Cerebral Success, known for its SmartX brain supplement and Shark Tank appearance, is no longer considered an active business. The company reportedly ceased operations in 2019 despite gaining national exposure, securing an investment from Barbara Corcoran, and expanding into GNC stores.
Confirm Cerebral Success’s Current Business Status
The strongest available evidence indicates that Cerebral Success is no longer in business. Shark Tank Blog, which has followed businesses appearing on the television series, reports that founder Trevor Hiltbrand closed Cerebral Success in October 2019. Another Shark Tank tracking source similarly records the company as having shut down in 2019.
There is some conflicting information online. Certain websites have claimed that Cerebral Success products remained available through online retailers after the company’s reported closure. Such availability does not necessarily establish that the original company is still operating. Old inventory, third-party sellers, archived listings, and outdated retailer pages can remain visible long after a manufacturer stops normal operations.
A particularly useful current indicator comes from supplement information associated with the National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Label Database. A recent SmartX listing identifies Cerebral Success as the brand and describes the product’s market status as “Off market.” The same record identifies SmartX with Cognizin as a 60-capsule product originally entered into the database in February 2015.
| Business indicator | Current finding |
| Cerebral Success operating status | Reported out of business |
| Reported closure | 2019 |
| SmartX status | Listed as off market |
| Original founder | Trevor Hiltbrand |
| Shark Tank investor | Barbara Corcoran |
| Shark Tank deal | $75,000 for 40% |
| Former major retail expansion | GNC stores |
| Original flagship category | Cognitive/nootropic supplement |
Therefore, consumers asking whether Cerebral Success is still in business should distinguish between finding an old product listing and finding evidence of an active manufacturer. Current evidence favors the conclusion that the original Cerebral Success operation has ended.
Trace Cerebral Success From Its Early Launch
Cerebral Success was founded by Trevor Hiltbrand and developed around a cognitive-support supplement aimed particularly at students and working professionals. Before the company’s Shark Tank appearance, it promoted the product as a way to support focus, memory, mental agility, and brain performance. A company-issued 2014 announcement stated that Cerebral Success was being sold online and directly by the business and had developed a customer base among students and professionals.
The target audience played an important role in the company’s positioning. College students frequently face long periods of studying, exams, deadlines, and demanding schedules. Cerebral Success attempted to address this market with a non-prescription supplement rather than positioning itself simply as another energy product.
This strategy also differentiated the brand from conventional caffeinated energy drinks. Its marketing centered on cognitive performance rather than energy alone. That distinction placed Cerebral Success in the emerging nootropics and brain-health supplement category, where consumers look for products associated with concentration, memory, alertness, and mental performance.
The company eventually became closely associated with SmartX. The rebranding gave the product a shorter, more retail-friendly identity while maintaining its connection with Cerebral Success. SmartX became the name that many consumers encountered after the company’s Shark Tank appearance and retail expansion.
Review the Cerebral Success Shark Tank Appearance
Cerebral Success received widespread attention when Trevor Hiltbrand presented the business on ABC’s Shark Tank. The episode aired on April 25, 2014. Hiltbrand entered the Tank seeking $75,000 in exchange for 20% equity, which represented an implied valuation of $375,000.
The pitch generated significant debate among the Sharks. One important issue was scientific substantiation. According to the Shark Tank Blog recap, Hiltbrand acknowledged during the pitch that he did not have scientific proof for the finished formula’s claimed results. Instead, the company relied on research involving individual ingredients. That distinction became important both during the television discussion and later in scrutiny surrounding the product’s advertising.
Despite concerns from several Sharks, Barbara Corcoran saw commercial potential in the business. She offered $75,000 for 40% equity, subject to conditions discussed during the program. Hiltbrand attempted to negotiate the equity percentage down but ultimately accepted Corcoran’s offer.
The investment reduced the implied valuation compared with Hiltbrand’s original proposal. His initial ask valued the company at $375,000, while a $75,000 investment for 40% implied a post-money valuation of $187,500. Although giving up additional equity was significant, the partnership potentially offered something more valuable than cash: access to an experienced entrepreneur with national business connections and substantial media visibility.
Follow the Company’s Growth After Shark Tank
After Shark Tank, Cerebral Success gained an advantage that many young supplement companies struggle to obtain: national awareness. Millions of television viewers could discover the founder, product, and brand story in a single appearance. The company was therefore positioned to turn entertainment exposure into customer acquisition.
The Barbara Corcoran relationship also helped the business expand its retail presence. Shark Tank Blog reports that the deal closed and that Cerebral Success subsequently entered GNC stores across the United States. The product was later rebranded as Smart X by Cerebral Success, accompanied by redesigned packaging.
Retail distribution represented a major transition for the business. Selling directly online allows a company to control its website, messaging, pricing, and customer relationships. National retail distribution can dramatically increase product visibility, but it also introduces inventory management, wholesale margins, retailer expectations, and competition for shelf space.
Cerebral Success therefore moved from a relatively simple direct-to-consumer concept toward a more complicated consumer supplement operation. This growth showed that the Shark Tank appearance produced meaningful opportunities, even though the brand ultimately did not maintain its position permanently.
Examine the SmartX Rebranding Strategy
SmartX became central to the post-Shark Tank identity of Cerebral Success. Rebranding can help a company simplify its message, make packaging more recognizable, and create a product name consumers can remember. “SmartX” directly connected with the concept of cognitive performance and was shorter than the original company name.
The supplement was marketed toward people seeking support for attention, memory, alertness, and mental energy. Available historical records identify SmartX with Cognizin and show that it was sold in capsule form. Current supplement information describes it as an adult-targeted combination supplement and now records it as off market.
The rebranding also reflected a broader challenge. Cerebral Success was competing in a category where differentiation could be difficult because numerous products used vitamins, amino acids, herbal ingredients, and compounds associated with cognitive support. A memorable product name and television exposure could attract initial attention, but long-term success required continued demand and a defensible reason for customers to choose SmartX repeatedly.
For that reason, SmartX should be understood as more than a packaging change. It represented Cerebral Success’s attempt to evolve from a Shark Tank startup into a recognizable retail supplement brand.
Evaluate the Scientific and Advertising Challenges
Scientific support became one of the most important issues surrounding Cerebral Success. During the Shark Tank pitch, concerns were raised about whether research on individual ingredients could substantiate claims about the complete formula. This issue later appeared in advertising review proceedings.
A 2014 summary of a National Advertising Division matter concerning SmartX stated that Cerebral Success had submitted studies involving various ingredients but had not provided evidence showing that the SmartX product itself had been scientifically tested. The NAD also raised concerns that individual ingredients might not necessarily produce identical results when combined into the finished formulation.
The distinction matters for supplement marketing. Evidence showing that an ingredient has produced a particular effect under specific research conditions does not automatically demonstrate that every commercial formula containing that ingredient will produce the same outcome. Dosage, formulation, participant characteristics, study design, and combinations with other ingredients can affect the relevance of research.
The NAD summary also indicated that advertising performance claims should correspond to the quality and specificity of the supporting evidence. This illustrates a broader lesson from the Cerebral Success story: supplement companies need to consider not only whether ingredients are popular or studied, but whether the claims made for the finished product can be adequately supported.
Distinguish Confirmed Facts From Possible Reasons for Closure
The closure of Cerebral Success is widely reported, but the precise internal reasons behind that decision are less transparent. Because Cerebral Success was a private company, detailed financial statements explaining revenue, expenses, customer retention, inventory costs, advertising costs, and profitability are not readily available to the public.
Several secondary sources propose explanations such as intense competition, scientific-validation challenges, regulatory or advertising concerns, and customer-retention difficulties. These explanations are plausible within the supplement industry, but they should not be presented as a confirmed statement from the company unless supported by direct evidence. The clearest fact is that multiple Shark Tank tracking sources report operations ending in 2019.
Competition almost certainly formed part of the commercial environment. The nootropics market expanded significantly as consumers became interested in products associated with focus and cognitive performance. Greater demand attracts more brands, which raises customer acquisition costs and gives shoppers more alternatives.
The company’s advertising challenges are better documented. Questions about scientific substantiation appeared both during the Shark Tank pitch and in the subsequent NAD matter. However, available public evidence does not establish that one particular advertising issue alone caused the company to close several years later.
| Factor | Evidence level | Business implication |
| Company closure | Strongly reported | Operations reportedly ended in 2019 |
| SmartX off-market status | Current database evidence | Product is no longer normally marketed |
| Scientific substantiation concerns | Documented | Marketing claims faced scrutiny |
| Competitive pressure | General industry factor | Increased difficulty maintaining differentiation |
| Customer retention problems | Reported by secondary sources | Exact impact is not publicly established |
| Financial difficulties | Possible | Detailed private financial records are unavailable |
This distinction between verified history and informed interpretation is important. It provides a more reliable answer than assigning the company’s closure to a single cause without sufficient evidence.
Check Whether SmartX Is Still Available
Consumers may occasionally encounter references to SmartX on old websites, marketplace pages, reviews, or archived product listings. These pages can create the impression that Cerebral Success remains active. However, the presence of a product page does not prove current manufacturing.
Current supplement information lists SmartX with Cognizin by Cerebral Success as off market. In addition, reviews tracking the product have noted that the former Cerebral Success website is no longer functioning normally and that SmartX has become difficult to find through established channels.
Consumers should be particularly careful when considering discontinued supplements from third-party sellers. Dietary supplements have expiration dates and storage requirements, and an old marketplace listing may represent remaining inventory rather than newly manufactured stock. Product age, seller reliability, packaging condition, and expiration information therefore become important considerations.
Anyone seeking a cognitive or nutritional supplement should evaluate currently manufactured products based on transparent labeling and appropriate professional medical guidance rather than assuming that an old SmartX listing represents an official continuation of Cerebral Success.
Track Trevor Hiltbrand’s Career After Cerebral Success
The closure of Cerebral Success did not mark the end of Trevor Hiltbrand’s entrepreneurial career. Shark Tank Blog reports that after closing Cerebral Success, Hiltbrand became involved in other businesses and later served as CEO of Project Solar, a direct-to-consumer solar business.
His career demonstrates an important distinction between the fate of a startup and the career of its founder. A company can cease operating while its founder takes the experience, skills, relationships, and lessons from that venture into another industry.
Cerebral Success gave Hiltbrand experience in direct-to-consumer sales, national television exposure, product branding, retail distribution, consumer marketing, investor relationships, and scaling a physical product. Those skills can transfer into businesses far removed from dietary supplements.
For Shark Tank viewers, this also explains why searching only for the founder may produce information about newer ventures rather than Cerebral Success. The founder’s later activities should not be interpreted as evidence that Cerebral Success itself remains operational.
Understand Barbara Corcoran’s Role in the Business
Barbara Corcoran played a major role in the Cerebral Success story because she was the Shark willing to make an offer when other investors expressed concerns. Hiltbrand originally requested $75,000 for 20%, while Corcoran ultimately offered $75,000 for 40%.
The relationship provided more than television drama. Shark Tank Blog reports that the deal closed and connects Corcoran’s involvement with the company’s expansion into GNC stores. Hiltbrand also appeared in a later Shark Tank update involving one of Corcoran’s entrepreneur gatherings.
This period illustrates the value of strategic investors. Consumer-product startups frequently need distribution relationships, publicity, retail knowledge, and introductions as much as they need capital. A nationally known investor can help create those opportunities.
At the same time, investor support cannot guarantee permanent success. Consumer preferences change, competition grows, retailers adjust product selections, and companies must continually justify their acquisition costs and operating expenses. Cerebral Success benefited from significant exposure and strategic assistance but eventually stopped operating.
Assess the Lasting Impact of Cerebral Success
Cerebral Success remains memorable primarily because its story combines the popularity of Shark Tank with the rapid growth of consumer interest in nootropics. It entered the public spotlight at a time when students and professionals were increasingly interested in supplements marketed around concentration, memory, productivity, and mental energy.
Its trajectory also provides a useful business case. The company moved from direct sales to national television, secured an investor, gained retail distribution, rebranded its flagship product, and remained visible for several years. Those achievements show that the business progressed considerably beyond its initial pitch.
However, visibility and distribution are only parts of sustainable growth. A supplement company must maintain consumer trust, regulatory and advertising compliance, repeat purchasing, profitable customer acquisition, reliable manufacturing, effective distribution, and clear differentiation. Weakness in several of these areas can make long-term operation difficult.
Cerebral Success therefore should not be remembered simply as a Shark Tank company that disappeared. Its history demonstrates both the opportunities and limitations of rapid exposure in a highly competitive consumer category.
Verify Information Before Buying Old Cerebral Success Products
Anyone searching for Cerebral Success because they want to purchase SmartX should verify the status of any listing carefully. Current evidence indicates that SmartX is off market, while Cerebral Success is widely reported to have stopped operating years ago.
A listing on a marketplace does not guarantee that the manufacturer has resumed production. It can represent old stock, a discontinued listing, a third-party reseller, or an outdated product page. Buyers should check the expiration date, seller information, packaging integrity, ingredient label, and other available product details.
Health claims also deserve careful consideration. Cerebral Success’s history itself demonstrates the difference between research involving individual ingredients and evidence involving a complete commercial formula. Consumers should avoid treating dietary supplements as substitutes for prescribed treatment or assuming that marketing claims establish clinical effectiveness.
For people with concerns about memory, concentration, attention, medications, or supplement interactions, advice from a qualified healthcare professional is more appropriate than relying on discontinued-product marketing.
Conclusion
So, is Cerebral Success still in business? The best-supported answer is no. Cerebral Success, founded by Trevor Hiltbrand and known for the SmartX cognitive supplement, is widely reported to have ended operations in 2019. Current supplement information also identifies SmartX as off market.
The company’s journey was nevertheless substantial. Hiltbrand brought Cerebral Success to Shark Tank, asked for $75,000 for 20% equity, and ultimately accepted Barbara Corcoran’s offer of $75,000 for 40%. The business later expanded into GNC stores and rebranded its supplement as SmartX. At the same time, questions about scientific substantiation became an important part of the company’s history.
Consumers may still encounter old SmartX pages or third-party references online, but those listings should not be confused with evidence that the original company remains active. Cerebral Success’s story ultimately illustrates how national exposure, investment, and retail distribution can create significant momentum while still not guaranteeing the long-term survival of a consumer supplement brand.
FAQ’s
No. The strongest available evidence indicates that Cerebral Success is no longer operating. Multiple Shark Tank tracking sources report that the company closed in 2019, and current supplement information lists SmartX as off market.
Cerebral Success is widely reported to have ceased operations in 2019, with Shark Tank Blog specifically reporting an October 2019 closure.
Yes. Trevor Hiltbrand initially requested $75,000 for 20% of Cerebral Success. Barbara Corcoran offered $75,000 for 40%, and Hiltbrand accepted the offer. Shark Tank Blog reports that the deal subsequently closed.
SmartX is no longer considered a normally marketed product. Current supplement information lists SmartX with Cognizin by Cerebral Success as off market. Old or third-party listings may still appear online.
Yes. After the Shark Tank deal, Cerebral Success expanded its distribution, and Shark Tank Blog reports that the product entered GNC stores across the United States. The company also rebranded its product as Smart X by Cerebral Success.
After Cerebral Success closed, Trevor Hiltbrand continued pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. Shark Tank Blog reports that he later became CEO of Project Solar, a direct-to-consumer solar business.
