Shark Tank update: What happened to Yellow Leaf Hammocks after appearing on the show?

In the dim-lit arena of Shark Tank Season 11, Episode 24, where fortunes hinge on a pitch and a handshake, Joe Demin and Rachel Connors stepped forward with hammocks woven not merely from thread, but from the quiet labors of Thai hill tribe women.

Seeking $400,000 for 7% equity, they revealed sales climbing past $1.3 million, born from a backpacking discovery amid the Mlabri people, whose artisans earned a prosperity wage—far beyond a dollar a day—through each hand-signed creation.

Daniel Lubetzky, the KIND Snacks founder, countered with $1 million for 33% equity; after negotiation, the deal closed at $1 million for 25%, a pact that propelled Yellow Leaf Hammocks into a saga of survival, expansion, and unyielding mission.​

Shark Tank deal and immediate aftermath

The Shark Tank episode aired amid gathering storms of 2020, yet Yellow Leaf Hammocks caught the fabled "Tank bump." 

The weekend following broadcast, sales surged to $250,000; within four months, they reached $1.5 million, translating to 200,000 hours of work for Thai weavers. 

Prior to Shark Tank, a partnership with Virgin Voyages promised hammocks outside every cabin, but COVID-19 halted cruises, cratering wholesale channels.

Demin and Connors pivoted to e-commerce overhaul, sustaining momentum as Lubetzky's guidance fueled growth to over $15 million in sales by three years post-Shark Tank.​

Demin, who fled the USSR as a child refugee, and Connors, his business partner and spouse, framed their venture as a path from poverty.

"Hi, I'm Joe and I am the chief relaxation officer and I'm Rachel and I'm the chief enthusiasm officer," they introduced in a video testimonial, recounting sales from the back of her Volkswagen after spotting Mlabri weaves in Thailand. 

"We started selling hammocks about eight years ago... through a vacation to Thailand where we came across the Mlabri hill tribe group and realized there was an opportunity to create artisan jobs... most artisans don't actually earn a living wage and we really wanted to change that by creating artists and jobs that are paying prosperity wage so going from literally earning a dollar a day to earning as much as a college educated teacher in their region," they continued.

On Shark Tank, Robert Herjavec queried origins and costs; they detailed $44 production for a $199 top-seller, emphasizing weather-safe, rope-burn-free designs for indoor or outdoor use.​​

Lori Greiner offered $400,000 for 20%, then adjusted to a loan mix, while Herjavec bid $400,000 for 15%; O'Leary and Cuban passed on the premium pricing.

Lubetzky's offer stood firm. Connors later shared with Medium, 

"In the moment we were nervous to give [Daniel Lubetzky] 25% of our company in return. But it was truly the best outcome we could ever have hoped for."​

Pandemic resilience and sales trajectory

When travel froze, Yellow Leaf Hammocks confronted a trial familiar to many Shark Tank alumni: adaptation or perish.

Pre-Shark Tank yearly sales stood at $860,000; post-airing, lifetime figures exceeded $20 million by 2024, with 2023 annual sales near $6 million and a valuation around $24 million.

The company endured by doubling down on direct-to-consumer channels, even as cruise deals evaporated. Lubetzky's involvement proved pivotal, bridging networks and strategy.​ Demin said on The Kara Goldin Show, 

"There's certain things we just can't sacrifice, you know. The mission was baked into our existence before even I came into the picture. This initiative was started to provide people a path out of poverty, to empower them to change their lives. And I felt like I came in and have the chance to scale that into something that would be sustainable for generations to come."

Over 400 weavers now participate, each hammock bearing a signature, altering economic tides for the Mlabri and redefining hammocks as luxury staples. Features in Forbes, Oprah’s Favorite Things, and Good Morning America amplified reach.​

Product evolution and 2025 innovations

Yellow Leaf Hammocks expanded beyond the flagship Hammock Throne—pitched at $2,200 on Shark Tank—to versatile lines like the Adjustable Hammock Stand and Vista, half the weight of predecessors, with storage pockets and duffel portability.

Prices range $149 to $299 for hammocks, blending triple-weave softness with 400-pound capacities. 

In 2024, customization arrived for Thrones: hammock colors, wood finishes, steel bases. Sourcing shifted to sustainable Appalachian maple from a New York factory, broadening impact.​ Demin told Forbes,

"We've been able to expand our mission from just working with artisans in Thailand to also supporting American woodworkers. This has allowed our mission to evolve geographically." 

The Vista sold out four times that year; Black Sands emerged a bestseller. In 2025, HBO's The White Lotus Season 3, set in Thailand, inspired a limited-edition hammock. Demin stated alongside Connors,

"Continuing to focus on hanging solutions and investing in innovative products that are unique to Yellow Leaf."

Products sell via the company site, Amazon, with over 26,000 Instagram followers tracking updates. Demin holds Chief Relaxation Officer; Connors, Chief Enthusiasm Officer.​

Joe Demin reflected on broader aims in a podcast: 

"And that’s allowed us to have real people in our products and to be able to show that to our customers, creating that relate-ability. And we’re definitely wanting to continue that... focusing our content strategy more towards [making] relaxation a daily ritual in your life." 

Shark Tank, five years on, marks not an end, but a hinge in this enduring enterprise.

Stay tuned for more updates.