Funding Readiness Workshop Features ‘Shark Tank’ Success Story

While Volusia County is home to the shark bite capital of the world, a different kind of shark “survivor” is set to share her story at the next Volusia Business Resources Funding Readiness Workshop.

Desiree Haller, founder and CEO of SubSafe built the Volusia County-based company with her husband from a single clever solution into a growing outdoor industry brand, a journey that took off after their appearance on “Shark Tank” landed them a deal with Mark Cuban and Charles Barkley. Haller will share her entrepreneurial journey from launching one product to becoming an outdoor industry brand.

The workshop takes place from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Wayne G. Sanborn Center, 815 S. Alabama Ave., DeLand. The event is designed to transform entrepreneurs from funding seekers to funding recipients.

Participants will interact with lenders and financial professionals who approve business loans and learn practical strategies for organizing their financials to impress potential investors, a roadmap to identify which funding options may align with their specific business model and real-world insights that translate complex lending processes into actionable steps. The workshop is free and registration is required at bit.ly/PRTVBRFundingReadiness2026.

“The idea behind the Funding Readiness workshops is to help Volusia County residents better understand funding processes and be prepared to pursue financing with confidence,” said Lou Paris, Volusia County director of economic development. “The goal is for participants to know what lenders and other funding sources are looking for, what information they will need to provide, and what it takes to successfully navigate the process.”

Paris said the workshops kicked off in 2024with the launch of the Funding Readiness Center platform.

“Initially, their primary purpose was to introduce the platform to the community and encourage businesses to take advantage of its resources,” he said. “While that remains one of the objectives, the events have since become much more than that.

“After holding the first event, we quickly realized how much value the event itself provided to participants. Today, attendees consistently tell us how much they learn from these sessions and, more importantly, how that knowledge has made navigating the funding process easier and less intimidating.”