Brooke Knaus Is Transforming Your Top

In May 2023, Brooke Knaus appeared on season 14 of Shark Tank to request $70,000 for a 30% stake in her Charlotte-based company, Tucky. The 38-year-old mom of two demonstrated her hero product, the Tucky, an adjustable elastic belt women can wear under their shirts and tuck them into from beneath. “It can turn any top into a crop or achieve the tucked-in look without the bulk,” she explained. “It can also help you shorten a longer shirt if you want it to sit a bit higher.”

Knaus had been in business for six months but had already earned $60,000. The sharks were impressed. Both Kevin O’Leary and Daymond John offered her $70,000 for 40% equity. Knaus counteroffered 39% to John, who accepted. 

Knaus’s business prowess and ease in front of the camera were on full display. The former Miss Vermont had undeniable stage presence, and her year as Miss Sprint Cup gave her plenty of on-air experience. Her flowy, pink pleated skirt and white button-down showed off her style, and the story behind her product resonated with moms who felt disconnected from their pre-baby bodies.

Knaus, who is married to NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Chad Knaus, came up with the idea for Tucky after she gave birth to her second child. “Motherhood changes so much of you. I would look in the mirror, and I didn’t recognize myself,” she says. “At first, you’re lost, your body is different, and your self-perception isn’t always accurate.”

One day, she put on a sweat suit, pulled her pants up, and realized that if she tucked her shirt into her bra, it gave her the illusion of an hourglass figure. It boosted her confidence and prompted her to make an elastic belt she could tuck her tops into. “I couldn’t find anything like it online, so I thought, I’ll make a product myself,” she says. “I just knew this was going to work for other people.” 

Knaus drew some sketches and sent them to different manufacturers until she found one that got her vision. Once they landed on the right fabric and silicone lining, Knaus found a supplier in China and ordered her first 100 Tuckys. In late 2022, she rolled out her website, where the Tucky retails for $30. “I made a TikTok to direct people to my website,” she says. “Every time they sold out, we’d order a new batch with a touch more.” 

Soon, friends and family began encouraging her to apply to Shark Tank. “I thought, OK, I’ll throw my hat in the ring,” she says. “It was so wild to go on this show that I’ve always watched.” Of the 45,000 who apply each year, only about 1% are chosen to pitch their ideas. Of that 1%, only 88 appear on the show.

Following Knaus’s Shark Tank appearance, Tucky sold out in 12 hours and began to accept hundreds of pre-orders. “A thousand units used to feel so scary,” she says, “and now we’re ordering tens of thousands of units regularly.”

“Being my own boss was always really enticing,” Knaus says. “I used to get a flutter in my stomach when I heard stories of people starting things on their own.”

Knaus has expanded with a new product called the Stitchy, a no-sew device that allows women to hem pants, dresses, skirts, and sleeves without a needle and thread. It retails for $25 and has been featured on Good Morning America and The Drew Barrymore Show. Knaus also donates a portion of every sale to a pediatric oncology clinic in Tanzania.

“They’re truly boots on the ground,” she says. “They’re scrappy but incredibly efficient.”

Today, Tucky has more than 16,000 Instagram followers, and Knaus uses the platform to share photos of women of all shapes, sizes, and colors wearing the Tucky. “It’s saved a lot of weddings and fashion emergencies,” she says. “I’ll get emails or reviews from people saying they’re using their clothes more, and that always feels good.

“One really sweet mom shared a photo of her daughter, who was born with short limbs. She’d buy newborn clothes that didn’t fit right, and she’d use the Stitchy to roll things up and hold them in place. That really moved me. This is bigger than just a tool you can buy. It’s really helping people.”