Where Is Salad Sling From Shark Tank Today?
Salad Sling appeared on Season 12, Episode 21 of "Shark Tank," which first premiered in April of 2021, so not much time has yet passed since its televised pitch. Still, with an idea as dizzying as a sling for salad in place of a salad spinner, this product must surely have already shaken up the industry. Right? Well, the Sharks didn't seem to think that would be the case.
Jill Visit created the Salad Sling to prevent her greens from staying watery inside a bulky, hard-to-wash kitchen appliance. Visit's husband and two daughters were blown away by the design — waterproof material allows the salad-maker to dry the ingredients in a cloth.
The Boston Globe and The New York Times were impressed by the affordable, patented item's machine-washable, reversible, and space-saving design. So, why didn't the Sharks agree about the Salad Sling — and were they wrong to predict the product's failure?
The Salad Sling is a niche product
Salad Sling creator Jill Visit offered the "Shark Tank" judges 20% equity of her venture in exchange for a $100,000 investment. The company hit the ground running in 2019, but then the pandemic came along, the Salad Sling's factory shut down, and its sales dried up. Visit needed the judges' money to help supply product for the brand's healthy demand.
Underwhelmed, Kevin O'Leary recommended Visit quit while she was still ahead. Daymond John thought people would buy the product, try it once, and then never think about it again. Robert Herjavec dismissed the concept as trivial, and Mark Cuban didn't think Visit had a long-term plan. Last but not least, Lori Greiner felt the market wasn't large enough to bring a partner into. "They're just 100% wrong," Visit told the cameras after walking off set.
Two years later, it appears that neither side was completely right. Salad Sling continues to sell its namesake product on its website, along with a new mini version, but that's about it. Those same products are also available on Amazon, where they average four-or-five-star ratings. The startup remains active on social media, too. Salad Sling has found its niche and yet not much else. So, where does that leave Visit?
What's the creator up to?
Salad Sling didn't score a deal with any of the judges, and it's not the only salad-based product to pitch on the show — remember Simply Good Jars? So, it likely won't go down as a standout in "Shark Tank" history. Even so, creator Jill Visit is quite the memorable entrepreneur.
Outside her Salad Sling idea, Visit is a marketing creative with a background in advertising, brand strategy, creative leadership, graphic design, and process consulting. The big names she's worked with include Duracell, Energy Star, and Gillette. Visit also worked on the aesthetics for Whole Foods Market for more than a dozen years.
According to Visit's LinkedIn profile, she remains the owner of Mirloco, the official entity that invented the Salad Sling. However, in the six-plus years she's been doing that, Visit has also worked as Global Creative Director for Whole Foods, Creative Director for Verb Inc., and Head of Creative for WorldStrides. Presently, she continues to freelance and serves as executive creative director for a company called Neutral. The Sharks doubted the Salad Sling, but it's difficult to doubt Visit's abilities — perhaps she and her startup will succeed, after all.