Your Next Move - Learning How to Be Successful on TikTok

Episode Date: May 13, 2025

In this episode, Inc. Executive Editor Diana Ransom interviewed Lerin Lockwood, the CEO of the Texas-based company Lion Latch. They were ranked No. 441 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. They offer easy-to-carry protective cases to hold jewelry and other valuables while traveling or playing sports or even washing your dishes. Lerin discussed her experience on the hit entrepreneurial TV show, Shark Tank, how she learned to create a good hook on TikTok videos, and what she did to defend her product from counterfeits.

I'm Sarah Lynch and you are listening to Your Next Move, Audio Edition, produced by Inc. and Capital One Business. For this season, we gathered a bevy of conversations with entrepreneurs who made last year's Inc. 5000 list. They joined us in our Your Next Move booth at the Inc. 5000 to share lessons learned and anecdotes from building their businesses. In this episode, Inc executive editor Diana Ransom interviewed Laryn Lockwood.

She is the CEO of the Texas based company Lion Latch. They're ranked number 441 on the 2024 Inc 5000 list. They offer easy to carry protective cases to hold jewelry when traveling. Diana started the conversation by asking Laryn about her experience on the hit entrepreneurial TV show Shark Tank. Is there like a Shark Tank network? There is. Tell me about this. Okay, once you air on Shark Tank, you're invited to a group of like trusted entrepreneurs who have been there, done that, they've been on the show. There's like a lot that comes with being on Shark Tank, mainly a lot of invested entrepreneurs who have been there, done that. They've been on the show. There's like a lot that comes with being on Shark Tank.

Mainly a lot of like mental parts that you don't anticipate. Yes. Mentally challenging. Wait, in what capacity? It's just be dealing with the growth or dealing with the sharks or what? No, more like for me, it was, okay, I did not get a deal. Spoiler alert. They told me I didn't need them

and I was gonna be fine without them. Which at the time, that was nice, but I didn't care. I was like, I worked three years to get on this show for y'all to tell me I don't need you. And I was angry if you watch the episode, season 13 episode one on Hulu, you'll see me like get like sassy at the end, but that's my personality, right?

I'm a Texan, I'm an athlete, I'm very competitive and that felt like a loss. So- But did it, was it really in the end? No, we're three years after, exactly. Last week was my three year airing anniversary. And that was like the hard part, but was I good enough to air?

I felt like a loser because I didn't get a deal. And then once I found out I was going to air, it was like, oh my God, what are they going to make me look like? Because they're taking an hour long, like you're in the tank for an hour and they're cutting it down to seven to 14 minutes for some people.

And for me it was seven. So then I was freaking out like, are they going to make me look like an idiot? And then it was, is America gonna like me? And it was just like, there's a lot of stress that goes with it. Yeah, the mental turmoil. Absolutely. But I looked out, I gave Mr. Wonderful hearing aids inside his lion latch, even though it's

made for jewelry. My product is made to store jewelry. But you can store pills and hearing aids, any kind of tiny valuables on the go. And I gave Mr. Wonderful hearing aids and everybody laughed and they thought it was hilarious. And I was like, please Lord, let this be good enough for reality TV. I just wanted to take a shot at him first before he called me a cockroach or something.

Oh yeah. Okay, well, and you gave him hearing aids. Absolutely. Very sweet of you. I know, I was like, that's to help your listening skills. And then later- Did you say that in the show? And then later he's like, he repeats himself

and I'm like, put those in. Like we already said those. It was a lot of fun. Like that kind of like combat, I guess, is kind of what I felt like. I like public speaking. I was a high school coach and a teacher. So I spoke in front of our entire,

like all of our athletes and all of our athletic staff regularly. And so that's just something that I was used to. What was your sport? Volleyball is my main sport. I coached college volleyball, but then I went and I coached high school volleyball, softball and tennis. Wow.

And softball is the reason I created the Lion Latch is because I caught a softball and it bit my engagement ring and it knocked out of time and I couldn't find it. That's unreal. It was crazy. And luckily he's still married me. He's really glad he married me by the way.

He's taking care of our children today. But he's also part of the company now. Yay spouse. I know right. This is good. So now he's part of the company. That's great. So you've been growing like gangbusters

being like where you are on the list, apparently. So obviously Shark Tank helped. Absolutely. What else was the propellant? It gave me some credibility with Shark Tank, right? Because like 30,000 people apply every year and 150 film and then 120 or so air. So you become a vetted company. However, it's up to you to like put your pedal to the metal.

Like you've got to go. This is your chance, your momentum. So from there, I had already been on Good Morning America and I started TikToking because my high school students were like, I'm just like, what, you're gonna love this. You're gonna be so good at this. But I was so afraid for people to see me and hear me talk because I did a Kickstarter way back then

and I was like, oh my God, I sound like that in real life. But yeah, the kids, they motivated me to start this and or start the TikTok journey. And at first I was paying one of my college athletes to do the videos for me. So I was terrified to be on camera and she was like, why are you doing, just do it yourself. And you can leave it to the kids to be really like upfront with you.

Right. And I said, okay, I'll try it. My videos started going viral. I've since become the first TikTok shop. And that was in March of last year. The first one? Yes. Wow. I was the number one seller

for the entire month of March and April. And they flew me out to France to speak on a panel. And then I went and met with the CEO in Austin. It was just bonkers. The CEO of what? Of TikTok. Oh, oh, we're still talking about TikTok. Yes, and so, yeah, it was just kind of crazy.

So what's going on? Why do people love your TikTok so much? I guess they're in it for the journey. A lot of them have been with me for the long haul. Do you talk about entrepreneurship? I mean, mainly I'm just like including them in what Lion Latch is doing. And I asked them, what do y'all want to see next?

And like a lot of the speakers today, you collect the data and you listen to your customers because you're providing what they want and they're providing you freedom to be an entrepreneur, right? You want to keep going. I started getting on TikTok, asking them what sports do you want to see next?

And we collect the comments. Now we have sports that I've never even witnessed, like field hockey. We have a field hockey line match and lacrosse. And it's just like- So what is it? Does it just look like people playing field hockey or is it just for people who play field hockey?

It's like giving my customers an identity through a product, right? So they're like, oh, there's a swimming one, I'm a swimmer. So this is like the Stanley Cup thing. I mean, yeah, we're gonna work on getting one to stick to a Stanley Cup also. Oh yes, you have to. We're gonna ride that to the bank too.

Oh, you gotta do it. Thank you Stanley for redesigning your cups. We will give you all the accoutrements. Absolutely, well, vitamins go inside the Lion Lodge too. Yeah. And so I had my vitamins in mine the Lion Lodge too. Yeah. And so I had my vitamins in mine on my lanyard. So after breakfast today, I had them with me and I just took them very quickly. Right, right. So describe the product a little bit.

It is a small cylinder container and it doesn't unscrew. It's hard to describe without showing it but the base of this container has a stem that's coupled to it. And when you put the lid on, the stem goes through the hole of the lid, and then there's a hole in the stem that you lock a carabiner through. So you can't pull the lid off when this carabiner clip is latched on. Right. So nobody can come and steal your valuables. Or it can't just unscrew over time, like strip, and littles don't know how to get in it. I mean, most adults don't know how to get in it until I show them, because everything's, it's like our natural instinct.

I'm not kidding, my son is three. He still tries to unscrew the Lion Latch, but he can also unscrew a jar of peanut butter. It's just like your natural instinct. So I've got two utility patents on the design and it is new to the market. So the need was people take their jewelry off all the time and don't know where to put it.

So they're putting it in their pocket, and they're like, oh market. So the need was people take their jewelry off all the time and don't know where to put it. Yeah. So they're putting it in their pocket, in their purse, leaving it on the counter in a tissue. I had the moment where I was putting this ring on the, I was in an Airbnb at the beach, and I put it on the dresser.

And then later that day, I was like, where's my wedding ring? Panic. Where's my wedding ring? So I'm on my hands ander. And then later that day, I was like, where's my wedding ring? Panic. Where's my wedding ring? So I'm on my hands and knees looking all under the beds and I'm like, ew, this Airbnb is gross. Yep. Oh, all sorts of stuff that I did not want to actually find myself doing.

You're getting a review now, Airbnb. Yeah. I mean, so eventually I found my ring. It was like, it fell in my bag. So I would have actually brought it home, but just like the idea of leaving this place with my wedding ring somewhere trapped inside this house. Absolutely, and you're lucky you remembered. A lot of people knock it off somewhere and don't remember it because they don't see it. So they don't put it back on and it doesn't leave with them. So with the Lion Latch you attach it to your keys. So even if you forget to put your jewelry back on it leaves with you.

Because you can't get in your car and drive it to your keys. So even if you forget to put your jewelry back on, it leaves with you. Cause you can't get in your car and drive off without your keys, right? Yeah. Not that everybody has a car. It also latches to lanyards or inside your bag, to your water bottle, these kinds of things. This is good.

This is all really interesting. So after Shark Tank, you didn't get raised around, but then what happened? Like, take me through what happened next. I had a three month old son at the time I filmed for Shark Tank. Okay. And so I was trying to keep this baby going I had a three-month-old son at the time I filmed for Shark Tank. OK. And so I was trying to keep this baby going.

And I have a daughter too. She was four at the time. She's seven now. But I came home and I was just like, I was in a panic because I didn't have my manufacturing fixed still. That was the whole reason I went on Shark Tank. Oh, wow.

And something sorted itself out. What happened? Did somebody reach out to you after it? Actually, currently I just reached out to my Shark Tank friends and I was like, hey, this is what my product's made out of. And they hooked me up with their manufacturers and I now have the Lion Latch made in Alabama.

So it is US made by a vetted manufacturer. This thing's harder than a Lego. You don't want to step on it, right? You can spike it on the ground. It's super durable. Just the vision of stepping on it. Right, Lego. They don't do it. Lion Latch it, right? You can spike it on the ground. It's super durable. Just the vision of stepping on it. They don't do it! Lion lashes, right? So Shark Tank, it opened a ton of doors for me. I am very thankful

for the amount of growth that I've had. I have a lot of support, support from complete strangers. They're also followers, which is weird to say, but I'm just so thankful that people are along for the ride with me and they've witnessed me from the beginning. Like yesterday I was crying in the back of the Uber because target had a knockoff version of my product and somebody did a tick talk about it. Like, look how cute this is. What does it do? And people were like, that's a lion latch knockoff.

Like, and everybody just starts flooding it with tags. Well, I get this message and I'm on an airplane that this is happening. So I'm trying to hold it together. Right. It's a stressful moment, but I was able to keep it together until I got off of the plane. And then I get in the Uber and I make a reply to that video. And I start to cry a little. I like stop the video real fast. And I come back. I get myself together. But it's like a gut punch.

But if I didn't have my tiny Lion Latch army on social media, I may have never seen that video and never known that that knockoff was out there. So then I wouldn't have even had the opportunity to do something about it. When we come back, Laryn tells Diana about how she defended her product from counterfeits. But first, a quick break. So you were saying before that you have a patent. I do have two utility patents, but... So how do you defend your product? I'm hoping I can get in touch with Target

and just be like, hey, do the right thing here. Like, my followers are commenting, telling Target, do the right thing, and that I can pivot from this moment, right? I was spiraling for a little while, but I have since learned from being on Shark Tank that you can turn a negative into a positive. So we're asking Target to discontinue the knockoff, and hey, maybe you put the real deal,

the Lion Latch on your shelves. I was gonna say, how do people find Lion Latch? I have a website, lionlatch.com. So just directly from your website? Yes, that's the best way because my business receives all the funds from my website. We have Amazon, they get like 33 to 40 percent of sales. Yep. Ouch. Exactly. It's a miracle I've made it this far with that. It's like another tax, right? Is Amazon like a necessary evil kind of thing? Absolutely. Yeah.

I mean, if you're not on there, the knockoffs will be. And it is great. I mean, it's kind of like being in Walmart. People go there to shop and sometimes discover new things, right? But they don't have to leave their home. And that's the go-to shopping experience for people now. And do you broadcast that you've been on Shark Tank

on your Amazon page and all that stuff? Everywhere, yes. I was three months postpartum when I filmed there. I did not look the best, but I still use that photo on everything. That's great. No, and I'm sure you looked fabulous. Oh, thank you.

Yes, I was trying. We're all our worst critics. That's true. I've been learning that as I'm here. People are like, ease up on yourself. I'm like, thank you. There is a lot of pressure being an entrepreneur when you're your own boss,

because as a teacher, I had a bell telling me what to do every 45 minutes and then five minutes after that it's time to start the next class when you're an entrepreneur I don't even remember to eat lunch like my husband has to go get lunch and be like hey it's lunchtime I'm like oh yeah I'm sorry I'm over here grinding like yeah yeah trying to get stuff done well it's also impressive that you've managed to grow so quickly with only basically direct to consumer.

Thank you. So how do you do that? Like, is it all just TikTok? It really is just social media, just driving sales online. And turns out people like talking to me and communicating with me and going back and forth. And I never would have thought that. But I like being able to talk to my customers.

Like it really is a beautiful gift because it's not every day. I mean, it's practically I'm going door to door to people's houses on my phone. And all they're doing is scrolling and seeing me and they're like, what's this girl's energy and what the heck is she talking about? And then they stay for the show. Yeah. Do you ever have your kids on? Occasionally, yes. They are paid models. My daughter, she loses a lot of teeth, so she's in a lot of

light and latch lost teeth videos. I actually thought the utility of putting the empty, the lost tooth in there was like brilliant. Thank you. I had this moment of like, yes, yes, I need this. That's what the glow in the dark one is for. And the tooth fairy can find it in the dark and knows how to open it, right? And knows how to fold up a dollar bill and put it inside. The tooth fairy is pretty amazing. The tooth fairy can find the tooth after the child has eaten the tooth, too, by the way.

In the ocean, yeah, totally. The tooth fairy will always find you. For sure, but I've gotten really good at hooks on videos, like in like getting people's attention fast because you have to get them to stop scrolling. So what do you do? What's the hook? Oh man, it's like, did you see this?

Like, hey, have you ever lost your ring? And people are like, yeah, I lost my ring. The most recent one is, I saw this on my grandma's fridge. I got like a million views so quickly. That was a good one. They're like, what'd you see on your grandma's fridge? And I made a Bucky's prototype because I can do promotional screen printing.

And I had it packaged and it was my first packaged one for retail. And I showed it to my grandma. She was like, do I get to keep this? And I was like, yeah. And she wrote herself a little note on it to grandma from there. And I was like, grandma, I'll just sign it for you.

But everybody liked that video. But it was like, I saw this on my grandma's- So was your grandma on the video? No, she would kill me. Okay, you had to have your grandma. Was your grandma on the video? No, she would kill me. You'd have to have your grandma on the video. Oh my God. No, she would kill me. She's super country.

That is adorable though, because people like, I found myself going like, yeah, I am curious about what was on this person's grandmother's fridge. Yeah, right. Like what a ridiculous thing to be curious about. Like, I don't know you, but I want to know what was on your grandma's fridge. And that's what you do. You just strike an interest where people want to say, what is want to know what was on your grandma's fridge. And that's what you do. You just strike an interest where people want to say, what is it?

Yeah. What's going on? And then that gets them to stop. This is the TikTok tip of the day. Did you learn that from your students? No, I learned that on my own. Yeah. I was like, wow, 20 million views.

Okay. Okay. So how often do your Shark Tank buddies meet? At least once a year. Oh, like in person? Yes. We have a reunion. Where is it? It just depends.

It's wherever you want it to be? Yes. And is Shark Tank involved in it at all? No. Okay. We can't call it Shark Tank reunion, it's like ST reunion. Oh. But, I mean, we're all in the loop.

Yeah. And it's cool. Like Scrub Daddy presented to us. That's great. Like talked to us. Wow. Dude wipes, Sean did. Yes.

So, it's been really cool to see people who were where I'm at now, just freaking crushing it. And how big is the group? It's like seven, 800 people now. Wow. That's incredible. And we still search for them. Like we see them on the show and reach out to them like, hey, join our group.

Oh, wow. Okay, so you're like an ambassador for the ST group. Kind of. I mostly recruit the people that are high energy. I want to be friends with you. Like, I've been doing that with a lot of the panelists here at the Inc. conference. This is good.

Hey, we need to be friends. And she scanned my badge. I was like, yes! And we can be. We're friends now. This is good. Well, you got to come to more Inc. events. This is a lot of fun.

I'm honored to be here and I'm having a blast. Great. And it's come to more ink events. This is a lot of fun. I'm honored to be here and I'm having a blast. It's good to be around people who live the same, like, grind of life that I'm living and to have people that have kind of relate. They relate to the same heartaches and successes. So this is just like, this is where I need to be. Yeah. Well, I want to hear about when you, when Target does start selling

Lion Lash after this. At Target. Yes. Do the right thing, Target. Do the right thing, Target. Exactly. Listen to this. We're working on it. Yeah. Let me know when this hits. Yeah, yeah. Send it to Target.

Awesome. All the buyers on LinkedIn. Well, so great to meet you. Nice to meet you too. And good luck with the hustle. Thank you. That's all for this episode of Your Next Move. Our producers are Blake Odom and Avery Miles.

Editing and sound design by Nick Torres. Executive producer is Josh Christensen. If you haven't already, subscribe to Your Next Move on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Your Next Move is a production of Inc. and Capital One Business.