I want to fill you in on the rest of my Shark Tank audition experience (you can read the first part here) because your support was overwhelmingly positive. As you know, I didn’t expect a call back, so that was a great surprise and we only had a few days to get a video together. We spent the weekend down the shore for Memorial Day weekend and worked on another application and figured out logistics to do a video. We made plans with Casey, an amazing videographer and now a friend, on Memorial Day in the morning to see if he could help film later that day. (I am really trying to be not so last-minute with everything, but I’m still a work in progress on that front!) Anyhow, Casey was kind enough to say that yes, he could meet us at Baby Be Hip at 4pm on a holiday after working the early morning shift (and I mean very small numbers early) down in OCNJ. Shout-out to Casey!
So the Mook family rallied and left the shore by 11am, aiming to get up to Philly in time to outline the video, get a shower and have my youngest child Delaney take her nap. But, as is so often the story in my life, things didn’t go as planned. As we were on the Expressway on the way home, our tire blew out. We were really lucky we didn’t lose control. Long story short, the stars were aligned and we had the best highway patrolmen help us, got us towed in an extra long flatbed tow truck. Picture this, all 6 of us in this tow truck, Ellie sitting on me in her spica/body cast (you should have seen us hoisting her up into the cab), Delaney (2) loving not being in a car seat and Molly and Gavin just going with the flow. I swear I could not make this stuff up. We got towed to Shore Toyota who made our car a priority to get done that day (miraculously open on a holiday, with the specific tires we needed, and able to work on our car).
At that point, I had no idea what the future of the video would be except I knew we were not going to be home by 4pm. But as we camped in the car dealership for a while as they worked on the car, the kids were watching TV and a spoof on Shark Tank appeared. We took that as a sign, and in that moment we decided we would still find a way to make it happen.
We managed to get home later that evening, quickly shower and meet Casey later at Baby Be Hip to film (another shout out to Casey for being flexible). We did our best on-the-fly taping, which is probably in keeping with who I really am today. My sister, Megan, brought the kids as well as Ellie (in her cast) with her nurse to include them and they were amazing considering they were up early, on the boardwalk, in a tow truck, hanging at a car dealership and once they finally got home, they had to rally for Mom. Have I mentioned I am blessed? Because I am.
The video turned out just fine and the amazing ladies at BBH sliced it together for me. We sent it off with the applications and samples and then had to wait. We were very clearly told they will let us know only if there is positive news. I tried to put it out of my brain and move on but I just wanted closure. So, I had to ASK because if I’ve learned anything over these years, it is the importance of asking (you don’t G-E-T if you don’t A-S-K, thanks to Lena West). The casting agent was awesome, responding to me saying that they decided not to select Baby Be Hip but gave me some really encouraging words. Of course, I was initially disappointed for about 5 minutes but then looked at all of the many benefits from the situation. I got to see the behind-the-scenes process for my favorite show, was able to focus on something for me at a very stressful time in my personal life with my Ellie in the hospital (great mental health medicine for me), participate in an American Idol-like process for entrepreneurs, get a call back, hustle to get a great video together and be proud of myself for putting myself out there. I strongly believe “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” which is a favorite quote from Wayne Gretzky. What made me even happier was yesterday, Gavin (9) asked my husband, Brad, when Mom was going to hear from Shark Tank. Brad told him the news and his response was, “At least she made it as far as she did.” I love that I am raising kids that believe the glass is ½ full.
But this was just a little thing around lots of other big things going on, such as Ellie being in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the Seashore House is for inpatient rehab for four weeks. It has been challenging balancing home, family and work, but now we have one week down and just three to go.
So, again, thanks to all of you who are on the journey with me through the highs and the lows. My take-away is to enjoy the process—whatever that process will be—and look for the good in every situation. I’ll tell you, we will never forget our ride home from the shore on Memorial Day weekend in a flat bed tow truck with all the kids while Ellie was in the body cast and then later doing the audition tape. I think we made for interesting chatter everywhere that day.
