In Senegal, many women face challenges when it comes to making a steady income. Often, girls don’t get much education, which means they have fewer job options when they grow up. Sofi Seck grew up in Senegal and saw these problems for herself. She wanted to make a difference, especially for local women, so she came up with an idea to create jobs for artisans (people who make handmade items) and to help fund education for girls.
Sofi started a business called Expedition Subsahara, where she sells beautiful handwoven baskets made by skilled artisans in Senegal. When people buy these baskets, they not only get something unique and special but also help support the artisans by ensuring they receive fair pay. Plus, the money from these sales goes toward building a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) school for girls in Senegal, giving them a chance to learn and grow.
In Shark Tank Season 14, Sofi shared her inspiring story with a panel of wealthy investors, known as the Sharks. She asked for $500,000 in exchange for 10% of her business. This money would help her grow her business, earn more profits, and ultimately make her dream of starting a school for girls a reality.
Unfortunately, despite her great ideas and mission, none of the Sharks chose to invest in her. This shows that even with a wonderful purpose and plans, it can be tough to get support sometimes.
Expedition Subsahara Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Sofi was looking for an investment of $500k in exchange for 10% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, she valued her company at $5 million. Unfortunately, Sofi did not secure a deal with any of the Sharks, so the company’s valuation remained at $5 million. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of Expedition Subsahara in 2025 is around $4.25 million.
Shark(s) name | Offer & Demand | Counteroffer | Accepted? |
Robert Herjavec | Out | N/A | N/A |
Lori Greiner | Out | N/A | N/A |
Kevin O’Leary | Out | N/A | N/A |
Daymond John | Out | N/A | N/A |
Mark Cuban | Out | N/A | N/A |
Sofi Seck Backstory + Their Initial Pitch
Sofi Seck grew up in Senegal, where she noticed that many women in her community struggled to earn money. They often worked hard making things like baskets but didn’t get paid fairly for their work. At the same time, girls in her community faced challenges that kept them from going to school because their families didn’t have enough money.
Seeing these problems made Sofi want to help, so she started a company called Expedition Subsahara. This company sells beautiful, handmade baskets made from natural grasses and recycled plastics. Each basket is not just an item; it also shares a story about Senegalese culture and the women who make them receive fair pay for their skills.
Sofi also wanted to make a difference in education. That’s why she decided that part of the money her company makes will go toward building a science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) school for girls. This way, they can get an education and have better opportunities for the future.
One day, Sofi went on a TV show called Shark Tank to seek investors for her business. She showed off her colorful, uniquely designed baskets and explained how it costs $18 to create each basket, but they sell for $50. Her business was doing well, making $1.6 million in 2021 and a total of $3.6 million since it started. However, a lot of her earnings went into advertising and improving the business, which meant that the actual money she took home was only about $75,000 in 2021.
What’s really special about Sofi’s pitch on Shark Tank was that she wanted to do more than just make money; she wanted to help her community and empower girls through education. She dreams of expanding her business and getting her baskets into stores, which would help her raise enough money to build that school for girls.
Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal
Kevin O’Leary: He looked at how much it costs to get each new customer. In this case, it costs $106 just to get one new person to buy the product! He also thought that selling in stores would cost a lot of money and could be risky. So, he decided not to invest because he felt the financial numbers didn’t look good.
Lori Greiner: Lori thought the product was really great and liked what Sofi was trying to do. However, she also thought that the amount of money they were saying the business was worth was too high compared to how much money they were actually making. So, although she liked the idea, she didn’t want to invest.
Mark Cuban: Mark liked how excited Sofi was about her business. But he thought that she could run the whole thing on her own and didn’t really need a Shark to help her. Since he felt she could manage it without him, he decided to step back and not invest.
Robert Herjavec: Robert saw how passionate Sofi was, but he wasn’t sure the business would make a lot of money in the future, which is important when someone invests. He didn’t see a way for the business to grow big. Because of this, he decided not to invest.
Daymond John: Daymond thought it was great that Sofi was trying to change things and challenge the normal way of doing things. But he felt that the way she was running her business might need some changes to work better. So, even though he liked her mission, he couldn’t invest.
What Went Wrong With Expedition Subsahara On Shark Tank?
Even though the Sharks really appreciated what a positive difference the company makes in the world, they were worried that their investment wouldn’t make enough money back. They want to make sure they get a good financial return on what they invest.
The business is spending a lot of money ($106) just to get one new customer. That’s like paying a lot for a single friend. If it costs too much to make customers, the business might struggle to make money later on. Even though the business sells a lot of its products, it doesn’t keep much money after paying its expenses. They end up reinvesting,
which means they are putting a lot of their earnings back into the business instead of keeping it as profit. It’s like making a lot of lemonade but only having a tiny bit left after buying more lemons and sugar.
The business wants to open actual stores where people can buy the products. However, this would require a lot of extra money right away, and if it doesn’t work out, it can be risky and could lose money. The business is valued at $5 million, but the Sharks think that number is too high based on how much money the business is actually making. It’s like saying a toy is worth $100, but you can’t even sell it for $10.
Product Availability
So, if you’re interested in buying some cool stuff, you can visit a special website called Expedition Sub Sahara. This website sells different items that you might find interesting.
– Coasters: These are little discs you put under drinks to protect the table. They start at around $25. That’s like the cost of a few nice snacks!
– Baskets and Furniture: If you’re looking for something bigger, they have larger baskets and furniture that can cost $200 or more. That’s more like saving up for a video game or a new pair of shoes.
So, if you or someone in your family is planning to buy something from their website, you’ll find a variety of items at different prices!
What Happened To The Expedition Subsahara After Shark Tank?
Even though Sofi didn’t get a deal on the TV show Shark Tank, her business is still doing really well and growing. Sofi has started selling new things in addition to what she was already offering. The exact amount of money she’s making isn’t shared, but being on “Shark Tank” probably helped her sell more products. Also, she sells directly to customers through her website, which means people can buy from her online instead of going through stores.
Sofi wants to open a school focused on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) for girls in Senegal. She’s also committed to helping craftsmen and women (artisans) in her community while adding new products to her business. So today, Sofi’s business is expanding, she’s selling new and exciting products, and she has big plans to help girls and people in her community.
Conclusion
Sofi Seck is someone who went on a popular TV show called Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a group of investors known as “Sharks.” They can choose to invest in a business if they like what they see! Sofi had a really important mission to help artisans in Senegal, which are people who create art and products by hand. The Sharks liked her idea, but they were worried about the money side of things, so they decided not to invest in her business.
But the good news is that her business, called Expedition Subsahara, is still doing great! Even without the Sharks’ help, Sofi worked hard and expanded her product line, which means she started selling more types of things and continued to support those artisans she cared about.
Sofi also has a big dream of building a STEAM school for girls (that’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Even though she didn’t get the deal on Shark Tank, her journey shows us that if you really care about something and keep trying, you can still make your dreams come true. Her story is all about being passionate and persistent, which means not giving up, even when things get tough!

Hey, I’m Amna Habib, an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Shark Tank has always been one of my favorite TV shows because it offers a unique glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship. The way entrepreneurs present innovative solutions to everyday problems aligns with my academic interests and fuels my curiosity about business strategies. Each pitch showcases creativity and strategic decision-making, which I find both insightful and inspiring. Watching the show has deepened my passion for business and motivated me to explore the world of entrepreneurship even further. Beyond business and writing, I love food, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family.