From Shark Tank to the NBA: How Stomp Athletics Changed Basketball Traction

What happens when two entrepreneurs decide to solve a problem every basketball player experiences?In this episode, we sit down with the founders of Stomp Athletics, David Gonzalez and Michael Manoogian, to discuss the journey behind their innovative traction product designed for athletes across court sports. What started as a simple frustration—constantly slipping on dusty basketball courts—eventually turned into a patented product, a Shark Tank appearance, and partnerships with elite programs and professional teams.David shares the story of sketching the original concept years before launching the business, while Michael explains how he helped scale the company from local school sales into a rapidly growing brand. Together, they break down the realities of entrepreneurship, product development, intellectual property protection, and what it takes to prepare for one of the biggest stages in business television.#StompAthletics #SharkTank #Basketball #SportsInnovation #Entrepreneurship #StartupFounder #Inventor #Patents #IntellectualProperty #BusinessPodcast #SportsBusiness #AthletePerformance #Innovation #FounderStory #StartupJourney #BasketballTraining #SportsTech #BrandBuilding #EverythingIntellectualProperty #EntrepreneurLife0:00 Intro to Stomp Athletics1:25 The problem every basketball player understands5:00 The original idea behind the product10:00 Early sales and scaling the business15:00 The Shark Tank entrepreneur community20:00 Patents, trademarks, and IP challenges25:00 Preparing for Shark Tank30:00 Practice, pitching, and confidence35:00 NBA teams using the product40:00 Building relationships through entrepreneurship43:00 The future of Stomp Athletics