🎙SMB15: From Patent Law to Shark Tank: Brandon Karam’s Journey with Pristine Sprays

This is SMB15, a rapid-fire interview series featuring small business owners, investors and service providers. We dig into different industries, business models, and SMB topics. Hosted by Will Fry, founder of Mainshares.

Listen now on Spotify or YouTube.

Brandon Karam was practicing patent law when he stumbled on a very personal problem: he loved wet wipes but developed an allergic reaction that forced him to stop using them. That frustration led him and his cousin to launch Pristine Sprays, a toilet paper spray that transforms regular toilet paper into a wet wipe alternative. What started as kitchen counter experiments with gloves and hairnets turned into a patented product featured on Shark Tank, CNBC, and Good Morning America.

In this episode, Brandon walks through the early product development process, the challenges of finding a manufacturer willing to do a small run, and how Shark Tank helped validate demand. We also cover the realities of building a lean CPG brand, balancing direct-to-consumer with Amazon, and why focusing on brand trust is the best defense against copycats in a crowded market.

Some takeaways:

1. You don’t need experience, just obsession. Brandon didn’t know anything about CPG. But he was curious, resourceful, and willing to test formulas by hand. That beat out perfectionism.

2. Start scrappy, but outsource fast. Bottling 200 units by hand taught them this wasn’t scalable. They quickly realized where DIY ended and manufacturing had to begin.

3. Manufacturers can take your IP if you’re not careful. Many early-stage CPG founders don’t realize that unless you bring your full formula, a manufacturer might own part of it. Brandon emphasizes keeping ownership clear from day one.

4. The Amazon vs. DTC debate is overhyped. They spent 80% of their time on their website, but 80% of their revenue was coming from Amazon. Eventually, they stopped fighting it and leaned into what was working.

5. Brand is your moat. Even with IP protection, copycats show up. Brandon believes trust, consistency, and transparency are the only real long-term defensibility for CPG brands.

6. Shark Tank was the validation they didn’t know they needed. The exposure helped them find early traction, yes, but more importantly, it proved there was real customer demand.

Where to find Brandon and Pristine Sprays:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-karam/

• Website: https://www.pristinesprays.com

In this interview, we discuss:

• 0:00 From Law to CPG

• 0:41 Startup Obsession

• 1:22 The Wet Wipe Problem

• 2:32 Kitchen Formulation Begins

• 4:18 DIY Chemistry Trials

• 6:00 Manufacturing Reality Check

• 7:19 Finding the Right Partner

• 9:46 First Run Under $5K

• 10:38 Website Flop

• 11:57 Betting on Amazon

• 13:00 Retail via FAIR & Markets

• 14:29 Beating the Copycats

• 16:53 Amazon = Ally, Not Enemy

• 18:40 Shark Tank Strategy

• 21:28 First Big Spike

• 23:33 Staying Lean

• 25:00 Avoiding Cash Crunches

• 26:58 Daily P&L Checks

• 27:26 4x ROAS Goal

• 28:37 Buy What You’re Curious About

• 29:18 Slow Burn Wins