Landon McKinnis: From Rejection to Shark Tank, Why He Never Quit

Episode of Mick Unplugged · October 22, 2026 · 49 min

Mick Hunt talks with GoNutz founder Landon McKinnis about his family-driven purpose, racial identity, faith, grief, going viral, and pitching on Shark Tank.

Summary

Mick Hunt hosted his friend Landon McKinnis, founder of the body-grooming product GoNutz, at a speakeasy in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The two said they met through their mutual mentor Daymond John. McKinnis described his purpose as wanting his mother and children to be proud of the man he has become, and recalled a strict two-parent upbringing in Shawnee, Kansas, where he faced racism, coaches who he said held him back because of his race, and the struggle of 'not being black enough, not being white enough.' He credited his mother's advice and his Christian faith with teaching him resilience and patience.

McKinnis recounted the business journey: receiving his first 1,000 units on Memorial Day 2023, his mother's death that August, a viral TikTok moment followed by slowing sales, and an email from a Shark Tank casting producer that he initially doubted was real. He argued that having a registered business, patents, trademarks, tax filings and inventory records ready allowed him to respond to the opportunity. He described his pitch, seeking $100,000 for 15% of the company, receiving offers including one from Mark Cuban, and choosing Daymond John because he believed John's portfolio lacked a grooming line and could make GoNutz a lifestyle brand. Hunt noted that the deal ultimately became an advisory relationship.

McKinnis explained the product's spherical design, its focus on below-the-neck grooming, and customer feedback, including from people with Parkinson's disease who found it easier to hold. Hunt urged entrepreneurs to invest heavily in social media. The episode closed with a rapid-fire segment including a Kansas City versus Carolina barbecue debate and McKinnis's advice to 'run your own race.'

Chapters

0:53
Welcome and friendship
Mick Hunt introduces Landon McKinnis and explains they met through mentor Daymond John.
1:47
The because: family and purpose
McKinnis says he wants his mother and children to be proud of how far he has come.
2:45
Childhood, race and identity
McKinnis describes growing up in Shawnee, Kansas, facing racism in sports and his mother's lesson to show people what he can do.
7:37
Setbacks and faith
McKinnis explains how faith taught him patience through rejection and loss.
9:59
From first inventory to Shark Tank email
McKinnis recounts his first shipment, his mother's death, a viral TikTok moment and being scouted by Shark Tank.
16:25
Preparation and the pitch
McKinnis discusses having business records ready and how he opened his pitch to the Sharks.
24:12
The Sharks and the deal
McKinnis describes the questioning, offers from Mark Cuban and others, and choosing Daymond John.
28:27
What GoNutz solves
McKinnis explains the product's origin, spherical design and below-the-neck niche.
36:42
The room and knowing your customer
McKinnis names Shark Tank as his pivotal moment and discusses customer feedback, including users with Parkinson's.
43:11
The Unplugged Five
A rapid-fire round covering barbecue, favorite teams and advice to run your own race.
Linked moment · 47:57Skip to 47:57 using a listen link in the info box.
47:57
Closing
Hunt and McKinnis express gratitude for their friendship and promote GoNutz.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 0:37 · Christianity
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 5:22 · Racial discrimination in youth sports
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 6:09 · Racial discrimination in youth sports
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 8:39 · Christianity
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 11:07 · GoNutz
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 11:07 · Grief
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 12:05 · Shark Tank
Mick Hunt
Hunt argues that entrepreneurs should double down on social media because it now functions as advertising and personal PR.
“social media is the new commercials social media is your opportunity to be your own pr agent”
Listen from 14:59 · Social media marketing
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 16:25 · Entrepreneurship
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 19:14 · Shark Tank
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 20:26 · Shark Tank
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 26:20 · Entrepreneurship
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 26:48 · Manscaped
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 30:27 · GoNutz
Mick Hunt
Hunt, a business collaborator of McKinnis, says he has used the product for six months without irritation.
“i can tell you after using this for six months no irritations at all”
Listen from 34:46 · GoNutz
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”
Listen from 37:04 · Shark Tank
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 40:43 · Parkinson's disease
Landon McKinnis
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”
Listen from 46:11 · Entrepreneurship

People

In the conversation

Mick HuntHost of the Mick Unplugged podcast
Landon McKinnisFounder of the GoNutz grooming brand (now ORBÉ) and Shark Tank contestant from Shawnee, Kansas

Discussed

Daymond JohnEntrepreneur and Shark Tank investor credited by Hunt with the term work-life integration
Mark CubanInvestor and Shark Tank panelist cited as an example of a high-value advisor
Kevin O'LearyCanadian investor and TV personality who previously appeared on the show
Barbara CorcoranShark Tank investor who made McKinnis an offer
Lori GreinerShark Tank investor who declined to invest
Andy ReidKansas City Chiefs head coach

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From the publisher

Landon McKinnis wanted his mom and his kids to be proud of the man he was becoming. That purpose kept him moving as he built GoNutz through rejection, grief, and the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. In this episode of Mick Unplugged, Landon joins me to talk about the because behind his work. He reflects on growing up in Shawnee, Kansas, facing racial discrimination, and finding his own identity. He also shares how faith helped him learn patience when things weren't happening on his timeline. We get into the business journey, too: the first shipment of inventory, a viral TikTok moment, slowing sales, and the Shark Tank email he initially thought was a joke. Landon explains how being prepared helped him respond to the opportunity, what it felt like to pitch the Sharks, and why listening to customers matters. YOU’LL HEAR - The family relationships behind Landon's purpose - How childhood experiences shaped his work ethic and sense of identity - The challenges that followed going viral - Why business records, numbers, and preparation mattered before Shark Tank - What customer feedback taught him about the product he was building - How he stays focused when competitors have bigger budgets and teams - A friendly Kansas City versus Carolina barbecue debate EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 Faith, Patience, and Being Ready 00:16 Welcome to Landon McKinnis 01:12 The Because: Family, Purpose, and Making Them Proud 03:47 The Unplugged Truth: Identity, Setbacks, and Faith 09:18 The Hot Takes: Building GoNutz and the Shark Tank Journey 33:46 The Room: The Opportunity That Changed Everything 38:31 The Unplugged 5: Barbecue, Resourcefulness, and Running Your Own Race 43:14 Friendship, GoNutz, and Your Because Put it into practice: Choose one useful step you can take with the resources you have today. Keep your attention on the work in front of you and the people you're doing it for. Follow Mick Unplugged for more conversations about purpose, leadership, and the because behind the work. Conne…

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on October 23, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Entrepreneurship·TV & Film·Religion & Spirituality