Learning How to Be Successful on TikTok

Summary

Your Next Move: Learning How to Be Successful on TikTok

Episode Release Date: May 13, 2025
Host: Diana Ransom, Inc. Executive Editor
Guest: Lauren Lockwood, CEO of Lion Latch
Produced by Inc. Magazine and Capital One Business

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1. Introduction and Background

In this engaging episode of Your Next Move, Diana Ransom interviews Lauren Lockwood, the CEO of Lion Latch, a Texas-based company ranked #441 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. Lion Latch specializes in creating easy-to-carry protective cases designed to hold jewelry and other small valuables during travel.

Lauren's Origin Story:
Lauren's entrepreneurial journey was sparked by a personal mishap: "I caught a softball and it bent my engagement ring, and it knocked out a dime, and I couldn't find it" (03:37). This incident inspired her to develop a solution that prevents such losses, leading to the creation of Lion Latch.

2. Shark Tank Experience

Lauren shares her experience appearing on the popular TV show Shark Tank, highlighting both the challenges and unexpected benefits of being featured on the show.

Joining the Shark Tank Network:
"Once you air on Shark Tank, you're invited to a group of, like, trusted entrepreneurs who have been there, done that" (00:55).

Emotional Rollercoaster:
Initially, Lauren faced disappointment after not securing a deal: "I worked three years to get on this show for y' all to tell me I don't need you. And I was angry" (01:19). However, three years later, she reflects positively on the long-term benefits, stating, "Shark Tank opened a ton of doors for me" (09:43).

Displaying Resilience:
Lauren candidly discusses the mental strain of appearing on national television: "I felt like a loser because I didn't get a deal... there was a lot of stress that goes with it" (02:28). Despite these challenges, her perseverance paid off, leading to significant business growth.

3. Product Creation and the Story Behind Lion Latch

Lauren delves into the unique design and functionality of the Lion Latch, emphasizing its practicality and innovation.

Product Design:
"It is a small cylinder container, and it doesn't unscrew... you can't pull the lid off when this carabiner clip is latched on" (06:54). This design ensures that valuables remain secure and easily accessible.

Utility Patents and Market Need:
Lauren holds two utility patents for Lion Latch, underscoring the product's uniqueness: "I have two utility patents on the design, and it is new to the market" (07:48). She identifies a clear market need, noting that people often lose jewelry by placing it in inconvenient locations.

4. TikTok Strategy and Success

A significant portion of Lion Latch's recent success is attributed to their strategic use of TikTok, leveraging the platform to drive sales and engage with customers.

Reluctant Start:
Initially hesitant to appear on camera, Lauren's shift to TikTok was encouraged by her students: "My high school students were like, Ms. Lockwood, you're going to love this. You're going to be so good at this" (04:08). Overcoming her fears, she began creating content herself after initially outsourcing it.

Viral Growth:
Lauren's authentic and relatable content resonated with viewers, leading to viral success: "My videos started going viral. I've since become the first TikTok shop... I was the number one seller for the entire month of March and April" (05:11). This momentum culminated in an invitation to speak on a TikTok panel in France and a meeting with TikTok's CEO (05:25).

Customer Engagement:
By involving her audience in product development, Lauren fosters a strong community: "I asked them, what sports do you want to see next?... We collect the comments now" (05:40). This interactive approach ensures that Lion Latch continuously meets customer desires, such as expanding into sports-specific designs like field hockey and lacrosse.

5. Handling Counterfeits and Defending the Product

With success comes challenges, including the emergence of knockoff products. Lauren discusses how she navigates this issue.

Detection Through Social Media:
Lauren recounts a distressing moment when a knockoff appeared on Target, alerted by her loyal social media following: "I saw this on my grandma's fridge... my followers are commenting, telling Target, do the right thing" (10:58). This highlights the power of a dedicated online community in safeguarding brand integrity.

Legal Protections:
Holding utility patents provides a layer of defense: "I have two utility patents" (11:12). Lauren expresses hope in resolving counterfeit issues amicably with retailers like Target by leveraging her patents and community support.

6. Entrepreneurial Journey and Balancing Personal Life

Lauren candidly discusses the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life.

Personal Sacrifices:
As a mother of two, Lauren shares the strains of entrepreneurship: "I don't even remember to eat lunch... I'm over here grinding" (12:28). The lack of a structured schedule contrasts sharply with her previous career in education.

Support Systems:
Her husband plays a crucial role in managing daily tasks, allowing Lauren to focus on her business: "My husband has to go get lunch and be like, hey, it's lunchtime" (13:00).

7. Shark Tank Community and Networking

Maintaining connections within the Shark Tank alumni network has been instrumental for Lauren.

Annual Reunions:
Lauren describes the camaraderie and support among Shark Tank entrepreneurs: "At least once a year... it's wherever you want it" (15:37). These gatherings foster relationships and mutual support, exemplified by friendships formed with fellow panelists like Katie.

Growing Community:
The network has expanded to 700-800 members, providing a robust support system for current and aspiring entrepreneurs: "It's been really cool to see people who were... just freaking crushing it" (16:10).

8. Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

Lauren reflects on her journey and looks forward to future milestones.

Optimism Amid Challenges:
Despite encountering product knockoffs and other hurdles, Lauren remains optimistic: "I've learned from being on Shark Tank that you can turn a negative into a positive" (11:14).

Aspirations:
She expresses a desire for major retailers like Target to adopt the authentic Lion Latch, emphasizing ethical business practices: "Do the right thing, Target" (17:10).

Community and Gratitude:
Lauren acknowledges the importance of her supporters and the business community: "I'm so thankful that people are along for the ride with me" (09:54).

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Notable Quotes

• "Once you air on Shark Tank, you're invited to a group of, like, trusted entrepreneurs who have been there, done that." – Lauren Lockwood (00:55)

• "I worked three years to get on this show for y' all to tell me I don't need you. And I was angry." – Lauren Lockwood (01:19)

• "My videos started going viral. I've since become the first TikTok shop." – Lauren Lockwood (05:11)

• "It is a small cylinder container, and it doesn't unscrew... you can't pull the lid off when this carabiner clip is latched on." – Lauren Lockwood (06:54)

• "I have two utility patents on the design, and it is new to the market." – Lauren Lockwood (07:48)

• "I saw this on my grandma's fridge... my followers are commenting, telling Target, do the right thing." – Lauren Lockwood (10:58)

• "Do the right thing, Target." – Lauren Lockwood (17:10)

Conclusion

Lauren Lockwood's journey with Lion Latch exemplifies the resilience and adaptability required to thrive in today's entrepreneurial landscape. From navigating the pressures of national television exposure to harnessing the power of TikTok for business growth, Lauren's story offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs. Her commitment to innovation, community engagement, and ethical business practices underscores the essence of success in the modern marketplace.

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For more inspiring conversations with top entrepreneurs and business leaders, subscribe to Your Next Move on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Sarah Lynch]

I'm Sarah lynch and you are listening to your next move audio edition produced by inc. And Capital One Business. For this season, we gathered a bevy of conversations with entrepreneurs who made last year's Inc. 5000 list. They joined us in our your next move Booth at the Inc. 5000 to share lessons learned and anecdotes from building their businesses. In this episode, Inc. Executive editor Diana Ransom interviewed Lauren Lockwood. She is the CEO of the Texas based company Lion Latch. They're ranked number 441 on the 2024 Inc 5000 list. They offer easy to carry protective cases to hold jewelry when traveling. Diana started the conversation by asking Lahren about her experience on the hit entrepreneurial TV show Shark Tank.

[Diana Ransom]

Is there like a Shark Tank network?

[Lauren Lockwood]

There is.

[Diana Ransom]

Tell me about that.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Okay. Once you air on Shark Tank, you're invited to a group of, like, trusted entrepreneurs who have been there, done that, they've been on the show. There's like, a lot that comes with being on Shark Tank. Mainly a lot of, like, mental.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Parts that you don't like.

[Diana Ransom]

Just hard.

[Lauren Lockwood]

You don't anticipate. Yes.

[Diana Ransom]

Mentally challenging. Wait, in what capacity? It's just dealing with the growth or dealing with the sharks or what?

[Lauren Lockwood]

No, more like, for me, it was okay. I did not get a deal. Spoiler alert. They told me I didn't need them and I was gonna be fine without them. Which at the time, that was nice, but I didn't care. I was like, I worked three years to get on this show for y' all to tell me I don't need you. And I was angry. If you watch the episode, season 13, episode one on Hulu, you'll see me, like, get, like, sassy at the end. But that's my personality, right? I'm a Texan, I'm an athlete. I'm very competitive. And that felt like a loss, so.

[Diana Ransom]

But did it? Was it really in the end?

[Lauren Lockwood]

No. We're three years after. Exactly. Last week was my three year airing anniversary, and that was like the hard part. But was I good enough to air? I felt like a loser because I didn't get a deal. And then once I found out I was gonna air, it was like, oh, my God, what are they gonna make me look like? Cause they're taking an hour long. Like, you're in the tank for an hour, and they're cutting it down to seven to 14 minutes for some people. And for me it was seven. So then I was freaking out. Like, are they gonna make me look like an idiot? And Then it was, is America gonna like me? And it was just like, there's a lot of stress that goes with it.

[Diana Ransom]

There's a lot of turmoil.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Absolutely. But I lucked out. I gave Mr. Wonderful hearing aids inside his lion Latch, even though it's made for jewelry. My product is made to store jewelry, but you can store pills and hearing aids, any kind of tiny valuables on the go. And I give Mr. Wonderful hearing aids. And everybody laughed and they thought it was hilarious. And I was like, please, Lord, let this be good enough for reality tv. I just wanted to take a shot at him. He called me a cockroach or something, right?

[Diana Ransom]

Oh, yeah. Okay, well. And you gave him hearing aids.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Absolutely.

[Diana Ransom]

Very sweet of you.

[Lauren Lockwood]

I know. I was like, that's to help your listening skills. And then later. Did you say that in the show? And then later, he's like. He repeats himself. And I'm like, put those in. Like, we already said this. It was a lot of fun. Like, that kind of, like, combat, I guess, is kind of what I felt like. I like public speaking. I was a high school coach and a teacher, so I spoke in front of our entire. I like all of our athletes and all of our athletic staff regularly. And so that's just something that I was used to.

[Diana Ransom]

What was your sport?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Volleyball is my main sport. I coached college volleyball, but then I went and I coached high school volleyball, softball, and tennis.

[Diana Ransom]

Wow.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And softball is. The reason I created the Lion Latch is because I caught a softball and it bent my engagement ring, and it knocked out a dime, and I couldn't find it.

[Diana Ransom]

That's unreal.

[Lauren Lockwood]

It was crazy. And luckily, he still married me. He's really glad he married me, by the way. He's taking care of our children today, but he's also part of the company now, so. I know, right?

[Diana Ransom]

This is good. So now he's part of the company. That's great. So you've. You've been growing like gangbusters being, like, where you are on the list, apparently. So obviously, Shark Tank helped.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Absolutely.

[Diana Ransom]

What else was the.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Gave me some credibility with Shark Tank. Right. Because, like, 30,000 people apply every year, and 150 film and then 120 or so air. So you become a vetted company. However, it's up to you to, like, put your pedal to the metal. Like, you've got to go. This is your chance, your momentum. So from there, I had already been on Good Morning America, and I started tiktoking because my high school students were like, Ms. Lockwood, you're going to love this. You're going to be so good at this. But I was so afraid for people to see me and hear me talk, because I did a Kickstarter way back then, and I was like, oh, my God, I sound like that in real life. But, yeah, the kids, they motivated me to start this and. Or start the TikTok journey. And at first, I was paying one of my college athletes to do the videos for me. Cause I was terrified to be on camera. And she was like, why are you doing. Just do it yourself. And you can leave it to the kids to be really, like, upfront with you. Right. And I said, okay, I'll try it. My videos started going viral. I've since become the first TikTok shop. And that was in March of last year.

[Diana Ransom]

That's the first one.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yes.

[Diana Ransom]

Wow.

[Lauren Lockwood]

I was the number one seller for the entire month of March and April, and they flew me out to France to speak on a panel. And then I went and met with the CEO in Austin. It was just bonkers.

[Diana Ransom]

The CEO of what?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Of TikTok. Oh, sorry.

[Diana Ransom]

Oh, we're still talking about TikTok. Yes.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And so, yeah, it was just kind of crazy.

[Diana Ransom]

Like, so what's going on? Why do people love your TikTok so much?

[Lauren Lockwood]

I guess they're in it for the journey. A lot of them been with me for the longer.

[Diana Ransom]

Did you talk about entrepreneurship?

[Lauren Lockwood]

I mean, mainly I'm just, like, including them and what Lion Latch is doing. And I asked them, what do y' all want to see next? And like, a lot of the speakers today, you collect the data and you listen to your customers because you're providing what they want, and they're providing you freedom to be an entrepreneur. Right. You want to keep going. I started getting on TikTok, asking them, what sports do you want to see next? We collect the comments now. We have sports that I've never even witnessed, like field hockey. We have a field hockey lion latch and lacrosse. And it's.

[Diana Ransom]

So what is it? Is it. Does it just look like people playing field hockey, or is it just for people who play field hockey?

[Lauren Lockwood]

It's like giving my customers an identity through a product. Right. So they're like, oh, there's a swimming one. I'm a swimmer.

[Diana Ransom]

This is like the Stanley cup thing.

[Lauren Lockwood]

I mean, yeah, we're going to work on getting one to stick to a Stanley cup also.

[Diana Ransom]

Oh, yes, you have to.

[Lauren Lockwood]

We're going to ride that to the bank, too.

[Diana Ransom]

You got to do that.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Thank you, Stanley, for redesigning your cups.

[Diana Ransom]

We will Give you all the accoutrements.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Absolutely. Well, vitamins go inside the line latch, too.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And so I had my vitamins in mine on my lanyard. So after breakfast today, I had them with me and I just took them very quickly.

[Diana Ransom]

Right, right. So describe the product a little bit.

[Lauren Lockwood]

It is a small cylinder container, and it doesn't unscrew. It's hard to describe without showing it, but the base of this container has a stem that's coupled to it. And when you put the lid on, the stem goes through the hole of the lid, and then there's a hole in the stem that you lock a carabiner through. So you can't pull the lid off when this carabiner clip is latched on.

[Diana Ransom]

Right. So. So nobody can come and steal your valuables.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Or it can't just unscrew over time, like, strip. And littles don't know how to get in it. I mean, most adults don't know how to get in it until I show them, because everything's. It's like our natural instinct. I'm not kidding. My son is three. He still tries to unscrew the lion latch, but he can also unscrew a jar of peanut butter. Right. So it's just like your natural instincts. So I've got two utility patents on the design, and it is new to the market. So the need was. People take their jewelry off all the time and don't know where to put it.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lockwood]

So they're putting it in their pocket, in their purse, leaving it on the counter in a tissue.

[Diana Ransom]

Like, I had the moment where I was putting this ring on the. I was in an Airbnb at the beach and I put it on the dresser. And then later that day, I was like, where's my wedding ring?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Panic.

[Diana Ransom]

Where is my wedding ring? So I'm on my hands and knees looking all under the beds, and I'm like, ew, this Airbnb is gross.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yep.

[Diana Ransom]

All. All sorts of stuff that I did not want to actually find myself doing.

[Lauren Lockwood]

I was on vacation now. Airbnb.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah, it was fine. So eventually I found my ring. It was like it fell in my bag. So I would have actually brought it home. But just like the idea of leaving this place with my wedding ring somewhere, trapped inside this house.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Absolutely. And you're lucky you remembered. A lot of people knock it off somewhere and don't remember it because they don't see it. So they don't put it back on and it doesn't leave with them. So with the lion latch, you Attach it to your keys. So even if you forget to put your jewelry back on, it leaves with you. Because you can't get in your car and drive off without your keys, right?

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Not that everybody has a car. It also latches to lanyards or inside your bag to your water bottle. These kinds of things.

[Diana Ransom]

This is good. This is all really interesting. So after Shark Tank, you didn't raise a round, but then what happened? Like, take me through what happened next.

[Lauren Lockwood]

I had a three month old son at the time. I filmed for Shark Tank.

[Diana Ransom]

Okay.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And so I was trying to keep this baby going. And I have a. I have a daughter too. She was four at the time. She's seven now. But I came home and I was just like, I was in a panic because I didn't have my manufacturing fixed still. That was the whole reason I went on Shark Tank and some things sorted itself out.

[Diana Ransom]

What happened? Did somebody reach out to you after it?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Actually, currently I just reached out to my Shark Tank friends and I was like, hey, this is what my product's made out of. And they hooked me up with their manufacturers and I now have the Lion Latch made in Alabama. So it is us made by a vetted manufacturer. This thing's harder than a Lego. You don't want to step on it, right? You can spike it on the ground. It's super durable.

[Diana Ransom]

Just the vision of stepping on.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Lion lashes, right? So Shark Tank, it opened a ton of doors for me. I am very thankful for the amount of growth that I've had. I have a lot of support. Support from complete strangers. They're also followers, which is weird to say, but I'm just so thankful that people are along for the ride with me and they've witnessed me from the beginning. Like yesterday, I was crying in the back of the Uber because Target had a knockoff version of my product and somebody did a TikTok about it, like, look how cute this is. What does it do? And people were like, that's a Lion Latch knockoff. Like. And everybody just starts flooding it with tags. Well, I get this message and I'm on an airplane that this is happening. So I'm trying to hold it together, right? It's a stressful moment, but I was able to keep it together until I got off of the plane. And then I get in the Uber and I make a reply to that video and I start to cry a little. I like, stop the video real fast. And then I come back. I get myself together, but it's like a gut punch. But if I Didn't have my tiny lion latch army on social media. I may have never seen that video and never known that that knockoff was out there. So then I wouldn't have even had the opportunity to do something about it.

[Sarah Lynch]

When we come back, lan tells Diana about how she defended her product from counterfeits. But first, a quick break.

[Diana Ransom]

So you were saying before that you have a patent?

[Lauren Lockwood]

I do. I have two utility patents.

[Diana Ransom]

So how do you defend your product?

[Lauren Lockwood]

I'm hoping I can get in touch with Target and just be like, hey, do the right thing here. Like, my followers are commenting, telling Target, do the right thing, and that I can pivot from this moment. Right. I was spiraling for a little while, but I have since learned from being on Shark Tank that you can turn a negative into a positive. So we're asking Target to discontinue the knockoff. And, hey, maybe you put the real deal, the lion latch on.

[Diana Ransom]

I was gonna say, how do you. How do people find Lionlatch?

[Lauren Lockwood]

I have a website, Lionlatch.com.

[Diana Ransom]

So just directly from the website?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yes, that's the best way because my business receives all the funds from my website. We have Amazon. They get like 33 to 40% of sales. Yep. Ouch. Exactly. It's a miracle I've made it this far with that. Good. It's like another tax. Right.

[Diana Ransom]

Is Amazon like a necessary evil kind of thing?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Absolutely. I mean, if you're not on there, the knockoffs will be. And it is great. I mean, it's kind of like being in Walmart. People go there to shop and sometimes discover new things. Right. But they don't have to leave their home. And that's the go to shopping experience for people now.

[Diana Ransom]

And do you broadcast that you've been on Shark Tank on your Amazon page and all that stuff?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yes. Everywhere. Yes. I was three months postpartum when I filmed there. I did not look the best, but I still use that photo on everything.

[Diana Ransom]

That's great. No. And I'm sure you looked fabulous.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Oh, thank you. Yes. I was trying.

[Diana Ransom]

We're all our worst critic.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Oh, my. That's true. I've been learning that as I'm here. People are like, ease up on yourself. I'm like, yeah, thank you. There is a lot of pressure being an entrepreneur when you're your own boss. Because as a teacher, I had a bell telling me what to do every 45 minutes, and then five minutes after that, it's time to start the next class. When you're an entrepreneur, I don't even remember to eat lunch. Like, my husband has to go get lunch and be like, hey, it's lunchtime. I'm like, oh, yeah, I'm sorry. I'm over here grinding.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah, yeah.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Trying to get stuff done.

[Diana Ransom]

Well, it's also impressive that you've managed to grow so quickly with only basically direct to consumer.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Thank you.

[Diana Ransom]

So how do you do that? Like, is it all just TikTok?

[Lauren Lockwood]

It really is just social media, just driving sales online. And turns out people like talking to me and communicating with me and going back and forth, and I never would have thought that, but I like being able to talk to my customers. Like, it really is a beautiful gift because it's not every day. I mean, it's practically. I'm going door to door to people's houses on my phone, like, and all they're doing is scrolling and seeing me. And they're like, what's this girl's energy? And what the heck is she talking about? And then they stay for the show.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah. Do you ever have your kids on occasionally?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yes. They are paid models. My daughter, she loses a lot of teeth, so she's in a lot of lion latch lost teeth videos.

[Diana Ransom]

I actually thought the utility of putting the empty the. The lost tooth in there was, like, brilliant.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Thank you.

[Diana Ransom]

I had this moment of like, yes.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yes, I need this. That's what the glow in the dark one is for. And the tooth fairy can find it in the dark and knows how to open it. Right. And knows how to fold up a dollar bill and put it inside.

[Diana Ransom]

It's pretty amazing. The tooth fairy can find the tooth after the child has eaten the tooth.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Too, by the way, in the ocean. Yeah, totally.

[Diana Ransom]

The tooth fairy will always find you for sure.

[Lauren Lockwood]

But I've gotten really good at hooks on videos, like, and, like, getting people's attention fast because you have to get them to stop scrolling.

[Diana Ransom]

So what do you do? What's the hook?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Oh, man. It's like, did you see this? Like, hey, like, have you ever lost your ring? And people are like, yeah, I lost my ring. The most recent one is I saw this on my grandma's fridge. It got like a million views so quickly.

[Diana Ransom]

That was a good one.

[Lauren Lockwood]

They're like, what'd you see on your grandma's fridge? And I made a BUC EE's prototype because I can do promotional screen printing. And I had it packaged and it was my first package one for retail. And I showed it to my grandma. She was like, do I get to keep this?

[Diana Ransom]

Aw.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And I was like, yeah. And she wrote herself A little note on it to Grandma from Larry. And I was like, grandma, I'll just sign it for you. But everybody liked that video. But it was like, I saw this on my grandma.

[Diana Ransom]

So was your grandma on the video?

[Lauren Lockwood]

No, she would have to have your.

[Diana Ransom]

Grandma in the video.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Oh, my God, no. She would kill me. She's super country.

[Diana Ransom]

That is. That is adorable, though, because people, like, I found myself going, like, yeah, I am curious about what was on this person's grandmother's fridge.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yeah, right.

[Diana Ransom]

Like, what, are we taking photos? Curious about, like, I don't know you so funny. Like, but I want to know what was on your grandma.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And that's what you do. You just strike an interest where people want to say, what is it? Yeah, what's going on? And that gets them to stop.

[Diana Ransom]

This is this. Did you learn. Did you learn that from your students?

[Lauren Lockwood]

No, I learned that on my own.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lockwood]

I was like, wow, 20 million views. Okay.

[Diana Ransom]

Okay. So how often do your Shark Tank buddies meet?

[Lauren Lockwood]

At least once a year.

[Diana Ransom]

Oh, like, in person?

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yes. We have a reunion.

[Diana Ransom]

Where is it?

[Lauren Lockwood]

It just depends.

[Diana Ransom]

It's wherever you want it.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Yes.

[Diana Ransom]

And is Shark Tank involved in it at all?

[Lauren Lockwood]

No.

[Diana Ransom]

Okay.

[Lauren Lockwood]

We can't call it Shark Tank Reunion. It's like ST Reunion. But, I mean, yeah, we're all in the loop.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And it's cool. Like, Scrub Daddy presented to us.

[Diana Ransom]

That's great. Wow.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Dude wipes. Shonda. So it's been really cool to see people who were. Where I'm at now, just freaking crushing it.

[Diana Ransom]

And how big is the group?

[Lauren Lockwood]

It's like 7, 800 people now. Wow. And we're still incredible. And we still search for them. Like, we see them on the show and reach out to them. Like, hey, join our group.

[Diana Ransom]

Oh, wow. Okay. You're like an ambassador for the ST group.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Kind of. I mostly recruit the people that are high energy. I want to be friends. Like, I've been doing that with a lot of the panelists here at the Ink Conference.

[Diana Ransom]

This is good.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Katie. Hey, we need to be friends. And she scanned my badge. I was like, yes.

[Diana Ransom]

And we can be.

[Lauren Lockwood]

We're friends now. This is good.

[Diana Ransom]

Well, you gotta come to more Ink events. This is a lot of fun.

[Lauren Lockwood]

I am honored to be here, and I'm having a blast.

[Diana Ransom]

Great.

[Lauren Lockwood]

And it's good to be around people who live the same, like, grind of life that I'm living and to have people that have kind of relate. They relate to the same heartaches and successes. So this is just like, this is where I need to be.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah. Well, I want to hear about when you. When Target does start selling Lionel. Right after this.

[Lauren Lockwood]

At Target.

[Diana Ransom]

Yes.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Do the right thing, Target.

[Diana Ransom]

Do the right thing, Target.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Exactly.

[Diana Ransom]

Listen to this.

[Lauren Lockwood]

We're working on it. Yeah. Let me know when this hits.

[Diana Ransom]

Yeah. Send it to Target. Awesome.

[Lauren Lockwood]

All the buyers on LinkedIn.

[Diana Ransom]

Well, it's so great to meet you.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Nice to meet you, too.

[Diana Ransom]

And, you know, good luck with the the Hustle.

[Lauren Lockwood]

Thank you.

[Sarah Lynch]

That's all for this episode of youf Next Move. Our producers are Blake Odom and Avery Miles. Editing and sound design by Nick Torres. Executive producer is Josh Christensen. If you haven't already, subscribe to youo Next Move on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, your Next Move is a production of Inc And Capital One Business.