Tower Paddle Boards

Tower Paddle Boards is one of Mark Cuban’s favourite Shark Tank investments. He has said so publicly on multiple occasions, from Forbes to Howard Stern to People Magazine. And the numbers back it up. Cuban invested $150,000, has received over $1 million in dividends, and still holds his ownership stake in a company doing $7 million a year in revenue.

What is Tower Paddle Boards?

Tower Paddle Boards is a direct-to-consumer stand-up paddle board company based in San Diego, California. The brand sells premium paddle boards at roughly 50% less than traditional retail prices by cutting out the wholesale and retail middlemen entirely. What started as a paddle board company has expanded into a full beach lifestyle brand, offering surfboards, electric bikes, sunglasses, skateboards, beach chairs, clothing, swimwear, and a range of accessories. The company pioneered the inflatable paddle board category and grew from less than 1% to over 90% market share in that segment.

Who is Stephan Aarstol?

Stephan Aarstol is an internet marketing entrepreneur from San Diego. Before Tower Paddle Boards, he ran a premium poker chip business that he funded with $30,000 worth of inventory from his declining poker chip venture. His background in search engine optimisation and e-commerce gave him a unique advantage. He realised that high-value consumer goods could be sold profitably online without retail markup if you could drive traffic through organic search. He later wrote a book called The Five Hour Workday and has been featured in a Harvard Business School case study about his direct-to-consumer model. He was also singled out in Jeff Bezos’ 2015 annual letter to Amazon stockholders.

The Shark Tank Pitch

Tower Paddle Boards appeared on Shark Tank Season 3, Episode 9, which aired on March 16, 2012. Stephan Aarstol entered seeking $150,000 in exchange for 10% equity, valuing the company at $1.5 million. The pitch had a famously rocky start. Aarstol got nervous and struggled to remember his lines, creating an awkward silence that made the Sharks uncomfortable. Despite the shaky delivery, the business fundamentals were strong. The company had generated $100,000 in sales in just four months, selling boards at around $600, roughly half the price of competitors. Barbara Corcoran went out. Kevin O’Leary could not see the appeal. Robert Herjavec did not like the valuation. Daymond John also passed. That left Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary. Kevin offered $150,000 for 50%. Mark Cuban countered with $150,000 for 30% plus the first right of refusal to invest in any future business Aarstol raises money for. Aarstol accepted Mark’s deal.

What Happened to Tower Paddle Boards After Shark Tank?

Mark Cuban’s investment proved transformative. Within months, Cuban had already received a third of his investment back. The Shark Tank appearance provided a massive SEO boost, with the link from ABC.com significantly improving the company’s search rankings. Sales grew rapidly. By 2014, the company was doing $5 million in annual revenue. In 2015, Inc. Magazine ranked Tower Paddle Boards as the 239th fastest-growing private company in America, with a three-year growth rate of 1,853%. Lifetime sales passed $10 million that same year. The company expanded well beyond paddle boards, becoming a full beach lifestyle brand. The product range grew to include surfboards, inflatable paddle boards, electric bikes, sunglasses, apparel, beach tents, and more. Tower operates out of San Diego with a showroom directly on Mission Bay beach and has served over 100,000 customers since launch. Cuban has paid himself over $1 million in dividends from the investment while retaining his ownership stake. He has publicly called Tower one of his best Shark Tank investments on multiple occasions across major media outlets.

Tower Paddle Boards Net Worth 2026

As of 2026, Tower Paddle Boards has an estimated net worth of $10-12 million, with annual revenue of approximately $7 million. Lifetime sales have exceeded $40 million. The company operates with a lean team of just six employees, generating roughly $500,000 per month in revenue. Mark Cuban’s original $150,000 investment for 30% equity, which valued the company at $500,000, is now worth an estimated $3-3.6 million based on current valuations, plus the $1 million+ already received in dividends.

Where to Buy Tower Paddle Boards

Tower Paddle Boards products are available through the official website at towerpaddleboards.com. They sell direct to consumer, which is how they maintain prices roughly 50% below retail competitors.