Braintree Police Officer Appears On Shark Tank

A member of the Braintree Police Department had a good idea but not the right timing for some of the most well-known investors on television.

Officer Derrek Burr appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank Sunday night with the hope that one of the sharks would invest $80,000 in his company Kwik-Hang in exchange for a 20 percent equity stake. The small company makes a special bracket for curtains that requires no nails, drilling, screws or measuring. All one needs to do is place the brackets at the top of the window, give it a small tap with a hammer, and hang the curtain rod.

The company was started in 2013 by Burr’s dad, who was able to acquire four patents. Sadly, Burr’s dad died before he was able to appear on the show, leaving the Braintree officer to continue the company in his memory.

While the sharks liked the product, it was the business side that gave them pause.

“This is not a crazy deal, it’s not overvalued, it’s just who’s going to do the work?” Kevin O’Leary asked.

Burr said he is willing to retire from being a police officer to operate Kwik-Hang full time, telling the five prospective investors that this is the final link to his father.

Investor Lori Greiner recommended licensing the patents to companies that already have the manufacturing and distributing means.

“To honor your father is a beautiful thing and you’ve already done it, you’re you. So I think here I would take pause and think if this is the life you want to live day to day because it’s a huge commitment,” investor

O’Leary agreed with Greiner on the licensing play.

“You want to make (your father) proud? Go get a royalty check of $50,000 a month. It’s one of those deals where it’s a beautiful story but as a business, extremely hard to invest in,” he said.

Touched by Burr’s story, investor Robert Herjavec recalled being a young man with no direction and being told by his father that he worked hard so his son could have the opportunities he didn’t have.

“I wouldn’t quit the job, the price point is just too small but maybe you’ll figure it out,” Herjavec.

With a handshake from Herjavec, Burr left the tank with no offers but no less motivated than he was before.

‘Yeah I’m a little disappointed. I got a little knocked down today but my dad never gave up on this product and neither did I. I’m going to definitely prove them wrong,” he said.

As for the sharks? While they said no, it wasn’t easy to walk away someone who investor Mark Cuban called, “a good guy”

“It’s hard to look at that and not want to help him but you realize it’s not a business,” O’Leary said.

“It’s not that it’s not a business, it’s that he’s here too early. He’ll figure it out,” Cuban replied.

Burr has been with the Braintree Police Department since 2012.

Image Credit: ABC/Michael Desmond