Hammer & Nails

Hammer & Nails is a franchise chain of grooming shops for men that offers manicures, pedicures and related services in a lounge-style setting built for men. Michael Elliot founded it, starting with a single shop in Los Angeles. The franchise company is now based in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Elliot appeared in the Season 6 opener, Episode 1, seeking $200,000 in exchange for a 20% share. He wanted the money to start franchising. None of the sharks invested, and he left without a deal, as covered by Forbes and Black Enterprise. The rejection did not end the plan. After the episode, Elliot raised the money he had asked for from viewers who contacted him, and many more people asked about opening their own shops. That interest helped turn a single salon into a franchise system. The company's pitch to customers is that it offers nail and hand care in a setting designed for men who might not walk into a traditional salon. Its pitch to franchise buyers is a repeatable shop format. Franchise expansion has continued, with company releases describing dozens of locations open across the U.S. and new shops still being added. Because the shop counts come from the company and its partners, we treat them as company figures rather than independently verified numbers. Elliot's current role is not confirmed. The fundraising and franchise milestones are in the update below. Hammer & Nails is often cited as an example of a founder who left Shark Tank empty-handed and grew anyway.