What Happened to Guard Llama After Shark Tank?
What is Guard Llama?
Guard Llama is a Bluetooth-enabled safety device that connects with your phone. In an emergency, simply press the button twice to notify both police and ambulance services through the emergency dispatch center.
Your photo is sent together with your medical information, and your family and friends are alerted. Emergency responders can locate you within nine feet of the device using GPS tracking.
Joe Parisi of Chicago founded Guard Llama in 2015. Joe graduated from Northern University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
He worked for an accounting firm before starting his own business. Joseph has been out of the spotlight since his imprisonment on drug-related charges in 2019.
Who is the founder of Guard Llama?
Guard Llama was founded in 2015 by Joe Parisi of Chicago. Joe graduated from Northern University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
He developed the idea after observing a need in the market for personal security devices. During his university days, fellow alumni were involved in abductions and school shootings.
Guard Llama is a key fob-sized Bluetooth device that connects to your smartphone. When you push the button, a message is sent straight to the police with your location and description. There is no need to dial 911.
The name of the firm comes from actual llamas that would protect their herd with strong kicks and a loud, screaming sound.
Parisi sees the gadget as a precaution for real estate agents who regularly encounter strangers in abandoned residences. The device will appeal to anybody searching for an added degree of security.
Before subscribing to the service, customers must first acquire the fob. The basic plan is $2.95 per month and is only active when your phone is turned on.
The premium plan, which costs $9.95 a month, works within 150 feet of your phone, whether it is on or off. The family plan bundles four premium plans for a monthly price of $29.95, which is $10 cheaper than buying them separately.
What Happened to Guard Llama at Shark Tank Pitch?
Joe Parisi and Nick Nevarez seek to secure an investment for Guard Llama, a smart phone app-enabled personal security device, in Shark Tank episode 23 of Season 8. Parisi and Nevarez are searching for a Shark to assist them in rapidly expanding.
Joseph and Nick entered the Shark Tank seeking for $100,000 in return for a 5% stake of their business, worth $2 million.
They went no saying that, like their technology, llamas are docile creatures that can become rather ferocious when predators approach.
They hand out samples, and Chris Sacca quips that he thought he was getting real llamas.
They claim that the device will work within 150 feet of your phone. They had roughly 2000 active subscribers at the time of shooting who paid $10 per month or $100 per year.
They worked with the National Association of Realtors to bring the devices to realtors. The service reaches you when you press the button; if you do not reply, the police are summoned.
Mark Cuban had backed out of fear of responsibility if something goes wrong. Lori also goes out, citing the same reservations.
Kevin O’ Leary disagrees with the evaluation but files a bid nevertheless. He offers $100,000 for 5%, but he insists on a $5 royalty on each sale until he recoups his investment.
Chris Sacca believes it was too tough to climb, thus he exits.
Barbara Corcoran offers a $100,000 interest-free loan with a $2 royalty until she recoups her investment in exchange for 20% stock in the firm.
They haggle over the percentage and eventually strike a deal with Barbara for a $100,000 loan, 18 percent stock in the business, and a $2 royalty on each unit sold until repaid, and they leave the pitch with a deal.
What Happened to Guard Llama After Shark Tank?
After the show aired, the deal with Barbara was never finalized, and the two parted ways with a deal. That’s probably a good thing for Barbara, considering Joseph Parisi was a heroin addict.
Police recovered 600 grams of ecstasy, 7 grams of mushrooms, cocaine, and 65 grams of cannabis from his home. This occurred in the fall of 2019.
As of May 2021, the corporation is still in business, but without Parisi at the helm. Despite having an active website as of December 2021, prior customers perceive Guard Llama as unresponsive to clients, and the Better Business Bureau reports that the company is no longer in operation.
Guard Llama’s Competitors
Guard Llama’s main competitors are Greenville, Alert Sentry, Lakeville, FireTracks, iLuv Wireless, and Freehold Borough, among others.
Guard Llama’s Net Worth
During the pitch, the firm was valued at $2 million; however, the company is no longer in operation, hence the company net worth is unavailable.
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Guard Llama FAQs
Who was Guard Llama for?
Anyone looking for security, whether that is to be safer in an abandoned home or to create a safety zone when posing as a customer at a real estate agency.
How much did Guard Llama cost?
The basic plans were $2.95 ($29.95 per year) and were only active when their phone is turned on. The premium plan (which is $9.95 per month) works within 150 feet of their phone, whether it is on or off.
How did Guard Llama work?
The Guard Llama device was a key fob-sized Bluetooth that connects to the smartphone. When users push the button, a message is sent straight to the police with their location and description. There was no need to dial 911. The closest police station would be contacted by the dispatcher and dispatched in real-time.
What happened to Guard Llama?
Joseph Parisi was arrested for possession of heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, cannabis and other drugs in Chicago on October 5, 2018.
Was Guard Llama a subscription plan?
Yes, yes it was. It’s $2.95 a month. And if subscribers want to get the premium service, which offers full tracking and is available at any time, then it has a cost of $9.95 per month or $99 a year.
How was the business model of Guard Llama?
It was a subscription service.
What was the valuation of Guard Llama on Shark Tank?
The firm set their asking price at $2 million for a 5% stake which would at that price be $100,000 for 20% equity; however, they were able to convince Barbara Corcoran to do a deal. Nonetheless, the company is now defunct.
What was the guarantee policy of Guard Llama?
Each subscription came with a thirty-day guarantee. If a subscriber did not want to continue their subscription, they could cancel with no penalties incurred.
How was Guard Llama different from other service such as Greenville Alert or iLuv Wireless?
The company stated that it was different by making the police aware of their location in real-time.
Was Guard Llama safe to use?
The company states that it is safe to use. They had an amazing feature that they did not mention on TV, but when they pushed the button, all contacts of the subscribed users who were within 150 feet of their phone were notified by the police without them having to talk to them first. The police patrol was notified and would arrive at the location immediately after being alerted with Guard Llama’s help.
What was Guard Llama like?
They were very confident on the basics of their service. They had a backup plan in case their main method did not work.
Who were the clients of Guard Llama?
The company stated that they had roughly 2,000 active subscribers at the time of their pitch. They partnered with major realtors to ensure sellers were safe when showing off homes to prospective buyers by having the devices on hand for their customers. They were also sold to private home owners at $99 each.
What was Guard Llama privacy policy?
The company stated that their privacy policy was that the user’s full name and address would be sent to the police. They gave an additional explanation that if the user did not want their name and address released, then they had to confirm it by sending a text message back.
