Chris & Tiffany McCasland on Shark Tank Season 17, Episode 12. 

This is Part 1 of our Shark Tank story — how we went from building businesses in our garage to walking onto the set in Los Angeles to pitch The Chair Blanket™.

If you had told me five years ago that Tiffany and I would be flying to LA to film Shark Tank together, I probably would’ve laughed.

When we started City Bonfires in 2020, it wasn’t some master plan to build a product empire. It was survival.

The pandemic hit. Jobs disappeared. Uncertainty was everywhere. What we did know was this: people still wanted connection. They still wanted to gather. They still wanted something that made the moment feel special.

So we created a portable fire.

City Bonfires took off faster than we ever imagined. We were packing orders ourselves. Running ads at 2am. Loading pallets. Learning everything the hard way.

But even as City Bonfires was growing, we kept hearing the same thing around our own fire pit.

“Why are these chairs always freezing?”

Or damp.
Or dirty.
Or uncomfortable after 20 minutes.

If you’ve spent time at kids’ sports games, tailgates, camping trips, backyard fires, or outdoor concerts — you know exactly what we’re talking about. It seems like a small problem… until you’re the one sitting there.

Around that time, our friend and inventor Ryan Brooks came to us with what he believed was the perfect fire pit accessory — a product designed to solve that exact frustration. He had created a first-of-its-kind chair cover that combined a cozy blanket with a waterproof, wind-resistant, stay-put design built specifically for real life outdoors.

The moment we saw it, we knew.

It wasn’t just a blanket. It was a solution.

And that’s how The Chair Blanket™ was born — Ryan’s ingenuity, brought to life by our shared belief that outdoor moments should be comfortable, not endured.

The Idea That Wouldn’t Go Away

The more we talked about it, the more it made sense. It aligned perfectly with what we already believed: elevate outdoor experiences.

City Bonfires makes the fire.
The Chair Blanket makes the seat comfortable.

We knew it could work. But launching a second company is a different level of risk.

New product.
New brand.
New inventory.
New manufacturing.

We went for it anyway.

Shark Tank Was Always in the Back of Our Minds

I’ve watched Shark Tank for years. Like a lot of entrepreneurs, I’d sit there thinking, “One day.”

But it’s easy to say “one day.”
It’s different to actually apply.

A few years ago, a casting agent reached out to us about bringing City Bonfires on Shark Tank. At the time, the business had already grown well beyond the early-stage profile the show typically looks for, so we didn’t move forward. It wasn’t a no — it was just a reminder that timing matters.

By 2025, things were different.

We had:
• Proven product-market fit
• Strong revenue growth
• A patent-pending product
• Real traction
• Real customers

And most importantly — a story.

So we applied again. This time for The Chair Blanket™.

The process is no joke. Forms. Financials. Background checks. Video submissions. Follow-up interviews. More documents. More questions. More waiting.

You start trying not to get your hopes up.

Then you get another email.

Then another call.

Then the words:
“You’re moving forward.”

The Call That Changed Everything

When we finally got the tentative film date for June 2025, it didn’t feel real.

You don’t actually believe it until the flights are booked.

The week before filming, we got confirmation.

Los Angeles.
June 2025.
Shark Tank.

It was happening.

Tiffany and I were going to walk into the Tank together.

Not just as founders — but as husband and wife.

Why This Moment Meant So Much

This wasn’t just about exposure.

It wasn’t just about a deal.

It was about proving something to ourselves.

We had:
• Built a business from scratch during chaos
• Taken risks most people wouldn’t
• Invested everything into ideas people said were “too simple”
• Bet on comfort, connection, and family moments

And now we were going to stand in front of five Sharks and defend it.

Together.

We flew to LA with pitch decks memorized, numbers drilled into our heads, and about a thousand emotions we couldn’t quite put into words.

Next up: walking onto the set.

Read Part 2 – Filming Day in Hollywood →