The burgeoning men’s grooming company Crowned Skin came up big on the latest episode of Shark Tank, securing a $500,000 investment from Rashaun Williams.
The Chicago connection was real as Crowned Skin founder Darrell Spencer, a Chicago native, appeared on the April 15 episode. Bonding with Williams over their Chicago roots, Spencer secured a $500,000 deal for a 10% stake, plus a $ 1-per-unit royalty until $1 million is repaid, AfroTech reports.
“You did a great job. I’m so excited. Your growth, it speaks for itself. You got me out here smelling good,” Williams told Spencer following the onscreen deal.
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Crowned Skin was already gaining major traction before its Shark Tank debut. Spencer scaled the brand to eight figures in under two years, carving out a niche in men’s grooming with its cologne-infused body butters and oils.
The brand has ranked among the top sellers on TikTok Shop, landed in Amazon’s top 10, and secured a national retail deal through Walmart’s Open Call, with a wider rollout set for 2026. It has also partnered with the National Basketball Players Association and expanded to Macy’s online, while earning a spot in Amazon’s Rising Stars campaign.
Spencer quickly grabbed the Sharks’ attention with his numbers, revealing he hit $2 million in a single month through direct-to-consumer sales and surpassed $10 million overall, with projected revenue of $14–15 million and strong traction on TikTok Shop.
SHARK TANK – ÒMillion Dollar Offer: See Which Shark Makes a Million Dollar Offer for a Never-Before-Seen Idea!Ó – Bold entrepreneurs step into the Tank to pitch inventive concepts, including wildfire and tornado-proof homes, cologne-infused body butter, an allergy-free caf and specialized traction pads for athletes. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 (10:02-11:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Christopher Willard) DARRELL SPENCER
SHARK TANK – ÒMillion Dollar Offer: See Which Shark Makes a Million Dollar Offer for a Never-Before-Seen Idea!Ó – Bold entrepreneurs step into the Tank to pitch inventive concepts, including wildfire and tornado-proof homes, cologne-infused body butter, an allergy-free caf and specialized traction pads for athletes. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 (10:02-11:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Christopher Willard) DARRELL SPENCER
He initially sought $500,000 for 5% equity in Crowned Skin, surprising the panel. Kevin O’Leary and Barbara Corcoran countered with a joint offer of $500,000 for 20% plus a royalty structure. Still, Spencer ultimately struck a deal with a fellow Chicago native in a move that left him energized about the brand’s future and its impact on aspiring Black entrepreneurs.
“I feel like I’m in a dream and I haven’t woken up yet,” Spencer said on the show. “I’m most excited about just really being a beacon of hope and being a light for other Black men to see that things that you probably never thought or envisioned that you can do, you can absolutely do it because I’m a living witness to it.”
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