This Friday night, Remento enters the Shark Tank. The startup, cofounded by CEO Charlie Greene (MBA 2021) in 2021, will be featured on this week’s episode of the long-running business show, pitching its “no-write life story book” vision to Sharks at 8/7c on ABC.

We wrote about Remento in September 2024, and caught up with Greene recently to talk about how the business has evolved, how he prepped for the Shark Tank experience, and his advice to entrepreneurs.—Dan Morrell

What has changed since September of last year?
As I shared back in September, Remento transforms a parent or grandparent's weekly spoken responses to prompts about their past into a beautiful hardcover book, printed with QR codes that play the recording used to write each chapter. Since September, we’ve focused on making the product more accessible and intuitive for all users—including many older adults who might be less comfortable with technology. We also refined our AI-powered “Speech-To-Story” engine, which transforms spoken words into beautifully written stories. Finally, we’ve added features that make it easier for families to share these recordings with others, whether it’s family members, friends, or other folks they think might want to use Remento in their own families.

Why did you decide to pursue an appearance on Shark Tank?
Our mission at Remento is to help families preserve the stories of their parents and grandparents before those stories fade. Shark Tank offered us a unique opportunity to share both that mission and highlight the technology we’ve developed to bring it to life. In an era where advertisers are fighting for seconds of attention, Shark Tank’s longer format provided a unique opportunity to share both our “what” and our “why.” We knew that we’d be able to share our origin story, demonstrate how our technology works, and most importantly, highlight why preserving family stories and voices are so crucial. We also saw tremendous value in the prospect of partnering with a Shark who could complement our existing investors and advisors, bringing strategic value beyond just capital.

How did you prepare for your appearance? And—honestly—which Shark were you most nervous about facing?
I studied past episodes to identify common pitfalls and reviewed my HBS negotiations notes. But the most valuable prep came from conversations with our customers. They told me about learning things from parents they never knew. Others spoke of the pride of watching their kids come to see their grandparents in a new way. Hearing these stories provided great anecdotes and an overall reminder of why this work is such a privilege. Then the final challenge was to craft clear, concise messaging that could fit into TV soundbites. And, of course, I had to know my numbers. I couldn't let my HBS classmates watch me get called out by Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary for not knowing them!

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs about pitching to investors?
Early-stage fundraising is all about storytelling. While metrics and market size matter, investors need to believe in you as a founder and in your unique ability to solve the problem you’re tackling. In our case, it’s always been about communicating why our team is uniquely positioned to help families preserve their stories and voices for future generations. The key is articulating why your background, skills, and insights make you uniquely equipped to address a real problem that affects real people in a way nobody else can. Before you have extensive data to demonstrate growth potential, it’s all about your ability to paint a compelling vision of the future and why your team is positioned to bring that future to life.

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