Tristen Amal Ikaikamaikai’ikaneokalani Persons, the 23 year-old designer behind the Tristen Ikaika brand, has just received a deal of $250,000 for 15% of his company from Kevin O’Leary on ABC’s “Shark Tank”. On January 10, 2020, Persons joined over 40,000 entrepreneurs at the Shark Tank auditions to pitch his business that would ultimately receive a deal on the popular national television show.
“I just want to keep creating products that are an experience for people, that are emotional, and want people to feel part of a community where they see someone else with the product and they’re instantly friends.” – Persons
Persons first launched his line in 2017, after stealing a spoon from his parent’s house in his hometown of Orem, UT. After hand-crafting a common eating utensil into a one-of-a-kind ring, Persons’ peers soon started to want pieces for themselves. Upon launching the Tristen Ikaika website, Persons’ spoon designs were sold out in a number of minutes, crowning him the “Ring King” from his cult-like following.
Persons has since expanded his line to include not only rings, but clothing, as well. All designs are inspired by Persons’ real-life experiences, including his worldwide travels and his struggles dealing with his father’s serious health issues. With his rapid success, Persons was able to pay off his parent’s mortgage on the same home where he had stolen the spoon that ultimately led to his business ventures.
“I think people are just sick of products. They want something more, they want products that mean something and that’s where I’ve really loved getting to build this brand,” says Persons.
With the deal, comes an opportunity for Persons to grow his business even more. Today he launched a new collection of rings, along with a second drop of his clothing line, which has been highly-anticipated by fans.
Inspired by his worldwide travels and real-life experiences, Tristen’s designs immediately caught the eye of the fashion world and sold out within minutes. The brand has since expanded to include both jewelry and clothing and was recently featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank”. All designs can be shopped at tristenikaika.com for under $100.
Edited by Wynter Aiken
