Inventor & 'Shark Tank' Brings Ice Cooler Fueled Portable Air Conditioner To The Expanding Market
On a steaming hot summer day, when the sun relentlessly beams for hours on end, every camper savors the teasing moments of relief reaching into an ice-cold cooler, only to be snapped back into a sweaty reality as the lid is closed. For some, the sun wins out. Belongings are packed and they make their way back to air-conditioned homes. Others stick it out for the love of the great outdoors. While the unbearable heat blinds most, others see a twinkle of inspiration…a motive of opportunity. Therein lies the inspiration behind Icybreeze, a portable 2-in-1 cooler/air conditioner that became hugely popular virtually overnight after its appearance on ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank”.
Even before appearing on the show, Jason Shackelford, CEO of Icybreeze, had been living and working from a Class C motorhome traveling the country to promote Icybreeze at every tradeshow possible.
“In 2015, we bought a used motorhome in Virginia. I was on the road 130 nights and drove around 40,000 miles,” explains Shackelford, who’s better known by his co-workers as Shack. “I was going [from] show to show-- aviation shows, boat shows…any place I could find a group of people to show off the Icybreeze [to], I’d go.”
On the outside, Icybreeze appears to be standard 38-quart cooler seemingly identical to a normal cooler with the exception of a flexible hose spouting out of the top, but the real magic is on the inside. Powered completely by a simple mix of ice and water, cold water is pumped up through a tube to a small brass radiator-like system that’s built into the lid. The icy water chills the heat exchange system causing it to become super cold.
Concurrently, the three-speed fan on the backside of the radiator draws out the cold air and blows it out through either the vent or the top spout. The water is then circulated back inside the cooler to recycle the ice water. The end result is cold, dry air 35-40 degrees below the outside temperature flowing at 25-miles per hour, all while continuing to keep perishable food and beverages cold and fresh. Every unit comes complete with a rechargeable battery that takes four hours to complete a full charge and has the ability to run for six hours on a low setting. There’s also a 12-volt option that allows the system to run endlessly as long as it’s connected to a power source.
“No chemicals…no magic…no Freon,” states Shackelford. “[Just] two quarts of water, a couple bags of ice, and you’ve got portable air conditioning everywhere you go.”
Seeing as this product is the first of its kind to market, it’s not surprising that it caught the attention of “Shark Tank” producers, and after a long, tedious application process including producing a 10-minute video and filling out an 80 page contract, the Icybreeze team finally had the opportunity to present their product to The Sharks. Shackelford contended he wasn’t nervous as his confidence in the product served him well while presenting. His previous position before joining Icybreeze full time was as a successful sportscaster at the NBC affiliate in Tulsa, Oklahoma so he was used to being in front of camera. The pitch went smoothly as planned. In the end, however, they didn’t strike a deal, but still count the show as a definite win.
“I honestly didn’t think [our piece] was going to air because there really wasn’t any drama [during the show]. [However] when I got word it was going to air, I lost it.” One can hear the excitement in Jason’s voice. “When that show hit, it launched us into a different stratosphere. Our website went from 150 views a day to like 31,000 views in five minutes.”
Change is an understatement. “Two years ago I was reporting for a national television show called The List covering everything from noodling to the red carpet at the Country Music Awards,” recalls Shackelford. He continues jokingly, “I went from interviewing Kenny Rogers to living out of an RV and sleeping in a boat show parking lot for twelve days.”
Although Shackelford acknowledges that life on the road is not without challenges, seeing the fruits of his labor pay off is more than enough motivation to keep going.
“It’s a grind and it’s stressful when you’re one guy trying to pull a motorhome through South Beach [in Miami],” laughs Jason. “[But] I believe in the product. As an entrepreneur, you have to see your product grow. [And] when you’re a start up, you have to rough it.”
Shackelford expresses that the Icybreeze team is a close-knit bunch of guys who try to live simply, ‘live for the great outdoors’, and ride their motorcycles as much as possible. “It’s not work. It’s fun, and it’s a hobby,” sums up Shackelford. “And It’s an adventure every day!”