From Shark Tank to AI-Powered Fulfillment: The Story Behind ShipSquared
Before he built ShipSquared into an AI-powered supply chain partner, Zak Jones was the founder behind Permaplug, the charger lock that landed on ABC's Shark Tank and closed an on-air deal with Lori Greiner.
Before he built ShipSquared into an AI-powered supply chain partner, Zak Jones was the founder behind Permaplug, the charger lock that landed on ABC's Shark Tank and closed an on-air deal with Lori Greiner.
The clip above (via Shark Tank Global) captures the pitch and the comeback moment that ecommerce founders still reference today.
Why this matters for the brands ShipSquared serves
ShipSquared isn't a warehouse-first 3PL that learned the brand-owner side later. Zak lived it.
He took Permaplug from an idea to a patented product to national distribution. He spent years working hands-on with a manufacturing partner in Shenzhen, sourcing the product, refining it, fighting to bring the cost down, and shipping it to customers across the US, Canada, and beyond.
So he knows exactly what it feels like when fulfillment breaks right as you hit your stride. Surprise fees. Bad pick and pack accuracy. Partners that can't scale when you need them most.
That perspective is built into everything ShipSquared does.
What ShipSquared actually does
ShipSquared is more than fulfillment. It's your supply chain partner from the factory floor to your customer's doorstep, powered by AI that optimizes and automates the whole chain.
We help brands:
- Take an invention from concept to market
- Optimize and improve the product itself
- Lower COGS through smarter sourcing and supplier relationships
- Automate the supply chain with AI, so you stop managing spreadsheets and start scaling
- Fulfill orders worldwide with speed and accuracy
If you have an idea, we help you build it, source it, and sell it. If you already have a product, we help you make it better and cheaper, then handle the fulfillment so you can focus on growth.
Built to ship worldwide
Our fulfillment centers in the USA handle every US and Canada order.
Our fulfillment center in Shenzhen handles orders for every other country.
That means your customers get fast, local-feeling delivery no matter where they are, and you get one partner managing all of it. Pricing transparency, 99.96% order accuracy, same-day shipping, and a flat refusal to lock clients into a setup that can't scale with them.
What you'll see in the video
- The Permaplug pitch and the on-air shark deal
- The founder mindset behind ShipSquared's client-first operating model
- Why Zak now tells DTC brands: "Don't wait until Q4 to start switching"
Want the same operations partner the sharks bet on?
If you're a DTC or ecommerce brand shipping 5,000 to 60,000+ orders a month, get in touch. We'll show you exactly how ShipSquared would run and optimize your fulfillment end to end.
https://www.shipsquared.com/blog/permaplug-shark-tank-comeback