Goumi on ‘Shark Tank’: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Goumi entrepreneurs Linsey Fuller and Lili Yeo took their organic baby clothing line to the sharks on Shark Tank to see if they could get an investment. The episode airs on Friday, March 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

The Portland-based company creates clothing and nursery items with usability and sustainability in mind, and they had a personal reason for founding the company back in 2012. According to the website, Goumi believes “in the power of small.” Yeo is the founder and CEO of Goumi while Fuller works as the creative director.

The women pitched their clothing line to sharks Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner and Daymond John.

Here’s what you should know about Goumi:

1. The Clothing Line Was Created by Two Mothers

Goumi was founded by Lili Yeo, and she came up with the idea while on maternity leave.

According to the website the line was created by, “two mamas on maternity leave who were experiencing how ill fitting, unattractive, and bad for the environment the small essentials they were putting on their new babes was.”

“They wanted to help solve these problems for mamas around the world,” the site reads.

The first idea was for baby mittens, which are essential in the first few months after birth since they stop babies from scratching themselves and getting hurt. The ones Yeo was using at the time did not fit correctly, and she had to use rubber bands to get them to stay on her first born.

2. Goumi Was Cast on ‘Shark Tank’ After Attending a Casting Call

Stories about how entrepreneurs end up in the Tank vary from randomly getting a call from a Shark Tank producer to filling out an application and sending it in to attending an open casting call for the show.

Yeo told KOIN in Portland that she attended a one-day diversity casting call locally in order to get on the show.

At these casting calls, hundreds of companies pitch their product in just a few minutes to producers and casting directors for Shark Tank. Most companies are not given the opportunity to step into the tank, and many people have to try out more than once to get their product onto the show.

3. The Company is Named After the Goumi Berry

Yeo writes on the Goumi website that she named the company after the Goumi berry and its “unique ability to impact the ecosystem around it.”

The goumi berry shrubs are hardy and they thrive in all kinds of conditions, according to Gardening Know How. They can tolerate any kind of soil and survive both low and high temperatures.

The company is also committed to giving. They donate to a number of causes including the prevention of human trafficking and donating boots and mitts to babies in need.

4. The Booties and Mitts are the Best-Sellers

ABC/Eric McCandless

The booties and mitts were the first idea for Goumi, and they’ve become some of the best-selling products on the site since then.

The boots are sold in a variety of sizes including 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months and preemie. They are also adjustable so they stay on no matter how much the baby moves around. They are sold in a two-pack online for $32 and available in many colors.

The mitts are available in sizes 0-3 months, 3-6 months and preemies. They are adjustable like the boots are, and they come in a variety of colors. The two-pack of mitts sells for $24 online.

Mitts and Boots are available in a bundle for $26.

5. Yeo Encourages Buying the Products from Small Stores

In the interview with KOIN, Lili Yeo said that the bundles offered by Goumi could be great gifts at this time since many of the milestones in early life, which are usually attended in person, are being held remotely due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

The founder urged customers to buy from small shops, which may really need the help right now.

“So I would suggest everybody to go and get your baby product, but go after the little shops because they really need your help right now,” she said. “And getting those giftable bundles to just restore the hope and choosing to hope in this difficult time is a good place to be in, I think, emotionally.”

She said the most intimidating sharks to meet were Mark Cuban and Kevin “Mr. Wonderful” O’Leary.

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