Joshua Lippiner ’98 entered Shark Tank with a simple solution to a surprisingly common problem that affects an estimated 60 million Americans each year: nosebleeds. Aptly named, Nampons are a convenient, medical-grade nosebleed treatment that absorbs 10 times more blood than a standard tissue.
With blood quite literally in the water, the sharks swarmed. Lippiner went toe-to-toe with the investors, countering equity arguments and royalty proposals in rapid succession. In the end, he struck a deal with Robert Herjavec and guest shark Michael Strahan — $350,000 for a 10% stake in the company, plus a 10-cent royalty per unit sold until the initial investment is repaid.
“I’m super thrilled that we got the deal with Robert and Michael, especially with Michael’s sports background and Robert's business experience,” Lippiner says. “With their endorsement and support, we’ve seen sales quadruple and quintuple. We had six months of inventory, and within 24 hours of the episode airing, we nearly sold out.”
The deal was impressive, but given Lippiner’s career path, his success in the Tank came as little surprise.
Forging an Entrepreneur
Right after graduating from Lehigh, Lippiner landed a part-time job in New York City. Just two weeks in, he worked up the confidence to pitch an idea for an online market research business to the company’s president. His nerve paid off: He ended up co-founding a company with the president just as the dot-com boom was accelerating. Lippiner helped grow the business and later managed to sell it.
A trusted friend and mentor encouraged him to pursue an MBA, and he followed that advice to the University of California, Los Angeles. While he already had the experience, he knew the network would be invaluable.
From there, he launched a series of ventures, including an online travel company, an education company, and a platform that allowed farmers to wholesale their products directly to consumers.
The idea for Nampons, dated back to Lippiner’s teenage years, when he struggled with frequent nosebleeds. During one episode, he walked into a CVS and asked the cashier what products were available to help. The cashier shrugged, said they didn’t have anything, and told him to go to the hospital.
The moment stayed with him. During the pandemic, he finally decided to act on it.
Lippiner knew he wanted to create something small that could expand and absorb blood. While researching and developing the product, he came across an Oregon-based company that had acquired a medical project in 2013 and done nothing with it. Lippiner immediately recognized it as a critical missing piece.
After months of unanswered emails to the sales manager, he changed tactics and reached out directly to the company’s CEO on LinkedIn.
The response?
“Did you go to Lehigh?”
It turned out he was a proud parent of a current student. That shared connection sparked a friendship — and, ultimately, a deal.
The Road to Shark Tank
In 2021, Lippiner launched Nampons’ first trial product: a two-pack. He ordered 1,500 units, expecting the supply to last about three months. Instead, it sold out in just three weeks.
“It can happen to a four-year-old as easily as a 70-year-old,” Lippiner says. “Not having the right product out there for nosebleeds is crazy in retrospect.”
As Nampons grew, Lippiner decided to apply for Shark Tank. His team heard back within a week, moved through multiple interview rounds, and eventually flew out to pitch.
“What people don’t understand about Shark Tank is that you don’t know if you’ll be on the show until the episode airs,” Lippiner explains. “Thousands apply. Only some get a callback, and even fewer make it through casting. Twelve of us filmed that day, but only three or four actually aired.”
By the time he faced the sharks, Lippiner was ready. He had run through countless scenarios, carefully preparing responses and anticipating objections, using ChatGPT’s voice mode as his “pseudo sharks.” When the moment came, he stayed calm and even managed to have fun. The result was not only compelling television, but the deal he had hoped for.
As teased during the episode, Lippiner plans to launch Nampons Sport in the next year — a version of the product designed for athletes.
Looking back on his career, Lippiner reflects on the many sliding-door moments that led him to where he is today.
“My best advice is this: Passion is the most important thing,” he says. “Whatever it is that eats at you, if it’s consuming you, follow that urge wherever it takes you. Whether that’s working in finance or trying to find a way to make teleportation a reality.”
With Nampons continuing to grow and new products on the horizon, Lippiner remains driven by the same instinct that first pushed him to ask, “Why doesn’t this exist?
