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Lerin Lockwood’s Journey From Teaching/Coaching to Shark Tank to TikTok Queen

Lerin Lockwood is the Founder and Creator of Lion Latch, a product that provides secure storage for small valuables like jewelry. After ruining her engagement ring in a softball game, she was inspired to create a place to store and protect it so it wouldn’t happen again. The Lion Latch was a hit, and she raised $14,000 to get it off the ground so she could meet demand. She’s appeared on shows, including Shark Tank, Good Morning America, and The View. In addition to her entrepreneurial pursuits, Lerin is the Coordinator for the Rising Stars Youth Volleyball League. Before Lion Latch, she taught art and coached youth volleyball.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[02:06] Lerin Lockwood shares her personal and professional background in education and coaching
[05:42] Lerin talks about what’s unique about her Lion Latch product
[10:10] How persistence landed her on Shark Tank
[14:27] Why you should ignore the “haters” on social media
[17:00] Lerin explains how she began leveraging TikTok to grow her business
[23:00] Why it’s essential to be authentic when marketing your product on TikTok
[26:47] Listening to your audience to modify or specialize your product
[34:03] Lerin talks about the value of being proactive and prepared to seize opportunities

In this episode…

Entrepreneurs who identify a specific need and develop a product or service that caters to it often achieve great success. Some of the most prosperous businesses today started by addressing a personal need. However, how can you ensure your business gets the exposure it needs to take flight?

From teacher and coach to Shark Tank and TikTok, Lerin Lockwood has embarked on an unexpected journey. Born out of a need to store her jewelry safely, Lerin designed the Lion Latch. Her innovative solution resulted in the genesis of a booming business. After appearing on Shark Tank, she gained widespread exposure to millions of people. She began using TikTok since it provides an unparalleled opportunity to engage with a massive user base. By tapping into the platform’s enormous audience and creating engaging and shareable content, she built a loyal following and developed a thriving brand.

In this episode of the Quiet Light Podcast, Pat Yates sits down with Lerin Lockwood, Founder and Creator of Lion Latch, to discuss how to grow a new business. Lerin talks about what inspired her product creation, how Shark Tank and TikTok are integral to her success, and how being persistent and proactive will pay off.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Sponsor for this episode

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Episode Transcript

Intro 0:07

Hey folks, it’s the Quiet Light Podcast where we share relentlessly honest insights, actionable tips and entrepreneurial stories that will help founders identify and reach their goals

Pat Yates 0:32

Hello, and welcome to the Quiet Light Podcast. I’m Pat Yates. Really excited about this today I get a chance to travel with this beautiful young lady all the time Lerin Lockwood, with Lion Latch, she was on Shark Tank much like I was she’s got a great product. It’s really cool, great use, but it’s even better at TikTok. This is kind of where she cut her teeth going out speaking about how to build TikTok, she’s met the CEO, she’s been to their offices, she’s done all the things you need to be able to build a TikTok shop and make things get millions of views. She is so smart and so energetic starting from an educational standpoint as an educator and coach before she started a business which gave her a way to be grounded. I have always been impressed with Lerin and every time we’ve had a chance to spend to get time together, which we’ve done quite a bit. I think she’ll have some tips that you’ll really love if you’re trying to get on TikTok or if you’re just trying to your business, or even get on Shark Tank, so it should be a fun conversation. I can’t wait for it. Let’s get right to it. Lerin welcome to the Quiet Light Podcast. I said it wrong already. Lerin welcome to Quiet Light Podcast. It’s great to have you today.

Lerin Lockwood 1:35

Hi Pat. Thanks for having me on.

Pat Yates 1:37

I tell you what, I am really excited for this today because I’m a huge TikTok fan. I stink at it. I did have some fun with it in the fourth quarter of my business but I know that you’re a super impressive expert in this even better their headquarters talk I think their president right.

Lerin Lockwood 1:53

An expert but I know a little bit of the ropes here. Yes.

Pat Yates 1:57

I agree with that. But so I know that we travel a lot you were Shark Tank person. We have a lot of things to talk about. But first tell everybody where you’re from about your business and a little bit about you.

Lerin Lockwood 2:06

Okay, I’m Lerin Lockwood. I live in Burnet Texas about an hour outside of Austin, but I’m from a little town called Irene in the middle of Texas got about 30 people in it. I don’t know if there’s that many now but no stoplights. No stop signs, I don’t even believe but I grew up in the country. I played a lot of sports growing up, I ended up going to Texas State and the University to incarnate Word for school, got my Master’s in sports management. And I became a high school art teacher and coach. And when I was coaching softball, I was newly engaged. I got this beautiful rain brands, like I never had anything this nice in my life, right. And despite the fact that my student-athletes couldn’t wear jewelry, I thought I was an exception to that rule. But it regards safety, like you’re not supposed to wear jewelry during sports because of safety purposes. And I caught a ball from our centerfielder. And this was a giant girl. She’s 5,10 She could smoke a ball in the glove from centerfield from the fence to home plate. Like, that’s how strong she was, well, this one day, I felt a sting in my ring finger. And I got to the office and realize my finger was still hurting. And I pulled my hand from the glove and I realized she flattened my engagement ring into my finger. And it knocked out a diamond and I was already in the office. So that diamond is still somewhere in left field and Marble Falls.

Pat Yates 3:29

Oh, wow. So it came out of necessity actually through even athletics that you were coaching. That’s amazing. So let’s take a step back on that. So you started your career as a teacher and coach, which is interesting, because as I said before, my mother was an educator and a principal. She’s amazing woman and my wife just retired from the school system and started a business I am a little bit like you a little different. But tell us what it was like coming out of wherever it was college or education wherever you ended up getting education or masters. What made you go into education if now you’re in business.

Lerin Lockwood 4:01

Oh, I really love art. I love coaching kids. I’ve been coaching since I was about 16. And like, you stay young when you’re hanging out with kids all the time. They’re funny. They don’t have a ton of responsibility. They’re having a good time, if you’re having a good time. And my high school art teacher told me it’s not work if you love it. So I really fell in love with art when I was in high school. And so I knew I wanted to be a high school art teacher because I mean, you’re making art with the kids, or you’re creating an environment that they look forward to coming to every day. Like I love being their art teacher that they saw me they would light up smile wave to me, right? And then we’d spend an hour together every day. And that was the class that they look forward to the most. So like I really love that and just, kids are fun. And I even taught like kindergarteners volleyball and I’d be like how’s it going over here on the court and they’re like, amazing, my ball was hit the ceiling and I was like, well that’s so awesome, but let’s try to not get it that high.

Pat Yates 5:02

That’s absolutely amazing. You know what’s funny about that story Lerin is that I’m sort of the same way. I volunteered as a coach for 10 years in high school as an assistant high school basketball coach after playing in high school and playing in college. So I had that opportunity to get around the kids to and it’s funny how that sort of breaks your day up and you have an opportunity. See, I was different. I would work during the day paraprofessional, go coach basketball at night. So it was a nice distraction from our business day. So I’ve been there too. I understand that. So now you’ve told the story a little bit and kind of prep people on what Lion Latches came out of necessity. Tell us all about that company. I’m amazed by it. I’ve known a lot about it, but I’d rather you give the description.

Lerin Lockwood 5:42

Well, I haven’t demonstrated it. But I’ll show you the softball. And since we’re on the topic, so the what makes the Lion Latch unique is I couldn’t find anything to keep on my keys to store my rings inside. And I wanted something on my keys because that’s the only thing I always had on me at all times. And I could only find aluminum foil containers that scratcher rings up. And then when I did just put it on a carabiner on my keys, the keys were scratching up my ring. So I made the Lion Latch because it doesn’t unscrew this carabiner ring is actually what locks it shuts. So you have to remove the carabiner in order to pull the lid off. So now your rings or your earrings. I mean vitamins and supplements can go inside, I gave Mr. Wonderful hearing aids inside his line lunch when I was Shark Tank. Everybody had a good time with that. But now you’re gonna lock it shut so it can’t come open. And now you can attach it to your keys, or your water bottle. I mean, whatever kind of attachment. So now you’re not losing it attaches to something larger, you’re creating a good habit. And I did not expect for it to be like this. I made it. And I did a Kickstarter, and I was like, cool. I have a product that I made. I’m gonna go back to teaching because I love it. And then I started having stores reach out to me a lot of jewelry stores. And they were like, do you wholesale? I didn’t know what that meant. So I Googled it. I was like, heck yeah, wholesale, like, what’s your minimum order, I was like 300 units, and one of them actually bought 300. And then I learned like, okay, that’s a little high expectation for like a first round of an order. But I realized, if people are finding me, I need to start finding them. So I started doing trade shows. And I was discovered by the Grommet. And that was a long time ago. That was like six years ago. And then The View Tory Johnson with Good Morning America, pick me up for the view. And then Good Morning America. And I actually got to go to Good Morning America right before the shutdown in 2020. And I got to pitch my product on live television. And then from there, we went to Shark Tank and then TikTok and I just like slowly going up the ladder, which is fun. It’s awesome. Like, I never dreamed it would become what it has. But it’s been many years of work getting here.

Pat Yates 7:51

You obviously have a great product. But your personality obviously exudes when you get into that stuff, too. Which is why some of the Shark Tank I’m a weird guy too. So I sort of showed out on camera. Now we’ll get into some of our Shark Tank stuff in a little bit. But I am curious like, I have one that I’ve gotten from you that I keep on my golf bag. So there’s a lot of applications for this that don’t really jump to the top of people’s minds, right. So what are the things that people utilize these for? Because you just mentioned one, I actually didn’t know which I actually have new hearing aids miracle here, your hearing aids, I’ve never even thought about putting them in there. That’s an interesting use what other things are out there?

Lerin Lockwood 8:25

With the hearing aids, hearing aids are very expensive, and people take them out all the time because of like wind or just being in a noisy area. So the inner ear wants to fit inside the Lion Latch and then attach to your key so it’s not in your pocket, you don’t wash them, right. But people store emergency meds and vitamins. Also, with the jewelry applications, women use them most often at the nail salon. Rings get left behind at the nail salon a lot or the gym, majorly like the gym, people take their rings off when they’re lifting and put them on the floor and then forget them there. The beach is also a huge place where people are losing their jewelry because cold water makes your fingers shrink and your rings fall off in the ocean. That’s why those guys are out there with metal detectors. So there’s lots of different applications you don’t know you need it until you need it. Like when I was pregnant, my fingers would swell about midday while I was teaching and I would have to take my rings off. I didn’t know I couldn’t anticipate that happening. It was Sundays and some days it wasn’t and I worked seven years for this ring. So I’m not just gonna leave it at that.

Pat Yates 9:34

Funny how you use the word work for that that’s actually really good thing. I like my wife said, Sandy she said to work it’s the me, I’m an interesting one when it says to stay married. That’s awesome. I mean, obviously I love the product. It came out of a necessity and it’s obviously something very easy to use self-explanatory. It’s so much fun. So you mentioned something about getting so much media attention and you and I have one thing in common that sort of took us on the road to speak and do a lot of things going to Shark Tank. So tell everyone out there how that process sort of happened. I mean, I know how mine did. But I’m curious to hear the story behind yours how you got on the fun things, the bad things. What do you got?

Lerin Lockwood 10:10

I went to three open casting calls. Oh, no, each time, my sales doubled, right. And by the time I got picked up for the show, I had done over 500,000 in sales. And that’s what I think the producers thought was like, amazing. Like, they’re like, Oh, my God, you’ve done it. That was shocking. And that was a shock factor to the sharks too. But it was like I kind of wanted to give up there at the end. But I was working on I just had a baby. And this was in 21. And I was working out and my friends Holly Ball texted me and they were like, you should apply one more time. And as I was working on the elliptical, I sent in my online application, and I got a call within a few minutes. And I was just like, oh my god, this is really happening. But I had a newborn baby. He was three months old, right? It’s just crazy. So they fast-tracked me. I went out there I filmed, I killed it. I did a great job. I was very happy that the producers cut and pasted all of my footage to not make me look like a meanie. Like, we had a good time. Everybody was laughing during my pitch. And I was very upset. I didn’t get a deal. And I’m a sore loser. Of course, right? I’m an athlete, very competitive, and I felt like a loser. But the producers were like, it’s gonna be great. You just have to air. We just got to get you to air and I was like, oh my God, was I even good enough to air now? So I was like, I went down like a dark tunnel. Like, okay, I didn’t get a deal. Now, am I good enough to air? Thank God they called me i aired the first episode of the season. I would not have made it past that. But finish, okay. They came though, like how are they gonna make me look on TV? Then I aired and I was like, oh my God, are people hating me? Do they like me? Reality it didn’t matter.

Pat Yates 12:07

That is one thing I tell people like, I talk about a lot of nerve-wracking things and crazy things you got fast track, she made a hell of a long process as some people but it is amazing to me how people have such different journeys in this kind of thing. And mine was the same way, I got turned down in the first season I applied and they call me back because the show is growing. So we both sort of had an opportunity to do that. So for the people out there with Shark Tank that don’t really understand how this works, tell them a little bit about the process. Once you apply to me you have to do these videos and things and maybe tell us about your personal experience with it.

Lerin Lockwood 12:40

Okay, the first few times I applied, I always made it to the video around like, thank goodness, I guess I don’t know if personality just shines through to that. But I did like a professional kind of green screen room because I had a high school media room at my leisure’s those are my first two application videos. But the time I got on was when I set my camera up in my classroom and I just pitched to the camera by myself. And then now that I have so many shark tank friends, most of their videos were the same way. So it doesn’t have to be some kind of big theatre production, right? They just want to see you and your environment. And that’s where it started. But once you get past the video around, then you’ve got like how many pages of information make sure that your books are up to date? Because if not, you will be, I’m lucky I had a very good accountant already that in bookkeeper. So that’s very important because they want to confirm now that your sales are real, whereas the first season, they didn’t even care if you had a patent, it’s a long process. But it ended up being really good for me and it was a step in the right direction for Lion Latch. So very fortunate that they aired me and made me.

Pat Yates 13:50

That’s really amazing. And what’s funny is we’re doing this for the Quiet Light Podcast obviously with Lerin Lockwood with Lion Latch but we just had a person who is a Quiet Light buyer that was just aired on last Friday night. Ramon Van Meer so we’re going to have him back on the podcast just was on Shark Tank on Friday night. So it’s like that groups getting even bigger. So I always like to say that Shark Tank is kind of the best worst thing that ever happened to me mostly best but there’s always negatives that happen with this. So tell us about are there any negatives that happen from the show that you’d say well, it’s all really good but here’s one thing that really stopped, is there anything like that?

Lerin Lockwood 14:27

The one thing for me was like when they put my episode or my clip on YouTube by YouTube and read it just like the hate comments just came in like how dare she come in Mr. Wonderful like that. He was like Mr. Wonderful is like goons, right just talking trash to me. I didn’t know that he had so many supporters out there. But then I talked to Aaron with Scrub Daddy and he was like, oh my God, those guys keep for me too. He’s like, who cares? They’re at home. They’re in their mom’s basement, leaving you these messages. You’re out here seeing the world suddenly something that you create it, I was like, hey, you’re in your right. Like, that’s a great point. And that kind of changed my outlook right here because even somebody who’s making millions on millions a year experienced the same thing I did.

Pat Yates 15:13

You just mentioned something great to we both got to sit on a panel with Aaron Krause, who’s obviously one of the greatest products, if not the greatest product ever be on Shark Tank. So that community becomes really, really big, which is amazing. So yeah, that’s exciting.

Lerin Lockwood 15:26

Like, we have such a fun group. That’s the best thing that came out of Shark Tank for me is like friends like you and our other friends. Like we’re really close. And not everybody can relate. Okay, few people can relate to what we go through as an entrepreneur, right. So we have each other, we get a lot of people that have been there, done that. And then a lot of us have opportunities for others to join in on so it really is just like the best part. That’s what I really needed from Shark Tank. And I got it like I’ve been looking for this group, my whole entrepreneurial life.

Pat Yates 15:57

Yeah, I think there are a lot of people out there that don’t try to leverage it. But I’ll be honest, and this is not bragging just gives you’re on I’ve seen you at like the Chicago home inspired Home show last year, I saw you doing a whole setup for podcasts, and video and doing your TikTok and stuff like that you have leveraged it amazing. You’re doing an amazing job putting your product out there too. So I want to stick to a couple of other things. The one thing that got me about you, first of all, the infectious attitude and being exciting all the time is exactly what an entrepreneur needs. You don’t fake that. That’s you are. But the funny thing is, is I’ve heard you talk passionately about TikTok, which is really why I wanted to have you on here, because you’re one of the people that I think has done an amazing job with it. First of all, I suck at trying to build TikTok, I like watching it, but I’m really boring when it comes to trying to do it. So I’ve done some fun things. But I haven’t been super successful. So I know that the listeners out there, if you’re listening about TikTok, it doesn’t matter about your opinion on it. If you’re looking at it from a business standpoint, this is the lady you really need to understand and talk to, you don’t sell those services, but you’re gonna be able to tell people give us the overview of what your philosophy was day one, when you started on TikTok, if someone started.

Lerin Lockwood 17:00

Okay. It was really hard for me to start a TikTok, my high school students were like Miss Lockwood, you’re gonna love this app. And I was like, I hate that app, because you’re on it all the time, you should be making art, right? So at first, I did not understand why they were constantly looking at it. And then they got me, they got me on it. They were like, look at all these animal videos, you can watch. And I was like, okay, I do like this app. And then I started seeing like, people really like putting themselves out there having a story telling it and then gain a following. And I was on there before TikTok shop. And at first I had one of my college athletes. She was doing the videos for me, but I was telling her what to do, right? And she was just like Lerin, you should be doing this on your own. Like, there’s no reason I’m doing this for you. Like you already have the plan. You’re the creative. And it’s your story. So I finally like manned up and I put myself on camera. I hadn’t done that since my Kickstarter, which I was mortified hearing myself on video for the first time ever because my accent and I was just like, oh, I sound like that, I’m used to it now I hear my voice on other people’s phones around me you and it’s like, I don’t think anything of it now, right? Originally, I was terrified to do it. It ended up really paying off for me because I do have a teacher story, right? I was a teacher, I am a mom. And now I’m a full-time entrepreneur with a headquarters and awesome staff of moms also and TikTok has really paid off for me. And I put myself out there and but that’s what it’s about. I mean, you’re not having to go door to door to people finding customers, you are in everyone’s hands, like millions of people’s hands at once. And it’s crazy. Like and you get used to it, things start to come natural, the more you do it.

Pat Yates 18:48

It is kind of interesting. You got someone young that was younger than you you’re young, but was out there doing and then you decided to go on it yourself. I think that’s where people get a little nervous. It’s like I may not be good enough or funny enough or smart enough to be able to build the content. So how did you get over that reservation? Did you decide, hey, I’m just gonna run and go and this is how it’s going to be and then I’ll figure it out or was it calculated plan.

Lerin Lockwood 19:13

We tested like different kinds of videos, but I caught on to which ones were getting millions of views. And the first day I saw 100 orders come in. I was like, Holy crap, like, this is amazing, right? I paid zero and adspend I just made this video for free. And it popped off. It got over 5 million views. I took all my senior students. We all went to the river for an art day and Chick-fil-A lunch and I was like hey cam will you come over here? Use the Lion Latch for me and I’m going to film it. And what’s crazy about TikTok is once the comments start rolling in, it’s not just about your product. People were talking about the crystal clear water the fish, her fingernail polish was beautiful the bracelet she was wearing, like, but those comments, were keeping it going. And so it got millions of views for free. And it was just like me telling one of my students who used the Lion Latch already, hey, I’m gonna film your hands doing this. And then, like the brains and the eyes of TikTok everybody, like that’s ADHD out there looking at everything else, rather than just the product, but it just kept my video going. And it got to the people that needed to see it the ones that needed a Lion Latch, and so that’s when it started. That’s crazy.

Pat Yates 20:32

That’s kind of incredible. Was it a little scary seeing that many views because what if they all went to the site you envision, you know, that company did a commercial one time they flip their site live, they hit a button when we’re live and these orders start going in? They’re excited then 100 orders come in, they go, oh my god, what am I gonna do? Was it ever like that? Did you get so much attention that it hits you quick? Or?

Lerin Lockwood 20:52

There has been a lot that goes like, yeah, the there has been a lot of moments where we didn’t have the inventory, or the inventory was supposed to be here and it wasn’t. So there have been scary moments. Yeah. And but, I’ve learned to not worry about it, like still put my best foot forward, stay proactive to solve the problem. But I’m a firm believer that God’s got a plan. And this past year really taught me that I need to relax. Because if not, I’m gonna be like, strung out all the time. And then it makes the entrepreneur like, it makes you stressed out and it’s not fun anymore. So that’s why a lot of people get burnout. I think you got to have some grit and always prepare for success, because you never know when it’s gonna hit. It’s crazy how knew TikTok shop was gonna be a thing. Like, that came out of nowhere. I got a call in February of last year, is actually Tory Johnson from Good Morning America. Her daughter was working for TikTok. She was like, Hey, you’re always on my for youth age. Do you want to be a TikTok shop? I was like, Heck yeah, Sign me up. And within a couple of days, I was one of the first to sign up. And I was on everybody’s phones, like back-to-back videos. Because TikTok was a beta. And they were testing that right. But I mean, everyone else in our Shark Tank Group, not everyone else. But a lot of people were so afraid to do it. And I was like, this is a crazy opportunity. It’s like the number one app right now. Why would we not be jumping on this? And because I took that chance. I mean, those it’s risky. Yeah. But I mean, I had the best year ever last year because it takes off. So I mean, whereas other people are just now getting on. And it’s kind of a little light, a little saturated.

Pat Yates 22:32

You know what’s interesting is I was one of those people when I hear you talk about I’m like, okay, I get it. But I’m trying to push you know, these this that the other but then we got on TikTok, we started doing TikTok shop, we obviously saw some success with it. So I can see the promise. So let’s assume that there are entrepreneurs out here listening this going, oh, my goodness, I’m the person she’s talking about. I’m scared to death to do this. I don’t wanna put myself out there. Do you suggest that people go and try to find an agency that might help them with a video? Or should they just jump in and figure out how to make their product fun?

Lerin Lockwood 23:00

Yeah, I would do it myself. No one knows your product better than you. Right? I mean, there are entrepreneurs of all ages out there. I mean, I have a product that fits many age groups, right? Different types of people have a lot of niches out there. But then my friend, Danny, with a little speaker, is this little guy, right? I know, Danny. Yeah, he’s awesome. But he gets on there. I mean, he does all the live challenges and stuff. And he takes advantage of it. He’s just sitting on there talking about his product, demonstrating how it works, how loud it can get, and that’s just really it. Like, people don’t care about your age, if your hair’s done up, like, if my hair is done out, people don’t care. But if I look like a mess, people are like, wow, that’s a real person.

Pat Yates 23:47

You right there because you sort of resonate if you don’t look like you’re fully. I mean, looking, not fully prepared makes you seem kind of normal to people in a sense, probably right?

Lerin Lockwood 23:57

My most viral videos, I was not feeling it. But I did a video anyway. And like, that’s the one and then TikTok wanted to use one of them as an example, when they took me out to Cannes or invited me out to Cannes, France to speak on a panel. They were like, we’re gonna use this as an example. I was like, I look terrible in that video. Like, please don’t post that was like, not that one. But I mean, they’re like that this one’s very relatable. And I understood where they were coming from. But thankfully, they didn’t show that video.

Pat Yates 24:30

This is really, really good. Because I think a lot of people, it’s been easy to understand how to advertise on Facebook and Instagram. Most every e-comm person does that Google is fairly simple. And Amazon people ad but looking outside of that people haven’t been as creative and I need to get better at that too. So are there things inside TikTok that you can usually leverage that will help your sales. I mean, I know that there’s an ads manager, are there other widgets that you think hey, this is way better than advertising somewhere else because of this one option, does that exist?

Lerin Lockwood 25:00

There are definitely challenges like hashtag challenges that are out there that come up like right now there’s a Valentine’s Day sale. So that would be a good thing to jump on. I mean, I haven’t started paying for ads yet, I’m not saying I’m not going that direction. I’m just like navigating where my inventory is going to go this year, because I’m leaning towards the promotional product industry, with my inventory. But I would definitely say pay attention to the trends and the challenges. If you want to get started in this, start watching what other people are doing. If someone’s on your for you page all the time selling something, and you start to recognize them, pay attention to what they’re doing, right. And then just kind of follow in those footsteps. I mean, how they’re talking about their product, they’re talking to their customers questions, they’re responding. I mean, then these people are along for the ride with you. And not only do they love your product, they start buying it as gifts or telling other people about it, and you have a support system. And people, they’re happy to be along for the ride because they’re actually engaging with you. Right, whenever, like when I was growing up, I didn’t know who made the caboodle. Right, like caboodle was like the most popular product of the 80s and 90s. And now I’m friends with them. But I mean, how cool is that, but I would have never been able to engage with her in the 90s. And now you can talk directly to the creator of your favorite product. It’s amazing.

Pat Yates 26:22

It’s really incredible. I think the thing that’s amazing is you found a way not only to build a cool product that’s necessary, but you’ve made it extremely fun to interact with you. And I think that’s what you, when people don’t have to think about a product a lot, that’s when they kind of get engaged and want to be able to buy it. So stepping away from the TikTok a little bit. Tell us what’s going on at Lion Latch. What’s 2024 looks like for Lion Latch. What are you working on? What great things can people expect from there?

Lerin Lockwood 26:47

Let me look, do we have a promo Lion Latch? Okay, so what I’ve been doing is a lot of my followers played sports, right? They take their jewelry off to play, like really any sport because it’s against the rules for high schools, but like I’m just listening to things that they want to see. And then I make it I have like my own special printer. So like I’ve got girls that are showing ag and they’re like we want cow brands. So I made a cow print line latch that goes to like one of our top sellers. It’s just cute ghost with hearts. They there’s also a Mr. Lion that I have as a wedding gift that’s really popular. We’ve got a silicone answer, because people were like, Hey, I’ve got an emerald. It’s very delicate kit. Is there any kind of cushion? I can buy. And then I’m like, Yeah, but I’m really just listening to my customers, right? They’re telling me what to do next. And I’m excited to do that. Like it’s fun. And this is how we are engaging. There we go. Thank you. So I just sent the sample to like Kendra Scott’s team. I will tell you something I messed up on last year, they sent me an email because they wanted to use the Lion Latch as a goodie bag giveaway. And I miss the email.

Pat Yates 28:01

Did you miss it? It was one of those quick deletes like I don’t need a kinder Scout bag. I’m gonna delete that.

Lerin Lockwood 28:06

No, it was a long miss. I missed it by like five months.

Pat Yates 28:11

Hope Kendra doesn’t listen to this podcast.

Lerin Lockwood 28:17

I am a mentor with her Institute at UT in she has a program for young female entrepreneurs. And it’s crazy good. Because they bring in mentors that have been there done that or are doing it like me. And then we get matched with a girl and that’s got a product or something. But yeah, so I made the Kendra Scott one because that was an opportunity right for me to give them something. This one is house. And obviously that one as well. But I mean jewelry stores are reaching out to me, they want their logo on it, you buy a ring, you get a Lion Latch to keep up with it because they get broken rings all the time are rings with prongs that have been pulled loose because the gloves and the diamond falls out that is very frequent. Also, gloves are a culprit. But that’s the direction I’m trying to go. I did send the sample to Lucky’s team. So we’re working on that too. Just my followers are telling me where they want to see the Lion Latch and then I’m pursuing that. I mean, why not? They’re gonna tell me where they’re shopping. I mean, I should, I’m gonna do it. I’ll try it right.

Pat Yates 29:25

Amazing. First of all, I was at buches last time and I’m actually embarrassed to admit I’ll spend like 30 minutes of the jerky bar so I was buying all kinds of different turkeys you can’t stop it buches man you get everything there. Right? That’s amazing. So you’re doing a lot of personalization doing stuff that can be custom if corporations needed or gyms or jewelry stores and things like that. It’s really amazing. So what’s the product? I mean, are you thinking in the future there’ll be expansions or alliterations or is pretty much this and you’re going to market as well as you can?

Lerin Lockwood 29:55

No, I have my sports bag coming out. I’ve done a larger jewelry case, I’ve got other accessories that people were telling me they want to see. And it’s becoming a reoccurring thing, right? We analyze the data from the comments and we log what’s next to come out with. And that’s what we’ve been doing. My sports bag is really special. Let me show you real quick. Like, this is the point oh, that we’re coming out with. But what makes it special is it’s got this lid, that checklist, it comes with a checklist, so you don’t leave your stuff at the hotel. So you like your laptop and your chargers. Or if you’re an athlete, it says kneepads, shoes, socks, those kinds of things. But on the inside, it has like this special pocket for your shoes, so your shoes don’t touch your clothes. Because as a coach, my student-athletes would forget their shoes or their cleats all the time, and their parents would bring them up and add bag. Right? So I’m really this is where I’m listening to coaches and parents on an end. But it’s called the Lion back. This is a 2.0. So it’s great for cheer teams, because your teams have to have bags that sit up, right.

Pat Yates 31:06

That’s actually a really good golf shoe bag too.

Lerin Lockwood 31:09

Yeah. Okay, let’s just keep making a list. Right? Yeah, I mean, I’m just listening to what people want. And then it just happens to fall in alignment with what I would like to see also. It’s working.

Pat Yates 31:21

That’s absolutely amazing. So all your products, you tie them into Tik Tok. So you do a lot of things with that promote them as they’re coming in and cross-promote. I think that’s what really, you know, is so amazing about you, you have such fun products, but you exude even more fun when you put them out there. So not everything is always easy. So what are things that are challenging to you right now in the business world are there maybe some of the people out there experienced some of the same as supply chain everything running smoothly, any things that you’re trying to work to get better?

Lerin Lockwood 31:49

We have almost gotten like the supply chain under control, because like last year with TikTok, we could not anticipate what would happen. We’d have days where we had over 1000 orders we’d had back-to-back days with over 1000 orders. Like we weren’t expecting that right. But now we’ve kind of got it under control. It’s January, so ordered quite a bit of inventory, that I’m confident I can push over the year. But also with the promo. I’ve got a lot of shows planned, where I’m going to be pursuing the promotional product industry, because the Lion Latch leaves home. It’s used daily. If the men don’t want it, they give it to their wife who uses it daily, right? And it’s not another water bottle. Like every show I do. Everyone’s like, oh, thank God not another water bottle. Or when we did the PGA Show, they’re like not another towel, right? Or coffee mug. So that’s something I’ve been learning. I met with Disney. And they also were like, Thank God, this is not another water bottle. And I said, that’s funny you say that because I put that on my card on my promotional card. Right? I already knew what they were gonna say to me. Right, so that’s definitely a selling point. But the Lion Latch, and I’m working with Jewelers Mutual, they are the largest ring insurer in the United States. They are who I had my ring insured with thank God when I broke it. And so I’m gonna be doing some videos for them to try and to spread the word. And I do promotional Lion Latches for them as well. Yeah, it’s like, that’s a really cool full circle that I’ve got with jewelers mutual. That’s very unique tie-in with them, but it’s pretty cool. I’m very excited. Excited for what this year is gonna bring us and I’m lucky I got a really strong team. And yeah, we’re growing over here with Lion Latch, bringing new products, new ventures. That’s

Pat Yates 33:34

absolutely incredible. When you talk about ring insurance companies, it’s like this is one of the least expensive things to protect one of the most expensive and most important things you would have in your house. It’s really kind of an incredible dynamic, people that has a ring obviously needs this. So to sort of sell this up, I know that you’ve spent a lot of time not only have you done so good and TikTok you ended up I think in their headquarters I may be wrong about that are meeting their the principles of tick tock. Anything else you would tell people they want to do or maybe experiences you’ve had around that?

Lerin Lockwood 34:03

Oh, with TikTok, it was just crazy. I mean, again, it’s just being like proactive, like anytime an opportunity presents itself I jump at it, right. So like when they invited me to Cannes to speak on a TikTok panel at the Cannes line festival. And I knew that it was going to be there. And I knew as soon as I saw them, I need to be ready to give them a Lion Latch. And so I got a video of me. And will I am from the black IPs. I got a video of me and Carmelo Anthony. And I met Spike Lee while I was there. And then I saw the CEO of TikTok I met him in like or I can’t say but I met him at an event but they invited me to write but I saw him I knew I was looking for and then I had I was ready for the opportunity to get a video or a photo with them. So I’m just I’m trying to prepare for success always. But also always have your elevator pitch ready because you never know who’s going to be around you or who could really help you go to the next level. So that’s my tip.

Pat Yates 35:07

For me Lerin, it’s so incredible to talk about this because every time I end up picking up tips as well, I know that every one of the rods around the Shark Tank Group where they go the reunion or whatever, we’re all very humble in the sense that we know we can gain things from other people. So I’ve learned a lot from you and obviously I hope you have a great year. Let’s tell everyone how they can get in touch if they want to, and maybe the site.

Lerin Lockwood 35:28

My website is lionlatch.com the animal lion, ignore the accent please. And TikTok I’m Lion Latch. I’m on Instagram and Facebook as well. You can reach out to me on my website if you want to if you’re interested in promotional eyelashes we have or wholesale we also have a little form you can fill out there and it comes directly to us I see them every day. Which is awesome. All right, that’s a new added feature that we’ve got. But we’re just trying to pursue all the outlets and get Lion Latch in the hands of the people that need it.

Pat Yates 36:04

That’s really amazing. Lerin as usual, whenever I see you are saying I see you it’s so much fun to be around, your personality is so infectious. Your product is so cool. You’re obviously killing I appreciate you coming on the Quiet Light Podcast today.

Lerin Lockwood 36:16

For sure. Absolutely. Thanks for having me Pat.

Pat Yates 36:18

Absolutely. Have a great day, everyone thanks for listening in. Reach out to Lerin you don’t necessarily need to reach out but by you a Lion Latch should be shocked how great this product is and how much you’ll love it and Lerin, appreciate the time reflecting on Shark Tank as well as TikTok.

Lerin Lockwood 36:34

Oh absolutely thanks Pat.

Outro 36:37

Today’s podcast was produced by Rise25 and the Quiet Light content team. If you have a suggestion for a future podcast, subject or guest, email us at [email protected]. Be sure to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening. We’ll see you next week.