Mark Cuban on ‘Shark Tank’ burial startup Return Home: ‘You blew it’

In a way, Truman was right: Few people have a go-to funeral home, and not many can speak knowledgeably about the “human composting” industry.

Experts who study decomposition say the process — which is legal in seven states, and counting — is significantly more eco-friendly than most other post-death options. “My first reaction was: Why haven’t we done this before?” Jennifer DeBruyn, an environmental microbiology professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, told CNBC Make It in February.

A single cremation, the most popular post-death option in the U.S., produces more than 530 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, scientists estimate. “The way we are dying is killing us,” Truman said on the show. “The Earth needs an alternative now.”

But many clients at companies like Return Home are young, and may not die for a while: Truman’s first five clients were under age 35 when they signed up, he told Make It in February. Plus, the more states legalize human composting, the more strongly cultural headwinds — including some from religious groups — intensify against it, as Make It reported.

In other words, “brand grab” wasn’t enough of an argument for long-term financial viability to snare a “Shark Tank” investment offer — at least, not at such at an inflated valuation. Guest judge Daniel Lubetzky, for example, said he could only justify $40 million “if I closed my eyes and kept them shut with Krazy Glue.”

On the show, Truman expressed disappointment that the Sharks didn’t invest. Today, he stands by the $40 million valuation for two reasons, he tells Make It.

“First, our method isn’t just another drop in the death care industry ocean — it’s more like a tidal wave. We are the first major disposition method the funeral has seen since the civil war,” Truman says.

Second, he adds, “by setting our price where we did, we are asking every everyone: What’s the true worth of supporting a loved one in their toughest hour? Our stint on ‘Shark Tank’ was all about sparking this vital conversation. In today’s world, a higher price often turns heads and raises eyebrows.”

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank.”

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