# 355 - Shark Tank Alum Olivia Abrams from Tick Mitt!

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2026-08-09
- Length: 32m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams

## Summary

Olivia Abrams, CEO and Co-Founder of TickMitt, discusses the journey of creating a chemical-free tick removal mitten and the Tick Sidekick with her father, Steve. She details their experience pitching on Shark Tank, where they received two offers but declined them due to valuation, and explains how they designed packaging to balance low D2C shipping costs with retail visibility using clear windows and pegboard hooks. The conversation highlights the operational challenges of scaling, including transforming shipping boxes into PDQs and navigating complex 136-page compliance manuals for big-box retail.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt#t=0) Introduction: Olivia Abrams and TickMitt
- [3:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt#t=194) Product Origin: Lyme Disease and the TickMitt Design
- [6:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt#t=364) Shark Tank Experience: Pitching and Declining Offers
- [11:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt#t=704) Prototyping and Manufacturing in China
- [16:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt#t=1006) Packaging Strategy: D2C vs. Retail Requirements
- [23:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt#t=1404) Retail Compliance and PDQ Scaling
- [29:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-08-09-355-shark-tank-alum-olivia-abrams-from-tick-mitt#t=1759) Unit Economics and Packaging Costs

## Topics

- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- TickMitt (product)
- Tick Sidekick (product)
- Shark Tank (other)
- Mark Cuban (other)
- Petco (company)
- Bass Pro Shops (company)
- Amazon (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Aviator Nation: Paige Mycoskie](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-01-aviator-nation-paige-mycoskie) (How I Built This)
- [#57 Shark Tank, Sea Moss, and an Ocean of Potential with Alexiou Gibson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-08-16-57-shark-tank-sea-moss-and-an-ocean-of-potential-with-alexiou-gibson) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Advice Line with Serial Entrepreneur Mark Cuban](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-29-advice-line-with-serial-entrepreneur-mark-cuban) (How I Built This)
- [Founder Feature: Tabi and Meena Hoshmand of Tursh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-14-founder-feature-tabi-and-meena-hoshmand-of-tursh) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-04-16-advice-line-with-chieh-huang-of-boxed) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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