From the nursery to Shark Tank: How Boca Raton entrepreneur made it onto the hit TV show

For Boca Raton entrepreneur and Dingle Dangle Baby cofounder Stewart Gold, entrepreneurship has been full of risks and rewards. But believing his company could be among the 100 entrepreneurs selected out of 40,000 applicants to appear on the hit television show Shark Tank seemed outlandish.

Until it actually happened.

“I grew up watching Shark Tank,” Gold, 41, said. “Dingle Dangle Baby is a very Shark Tank product. It’s gadgety and resonated with people. A month or two later, I asked myself what harm it could do to apply for Shark Tank and researched how to apply. A week later, maybe sooner, I was contacted back.”

After working as a lawyer for 10 years, Gold and his wife Tiffany moved to northern England in early 2021 with their son Max, who is now 8. Right as they moved, the COVID-19 pandemic happened and they were limited in many aspects of their lives.

When another couple also moved into their building, Gold befriended Mark Hamilton, his future partner in Dingle Dangle Baby. They bonded over being fathers of young children and wondered what they could create to involve fathers more with their babies.

“When I had my first son Max, I didn’t know how to hold the baby or interact with the baby,” Gold said. “I could be there, but felt a bit left out of the process. I wanted to be more involved but didn’t know how to.”

Through laughter and ingenuity, Gold and Hamilton focused on creating a device that could serve as a hands-free baby distractor, portable mobile and sensory rattle all in one. They quickly worked together to produce three prototypes of what the final product would look like. Using a phrase that Hamilton’s then-baby daughter said during her changing time, “dingy dingy,” they already had a name for their device.

Rigid COVID-19 restrictions in England at the time meant that the duo had to be creative about engaging with customers. Driving to various baby shows gave them an opportunity to engage with parents who could be potential customers.

By meeting strangers and pitching their product, Gold felt they could get a true barometer of the demand for it. Using the prototypes he and Hamilton created, 12 orders were put in for Dingle Dangle Baby products. Over the company’s first six months, that number grew to hundreds of orders and the team invested in a manufacturer.

“You have to prove you can sell the product,” he said. “I would say 95% of people that say they will buy a product won’t and it’s not because they don’t like it, but they don’t need it. Go to strangers that don’t care if they hurt your feelings or not.”

Gold moved back to the U.S. in 2022 with the goal of getting Dingle Dangle Baby off the ground in America and settled in Boca Raton. Having grown up in Hollywood, he has an affinity for South Florida.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our community, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels our local economy,” said Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer of its small businesses like Dingle Dangle. “As mayor, I’m proud that Boca Raton has created the right environment where our small businesses thrive, create jobs, drive innovation, and enhance our unique quality of life.”

Before Gold moved back to the U.S. with his family, many Dingle Dangle Baby customers asked him about when he would be on Dragon’s Den, the British version of Shark Tank. Having watched Shark Tank for years, the idea never left him. Once Dingle Dangle Baby’s application was chosen in a rigorous competition, he was eager to finally get the opportunity to pitch the show’s panel of judges.

Shark Tank’s judges are among some of the most famous names in modern business. Billionaire Mark Cuban is the lead panelist and recently sold his stake in the Dallas Mavericks NBA team for $3.5 billion.

Being able to present your business idea to Cuban and his peers on national television is nerve-inducing and the show has countless stressful moments. Gold was pleasantly surprised by the judges’ candor and the lessons they provided.

“My main takeaway is that they’re incredibly nice and supportive,” Gold said. “I was getting ready to go in there, heart pounding days leading up. Whether you fail or succeed, they understand the grind or struggle of starting a small business. One of the takeaways that was interesting to hear is that just because you have a good idea doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.”

Gold went into Shark Tank not seeking validation. He has always taken pride in his journey. As an entrepreneur, however, he was well aware of the way an appearance on the show would raise his company’s profile.

“With an outlet such as Shark Tank, it’s a credible source, an enjoyable show, people watch not only because it’s entertaining but gives them a better insight into business,” said Florida Atlantic University Associate Professor of Finance Sofia Johan. “For a business, that’s a gold mine. Unlike many companies where you don’t know who the managers are, you get to see them on the show.”

Johan cautioned that pitching your idea on a TV show with millions of viewers like Shark Tank can potentially expose entrepreneurs to individuals who want to copy their ideas. Still, she added that while individuals may try to copy ideas, executing them well is a different story.

“Anyone can create the same business plan, but executing the business plan is extremely difficult,” she said. “That’s what makes entrepreneurs successful.”

Today, Gold is also the father of a three-year-old son, Westyn, and understands the need for Dingle Dangle Baby for fathers even more than before. Gold has planned a Shark Tank watch party for his family and friends to bask in the moment and hopes to continue pushing Dingle Dangle Baby ahead with Hamilton in 2024.

“To be an entrepreneur you have to have an irrational belief that your product is the greatest thing ever,” Gold said. “There’s too many ups and downs not to believe totally in what you’re doing.”

Dingle Dangle Baby will appear on Shark Tank, Friday, January 12 at 8 p.m. on ABC and Hulu.