dellavalle disclosed that they sold Stella Valle pieces for $50 to $375. Besides their signature leather bracelets and charms, the sisters, by this point, had necklaces in their collection. Jung and Dellavalle noted that it only cost them $3 to $45 to make these products, and the sharks were shocked to learn that a $3 item was sold for $96. As for the $150,000, they asked for, the sisters said they would use the money to do more trunk shows in other stores. Robert Herjavec was against this idea and eventually said he was out.
While Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban expressed confidence in Stella Valle's success, Kevin O'Leary was the opposite, saying that he did not believe the company was worth the sister's estimate of $600,000. Daymond John told Jung and Dellvalle that he didn't like the jewelry. With Herjavec, O'Leary, and John out, the pressure was on Greiner and Cuban.
Greiner mentioned that she wanted to sell Stella Valle on QVC and praised Stella Valle and the sister's military background. Likewise, she seemed especially pleased when Jung and Dellvalle said they donated some of their proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project. Greiner then asked Cuban if he would be willing to join her on a deal. Cuban agreed, and Jung and Dellavalle received $150,000 for 35% of Stella Valle, marking the beginning of Stella Valle's impressive growth.
Stella Valle was sold at various retailers
As promised by Lori Greiner, Stella Valle made it on QVC after "Shark Tank." Speaking to Glamour in 2015, Ashley Jung said, "We do a lot of business with Lori on QVC and she helps guide us in the pieces we should sell on there and the pricing. Last year we were on 12 times and every time we presented a product, we saw her because she'd go on with one of us. When we're there, we'll meet with her, talk about the business, [and] give her updates on what's going on."
Moreover, Jung disclosed that Stella Valle used Mark Cuban's accountant and business development manager. When asked by Glamour what lesson she had learned from being on "Shark Tank," Paige Dellavalle told the publication, "After the show, people think that overnight you're just a success, but really, it's kind of the beginning. People think [the sharks] open the door and close the deal for you, but it still takes a lot of work."
However, the sisters and Stella Valle did the work, and their line was later sold at Jared and HSN. In August 2015, Stella Valle dropped an exclusive line at Target. Gone were the leather bracelets; the pieces sold at these retailers, including QVC, featured a sleeker, more linear look than the items the sisters presented on "Shark Tank." In 2017, Dellavalle, now known as Paige Dellavalle Walker, was featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30-Art & Style list.
Ashley Jung and Paige Dellavalle Walker moved on from Stella Valle
In an interview with Old Grad Club, Ashley Jung and Paige Dellavalle Walker revealed that they were no longer involved with Lori Greiner or Mark Cuban because they decided against investing more into Stella Valle. Greiner and Cuban gave up their company shares, with Old Grad Club noting that they had made 10 times what they had invested. While it's unclear when their deal fell apart, Stella Valle did not appear to lose momentum.
According to NJ, Jung and Walker opened a Stella Valle pop-up store in 2019 in Flemington, New Jersey. When that closed, they opened a permanent store in 2020 in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Jung and Walker told the publication that they were selling jewelry, loungewear, and other products at their store. Moreover, they said they had plans to expand.
However, that never happened. As of 2023, a quick Google search shows that the store is no longer open. On their respective Instagram profiles, neither Jung nor Walker mentions Stella Valle. On her LinkedIn, Jung states that she left Stella Valle in September 2022. She now works for LMI, which is involved in business consulting. Per Walker's LinkedIn, she has not worked for Stella Valle since April 2022. Walker has since founded a new company called The Brightwood. It sells skincare products and offers skin care services at its medical spa in New Jersey.
Stella Valle pieces are still for sale
In 2020, NJ reported that Stella Valle made 90% of their sales online. But As of 2023, Stella Valle no longer has a website. Their last post on Instagram was made in April 2022. In addition, the company's Twitter and Facebook have been inactive for some time. A couple of Stella Valle pieces can be found on HSN. That said, Stella Valle is primarily sold on Amazon. The jewelry line includes cuff bracelets, charm necklaces, and rings. Most of the pieces are engraved and are available in gold and silver. Some are sold in sets that mix these two metals.
Prices on Amazon range from $5.99 to $40.99, making them affordable jewelry to use as gifts or even stocking stuffers for the holiday season. One popular product on Amazon is a mother-daughter bracelet set with "The Best Within You is the Best Within Me" engraved on it. Stella Valle claims that these bracelets are made with 18k gold and rhodium and are not supposed to tarnish.
This particular set has a 4.7 out of 5 rating, with one customer writing, "Perfect gift for any special occasion! Doesn't turn my wrist green because the material is so good! Highly recommend!" However, another customer wrote that they had the opposite experience and that the set was not worth the money they had spent. "After wearing once, my skin started to turn green which has never happened to me before," the customer wrote.