Shraman Mitra
‘Shark Tank‘ season 13 witnessed entrepreneurs Leslie Hsu and Greg Besner present their venture Sunflow, hoping for a lifechanging investment from the Sharks. An incredibly innovative take on the concept of a beach chair and accessories, the product surely warranted a second look. So, here is what we have found out about Sunflow and how it is doing today!
Sunflow: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
The brains behind Sunflow, Greg Besner and Leslie Hsu, are a married couple and successful entrepreneurs. Greg completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and English Literature from Rutgers University before earning an MBA in Management and Finance from The Wharton School. He started his professional career as an Associate at Goldman Sachs and became the Vice President at Merrill Lynch. But he is no stranger to running companies as he founded Restricted Stock Systems in 2000 and CultureIQ in 2013.
Apart from being an Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, Greg has held prestigious positions at top companies like House Party and Computershare U.S. On the other hand, Leslie Hsu completed her education at Penn State University and has worked for brands like Elie Tahari, Calvin Klein, Barnes & Noble NOOK, and Jonathan Adler. Much like her husband, Leslie is also quite adept at establishing her own businesses as she founded her line of designer handbags under the name of Leslie Hsu New York.
Both Greg and Leslie share their love for the sea and enjoy spending time on beaches. They mentioned how they have beautiful memories associated with the beach, which further strengthened their bond. However, a day on the beach demands numerous accessories, including beach chairs. The couple noticed how difficult and time-consuming it was to pack and unpack beach chairs every time they wanted to spend a few hours by the sea. Thus, to find a solution to their problem, they began brainstorming and came up with the idea of Sunflow.
At its core, Sunflow is a beach chair that can be easily folded and unfolded according to the user’s needs. It is portable, easy to set up, and even reclines. Apart from not taking up much space when stored away, the chair can be customized with several paid attachments, including a drink holder, a sunglass holder, a dry bag, and an SPF 50 sunshade.
Where Is Sunflow Now?
It took Greg and Leslie almost three years to come up with a design, test prototypes, and make Sunflow ready for the market. However, it was completely worth it as Sunflow was positively received upon its launch. It did not take long for the business to grow, and the couple realized that in addition to beach chairs, there was also a massive untapped market for beach-related accessories. Thus, at present, Sunflow sells products like Turkish blankets, insulated wine tumblers, towels, water bottles, bikini bags, and more. All of which are aimed at enhancing the beach experience.
As a testimony to Greg and Leslie’s outstanding success, the company has been featured in top publications like Popsugar, Men’s Health, The Wall Street Journal, and Observer, among several others. All Sunflow products can be exclusively bought on their official website. The signature chairs, which are available in exciting shades, cost $198. Moreover, each attachment ranges from $18 to $48, while beach accessories fall in the price range of $5 to $88. Additionally, one can purchase the complete beach bundle – which consists of the chair and all the accessories – for $296.
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