Happy Birdwatcher is a birdseed company that provides high-quality birdseeds for bird lovers. The idea is to attract birds to people’s backyards, allowing them to enjoy birdwatching while reducing anxiety and stress. The business was founded in 2021 by Susan Vandergriff.
Susan’s bond with birds began in 2019 when she noticed that most birdseeds sold in stores contained a lot of “filler” seeds that birds wouldn’t eat. To solve this, she started making her own birdseed mixes at home using high-quality ingredients. The birds loved her mixes, and more of them began visiting her backyard. This inspired her to turn her passion into a business.
Along with birdseed mixes, Happy Birdwatcher also sells bluebird feeders, seed storage pails, and birding journals on its website. The average cost of a seed mix is $52.
Susan asked the Sharks for $150,000 in exchange for 10% equity, valuing her company at $1.5 million. Unfortunately, all five Sharks felt that Happy Birdwatcher was not an investable business. As for an update, the company has received thousands of orders for HappySeed Boxes, and Susan is working hard to ship the products as quickly as possible.
Company Name | Happy Birdwatcher | |
Founder | Susan Vandergriff | |
Founded | Apr 2021 | |
Product | birdseed mixes | |
Asked For | $150k for 10% equity | |
Final Deal | No Deals | |
Sharks | No Sharks | |
Episode (Shark Tank USA) | S16 E12 | |
Air Date | March 7th, 2025 | |
Business Status | In Business | |
Website | Visit Website | |
Headquarters | Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA | |
Lifetime Worth (Sales) | $459,000 *estimated | |
Buy and Watch | Buy Now | Amazon Prime |

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Who Is The Founder Of Happy Birdwatcher?
The Happy Birdwatcher Company was founded in April 2021 by Susan Vandergriff. Before starting this business, she worked as the Executive Director at the nonprofit organization A Step Ahead Chattanooga.
Regarding her education, Susan earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is currently working full-time on her company.
How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of Happy Birdwatcher?
Susan pitched her company, Happy Birdwatcher, to the Sharks, explaining that she conducts surveys with customers about birds and, based on their responses, recommends a customized premium HappySeed Box.
The Simply Seeds HappySeed Box is sold for $49 and costs $26.79 to produce. She mentioned that if she secured an investment, she could lower the cost of goods sold (COGS) to $3–$4.
Regarding sales, Susan shared that her company had generated $459,000 in lifetime sales. In 2021, when she first launched the business, sales were $9,000. In 2022, revenue grew to $109,000, followed by $189,000 in 2023.
By 2024, she had already achieved $152,000 in sales, and for 2025, she projected revenue of $360,000. However, she admitted that the business would not be profitable this year.
Kevin O’Leary was interested in learning about the company’s sales but decided not to invest after hearing it was unprofitable.
Mark Cuban believed it was more of a service business and advised Susan to increase her margins before opting out. Lori Greiner felt the business was too niche and not a good fit for her.
Barbara Corcoran didn’t see it as an investable opportunity and also declined. Daniel Lubetzky suggested improving margins for long-term sustainability but ultimately decided not to invest.
Breakdown Sharks Offer
Note: Here’s a quick summary of the offers and counteroffers between the Sharks and Chennelle Diong:
Sharks | Offers |
Kevin O’Leary | No Offer |
Daniel Lubetzky | No Offer |
Mark Cuban | No Offer |
Lori Greiner | No Offer |
Barbara Corcoran | No Offer |
Founder’s (Countered) | No Counter |
Final Deals | No Deals |
Happy Birdwatcher Shark Tank Update
Although the Sharks decided not to invest in Susan’s business, a positive outcome of the episode airing was that it reached many bird lovers. This increased visibility could lead to a significant boost in sales. However, for long-term sustainability, Susan needs to focus on increasing her profit margins.
If you’re interested in purchasing location-based premium customized bird seeds, you can check out the Happy Birdwatcher website.
What is Happy Birdwatcher Net Worth?
Every year, 45 million people participate in bird watching. According to Grand View Research, the industry is expected to reach $20.6 billion by 2030. Happy Birdwatcher’s last valuation was $1.5 million, and the bird-watching industry has an annual growth rate of 6.3% (CAGR). Based on this data, the company’s estimated net worth is now $1.6 million.