Alexiou Gibson, 37, a man who made his way seeking to learn what was beyond the sky eventually working as an intern for N.A.S.A, found his fortune from what lied in the sea.
Gibson, the founder of a sea moss-based health supplement company The Transformation Factory. Based in Wellington, Florida was raised in an island household with his family from the Bahamas. Gibson would find themselves interning at NASA, which after leaving would lead him to being a winning bid on Shark Tank from Kevin Hart and Mark Cuban.
After attending Florida Atlantic University and receiving his Bachelors of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, Gibson went to work spending approximately two years at NASA’s Huntsville, Alabama facility, where they played a role in the construction of the Curiosity rover, a key component of Mars exploration. Subsequently, his work on the project led to an invitation to join the team at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C, which he declined at his mentor’s encouragement for him to strive for greater.
Sea Moss, a staple in Bahamian culture, became the focal point of his endeavors due to its nutritional value and holistic benefits, ”Sea moss is extremely cultural, coming from the Bahamas. We’re literally surrounded by water by beautiful oceans,” said Gibson. Recalling his childhood surrounded by the abundance of marine life, Gibson emphasized the role of sea moss in traditional remedies and nourishment,” A big part of our culture is seafood and marine life in general. Our grandparents would always give us what they would call bush medicine, which is really holistic things that grow naturally around,” Gibson told.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented Gibson with the opportunity to harness the power of sea moss to bolster immune health. Concerned for his grandmother, Edwina’ well-being after being diagnosed with cancer, Gibson aimed to create a healthy alternative to help ease his Grandmother’s symptoms. After sneaking sea moss into his grandmother’s morning coffee and witnessing the positive impact of sea moss on her, Gibson extended his efforts to support frontline workers and individuals battling COVID-19, offering free sea moss supplements to those in need, “We’re on lockdown, and we’re all hiding in the house and while they’re out there on the frontline, I said, to the ones that were in Florida, I have a cooler on my doorstep with some ice in there, I gave out the address and said, come and pick it up (no contact at that time). Word then got around,” said Gibson. This would directly lead to the formation of The Transformation Factory, the business created out of this passion for wellness.
In May of 2020, Gibson took the leap of faith, transforming his homemade sea moss concoctions into a full-fledged business endeavor. Initially operating from his home kitchen, he meticulously crafted sea moss products, leveraging social media platforms to garner attention and support, “ I was also shipping it with my own money, you know, so you’re talking $15 shipping, plus the cost of goods to make the item times, you know, 506, 070 people, because I’m looking at my bank account, and I’m like, Hey, I gotta start charging, you know. We were getting a lot of work and then we started to get a lot of requests from people that weren’t in health care or didn’t have COVID, they just want to see moss to be healthy,” said Gibson.
As demand surged, Gibson’s business rapidly scaled. Achieving significant sales milestones within months, attracting the attention of investors and media outlets. Then in September of 2021, Gibson received a call that would change the course of his entrepreneurial journey. The opportunity to pitch their business on Shark Tank had arisen.. After meticulous preparation, sending his product to five different food labs including two in Brazil and London, Gibson presented it to the Sharks in October of the same year. Gibson recounted the excitement he felt as he prepared to pitch his business to the panel of Sharks, particularly looking forward to meeting Daymond John, the owner of FUBU, a brand Gibson admired since his school days.
“We fly out to Cali,” Gibson recalled, reflecting on the journey to California for the show’s taping. “And we were told that we were going to have Daymond John, the FUBU owner, as one of the sharks,” recalled Gibson.
Gibson’s anticipation grew as he envisioned building rapport with Daymond John, sharing his fond memories of wearing FUBU apparel during his school years. “I wore FUBU, all through high school and middle school,” Gibson remarked. “And I have a lot of before pictures wearing FUBU, because they always carry really big sizes.”
However, Gibson’s excitement took an unexpected turn when he learned of a last-minute change in the lineup of Sharks. “”Hey, we’re gonna swap out Daymond,”” Gibson was informed. Disappointed by the news, he wondered who the replacement would be, hoping it would be someone equally influential.
Then, to Gibson’s surprise and delight, the producers revealed the identity of the guest star comedian who would join the panel: Kevin Hart. The unexpected presence of the renowned comedian added an extra layer of excitement and nerves as Gibson stepped onto the Shark Tank stage to present his business
Gibson’s journey to Shark Tank was fueled by a recent surge in sales. Determined to understand the intricacies of digital advertising, Gibson sought to self-educate, enrolling in online courses to master the craft. This initiative led to sales increasing from $4,000 to $12,000 per day.
However, the road to Shark Tank was not easy. Before stepping onto the stage, Gibson had to go through the process of pitching to ABC and Disney executives. Gibson’s episode would air in season 13 episode 10, the series finale airing on May 20, 2022.
Today, with sales surpassing $45 million within just three years. The airing of Gibson’s episode marked a historic moment in Shark Tank history, as it became the most-watched episode to date. The post-“Shark Tank” success story of Transformation Factory continues to unfold, with the company expanding its product line and making efforts to empower others through internship programs and educational initiatives. Gibson envisions a future where Transformation Factory evolves from sea moss gel to become a platform for holistic wellness and personal transformation.
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