At 12 years old, Alina Kravchenko emigrated with her mother and sister from Ukraine to the U.S. in hopes of a better life in America.
"None of us knew English," Kravchenko, now 35, said during Friday's episode of ABC's "Shark Tank." "[My mom] taught me that America is where dreams come true, so dream big."
That Kravchenko did – she dreamed of landing a deal with in the Tank with Sharks Kevin O'Leary and Lori Greiner. And on Friday's episode of "Shark Tank," she got one.
After hearing Kravchenko's pitch for SwipenSnap, a diaper cream applicator you can apply with one hand, O'Leary and Greiner agreed to give her a six-figure deal for half the business.
Kravchenko's journey to entrepreneur was not an easy one, she said.
While pregnant with her son, Kravchenko had to work three jobs to stay afloat. At the time, she put her dreams of becoming an entrepreneur aside to ensure she could provide for her son, she said.
But, after her son was born in 2009, Kravchenko, a single mom, came up with a business idea she had to pursue: the SwipenSnap.
Kravchenko recalled the tricky process of changing her baby — trying to keep him safe with one hand, while handling the diaper and applying "messy" ointment with the other, she said. So she decided to create the SwipenSnap applicator to make the task a bit easier.
"[It's] the first and only patented one-hand cream applicator," Kravchenko told the Sharks. "After attaching it onto your favorite diaper cream, simply pull the tube from the suction-cup lid, squeeze the desired amount of ointment and swipe it on your baby, all with one hand."
Kravchenko did not have the funds to hire a professional to write a patent for her SwipenSnap, so she wrote one herself, despite her lack of experience.
"I read 'Patent It Yourself,'" she said during the episode. "[I] put my baby down to bed, and while he was sleeping, read through it."
It took five and a half years for her to get her patent, but once she did, Kravchenko quit her job to focus on SwipenSnap and moved back home with her mom. She found an angel investor who helped her fund and manufacture her product.
Although the Sharks were impressed by Kravchenko's drive, they were concerned about her sales – in two and a half years on the market, SwipenSnap (which retails for $19) had generated $15,000 in sales.
O'Leary, Herjavec and Cuban opted out of a deal, but Kravchenko continued to fight for an investment.
"As a single mom, it's been difficult being alone and with very little connections and money," she said. "That's why I'm here."
After guest Shark and Kind founder Daniel Lubetzky made Kravchenko an offer, O'Leary changed his mind.
"I want to throw a wrench into this!" O'Leary said, adding that he wanted to go back in with Greiner.
"I want 25%. I want [Greiner] to have 25%. I want us to be 50/50 partners with you," O'Leary said. "I'm particularly interested in licensing this and working on that."
Greiner decided to join O'Leary's deal. They offered $120,000 for 50%, and Kravchenko accepted.
"I wanted both of you, so yes!" Kravchenko said.
It was not only a full-circle moment for Kravchenko, but also one for her mom, Svetlana.
"I grew up, and my kids grew up, in communism time. I knew about America. I was thinking about this dream for my kids, for my kids' opportunity. It's a very long road to come to this country," Svetlana said during the episode. "I'm so proud about Alina. It is a dream come true."
Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to "Shark Tank."
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