Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Garrison.
Nathan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My close friend was attacked by a bull shark when we were teenagers growing up in Charleston, SC. The injury was serious and if it weren’t for the teeth missing a few critical ligaments, he may never have surfed or walked properly again. Before this attack, I was never scared of sharks, and the possibility of being attacked didn’t seem real. Afterwards, I struggled with my own fear of them. That catalyzed a sequence of events that would lead to my father and I creating Sharkbanz in 2014.
To understand how we were able to create Sharkbanz, it’s important to understand a bit about my background. I majored in Multimedia Journalism at the University of Miami and started my career in the footwear industry with Teva as the project coordinator and content manager in the creative department, later moving to managing video content production. My experience at Teva was like going to business school. By communicating with every department, from development to sales, I was able to learn the steps required to take a product from concept to the shelf at retail. This proved crucial in doing the same for Sharkbanz, and I can say without this experience, we never would have achieved that success.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Bringing any product to market is difficult with everything that’s required – capital, time, team members, learning new skills, making the right connections – it’s an endless list. Developing and launching Sharkbanz added another layer of difficulty because you actually need sharks – a wild animal. This requires traveling to an area where you can find them, hoping they show up, and then have them stick around long enough to actually test your product and film the results. Your prototype has to work…and…we had to get in the water with the sharks and test it ourselves.
We licensed the patent for Sharkbanz magnetic technology from a group of scientists (SharkDefense) that had researched and developed repellents for a decade. After investing a considerable amount in R&D and design work, we received our first rough prototypes and had to prove the concept in order to raise more capital and move to the launch stage. This required a trip to the Bahamas with Dr. Patrick Rice (Dean of Florida Keys Community College Marine Science Program) to test it out. Stakes were high. If the test failed, we were back to the drawing board and out of money.
We landed in Bimini, Bahamas, where Shark Defense has their research permits, and the crew prepped everything for the big day. Dr Rice assured us that it would work and that there would be sharks at the testing grounds, but the nerves remained. A picture perfect day greeted us the next morning, and we headed out. After hours of chumming, no sharks arrived. The locals said it was the first time they’d ever had zero sharks at this site. We returned home in defeat and prepared to go back out the next morning. Another day of beautiful weather greeted us, and we boarded the boat and began the cruise to the site. Within minutes, the boat motor lurched to a halt, and we were stuck. This was our last chance, and we were stranded. Out of nowhere, a small boat rounded the island and offered to tow us in. Reaching the dock, I begged everyone with a boat to take us out and save the day. A kind man with a much larger and nicer boat offered to be our savior as he “didn’t have anything better to do” and hopes were high once again.
Within minutes, a shark arrived. Then 2, 3 more. My task was to film the testing underwater on Scuba gear while my dad was acted as safety diver (he’s a former dive instructor). Dr. Rice would wear the Sharkbanz prototype and observe the sharks reactions to the band on his ankle. Before flipping over the side of the boat to enter a feeding frenzy of 5 sharks, my dad and I looked at each other and said “was this really a good idea?” then laughed and fell backward into the blue.
We watched in amazement as the sharks were repelled by the Sharkbanz on Dr. Rice’s foot. We surfaced, cheering, then conducted more tests off the back of the boat that were also successful. My dad and I had captured enough footage to stir up some excitement, and the media caught on quick. Within two months of the testing, we were Live on World News and had gone globally viral.
This overnight success allowed us to raise enough money to start manufacturing, which proved to be the biggest challenge of all.
Anyone who’s ever manufactured product overseas knows the process is fraught with challenges and pitfalls, and we experienced many that nearly shut us down. Micro and macro factors can play a huge influence. Right now, the Coronavirus is causing major supply chain problems and delaying new product launches.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We created Sharkbanz, the world’s first active shark deterrent band.
Designed for beachgoers, swimmers, surfers and divers, Sharkbanz use patented magnetic technology developed by marine biologists to deter predatory shark species. The beauty lies in these three principles: SIMPLE – No batteries, no charging; always on. AFFORDABLE – Safety for everyone. STYLISH – Ergonomic design and premium materials for enhanced comfort.
Sharkbanz can be used by essentially anyone who spends time in the ocean to reduce the risk of shark encounters and attacks.
How do they work? Sharkbanz’s patented magnetic technology is the result of long term, ongoing scientific studies and testing. Sharkbanz utilize powerful permanent magnets to create an effective shark deterrent that’s always on and requires no batteries or charging. When sharks approach Sharkbanz, they detect the device’s strong electromagnetic field, which provides a sudden sensation that is thousands of times stronger than the signal produced by anything in a shark’s normal food chain. Consequently, sharks are deterred away from Sharkbanz. This cause and effect is analogous to having a bright light suddenly shined in your eyes in a dark room. You would not be hurt, but you would want to turn away.
We’re proud of the fact that we’ve received many dozens of testimonials from real users who deterred aggressive sharks in the wild. From South Africa to Florida to Australia, customers have written in to share incredible stories. My favorite and most humbling testimonial so far came from a Navy SEAL and big wave surfer, Ivan Trent. I knew of him from a Surfer’s Journal article that profiled him as one of the most badass humans on earth in and out of the water. One day in summer 2016, I received a message from “Instructor Blah” (his SEAL Captain Nickname) detailing an encounter with an aggressive bull shark in the FL Keys. He was wearing Sharkbanz, and described how the shark took off when encountering the field, calling it a “lifesaving product”. Realizing that we created something that could help someone of Ivan’s skillset be safer in the water was a major gratitude-inducing and surreal moment.
President Obama also wore Sharkbanz on his Hawaii vacation this year and was spotted and photographed. Receiving that text message with a photo of him wearing the product….it’s hard to describe. I think Davis (our #2) and I yelled in disbelief and excitement for 5 minutes before we could actually speak about it.
We donate 3% of profits to ocean conservation, and our mission is to get more people out into the water. When people experience the ocean, that reduces fear, creates understanding, and leads to a passion for protecting it – our planet’s greatest resource.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up in Charleston, SC, not exactly a bastion of progressive thought, especially back then. Regardless, I loved growing up there because of the tight-knit group of friends I made and our ability to run wild as kids. However, I never felt like I fit the mold of the place. Whether it was the dress, religion, southern culture – none of that ever pulled me in and always felt like some sort of brainwashing. As such, I became a risk-taker, not super well behaved – I liked to push limits and see where the edge was. Not in a purposeless way, but to learn from experience how to manage diverse types of people, authority, and challenging situations. Learning the boundaries in society firsthand helps one navigate the world better, a skill that you never stop learning. That said, I always did well in school and played a ton of sports. I also skated and surfed quite a bit in middle school. There are some hilarious photos of our crew from 6th grade decked out in Jnco’s with our skateboards…classic 90’s.
My mom and dad both had tremendous work ethic, so they instilled some of the entrepreneurial spirit in me. I will always remember being 13, heading into summer before 8th grade, and my dad saying, “Nath, what are you going to do this summer?” I responded with something typical about hanging with friends, camps, whatever. He asks, “What are you doing for work?” Somewhat taken aback, I say, “I’m 13, no one can even hire me!”. He responds, “Well, you better make up your own job then.” So, I started a lawn mowing company and dragged the mower around in 100 degree heat until I was old enough to get a car and a job working in restaurants. That certainly built character and taught me some early sales skills and how to read personalities. I’m grateful for that lesson and experience.
Pricing:
- Sharkbanz are $84 and come in 5 colors
Contact Info:
- Website: sharkbanz.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @sharkbanz
- Facebook: facebook.com/sharkbanz
- Twitter: @sharkbanz
Image Credit:
Garrison, Letchworth, Jungblut
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