Holstein Natives Appear on ‘Shark Tank’ with the Most Iowa Product Ever

I turned on Shark Tank for a bit yesterday evening, something I'm accustomed to do when I have nothing else going on, and saw something that immediately got my attention. Not only was it a humorous but practical product, but the men behind it were small town Iowans looking to make a big impact with a piece of fashion so goofy it made total sense.

The men were Taylor "Earl" Nees and Garret "Buddy" Lamp from Holstein, IA, a town in Ida County of just over 1,000. They made it all the way to Shark Tank to try to get an investment in their company known as Muff Waders (try not to smile when saying it aloud).

The episode was part of the show's 12th season, which aired in 2023. Nees and Lamp were looking for $25,000 for a 25% stake in their company.

Their Muff Waders initially appeared like a standard pair of waders, except were lined with several chilled pockets that could house several cans/bottles of beer. There's a removable koozie attached near the breast pocket, a cooler near the abdomen of the waders for your "six pack," and even long, roomy pockets on the sides where a bottle of beer could be stored.

The gentlemen noted that the waders would be perfect for someone working out in the yard, attending a party, or a tailgate of any kind. While watching these guys peddle their wares, I couldn't help but think: this is the most Iowa product I've ever seen in my life. Leave it to two small town boys to find an easier and more comfortable way to crack a couple of frosty cold ones.

That wasn't all! The Muff Waders were selling for $85/pair at the time. For a more affordable item, they also showed off their Muff Suspenders, which had koozie compartments to hold several cans/bottles of beer too.

Ultimately, however, the Sharks — Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec — all bowed out of potentially investing. They were impressed by Nees and Lamp's fortitude. They applauded them for achieving $500,000 in sales in such a short amount of time. None of them even really fought back or questioned any part of their process nor their sales.

However, it's pretty clear that Muff Waders is more of a fun product than a scalable business. This appears to be the kind of product you ride until the wheels fall off before selling it to Carhartt, Dickies, or another outdoor apparel company to make part of their portfolio.

According to the website Shark Tank Recap, Nees and Lamp saw a significant bump in sales and popularity (the one practically guaranteed perk of appearing on the show, regardless of whether or not one brokers a deal) following the airing of the Shark Tank episode. According to a YouTube comment too, many folks in Holstein, IA gathered to have a watch-party of the episode when the show aired.

The two dudes made a marketable product, made it on national television, and made their small town proud. That alone is a big part of the American Dream!

You can find Muff Waders on the company's website, although at the time of this writing, both the waders and suspenders are sold out. You can watch Nees and Lamp's full pitch on YouTube, and follow them on Instagram!