Dare to Disrupt Episode 20: Making a Deal on Shark Tank with FlexScreen Inventor Joe Altieri

Joe Altieri is the president, CEO, and inventor of FlexScreen, the world’s first and only flexible window screen, as seen on season 11 episode 10 of ABC’s Shark Tank.

In this episode, Joe talks about how he started his career as an independent sales representative in the window industry and quickly became frustrated with the flimsy aluminum frames found in traditional screens. He shares his experience pitching FlexScreen on ABC’s Shark Tank, and how he walked away with a deal with American television personality, inventor, and entrepreneur, Lori Greiner, “Queen of QVC”.

At the end of the episode, recent Summer Founders Program participant Kevin Harris joins the conversation. Kevin is the founder and CEO of WaveBreaker Technologies, a veteran owned and operated business making kayaking more accessible with its top-mounted storage well. Kevin talks to Joe about the challenges of manufacturing physical products and how to make tough decisions about your business as an entrepreneur.

Episode Chapters

0:00 – 06:22 Choosing Penn State New Kensington

6:22 – Entering the window and door industry

8:01 Entering the salesperson lifestyle

9:34 The screen manufacturing problem

12:39 Reimagining the window screen

15:03 From garage prototype to production

20:16 Going viral on social media

21:07 Shark Tank reaches out

23:11 Shark Tank experience

28:26 Two hours with the sharks

30:25 A deal with Lori Greiner

37:05 Future of FlexScreen

38:46 Student Section, WaveBreaker Technologies

39:19 Manufacturing logistics

43:18 How marketing shifts as business grows

46:17 Working through the unknowns

About Joe Altieri

Joe Altieri is the president, CEO, and inventor of FlexScreen. He graduated from Penn State New Kensington with a degree in business, management, and marketing. 

Download the full episode transcript

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Dare to Disrupt is a podcast about Penn State alumni who are innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders, and the stories behind their success. Learn more.