BHS grad pitches shades on Tuesday’s ‘West Texas Investors Club’

Published 2:04 pm Monday, September 14, 2015

Matthew McConaughey may be Hollywood’s most recent “it” man — racking up awards for his serious slant in “Interstellar,” “True Detective” and “Dallas Buyers Club” — but his older brother is the one making noise this summer with his redneck rabble on CNBC’s new reality television show “West Texas Investors Club.”

Mike “Rooster” McConaughey is a self-made millionaire of the oil pipe variety, and, along with Wayne “Butch” Gilliam, he offers entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their ideas and secure funding in the “Shark Tank” rodeo ringer. Contestants are flown in on a private jet, but the glamour ceases abruptly — as soon as they’re collected in a rusted pickup by country singer Gil Prather, who gets to work appraising the “measure of a man.”

Next, the grizzled cowboys put the product to test in the heartland, where many a maker squirms under the pressure.

This Tuesday night, BHS grad Blake Jensen (’05) will mount the metaphorical bull as he and Blenders Eyewear business partner Chase Fisher tout their flashy, California-cool sunglasses for the series’ seventh episode.

The shades slingers, who boast backgrounds in graphic design and competitive surfing, got their start in 2012, sketching plans in the spare room of one of their houses.

They borrowed money to make 300 frames, began selling them out of their backpacks, and soon, with the help of friends, Indiegogo, and the Today Show, saw their brand take off.

People liked the stylish sunnies, and they especially liked the price. (The most expensive pair in the collection costs $45; the cheapest, $17.)

At any given time, Jensen has about 50 designs available. “Our model until now has been to bring new styles as often as we can,” he said.

Many are classic cuts with bright colors, like the “Mimosa: A Series,” which features a gold aviator frame with red mirror lenses, or the “Blue Bengal: F Series,” a polarized pair with a green tortoise frame and smoky purple lenses.

Musical festival-goers will want to rock the Lollapalooza special release, and for basketball fans, there are signature shades developed with NBA veteran C.J. Watson, among other celebrity collaborations in the works.

Asked whether he was nervous about appearing on West Texas Investors, Jensen explained that he was left completely in the dark leading up to the filming. The Blenders partners were invited to apply via an email they received a couple of months back, but all they were told was that they’d be on a brand-new show with an investment component.

“We had no idea who the investors were, or how many there were, or what would happen,” he said.

“We definitely had a lot of apprehension. We almost pulled the plug the day before the show.”

But, on their way in, the pair resolved to put their best foot forward, and Jensen shares that he’s glad to have taken the risk.

“It was a lot more fun than we anticipated,” he added.

The entrepreneur said that they’ve hired additional customer service staff to handle the potential influx in traffic, but he’s uncertain what kind of response to expect after the episode airs.

“It could be big, or it could be just another Tuesday,” he laughed.

Tune in to CNBC at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 to find out if Rooster and Butch buck the Blenders or accept their pitch.