From Dorm Room to Double Shark Deal: How Two College Founders Built a $50 Million Company In-Between Classes
The co-founders of BRCE share how they built a booming business — and what it takes to snag a deal on “Shark Tank.”
Tanvi Gadamsetti and Madhav Aggarwal are the co-founders of BRCE, a startup built from a deeply personal problem: both were former athletes whose injuries pushed them to rethink how performance and safety gear gets made.
They turned their frustrations of being sidelined into patented polymer composites designed to make performance and safety gear more effective — with their first breakthrough product being shoelaces they call “laces that never quit,” engineered never to come untied.
On this episode of How Success Happens, they shared how they landed a double-Shark deal on “Shark Tank,” signed major contracts, and built real traction fast—all while still in school at Michigan State. The company is valued at $50 million with no signs of slowing. We’ve broken down their insights to help you lace up your own success in three, two, one — lace up!
Listen Here
Subscribe now: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
Three Key Insights
1. Success Always Costs Something
Tanvi offered an honest look at the tradeoffs behind entrepreneurial momentum. She said, “There’s never gonna be a perfect time to start something,” and explained that building BRCE meant missing parties, hanging out less, and giving up parts of the typical college experience. That kind of sacrifice is rarely glamorous, but it is often the hidden reality of making serious progress.
Takeaway: Decide what you are willing to say no to so your biggest goal can get your best energy.
2. Start Before You Feel Ready
One of the smartest things BRCE did was move fast. Madhav told me, “We started the day we thought of starting.” It’s a great lesson for future founders who are waiting for graduation, or to gain more experience, or for some imaginary calm season that never comes. Their story is a reminder that momentum often beats perfect planning, especially when your conviction is real.
Takeaway: Pick one idea you keep postponing and take the first concrete step on it this week.
3. Even Big Moments Feel Terrifying
The BRCE founders shared a lifelong dream of appearing on Shark Tank, and prepared obsessively for their big moment. But Madhav admitted that once they got the cue to walk out, “we forgot everything, our minds went blank.” That’s a great lesson for anyone chasing a high-pressure opportunity. Fear does not mean you are unprepared — it usually means the moment matters. They pushed through the fear and walked out with a double Shark deal.
Takeaway: When pressure hits, focus less on feeling calm and more on moving forward despite the nerves.
Subscribe to the free How Success Happens Newsletter for weekly inspiration.
Two Free Resources to Learn More
- Follow BRCE on social media and visit the company’s website to track new product launches and brand announcements.
- Read this profile of a food critic who was once on SNAP benefits and turned his struggles into a TikTok following of 17 million.
One Question to Ponder
What things have you sacrificed in order to put your energy and attention into your dream project?
Email your answer to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com, and it could be read on a future episode.
About How Success Happens
Each episode of How Success Happens shares the inspiring, entertaining, and unexpected journeys that influential leaders in business, the arts, and sports traveled on their way to becoming household names. It’s a reminder that behind every big-time career, there is a person who persisted in the face of self-doubt, failure, and anything else that got thrown in their way.
Tanvi Gadamsetti and Madhav Aggarwal are the co-founders of BRCE, a startup built from a deeply personal problem: both were former athletes whose injuries pushed them to rethink how performance and safety gear gets made.
They turned their frustrations of being sidelined into patented polymer composites designed to make performance and safety gear more effective — with their first breakthrough product being shoelaces they call “laces that never quit,” engineered never to come untied.
On this episode of How Success Happens, they shared how they landed a double-Shark deal on “Shark Tank,” signed major contracts, and built real traction fast—all while still in school at Michigan State. The company is valued at $50 million with no signs of slowing. We’ve broken down their insights to help you lace up your own success in three, two, one — lace up!
