DiscoverUncorked: Wine, Business, and Life with Bill Green & Co-Host Jerrold Colton3M Called It Trash. Now It's Worth Billions. (Aaron Krause & Scrub Daddy)
3M Called It Trash. Now It's Worth Billions. (Aaron Krause & Scrub Daddy)

3M Called It Trash. Now It's Worth Billions. (Aaron Krause & Scrub Daddy)

Update: 2025-11-19
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When 3M bought Aaron Krause’s buffing pad company, they looked at his smiley-faced sponge invention, called it "trash," and left it out of the deal. They made a huge mistake.


In this episode of Uncorked with Bill Green, we sit down with Aaron Krause, the chaotic genius behind Scrub Daddy - the most successful product in Shark Tank history. This isn't just a story about a sponge; it’s a masterclass in resilience, accidental invention, and proving the haters wrong.


Aaron reveals the untold stories you didn't see on TV: how he almost got banned from QVC before he even started, the "fake" controversy with Lori Greiner that was cut from his Shark Tank episode, and how a box labeled "SCRAP" turned into a billion-dollar global empire.


🍷 In this episode, you’ll discover:



  • The "Black Sheep" Origin: Why Aaron’s doctor parents were devastated he became a car detailer (and how he proved them wrong).

  • The 3M Mistake: How the manufacturing giant bought his company but rejected the Scrub Daddy patent as worthless.

  • The QVC Disaster: The nightmare 4:00 AM broadcast where Aaron "blew it" and almost lost everything—before selling 80,000 sponges in 8 minutes.

  • Shark Tank Secrets: What really happened with Lori Greiner and Kevin O’Leary that the producers cut from the final edit.

  • Serial Invention: A look at Aaron’s newest game-changers, from the Barbecue Daddy to a revolutionary hockey stick used by the NHL.


If you are an entrepreneur, an inventor, or just love a good underdog story, you cannot miss this interview.


📢 SUBSCRIBE & SHARE If you enjoyed this story of American innovation, make sure to subscribe!

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3M Called It Trash. Now It's Worth Billions. (Aaron Krause & Scrub Daddy)

3M Called It Trash. Now It's Worth Billions. (Aaron Krause & Scrub Daddy)

Bill Green