Mary Ellen Simonsen was frustrated with sticky notes falling off of her computer monitor and with being unable to keep them organized. She created the Sticky Note Holder that attaches to the side of the monitor to keep sticky notes in place. The holder resembles a narrow plastic document sleeve and holds nine sticky notes and three photographs. When you are done with the laptop, fold in the holder and close the lid. The notes will all be there next time you use the computer.
Mary had no sales. She had invested $1,000 in her idea and needed an investment from a shark to get a patent and produce and market her Sticky Note Holder. Daymond and Robert advised Mary that she was solving a non-problem. All the sharks went out.
Mary changed the name to “Flip-N-Note” and had a website that asked for investors. The website is gone, but there is a product very much like Mary’s on Amazon, called a Memo Board.
A few years later, Mary won $10,000 in a WayFounder competition for “nontrepreneurs,” inventors who had never gotten a business started. WayFounder was started by a former producer of The Apprentice and Undercover Boss. In an interview, Mary expressed appreciation for the encouragement she received on Shark Tank, particularly for being offered $50,000 by Barbara, even though it was rescinded and edited out of the episode. She continues to invent and at that time had 16 inventions in different stages of development.
