Rejected by Shark Tank, Rent A Grandma finds success in Japan

More than a decade ago, an entrepreneur walked onto Shark Tank with an idea that had the investors raising eyebrows and cracking jokes

Todd Pliss pitched Rent a Grandma, a service that connects families with older women for caregiving

His selling point? Grandmas are more attentive, less glued to their phones, and yes, they might even bake you cookies

He asked for $150,000. Investor Kevin O'Leary responded with his typical jab

So you're saying we're only getting 15% of granny's take? The panel, Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, and O'Leary all passed

But more than a decade later, that idea is alive and well in Japan

A similar service called OK Obatan, which means OK Grandma, has taken off

It was launched by a female-led handyman company called Client Partners. Clients can hire women aged 60 to 94 for about $22 per visit

These grandmas cook, clean, babysit, or just provide companionship. Some are even asked to attend family events or offer advice during tough conversations

The idea taps into something deeper, ikigai, a Japanese concept meaning purpose

doing what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for

And the business model reflects some hard realities in Japan. About 25% of people over 65 are still working

far more than in the U.S. or U.K. Many seniors are taking jobs in restaurants

taxis, or households just to make ends meet. Some even offer their services as rental grandmas But there another reason it catching on Younger people are embracing it One YouTuber Paolo from Tokyo spent a day with a rented grandma They made bento boxes

had a picnic, and talked about parenting. One viewer commented, it's actually a good idea. The grandma gets to spend time interacting with

others, making her feel less lonely. Seems like a win-win. Another Reddit user wrote

I'd love to hire a grandmother, help me with cooking, teaching my son Japanese

and life lessons that only come from wisdom. And this isn't the only example

A Tokyo-based company called Family Romance employs over 1,200 actors to play roles like husband, wife, friend, even father

for people who feel social pressure to present a perfect life. Director Werner Herzog even made a documentary film about the company

In a society where social obligation and image are overemphasized and where loneliness is a real issue, renting a grandma or even a full family starts to make more sense

So did Shark Tank get it wrong? After the rejection, Todd Pliss kept building Rent-A-Grandma in the U.S

By 2020, he'd expanded into tutoring. And by 2022, the site listed more than 300 grandmas offering services nationwide

Back in 2012, Kevin O'Leary asked on the show, half joking. What happens if the granny quits or dies halfway through the assignment

Okay, in our placement agreement, we have a replacement guarantee. Turns out that guarantee and the entire idea might have had more staying power than anyone expected

I'm Kennedy Felton with Straight Arrow News. Head over to our app or san.com for more top headlines