Swimming with Sharks
Millionaire Austin entrepreneur dazzles as newest judge on Shark Tank
The year 2020 may be the stuff of nightmares, but it certainly hasn't stopped Kendra Scott from achieving a series of banner career moments. Earlier this month, the Austin-based entrepreneur was added to the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin — the same university that launched the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) Institute last semester.
All the while, she's continued to grow her billion-dollar jewelry company, Kendra Scott, and continued on with the philanthropic arm of her business. It appears nothing, not even a pandemic, can slow her down.
Now the multimillionaire is adding another project: shark. On September 21, ABC announced that Scott will be the newest guest judge on the smash-hit Shark Tank.
"According to a 2018 PitchBook study, Scott is among only 16 women in the United States to carry the title of founder of a company valued at $1 billion," notes a news release. "Today, Scott’s company continues to operate out of Austin, Texas, with their state-of-the-art corporate office complete with a design lab and an industry-leading distribution center, both catering to her employees’ career goals and family-life balance."
Scott and TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie will join sharks Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary in various episodes during the 2020-21 season. Since the series is still filming and editing, it's unclear yet exactly which episodes Scott and Mycoskie will appear in, a rep adds.
For viewers who haven't yet dipped their toe in the show's waters, a quick primer: Shark Tank is an Emmy Award-winning reality show where real-life millionaires and billionaires invest in startup businesses and products. Guests come on, pitch their idea, and the sharks can choose whether or not to invest. Among the show's most successful products have been the Squatty Potty, a contraption that helps with bowel movements, and Scrub Daddy, the reusable sponge.
For season 12, which is shooting in Las Vegas, Scott and crew will hear pitches from a whole new batch of entrepreneurs. The new season of Shark Tank premieres Friday, October 16. After airing on ABC, new episodes will be added to Hulu the following day.
