Nicole and Steve Jones have cured the common cold, no biggie. Photo / Channel 10
Nicole and Steve Jones have cured the common cold, no biggie. Photo / Channel 10
The panel on Ten's entrepreneurial reality show Shark Tank field perhaps their most cringe-worthy pitch yet in this week's episode, courtesy of a husband and wife team touting a cure for the common cold.
Steve and Nicole Jones are excited as they prepare to pitch a product that can "changethe world" and "help 7.5 billion people" in tomorrow night's episode. As they have the worldwide distribution rights, that's quite the potential marketplace.
Nicole and Steve Jones have cured the common cold, no biggie. Photo / Channel 10
The product is called Flu Away 48, a natural medicine that the couple insist "eliminates the symptoms of cold and flu within 48 hours — or your money back".
The hyperbole doesn't end there: Nicole tells the Sharks that Flu Away 48 has "the potential to positively impact every single human life on the planet — and we'd like for you to be a part of it".
The Sharks have a few reservations, though. For a start, there's the couple's hefty asking price — they're seeking a US$1.5 million (NZ$2.1m) investment for a 20 per cent stake in the company.
Looking for further clarification about the health benefits of the product — which is made up of already common cold-alleviating ingredients like garlic, echinacea and vitamin C — the Sharks press Steve and Nicole for their medical credentials.
Janine seems ... less than convinced. Photo / Channel 10
They explain that they're both "business people" who work in real estate. Steve says he also used to own a business in the building industry … that went into administration.
Shark Janine Allis chides the pair for their "cocky" demand for US$1.5m (NZ$2.1m), given they've only invested US$100,000 (NZ$146,000) of their own money into the business.
"You're the business guru, so where are you going to market?" Allis asks them.
The whole thing's stressing Steve Baxter out. Photo / Channel 10
"Well, I never said that," shrugs Jones, backtracking on the business-savvy credentials he was touting just a moment ago.
It's tough to watch — and they're still less than halfway through the pitch. It hasn't gone well so far, but will any of the sharks bite?
