R Riveter Shark Tank – Military wives are the unsung heroes of military families, but they often sacrifice a lot to support their husbands. Cameron Cruse and Lisa Bradley, both military wives themselves, came up with the perfect system to help military wives keep stable employment with their handbag business, R. Riveter.
What will the sharks think of this up-cycling business on Shark Tank Season 7? Find out in our R. Riveter update. They have since employed more than ten army wives to produce their bags. They drop-ship the raw materials wherever they are stationed, allowing them to support their husband’s military goals as well as their own families.
R Riveter Shark Tank
They also now offer a Heritage Bag service, where you can have a loved one’s uniform made into a bag. Overall, the company is growing in leaps and bounds. It was featured in the Shark Tank Greatest of All Time Special in the “Greatest Businesses with a Social Cause” section.
By 2020, they would have stores in Southern Pines, North Carolina, and Columbus, Ohio, as well as two 5,000-square-foot production sites in Southern Pines and Wauchula, Florida. They intended to increase the number of “Riveters” to 80 by 2021.
R. Riveter is a line of handbags made from upcycled military materials (green canvas, black waxed canvas, USMA wool, brown leather) and manufactured by military spouses. Each bag is marked with a number representing an individual military spouse.
The founders of R. Riveter, Army wives Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse (Riveter No. RR001), pitched their fashion forward business on Shark Tank in February 2016. They left with a deal from billionaire Mark Cuban — $100,000 in exchange for 20 percent equity
. Today, Bradley, Cruse and their team support a number of military families. No matter where the military takes these craftswomen, their business follows. This offers flexibility and a fulfilling source of income, while also promoting the American formula of hard work + self-sacrifice = success.
The sharks seemed interested, and most agreed that it was a great idea. Kevin O’Leary wasn’t a fan of the higher price point, but he understood the mission and the idea. Daymond John asked why they needed the money, and they told him that they needed basic online marketing and education related to the bags.
Each bag, they said, had a lead time of about 90 days. Since Shark Tank, R. Riveter has launched R. Riveter Marketplace (which sells products sold by veteran-owned companies including Shark Tank winners Bottle Breacher and Combat Flip Flops).
The company also opened a flagship store in Southern Pines, North Carolina. And in 2018, R. Riveter made it on the Inc. 5000 List (#386), and continues to expand the product line with new designs including the Whittle – a leather purse worn around the waist.
New episodes of Shark Tank air Sundays at 10 pm on ABC, right after American Idol. [Related: 27 Favorite ‘Shark Tank’ Products — New List] Every R. Riveter bag is handcrafted in America with American parts.
Featuring beautiful designs fashioned in up-cycled canvas Army tents and genuine deer hide leather, the bags are as durable as they are stylish. Each bag has a personal touch as well, printed with the ID number of the military spouse who created it.
Each bag cost $55 to make and sold for $220. About 60% of their sales were online, from military families and supporters across the country. Their retail location sold 40% of their overall numbers. In the year prior to filming, R. Riveter had $300,000 in sales.
The R. Riveter pitch began with an at-home segment. Here, we met Cameron and Lisa, military wives who revealed that military families move about every 3 years, which makes gainful employment nearly impossible. Their company created handbags from old military uniforms, blankets, and gear.
Each bag was created by multiple military wives, with each employee producing the part they were best at. Each was paid well for their contributions and stamped their part of the bag with their name. In 2014, Bradley and Cruse launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a larger space for the women to work in, and raised more than $40,000 to do so.
R.Riveter is now able to better serve more customers, while promoting economic freedom for women who are, literally, always on the move. Riveter is thriving! During our R. Riveter update research, we found that the company has about $2 million in annual revenue today.
They have two storefronts, Amazon listings, and manufacturing centers to help assemble the handbags. In the end, Cameron and Lisa choose to accept Mark’s offer. The promise of future growth helped them make the decision. But how is the company doing today?
Keep reading our R. Riveter update to find out. For example, Robert’s sample bag was manufactured by 15 people, and each person participating in its creation stamps it with their R Riveter number. The liners are from New York, while the leather is from Georgia, among other places.
It’s for this reason that Rosie holds a special place in the hearts of Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse, Army spouses and the owners of handbag company R.Riveter. Bradley and Cruse started R. Riveter in the small attic of Cruse’s home, with one mission: to “inspire, employ and empower”.
They accomplish this task with every handmade design through their strong sense of community as creators, Americans, and military spouses. Daymond went out because he didn’t think they needed a partner. Kevin offered $100,000 for 20% equity, and Robert matched it.
Mark Cuban, on the other hand, matched the offer but added a line of credit to help with future growth. I liked the idea of social action for a cause. Lori Greiner went out, too. R. Riveter had a different model than she would use.
In the heat of World War II, Rosie the Riveter became a cultural icon. Her image is both beautiful and fierce with a no-nonsense expression and her sleeve pulled up showing her unshakable power and confidence.
To the women working in factories supporting their families while their husbands and boyfriends fought in the war, Rosie came to represent financial freedom and power.
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Emma Nehls is a military writer and historian with a passion for exploring the intricacies of warfare and the human experience within the military. With extensive knowledge and a deep understanding of military strategy, tactics, and historical contexts, Nehls brings a unique perspective to his writings.
