EVERETT — It’s one of the most confounding problems known to humankind — keeping your kids’ socks on.
Squid Socks, an Everett startup, landed a $125,000 investment for its non-slip socks after appearing on “Shark Tank,” the ABC television show. The company says it’s created socks that won’t slip off your baby’s or toddler’s feet.
“We’re thrilled. We couldn’t be happier,” said Gabe Miller, a Boeing aerospace engineer, who co-founded Squid Socks with his wife, Jessica Miller.
Gabe Miller said orders have been flowing in since the episode aired Sunday night.
The couple plan to use the money to replenish their inventory.
“It’s a great problem to have,” he said.
The Millers first encountered sock issues five years ago.
“As newlyweds back in 2014, we kicked off our honeymoon with a trip to London. While we were there, we visited my cousin, and he was complaining about his son’s baby socks coming off,” Gabe Miller said.
After searching online for a solution and coming up empty, “We said, ‘Let’s see if we can solve this,’ ” he said.
Because the couple didn’t yet have children of their own, they used local tykes for research and development.
“We live in a great (Everett) neighborhood where people have lots of kids,” Jessica Miller said. “We would run to neighbors’ homes and ask to borrow their kids to see if our latest version held up,” she said. (The Millers now have a son, Casen, 3, and a daughter, Claire, 2.)
The Millers eventually settled on dabs of silicone — “squiddy dots” — that are bonded to the inside of the cuff of each sock.
When it came time to christen the company, “our brains went to an animal or creature that has silicone-like properties,” said Jessica, “And it was like, ‘Oh, Squids!’ ”
They tapped a Redmond-graphic designer to create squid artwork for the socks, which come in boy, girl and gender-neutral designs.
Squid Socks sell for about $24 for three pairs. They are available on Amazon.com, Nordstrom.com and through the couple’s website, squidsocks.ink.
The company donates 10% of the profits to help save coral reefs through the Coral Reef Alliance, a nonprofit.
In March, friends alerted them that “Shark Tank” was holding a casting call in Tacoma. Things took off from there.
Final result for sharks versus the squids?
Daymond John offered the Millers $125,000 for a 33% stake.
Janice Podsada: 425-339-3097; jpodsada@heraldnet.com. Twitter: JanicePods.
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