LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville native swam with the sharks and now has an amazing opportunity and $150,000.
UK alumni and 26-year-old Destin Bell was on an episode of ABC's hit show "Shark Tank," where inventors share their big ideas in the hopes of the 'sharks' or successful venture capitalists, will invest in their product.
He accepted $150,000 collectively from Rashaun Williams and Daymond John for a 15% stake in his company, Card.io.
Card.io is an app that gamifies cardio experiences. Bell started the app in June 2022 and currently it is available for download in over 70 countries.
Users claim "turf" in their city as they walk, run or bike through different areas. The goal is to make exercise more enjoyable and motive users to get active, according to the Shark Tank products website.
Users can also join teams, compete in virtual events and earn real-world rewards.
Before Williams offered Bell the deal, he said he saw protentional in Bell.
"I think you're a great sales person and I think you could become a great business person. I think you need mentors, you need strategy, you need access to capital," he said.
Williams does have experience in working with software startups.
"I enjoy mentoring young founders, especially guys that remind me of myself, that have that grit," Williams said.
When he asked Bell what drives him to do this work, Bell said it's a love for his mom and to create generational wealth for his family.
"I used to have a really bad lisp and a stutter and I was a bad public speaker. When I was 10-years-old I used to watch this show...and my mom said 'I want you to watch this show and see how people present," Bell said on the show.
He said he watched the show every Friday night from when he was young until about 16-years-old.
"At 16 is when I really started to get into business and I told me mom 'we're going to be on this show one day Mom, and I'm going to bring you,'" Bell said.
Bell even brought his mom onto the show with him and she encouraged him to take the deal from Williams and John.
The UK alum describes himself as a "serial entrepreneur."
Bell graduated from UK Gatton School of Business & Economics in May 2020, according to the university.
He later moved to Texas and over the last two years, he went from $2,000 to his name, no job and living in his car to founding Card.io. The app is also venture-backed and funded by Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go.
Bell is working to become a 6-figure brand personality and is the owner of a duplex near downtown Austin valued at over $500K with 3 tenants.
He's done all this without ever having a 9-5 job.
You can watch Bell and other inventors on Shark Tank right now, streaming on Hulu, Disney+ or on Fridays at 8 p.m.
