Slick Barrier on Shark Tank: How did the founders come up with innovative pest control solution? Backstory and more

Shark Tank season 14 is set to air its latest installment on Friday. The upcoming episode will feature four products as the entrepreneurs take the stage to pitch their products to the Sharks in hopes of getting funding to take them to the next level.

One of the products set to appear in episode 13 is the Slick Barrier, created by two fathers from Gilbert, Arizona, who wanted to keep their children safe from scorpions, spiders, and more.

Tune in on Friday, January 27, at 8 pm ET on ABC to watch the latest segment of Shark Tank season 14 on ABC.

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Slick Barrier, appearing on Shark Tank season 14, keeps pests away as opposed to killing them

The upcoming episode of Shark Tank season 14 will feature Slick Barrier, a pest control solution that was started in 2018 as a side business. However, in 2020, it was converted into a full-time business by one of the founders, Aaron Gonzales. The solution keeps spiders, cockroaches, scorpions, ants, and rodents away from households, as opposed to most pest control solutions that only kill the pests.

Aaron and Tony were inspired to create the Shark Tank season 14 product when Aaron and his family moved into a new house in 2013. However, the place was crawling with scorpions, and one even bit him.

A few weeks later, his three-year-old son was also stung by a scorpion, and it was almost fatal. Together, they worked with chemists to come up with a permanent solution to the problem.

On the website, Aaron said:

"We tried traditional pest control methods but we could not keep the pests from entering! I got stung by a scorpion and my wife and I were concerned about the safety of our 3 year old son, to the point where we considered selling our dream home."

He continued:

"This is when I came up with the Slick Barrier System. I knew most pests can’t climb smooth surfaces. So, I thought to myself if I could use something to create an ultra smooth physical barrier on the base of my home, I could FINALLY keep the pests from getting in!"

In 2020, the Shark Tank entrepreneurs tried to get their business going with a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of $40,000. However, they were only able to raise $897.

The product comes with a 1-year standard warranty and has a shelf life of five years. Slick Barrier may last longer depending on weather conditions and may need a touch-up every 1-2 years. With their membership program, customers can get follow-up products at a discounted rate.

It offers two liquid coatings, a water-based one which is “as safe as” interior paints, and the other coating, Slick Barrier Ultra Top Coat, should be used while wearing gloves and a mask.

It can be used with other pesticides but also has a stand-alone purpose of keeping pests from entering the premises. Two out of four of the Shark Tank season 14 products are patented, while they have four pending patents.

Customers can buy the product on the website. The starter kit costs $99, while the large home kit costs $199. Consumers can also purchase the Averzion pro install subscription for $25.

Tune in on Friday, January 27, at 8 pm ET to watch Shark Tank season 14 episode 13 on ABC.