What Happened To CurlMix After Shark Tank?

When Chicago-based entrepreneurs Tim and Kim Lewis appeared on Season 10 of "Shark Tank" in March 2019, they were confident in their blossoming hair brand, CurlMix. Launched in 2015, the unique natural haircare line was initially a subscription service that delivered hair ingredients for customers to mix. However, after bringing in $100,000 through this method in its first year, they decided to switch to already mixed products. 

By 2018, CurlMix began incorporating Flaxseed Gel for styling, which quickly became a hot ticket item, though this created a challenge in maintaining their stock. This is where "Shark Tank" was supposed to come in. The couple was after a $400,000 investment in exchange for 10% of their company. Though there were still concerns, the wealthy "Shark Tank" stars were happy to hear about the low production costs. Investor Kevin O'Leary wasn't confident about CurlMix's survival in the market, so he turned down the opportunity. Lori Greiner dropped out of the deal for similar reasons. 

Mark Cuban, meanwhile, simply wasn't well-versed enough in the haircare industry, so he decided against going into business with CurlMix. Guest Shark Alli Webb did express interest but ultimately passed, leaving only Robert Herjavec to make a $400,000 offer in exchange for 20% of CurlMix. Tim and Kim declined, leaving "Shark Tank" empty-handed by choice. However, their decision has paid off greatly for the company in the long run. 

Tim and Kim Lewis may have turned down a generous amount of funding on "Shark Tank," but the publicity attracted a wave of sales, jumping to $5 million in 2019 and increasing to $6 million by the time 2020 rolled around. It also didn't take the Lewises long to generate double what Robert Herjavec was offering for an investment. LinkedIn founder Jeff Weiner and Arlan Hamilton, the woman behind Backstage Capital, gave CurlMix a $1.2 million boost. Even better, the couple only had to forfeit 10% of their enterprise. The financial growth didn't stop there either. In 2021, the Lewises launched a Wefunder campaign, bringing in $5 million in two months alone from its supporters.

By the end of 2021, CurlMix had brought in over $13 million in sales. Much of this is thanks to the bestselling CurlMix Wash and Go System. This package includes the Wash and Go shampoo, condition, moisturizer, and gel. Each bottle is labeled with a number indicating which step is first. However, customers may buy each product individually, too. CurlMix's impressive sales can also be attributed to the company going back to its subscription-based roots. At checkout on its website, customers have the option to subscribe and receive their hair products every four, six, eight, or 12 weeks.

After a successful online run, CurlMix is headed to Ulta Beauty stores on Sept. 22, 2023. The company made the announcement on its official Instagram page, inviting followers to comment with which city they'd like to see CurlMix in. Additionally, they've launched an Amazon shop, which carries the same products as its website. CurlMix owners Tim and Kim Lewis' success has also been documented in several publications. 

In 2020, the couple was profiled by Forbes for its famed "30 Under 30" list. Their tremendous crowdfunding efforts were also highlighted by Black Enterprise, where the Lewises shared their goals for the future. "By the year 2024, we expect to have $40M in annual revenue. We plan to create 100 jobs and obtain a manufacturing facility in an underserved minority community right here in Chicago," Kim enthused. 

She continued, "We plan to build the first, publicly traded black-owned beauty conglomerate and hopefully be traded on the stock NYSE one day, like Procter & Gamble." It's easy to conclude that CurlMix is on track to accomplishing its long-term dreams based on the tremendous success they've experienced since their "Shark Tank" debut, making it one of the most successful products from the show.