'Shark Tank' fans slam ABC of 'targeted pitch' as Richualist scores 2-sharks deal with Emma Grede and Kevin O'Leary
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dawn Myers designed Richualist to address a market need for Black women and other people of color with highly textured hair. On April 5, she attempted to court a group of celebrity investors on ABC's famed 'Shark Tank' show, but viewers believed this was a deliberately targeted pitch from the start.
Dawn stepped into the Tank and asked for $150 for 10%. Many Black females have long found it difficult and time-consuming to style their highly textured hair.
The Richualist's Mint hair solution makes the procedure easier, allowing more individuals to accept and enjoy their natural hair. When the inventor of The Mint by Richualist introduced the product and emphasized its merits to the sharks on ABC's 'Shark Tank' season 15, they wanted to strike a deal with one of them.
Dawn eventually got away with two Sharks with Emma Grede and Kevin O'Leary, despite viewers' doubts that this was an apparent set-up by the producers. On Reddit, fans argued, "100% this was pre-arranged with Emma & Mark. The Sharks play acting was super obvi. In the day we used to warm our hair products so this isn’t original but everything old is new again and could pick up steam by today’s consumers, esp with a free infomercials from ABC."
Another fan chimed in, ""I have a feeling you'll get an offer" or w.e Kevin said was a dead giveaway lol." One user sighed, "Another targeted pitch."
A fourth person agreed, "Definitely targeted." One user believed, "They’re not really targeted, they’re pre-arranged with or by the sharks. There’s zero chance Emma G hasn’t already been pitched hard by this for the last year. Coordinating a simulated appearance on shark tank is giving the business she already bought tens of millions worth of free advertising. Sharks all play their role of gushing praise, or if there’s pushback it’s some trivial or easily correctable topic or thing that’s not actually a problem. Every shark who goes out must heap praise as they decline because they’re scratching each other’s back."
Who is Dawn Myers?
Dawn, a Howard University School of Law graduate, had no idea that a 'Shark Tank' episode from 2017 would transform her whole life in only a few years. Dawn discovered that the Sleep Styler would not work on textured hair after seeing the episode in question.
This made her think about how Black women, who typically have textured hair, spend money on their hair. As a result, the concept for The Mint came to her as soon as she recognized she could fill a market need and supply women of all hues with a product that cured their hair problems.
In the midst of it all, Dawn began her job as a part-time Director of Programming for Startups Ignite and Black Girl Ventures. She accepted a position as Director, DC at The Vinetta Project in January 2020 and will serve there until January 2022.
She currently works as a part-time lecturer and adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University and Georgetown University, respectively. Returning to Dawn's motivation for The Mint by Richualist, the 'Shark Tank' episode fueled her ambition to improve the lives of Black women, prompting her to create her own business.
Dawn embraced her natural texture by chopping off her processed and damaged straightened hair while studying law, and she discovered that it changed her life. While she urged people to accept their natural textures, she also observed that many women with textured hair spent 3 hours or more straightening it.
So she founded The Mint Hair Products to cater to the demands of Black women and those with textured hair. Dawn was allegedly diagnosed with stage three colon cancer while on her business adventure, necessitating a variety of treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
But she was determined to make her idea a reality, so she sacrificed her house and retirement money.
How does The Mint by Richualist work?
The Mint by Richualist is an all-in-one styling gadget that detangles, treats, and styles textured hair in a single stroke, saving the user a significant amount of time. The device heats liquid hair products to 130–140 degrees Fahrenheit, increasing their advantages while minimizing waste.
Other advantages of the hairstyling product include its minuscule size, increased moisture retention, and reduced shrinkage. The Mint reduces women's time spent on hair care by half, making everyday living considerably easier and more convenient.
What is the cost of The Mint by Richualist?
If you want to invest in the product and see if The Mint hair product is worth the buzz, you can only get it from Richualist's official website. It is currently available for purchase at a reduced price of $298, down from $400.
Furthermore, to get the product to people, the firm has set a goal of raising $165,000. Dawn disclosed in April 2024 that Richualist, the parent firm, was in the process of gathering funds for The Mint.
Aside from appearing on 'Shark Tank,' the product has been able to use micro-influencers to promote its hairstyling product.
'Shark Tank' Season 15 airs on Fridays on ABC at 8 pm ET.
For those who missed the episode, it will be available on demand the following day and on Hulu. Additionally, viewers can explore past seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.