Landon McKinnis

McKinnis identifies the airing of his Shark Tank episode in April 2025 as the moment that changed his trajectory.

“April 18th, 2025, when season 16, episode 17 aired”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 37:04

McKinnis says he entered the tank seeking $100,000 for 15% of his company.

“I'm here seeking a hundred thousand for 15% of my company”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 20:26

McKinnis says a Shark Tank pitch must be entertaining because it is a television show, followed by knowing the business and closing the deal.

“it's a tv show right so you have to be entertaining with your pitch”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 19:14

McKinnis says that when Shark Tank approached him he felt unready as a new solo founder without major sales.

“i'm not ready i just started i don't have a million dollars in sales i i'm just a solo founder”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 12:05

McKinnis advises entrepreneurs to run their own race, citing the tortoise and the hare.

“run your own race run your own race so classic story of the the tortoise and the hare”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 46:11

McKinnis says he heard rejection from investors, manufacturers and others for years before getting his first yes on Shark Tank.

“I've been on this journey since 2018 and heard no the whole way”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 26:20

McKinnis argues that founders should set up proper business records from the start so they can seize opportunities when they arise.

“set your business up for real success from the beginning so that when that time does come calling you're ready to answer”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 16:25

McKinnis says he deliberately focused on below-the-neck grooming because it had fewer competitors.

“So I wanted to stay in my lane below the neck. I didn't want to compete with everybody”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 30:27

McKinnis recalls receiving his first 1,000 units of GoNutz on Memorial Day 2023.

“May Memorial Day 2023 was when I got my first thousand units that had landed at my house on the back of a truck”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 11:07

McKinnis says his faith taught him that setbacks come on God's timeline and required him to learn patience.

“god doesn't put more on you than you can handle and he knows your story and it's on his time and i've had to learn that”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 8:39

McKinnis says God prepares people for opportunities they think they are ready for before they truly are.

“we might think we're ready but we're not and so I always say God didn't bring me this far just to bring me this far”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 0:37

McKinnis recounts that when white teammates deliberately refused to pass to him, his mother told him to stop showing he was upset and prove himself.

“she said stop crying she said stop showing them you're upset and go out there and when you get the ball you show them what you do”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 5:22

McKinnis says that while growing up he competed at the level of future professionals but coaches held him back because of his race.

“knowing that coaches still will hold you back based off of you know your race and not wanting to see you succeed”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 6:09

McKinnis says customer feedback showed that older users with Parkinson's find the spherical device easier to control.

“quite a few customers that have parkinson's are a little bit up there in age and because of the way that you can hold go nuts”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 40:43

McKinnis explains he chose Daymond John partly because other Sharks had invested in Manscaped while John's portfolio lacked a grooming line.

“But knowing that Laurie and Mark had invested in Manscaped previously, I knew Damon and his portfolio was probably only missing one thing”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 26:48

McKinnis says his mother died in August 2023, shortly after his first inventory arrived.

“August 7th three days after my mom three days after my birthday my mom ended up passing”

Mick Unplugged: Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit (Oct 22, 2026) · Listen from 11:07