Bloomfield Hills Entrepreneur Gets Nearly $500K From “Sharks”

In an episode of the ABC show Shark Tank that aired Sunday, a Bloomfield Hills inventor walked out a winner, hooking nearly half a million dollars in funding. Michelle Winowich, the entrepreneur behind G.O.A.T. Pet Products, received the offer from tech investor Robert Herjavec. Herjavec’s $499,000 nets him 33 percent of the business. Winowich took the offer, allowing her to proceed with expansions to her business.

On the show, G.O.A.T. Pet Products showcased gluten-free dog treats made with goat milk, and the innovative item that got Herjavec’s attention, the G.O.A.T. Pet Speaker. The speaker, designed tone worn by “dogs, cats and even birds,” according to G.O.A.T., provides a digital “voice” for the pet that the owner controls via a cell phone app. Owners can select an accent and language for their pets to “speak” in, and the app allows the owners to stream music through the speakers to calm pets, too. The speaker includes a selfie remote, and the the app also offers a calendar pet parents can use to manage vet appointments and other critical critter social activities and events.

“We at G.O.A.T. Pet Products were thrilled to showcase our creative line of pet products on Shark Tank,” said Winowich, in a release.

The device retails for $19.95 on G.O.A.T.’s website.

Photo via G.O.A.T. Pet Products.