Brandon Karam, JD ‘10, recently appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank. He and his cousin, Jessica Karam Oley, are co-founders of Pristine Cleansing Sprays, a company which produces eco-friendly toilet paper spray as an alternative to wet wipes. Together they made a $50,000 deal with entrepreneur Lori Greiner for a 25 percent stake in their business.
Mr. Karam came to GW Law after earning his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. “I had my mind set on going to law school in DC. It was exciting to imagine learning law in a city that has a long legal history and is home to the highest court in the United States.”
He shared that GW Law provided him with the skills to effectively work through problems. “As an entrepreneur, you are basically a full-time problem solver. You know where you want to be, but there are typically a thousand bumps to get there. The ability to find solutions is a skill I use every day and is one I learned in law school and practicing as an attorney.”
Mr. Karam describes his experience on Shark Tank as surreal. “My cousin and I always read or listen to stories about successful entrepreneurs, and you typically see common themes. One of them is persistence. If you try enough times, one of them will likely work out. That is what inspired us to try out for Shark Tank - it was one of many attempts to tell the world about Pristine. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity.”
For students interested in an entrepreneurial path, Mr. Karam encourages them to have the confidence to pursue their idea. “It can seem overwhelming trying to start a business without the experience or educational background in an area. We were not cosmetic formulators, marketers, or financial analysts. There can be a lot of self-doubt. As long as you persist through the hard times, have a willingness to learn new things, and trust your idea, you can build something special.”