See Stephen Viscusi’s Guest Appearance as an Investor on “Make Me a Millionaire Inventor” on CNBC August 2015.

The Marinara Tower: A Spicy Business Pitch

Investor Stephen Viscusi met with entrepreneur Sam to evaluate her invention: the Marinara Tower. Inspired by popular chocolate fountains, Sam sought to adapt the concept for savory applications, specifically designed to run warm marinara sauce for catering and event planning industries.

The Challenge: Prototype and Price

During the meeting, the prototype faced technical difficulties, functioning more as a decoration than a working model. Despite this setback, Viscusi was impressed by Sam’s passion and vision for the product. However, the initial pitch highlighted significant concerns regarding the manufacturing costs and retail price of the stainless steel unit, which was estimated at roughly $4,000 per unit.

Investment Offer and Negotiation

Viscusi, along with food industry advisor Brian Cassidy, questioned the viability of a high-cost machine for food service operators. They suggested engineering a more affordable, plastic version for the consumer market.

Viscusi ultimately offered an investment, but with a strict condition: he required 51% control of the company to manage the business strategy, steer the design toward mass-market affordability, and utilize his network for marketing, such as on QVC.

The Final Decision

Sam declined the offer, unwilling to relinquish majority control of her invention after years of development. While Viscusi passed on the opportunity, Sam remained optimistic, believing in the future of the Marinara Tower despite losing the investment.