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No Bites for FitDeck’s Pitch To ‘Shark Tank’

For the past couple of weeks, the Insider has been following the exploits of former Navy SEAL Phil Black, the entrepreneur behind FitDeck, a brand of exercise cards sold at his website. In search of $500,000 in capital for expansion into the mobile app world, he appeared Jan. 24 on the popular TV show “Shark Tank.” Well, the sharks weren’t biting, and Black walked away empty-handed. All five celebrity investors rejected his pitch for a capital infusion of $300,000 in exchange for 20 percent of the business. However, Black reported that billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, one of the investors on the show, agreed to a private deal after his appearance to produce thousands of branded basketball card decks. Black said he’s sold 500,000 decks of cards worth $4.5 million in sales over the nine years he’s been in business. And sales are surging again after his appearance, thanks to the wonders of television. … And speaking of fitness, everyone knows San Diego is the yoga capital of the world, and what better place to celebrate an anniversary than in America’s finest city. Old friend and yogi Shashi Pottathil, who owns and operates the Yoga and Meditation Center on Black Mountain Road, celebrated his 14th year in business recently with a weekend celebration on the University of California, San Diego campus. Pottathil, who hails from southern India, is considered one of the top instructors around, having trained dozens of new instructors in the practice. … The MIT Enterprise Forum San Diego and nonprofit mentoring organization Connect are sponsoring a discussion titled “Surviving the Private Equity Shark Tank” on Feb. 12 at UC San Diego. The panelists will talk about putting a realistic valuation on your business when you seek investment capital. Details at sdmitforum.org. … The County Taxpayers Association and the JOBS Coalition report that they have submitted more than 53,000 signatures to the City Clerk in a bid to stop the city’s so-called “Jobs Tax,” also known as “linkage” fees, with a referendum. … Finally, The Old Globe Theatre is sponsoring a unique community discussion at 6 p.m. Feb. 3 in Balboa Park about the affordable housing issues raised in “Bethany,” a new production now playing in Balboa Park. Interim Mayor Todd Gloria will lead the discussion: “At Home in San Diego? The Question of Affordable Housing.” The intent is to explore themes in the play as they pertain to the affordable housing crisis in the county. “Bethany” focuses on two strangers who move in together as they try to get their lives back on track after the economic downturn. More details at theoldglobe.org. … Till next week.

Contributing Editor Tom York writes the SDBJ Insider. You can reach him via email at tyork@sdbj.com or tom.york@gmail.com.

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