What Happened To Kisstixx After Shark Tank?
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Utah native Dallas Robinson was a high school student when he came up with Kisstixx. Per Shopify, Robinson was looking for a lip balm to heal his dry lips but could not find a product he was satisfied with, so came up with his own. Kisstixx is a lip balm duo that came in two different flavors. Interestingly, the two flavors became amplified when mixed through kissing and, thus, were primarily designed for couples. Robinson became serious about this unique business idea when he was studying business management at Utah Valley University (UVU) and later brought on his friend and fellow UVU student, Mike Buonomo, into the fold.
According to The Daily Universe, Kisstixx was officially founded in June 2010. Robinson and Buonomo subsequently developed sets in flavors that included Fire & Ice, Peaches & Cream, and more. Robinson explained to Shopify that his parents gave him a $5,000 loan to launch Kisstixx and that he and Buonomo sold security systems to keep Kisstixx afloat. That's when the pair decided to go on a casting call for "Shark Tank."
Kisstixx was ultimately featured on season 3, episode 7 of the show. In the March 2012 episode, Robinson and Buonomo asked Barbara Corcoran and Kevin O'Leary to test out their Fire & Ice set. Corcoran and O'Leary proceed to share an awkward kiss that had O'Leary proclaiming that the lip balm was, in his words, tasty. But did this mean he and Corcoran were in?
One shark offered Kisstixx an impressive deal
On "Shark Tank," Dallas Robinson and Mike Buonomo asked for $200,000 in exchange for 20% of Kisstixx. Robinson explained to the sharks how Kisstixx was born out of a desire to create a lip balm that soothed his dry lips but also tasted good. While Kevin O'Leary agreed that the product worked, his demonstration with Barbara Corcoran failed to bring in a deal from either of them. Robert Herjavec told Robinson and Buonomo that he was interested in Kisstixx but noted that he was hesitant to invest. Mark Cuban then asked the pair what they would do with the money they were asking for.
Robinson stated that they needed $167,000 to fulfill an order from Walgreens. The rest, he noted, would be used for marketing and distribution. Cuban then went all in and told Robinson and Buonomo that he would give them $200,000 for 40% of Kisstixx.
He said (via YouTube), "I think you could be fun, hip, innovative, and kind of a little bit edgy, which is cool." Although he was asking for a significant stake in their company, Cuban added, "But the other good news is, as you grow, I'll be there to help you finance all that other inventory without asking you for more equity." With this, Daymon John and Herjavec decided they were out. Robinson and Buonomo said yes to Cuban and closed their deal.
Kisstixx saw a massive increase in sales after Shark Tank
In a season 4 update for "Shark Tank," Dallas Robinson and Mike Buonomo said that Kisstixx had brought in $1 million following the release of their episode. In comparison, Robinson told Shopify that Kisstixx had made $80,000 at the time of their "Shark Tank" casting call. In addition, the pair explained they had new products, including what appeared to be nail stickers. Moreover, Robinson and Buonomo revealed that Kisstixx was available in more than 1,000 stores, with more to come. Forbes states that after the episode aired, Kisstixx was sold internationally.
Speaking to the publication about how "Shark Tank" had elevated Kisstixx, Buonomo told Forbes, "Yes, it's been hugely valuable — normally a distributor would feel apprehension about working with such a young company, let alone with such a young set of executives, but with Mark Cuban backing us, the hesitation has gone out the window." He also noted that Kisstixx's website had crashed in the aftermath of the episode's airing.
In 2012, Forbes asked Cuban what was the best deal he made on "Shark Tank." Cuban listed five companies, including Kisstixx. That said, Kisstixx was later sold at Target and on Amazon. Although Lori Greiner was not on "Shark Tank" for Kisstixx's episode, she collaborated with Kisstixx and sold a five-pack of lip balms on QVC. The lip balm featured two flavors on each end, including vanilla/peppermint, apple/melon, and more.
Kisstixx is no longer in business
After "Shark Tank," Kisstixx was, for a time, extremely popular, with Forbes reporting in 2012 that the company was looking into developing an app. In March 2013, Kisstixx was handed out at two Dallas Mavericks games. In a press release, Dallas Robinson explained (via Yahoo! Finance), "We worked with the Mavericks to prepare Mavericks-branded labels for the Kisstixx we'll be distributing. We're really excited for people to try our product out during the game. And who knows, people might actually watch a little basketball between make-out sessions." The Dallas Mavericks are, of course, owned by Mark Cuban.
In 2014, Kisstixx partnered with country singer Danielle Peck. She performed on "Shark Tank," and according to CDX Nashville, she launched a collection with Kisstixx. However, as of 2023, it appears that Kisstixx is no more. They do not have a website, and their Twitter and Instagram accounts have been inactive for years. Moreover, Kisstixx products are no longer available on Amazon.
It's unclear when or why Kisstixx shuttered, but Robinson's LinkedIn states that he was Kisstixx's president and CEO until 2021. That said, Kisstixx's notorious Fire & Ice set had 3.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Some buyers noted that it was more of a novelty product than lip balm to use every day, with one customer writing, "It's fun, and it tastes nice, but it's not very good at soothing dry lips." Clearly, this could have impacted the long-term viability of the company.
This is what Dallas Robinson and Mike Buonomo are up to now
Kisstixx may no longer be in business, but that doesn't mean that Dallas Robinson left entrepreneurship behind. According to his LinkedIn, Robinson has worked for the M-7 agency in Salt Lake City, Utah, since August 2021. The agency is involved in marketing and other specialties for brand growth. Per his Instagram, Robinson is a dedicated family man and primarily posts photos of his wife and children. His Instagram bio states he's been married for 15 years. Similarly, Mike Buonomo's Facebook shows that he lives in Utah with his wife and sons. A Facebook post from 2021 states that he was working in real estate.
Before Kisstixx's demise, Robinson spoke to Shopify in 2017 about his experience on "Shark Tank" and working with Mark Cuban. Robinson said, "He took a chance on us. He's been awesome. Just a really cool mentor. Through the ups and downs of learning this business and trying to get ... Selling lip balm is hard. Selling a lot of lip balm, thousands and thousands a unit is difficult."
He went on to say, "Overall, man, just a fantastic experience. It really put us on the map and did what we wanted it to, as far as the marketing side, and really helped launch this first little company."