MT. PLEASANT–ABC’s Shark Tank welcomed local business owner, Dale Lewis, in front of the five judges Jan. 5, to introduce his cold-weather clothing line, Fortress Clothing, with the opportunity to request funding to expand the business.

When asked why he would want to try out for Shark Tank, Lewis says the business reasons are simple and he listed five.

First up, the show is popular and the judges provide influence, if any of the Sharks decide to participate- Boom! That decision provides instant credibility for the business and product.

Second, typically in marketing you may take a product and “Tell a big story.” Fortress Clothing is a killer product that no one believes the big story about because it’s new technology that goes against the accepted tradition. People find it hard to believe they can be warm and wet at the same time, Lewis stated.

Third, Lewis says it’s been a slow grind because every customer has had to be educated. When presented on Shark Tank, millions of people can be educated in a short amount of time. He says that once people try the gear, they love it.

Fourth, obviously an investment of money by a shark would provide the ability to hire more qualified people to grow exponentially and make more inventory to sell.

The fifth reason is the publicity. The show provides only 15 minutes of fame, but with the extensive viewership the Shark Tank has the potential publicity to be gained was an opportunity Lewis couldn’t afford to be without.

Lewis goes on to provide one other reason to try out. He says, “I’ve been so blessed. Our family has been able to live the “American Dream” of creating their own business with success.”

“I’m a huge fan of capitalism and the philosophy that we are all given equal opportunity to succeed.” Lewis says, “I look around our community and see so many wonderful small business owners, that are fulfilling their dreams; farmers, furniture and grocery store owners, movie theatre owners and restaurateurs.”

“I feel like my story is really the narrative of so many other great men and women who try to find a need and fill it. They risk, so that they can enjoy a greater reward.”

So when the opportunity to present the Fortress on Shark Tank came up, Lewis went with it. During the presentation the clothing was put to the test by one of the Sharks, Robert Herjavec.

Dressed in Fortress Clothing, Herjavec was sealed in a cryogenic chamber that was cooled down to minus-112 degrees Fahrenheit to test the gear in the ultra-cold therapeutic device.

When Herjavec came back out of the deep-freeze device he stated that indeed the Fortress gear had kept him warm. Thus demonstrating that the product does perform as advertised.

Unfortunately for Lewis, the Sharks did not buy in to his request for $600,000 in funding in exchange for 15 percent of the company. Although Herjavec said he loved the clothing and stayed comfortable in the cooler, he felt the Fortress marketing message to be confusing.

One of the other Sharks, Barbara Corcoran felt that there were too many clothing items being produced and that the base-layer clothing should be the main focus. In the end, none of the five sharks agreed to become part of Fortress Clothing.

Yes, Lewis was disappointed that he didn’t get a deal, but, he says, “I’m quite pleased with the way my story was portrayed on Shark Tank. The response has been excellent. We love to keep people warm, so they can enjoy whatever they want to do in the cold.”

About Fortress Clothing

As seen on Shark Tank, Fortress Clothing® is an outdoor clothing brand that keeps a user’s core warm, even when they’re wet. Using Aeris®, a patented insulation technology, Fortress Clothing locks in body heat and removes moisture, to always keep a person warm.

Fortress has a broad temperature range, so users feel comfortably warm moving in and out of the cold. The company has a full line of men’s and women’s clothing, including a base layer pull-over and pants, hooded vest, vest, jacket, hybrid hoodie, parka, balaclava, bibs, gloves and booties.

Fortress Clothing comes with a money-back guarantee.

Fulfills all four elements

Unlike other insulative technologies, Fortress covers all four factors of staying warm outdoors:

1. Warm when wet: Fortress evacuates moisture, so users stay warm when they sweat or get wet.

2. Easy to move: The comparatively thin insulation eliminates unwanted layers.

3. Blocks the wind: By blocking the wind, the clothing drastically reduces wind chill.

4. Compact: Fortress Clothing compresses well so it can be tucked into almost any nook or cranny.

Fortress allows focus

When wearing Fortress Clothing, users can forget about the cold and focus on their fun, goals and the job to be done. Those who benefit the most include the following:

Outdoor enthusiasts:

Campers, hikers, hunters and fishermen enjoy pursuing their passion out in cold weather only when they are warm. Whether hiking uphill to take the perfect shot or huddled over an ice fishing hole, Fortress helps users outmaneuver the cold so they can enjoy the experience with friends and family.

Snow sports athletes:

Playing out in the snow can be amazing for skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers, or it can be a bust. Buying the equipment, taking time off work and traveling to a destination is all for naught if someone in the group is too cold to continue.

It’s all too easy to get sweaty and chilled after digging out a snowmobile. Fortress solves this problem, so now there is no reason to let the cold cut an outing short.

Industrial workers:

Fortress’s FR-certified clothing allows oil, gas and construction workers to shed cumbersome layers while reducing fatigue, improving safety and mobility, skipping warm-up breaks and finishing more shifts. The result is tens of thousands of dollars in weekly productivity gains.

Safety, military,

preppers:

Patrolling a beat or achieving a mission in the cold doesn’t have to be miserable. When people feel warm, they stay sharp, respond quickly and anticipate unforeseen obstacles.

Being warm provides a definitive advantage over an adversary. And for preppers, nothing will keep a person warmer than Fortress Clothing once the fuel stores run out.

Sales channels

Fortress sells direct to consumers through its website, www.fortressclothing.com, and through select U.S. retailers.

Take control

It’s not human nature to let the cold dictate what gets done. With Fortress, Mother Nature may be put in her place by staying comfortably warm from 40 above to 40 below or more. When anyone is warm to the core, they can take on the cold with new-found confidence. Take control with Fortress.