Metro Phoenix dads will pitch scorpion solution on ABC's Shark Tank

Two East Valley dads will appear on an episode of ABC's "Shark Tank" next Friday to pitch their pest control solution.

What's happening: About five years ago, childhood friends Aaron Gonzales and Tony Gonzales formed Slick Barrier, a company that produces and sells a coating for the exterior of homes that prevents scorpions and other pests from getting inside.

• Recently, they began selling their solution directly to consumers.

Driving the news: The entrepreneurs spent months auditioning for "Shark Tank" and ultimately spent more than an hour pitching to the show's "sharks."

• Their pitch included live demonstrations with scorpions and other critters, they tell us.

What they're saying: "For the sharks, it's very competitive. They like to compete amongst each other. … It was like a mad frenzy," Aaron says.

Flashback: Aaron came up with the idea for Slick Barrier about 10 years ago after moving to a Gilbert house infested with scorpions. He tells us his wife wanted to move because she was so nervous about their 3-year-old son.

• Around the same time, Tony moved to Chandler and had similar pest problems. One day, he wrapped his 4-year-old son in a towel that had a scorpion in it. He was stung three times, his throat closed and he had to be transported to the hospital in an ambulance.
• Tony called Aaron from the hospital the next morning and they started working toward a solution.

How it works: The Slick Barrier is not a pesticide, but a slippery coating for your home that makes it impossible for scorpions and other insects to climb up and into foundation gaps, which is typically how they get into homes.

• It's usually applied to the 3- t0 5-inch stem wall under the exterior of a home.
• Aaron likens it to when a scorpion falls into a bathtub or sink: It's stuck there because it can't climb on slick surfaces.

How to watch: Tune into ABC next Friday at 7pm.