Eggmazing Egg Decorator: Here's What Happened After Shark Tank

Whether you're using vinegar and dye or whipped cream and Kool-Aid, decorating eggs for Easter creates a mess. Scott Houdashell experienced the same problem but had a penchant for invention, leading him to create the Eggmazing Egg Decorator. His first, jury-rigged design consisted of a hot glue stick stuck on one end to the top of an egg and the other inserted into an electric screwdriver. By balancing the egg on a spoon, he could place a marker against the egg as it spun, creating tight, concentric circles.

The fully realized concept is simple: essentially just a rotor attached to a plastic bed for the egg, all housed in an attractive casing. While the engineering is nothing special, Houdashell realized he was the first to envision it, and quickly began turning it into a market-ready product. After two years of development with his best friend and business partner, Curtis McGill, the duo had a ready product to solve a common problem.

After ordering 10,000 units, McGill and Houdashell partnered with the American Specialty Toy Retail Association (ASTRA) to distribute their product. After only 23 days, they'd sold their entire stock, achieving $150,000 in sales. Equipped with a proven product and unshakeable confidence in its value, the pair behind the Eggmazing Egg Decorator took their vision to "Shark Tank," seeking $350,000 for 7% equity.

The pitch began with the three children coming out to demonstrate the product and hand out bunny ears to the Sharks. Despite the cuteness of the demonstration (and Scott Houdashell's Easter Bunny costume), they immediately began to vehemently question the viability of such a seasonal product, especially after the price was increased by about $5.

But Curtis McGill and Houdashell came to play. McGill began rattling off the company's impressive sales stats, including an average Amazon price of $60 and $1.2 million in purchase orders. Half of the purchase orders were actually for their second product, the Treemendous Ornament Decorator — which follows the same design as their egg decorator, but for Christmas ornaments. Though the Sharks were leery of the ornament decorator's viability, the Eggmazing Egg Decorator clearly had proven profitability.

A feeding frenzy of offers came from Kevin O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, and Lori Greiner, with each Shark offering revisions to top their fellow investors' offers. O'Leary eventually offered $50,000 for 20% equity and a $300,000 loan at 7% interest. Corcoran later offered $350,000 in credit at the lowest market interest rate for 10% of the business. Though Greiner pitched the most complex deal, it was the one that McGill and Houdashell accepted: a $350,000 loan for 10% equity, plus a $2 royalty for every unit until the loan was repaid, but half of the royalty would go to a children's charity of their choice.

At a toy trade show before "Shark Tank," Scott Houdashell received some advice: You have to stay relevant. The company, Hey Buddy Hey Pal, couldn't be considered truly successful if it rested on the laurels of a single product. Though other "Shark Tank" food decorators like Noshi, the edible food paint, and Dirty Cookie, the shot glass-shaped sweet treat, found success, Houdashell and McGill were dissatisfied with putting all their eggs in one basket.

After Lori Greiner's investment, the company began rapidly expanding into both other seasonal items, like its jack-o-lantern carving and stacking kit, and non-seasonal toys, like its partnership with StikBot. It even started to diversify its Eggmazing Egg Decorator, creating a plastic egg containing toy dinosaurs you could decorate before opening. This diversification proved successful, particularly after it found a great manufacturer in Australia to work with. Gone were the days of Houdashell hauling around inventory to different stores and shows to showcase his ideas.

Interestingly, COVID had a markedly positive effect on the Eggmazing Egg Decorator's sales numbers. After its publicity boost from the 2019 appearance on "Shark Tank" and its 2020 appearance at the New York Toy Fair, the product had some national recognition. Since the nation was shut down and the product could be purchased online, it sold out that Easter, doing 4000% more business on Amazon that year.

From their small beginning in Amarillo, Texas, the Eggmazing Egg Decorator has since expanded across the globe from Australia to Bolivia. Chris McGill and Scott Houdashell are still surprised by their success but continue to commit to their Christian values of charity and giving back. From Lori Greiner's promise to donate half her royalty to charity, to a $50,000 donation to Make-A-Wish and even more to St. Jude Children's Hospital, the business partners and friends are determined to better the world through family bonding moments and funding important projects.

In 2024, the business behind the Eggmazing Egg Decorator, Hey Buddy Hey Pal, announced a partnership with Peeps, creating a decorator in a bunny-shaped casing in the style of the brand's popular marshmallow candy. McGill and Houdashell chose to keep their operations in Amarillo, with both saying that their small-town values are key to Hey Buddy Hey Pal's success.

Since "Shark Tank," the Eggmazing Egg Decoration has been showcased on everything from "The Today Show" to the Kardashian's 2024 Easter celebration. Since the company's success during COVID, McGill and Houdashell know that publicity and word of mouth remain some of their most potent marketing tools and continue to juggle meeting demand while guaranteeing a quality product. 

Hey Buddy Hey Pal has no plans to cease its charitable work. It's started an initiative called Win the Easter Bunny's Money, a sweepstakes to win $10,000 if you donate at least $10 to the North Texas branch of Make-a-Wish.

Scott Houdashell and Curtis McGill plan on continuing the Eggmazing Egg Decorator's expansion overseas, which it sees as critical markets to capture. With that, they've identified a new form of advertising: parenting bloggers and kid toy reviewers. By working with these creators, it shows that Hey Buddy Hey Pal is capable of using its small-town work ethic in conjunction with a 21st-century mindset toward marketing.

Houdashell has said he wants to make the Eggmazing Egg Decorator into something that is synonymous with Easter, dinosaur-themed birthday parties, and fun family activities. In line with Houdashell and McGill's commitment to giving back, they hope to one day be in a position to help other budding toymakers get their products to market to create a world of fun for children and families alike.