New Lenox Father-Daughter Duo's Pet Product Inspired By Wife's MS Struggle Lands Deal On 'Shark Tank'

NEW LENOX, IL — A New Lenox father-daughter duo who created a pet product built of necessity and ingenuity has now landed a massive deal to catapult its success.

Brian Zibricky created Pup Stack—a weighted dog anchor with a retractable lead—to support Brian's wife, Sue, amid her physical challenges following her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in 2014. Sue's life changed drastically—she was forced to quit her job as an elementary school reading specialist as her condition worsened—and she was reliant on assistant devices for walking.

To provide her companionship, the family welcomed a dog, Cooper, which came with its own challenges, like keeping a puppy contained while offering him some freedom of movement.

"He was a little Houdini," Brian said. "We could not keep track of him anywhere."

Brian was unfazed and dived right in.

"In many ways, the Pup Stack started with her diagnosis," he said.

"We turned my wife's diagnosis into trying to get her a dog that would kind of brighten up her day, and then all of a sudden, I see a problem and it has spawned into this whole adventure for us."

Brian brainstormed a concept that would allow the family—and Sue—to keep Cooper near them while also allowing him room to move and accompany them on outings. They realized there was no singular product available that served as a portable, multi-functional dog containment solution.

He envisioned Pup Stack, a portable dog anchor that can be used on any surface—indoors or out, at home or on the go. It features a 20-foot retractable tie-out line that locks at any length, plus built-in storage and food and water bowls that keep essentials close at hand. The 360-degree rotating design helps prevent tangles, and an expandable base allows owners to add weight as their puppy grows. It's recommended for most dogs up to 40 pounds, a bullet point they tested with neighbors and their dogs.

"You can spin the entire top off," Zibricky said. "You can stack more of these weights to accommodate dogs that are taller."

In October 2022, they launched a KickStarter with a modest $10,000 goal, and easily tripled it, Brian said.

"We wanted to give him (Cooper) more freedom while keeping him safely contained wherever our family went," Brian told Patch. "What started as an idea in 2021 has grown into a direct-to-consumer pet brand shipping orders nationwide from our New Lenox warehouse.

"We’re doing really great numbers," Brian emphasized. "I’m just kind of scrambling between social media and filling orders."

As production and demand surged and the duo achieved more than $166,666 in sales last year, they applied to appear on Shark Tank, a competitive reality business TV show where entrepreneurs and small business owners enter the "Tank" to pitch their products or business concepts to a panel of wealthy investors in hopes of securing financial backing.

They pitched to "sharks" Daniel Lubetzky, Kendra Scott, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner and newcomer Steven Bartlett.

None "went out" on the product, meaning all five were interested in learning more for potential investment, according to Brian, a marketing professional. But Bartlett had some questions. Specifically, why were the two not working on the product full-time?

Brian shared more about the family's story following Sue's diagnosis, including the demands of caregiving for her at home.

"She had gone from a cane, to a walker, to a wheelchair very wuickly," Brian said of his wife in their pitch. "We got Cooper to keep her company. I'm her primary care provider during the day. I switched to a job that was fully remote, so I could do that as well as work. And all of a sudden, we had this 3-pound furball running around, and I could not keep track of this little guy anymore.



"... The reason that I have not been able to transition full-time is because the treatments my wife gets, are a couple hundred thousand dollars per year. So it's been very, very difficult for me to try to pull away from something that is steady, and the insurance is obviously the major factor."

Kayla said she recently graduated and is working a full-time job to tackle student loans. She's an Illinois State University graduate who began her career at Motorola Solutions as a sales representative in Chicago.

Before securing its deal on Shark Tank, Pup Stack had already recorded $260,000 in sales to-date 2026, before the episode's recording. They told the sharks that they were projecting $700,000 in annual sales; they came to Shark Tank seeking $150,000 for 10 percent equity. Initially, Scott offered the entrepreneurs $150,000 for 25 percent equity. Barlett upped that to $200,000 for 20 percent equity.

Bartlett also pinpointed the brand's heavy reliance on Meta platforms for performance.

“You’re currently on a tectonic plate that can shake at any time,” Bartlett said. “I will remove that risk, and knowing how to do that at scale, globally, is what I have a black belt in.”

Scott and Geiner proposed going in on the deal with Bartlett; O'Leary separately offered $150,000 for 10 percent equity.

Bartlett asked the duo which female shark they'd want in on the deal, and they selected Scott. The pair offered $200,000 for 20 percent equity. Brian initially bristled at that equity stake, countering with 15 percent. Bartlett held firm at 20 percent, and the father-daughter team eventually agreed.

The product entered the tank with an initial valuation of $1.5 million; the final deal included an estimated value of $1 million.

"I know the value I can bring to this business, and I know with 20 percent, you’re going to get all of me," Barlett told them.

Bartlett said he would lean into his existing platform to build the brand.

"We're going to sell so many of these," Bartlett told them.



The Grit of a Start-up

The duo has seen its share of challenges in the early days of its business.

"Everything’s going back into the business," Brian said of any revenue. "We have gone through the wringer."

Two years ago, they suffered a large financial setback when a massive shipment of products was damaged.

"We've gone through a lot that a normal startup would," Kayla said.

"I came home from work one day—we used to ship out of our third car garage. Some were coming to our house, some were on boats to go to Amazon.

"I pulled up from work, all the boxes are damaged. Broken. Units are falling out of them. We had to stop the shipments on the boat. A huge loss of money. We had to rent a dumpster, figure out what we could save."

"It kept my parents busy for an afternoon," Brian joked. "We threw out about 700 units."

Working together has strengthened their intrinsic bond, Kayla said.

"We’re very good at handling chaos," she said, "and getting through the big moments."

They now operate and ship nationwide out of a New Lenox warehouse—a clear indicator of their company's early success and potential growth.

Theirs is a story, Brian says, of a family balancing caregiving, full-time work and entrepreneurship, a practical product inspired by a real problem faced by dog owners and a local invention growing into a nationally recognized pet brand.

Most importantly, the journey has brought the family closer and helped strengthened Sue's connection with Cooper. Her condition, Brian said, at times made their bond difficult to forge.

"My wife’s speech has gone down the last two years," he said. "At certain times, things are worse. For a long time, right at the beginning, she had to wear an eye patch. Verbally, she can’t really talk to him—she has trouble with that. ... She can't get on the ground and tug a rope with her."

Still, the affection is clear.

"He loves her," Brian said. "He loves her very much."

Behind the Scenes

Both father and daughter noted how editing makes the 17-minute segment look effortless compared to the hectic morning and hour they spent presenting to the sharks.

"The Shark Tank experience was amazing, fun, stressful," Brian said. "When you’re standing behind the doors, and they open them, and walk out, that’s really something."

Brian was told that the sharks don't know anything about the products before the entrepreneurs pitch.

"Your first impression is what they get," he said.

For their product, a dog strengthens the demonstration. Their own dog couldn't make the trip, so they relied on local dog Mary Puppins—one trained for the spotlight.

"If we had brought Cooper, it would have been a disaster," Kayla said. "He does not do well with new people, environments."

Both marveled at how it all came together—and the challenges the contestants face.

"Our view has changed, because we know what everyone has to go through," Kayla said. "I think it’s so incredible how they pull it off. The set is gorgeous. No scripting. Everything that was edited is completely true to it.

"I look at the show so differently now, in a good way."

Both said they are eager to get started with Scott and Bartlett.

"We’re both really excited, as marketing people, to work with the marketing teams for Kendra Scott and Stephen Bartlett," Brian said.

He's sometimes asked how they jumpstarted this company. And he stressed it's taken everything they've got.

"I tell all my friends all the time—if somebody asks me, 'how’d you do this?'" he said, laughing. "You can always ask me if you have an idea for a product that has never existed before, because I will talk you out of it."

Find out more about Pup Stack on social media or the web.