Christmas Innovator Secures Major Investment Offer and Multi-Territory Licensing Deal

The founder of Holiday Celebration Trees, Katie Rawal, recently established herself as one of the leading Australian entrepreneurs to watch in 2024 after her impressive appearance on the revamped series of Shark Tank Australia.

As Katie continues to disrupt the global holiday decor market with her patented, multi-tiered Christmas tree product for display, the brand already had a large following of loyal and happy customers in the USA before launching in Australia in 2023. 

Katie has a professional background in architecture and design, which naturally led her to bring the idea for Holiday Celebration Trees to market. Her unique Christmas tree design is composed of a series of interconnecting, graduating platforms in concentric circles, finished with festive garland and LED lights. When fully assembled, the tree emulates the appearance and nostalgia of the traditional Christmas trees that have been loved for centuries.  

It is designed to showcase Christmas Village scenes, for entertaining or keeping gifts off the ground, whilst maximising space and reducing clutter. A Holiday Celebration Tree also considers the environmental impact, with platforms being constructed out of recycled plastic and the final product also being recyclable at the end of its life. Built to last, the powder coated metal accessories uphold its 10-year guarantee. Whilst the residential market can’t get enough of the idea, Katie predicts the untapped commercial potential is even bigger.

In its first 3 months live, the business generated $360,000 in revenue, and Katie predicted YOY growth of upwards of 350% after expanding the product catalogue with additional styles and launching in Australia for the 2023 season (followed by Canada in 2024).

She was successfully offered an investment of $300,000 from co-investors, Davie Fogarty (The Oodie Founder) and Robert Herjavec (of Shark Tank USA fame), in exchange for 30% equity in the business, which she accepted on the show. The deal has reportedly changed since filming, but is being kept under wraps. Rawal participated in Shark Tank to secure growth capital, but more importantly, for the opportunity to be mentored by 9 figure entrepreneurs and learn first-hand from their successes.

Post the Shark Tank deal, the exposure has increased her personal profile, opening a range of new opportunities. Most notably, the brand was approached by Warner Bros Australia/NZ and offered a multi-year licensing deal, initially collaborating on the Harry Potter series. New products under this agreement are expected to launch in Australia and the USA for Christmas 2024, with Canada and the UK, and expected to follow in 2025.

The global holiday decoration market is estimated at over $7 billion, and Katie plans to claim her piece of it. “The potential upside in this business is huge. Whilst the direct-to-consumer market has already proven successful, that’s only scraped the surface of what’s possible. We haven’t even begun to capitalize on licensing patents, collaborations, regional expansion or commercial and wholesaling opportunities. Ultimately, delighting our customers by bringing the magic of the season into their home for the holidays is our number one priority”.