MisTeePRO handheld steaming tool with oil filled pods

Over 60% of the US population* and world do not have straight hair and the Association of Natural Hair Care professionals learned that the no. 1 problem stylists encounter is tangled, knotty hair.  

The scale of the problem in the black/hispanic/curly/coily hair community is huge because many are experiencing alopecia and hair loss (remember the slap on the Oscars?).  Curly/coily people get chemical hair relaxers because they want easier hair maintenance.

Note: Women who use chemical hair straighteners and relaxers may have a higher risk of uterine cancer, according to a new study from researchers at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study findings were published on October 17, 2022, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The MisTeePRO tool will help solve the problem by providing hair stylists and consumers with an easy way to handle knotty hair (thus, not pull hair out while detangling) which will address the hair loss problem by providing a way to easily maintain/detangle curly/coily hair thus avoiding the chemical hair relaxer option which has been found to cause cancer.   

Financially, it provides hair stylists and cosmetology students with a way to make money from the sale of the tool and oil pod subscription.  Using the MisTeePRO tool also encourages hair stylists to offer "healthy hair" services to showcase the tool to encourage customer tool purchases.  Currently, many stylists do not offer healthy hair services because the perception is, the service is not lucrative.  

*According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine

Note, steam and heat are not the same.  The MisTeePRO handheld steaming tool with “oil filled” pods, releases “oily steam” to detangle hair fast.  Innovative two ways: Pod/Packaging (Ex. Tide PODs) and Oily Steam delivery.

Curly/Coily hair suffers from dryness causing knots and tangles.  Steam hydrates; detangling formulation moisturizes.  The steam opens up the cuticle and allows for formulation penetration into the hair, enabling hair elasticity/elongation plus detangling ease.   

A third party, Multi-Innovation group conducted a domestic and international prior art search and no tool is similar to the MisTeePRO tool.  We filed a non-provisional patent and a PCT application.  

See video featuring the prototype.  https://youtu.be/WEwW7ccPuPE

There is serious inequality in hair styling tools. Its 2023, the Dysons and L'Oreals of the world do not sell a hair tool that maintains or detangles curly/coily hair.  For major manufacturers, the needs of curly/coily hair consumers are an afterthought, never an initial focus.  Because there is no tool to detangle curly/coily hair, hair stylists and consumers are pulling out a lot of hair when detangling or maintaining their hair.  

Over 60% of the USA and world do not have straight hair.  That equals millions of people which transcends ethnicity.  I have a Japanese friend who receives a relaxer.

Because curly/coily people do not have a tool to easily detangle/maintain their hair, they have to use other options like chemical relaxers that can cause cancer which is a direct result of being underserved.  

The solution will enable hair stylists and consumers to easily detangle and maintain hair thus avoiding harmful chemicals on their hair.  

As a curly girl, I had to detangle my hair everyday or it would dreadlock.  The only tools I had were my fingers, comb or detangling products. Detangling products caused product build-up; fingers and comb pulled out a great deal of hair. I am Black, have curly hair and need the MisTeePRO tool. 

My key strengths include my ears, eyes and relationships. I often hear: “I really do not know what to do with mine/son/daughter’s hair”.  Additionally, my former L'Oreal chemist who is Black and has curly/coily hair, has experience launching hair care products domestically and internationally.  

I have spoken with 20 stylists in Detroit, California, New York, Ohio, Chicago, DC, North Carolina and Atlanta (Founders Institute requirement).  As well as the Founder, Elaine Truesdale of the Association of Natural Hair Care Professionals.  I will continue to receive input from hair stylists in particular because the MisTeePRO tool will be professional grade.  

My references include:

•Cher’e Nichole, Salon Owner, Mayvenn recommended stylist

•Lisa Price, Carol’s Daughter (L’Oreal) Founder

•Tamekia Swint, Styles4Kidz Founder/Stylist

•Dr. Amber Evans, Former BASF employee, currently at Moroccan Oil

•Robin Groover, Hair Salon Owner, expert using steam on hair

•Tippi Shorter, Celebrity Hair Stylist, Mizani Global Artistic Director

•Krystal Daley, Salon Owner, Paul Mitchell instructor 

Lastly my team: I have attracted individuals and vendors that are very experienced in hardware/software and chemistry/haircare formulations.  They include a VP of engineering who sold one of his startups to Dell, a former L’Oreal chemist, the Product Realization Group (NPI and supply chain management) and a stylist advisory committee that includes Paul Mitchell instructions, celebrity stylists and an Emmy award nominee.  Lisa Price, Carol’s Daughter founder is also a reference. 

Currently the MisTeePRO handheld steaming tool prototype is in the hands of stylists to receive feedback.  The former L'Oreal chemist is conducting the following tests to determine claims: 

• Penetration and absorption of the oil or oil like ingredients 
• How the tool addresses frizz control 
• How the tool addresses tangles and knots in the hair 
• Is the tool effective as a next generation hot oil treatment 
• How the discharge enhances hydrophobicity which supports healthy hair.

See video below:  MisTeePRO Prototype

Per the World Bank, there are 7.8 billion people in the world as of 2021, 60%* of that number is 4.7 billion which is the number of people who have curly/coily hair.  The MisTeePRO solution will serve 4.7 billion people. 

*According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine

MisTee Wants To Know, Inc. will revolutionize how steam is used in hair care.  We want to offer a variety of innovative pod formulations and access to the Solve community will introduce us to chemists whose findings may make sense for curly/coily hair care. Also, we are concerned about sustainability and need advice on materials and how to handle pod recycling.  

The liquid solutions for maintaining/detangling curly/coily hair have not been revised since the 70s.  The curly/coily community is an afterthought which equals limited/no innovation = an example of racial inequality (not receiving the same resources and innovations that other hair types of European decent receive).   There are so many issue gaps that still need to be addressed in addition to detangling. 

Also desire access to knowledge related to selling in different international markets.  

A third party, Multi-Innovation group, conducted a domestic and international prior art search, there is no tool similar to the MisTeePRO tool.  We have filed a non-provisional patent and a PCT application.  

Because the MisTeePRO tool and the formulations will be innovative for the curly/coily hair consumer, advances will encourage other haircare companies to be intentional about launching innovative products for the curly/coily hair consumer too.  Better quality products will equal fewer products used which will equal less waste. 

Note, steam and heat are not the same.  The MisTeePRO handheld steaming tool with “oil filled” pods, releases “oily steam” to detangle hair fast.  Innovative three ways: Pod/Packaging (Ex. Tide PODs), Oily Steam delivery and pod formulations.

The broader market impact will be more curly/coily hair consumers with healthy hair.  Because the business model is B2B2C, we are selling to hair stylists, stylists are selling to consumers and stylists will make a commission.  Because of the financial incentive, more hair stylists will use the tool which provides a "healthy hair" service.  

Note, stylists feel money cannot be made from healthy hair services.  This leads to more people suffering from hair loss and getting alopecia.  Using the MisTeePRO tool will catalyze a broader positive impact by helping people avoid hair loss plus alopecia.  And, the tool enables greater hair care maintenance ease.  

Also, it will lead to less people needing chemical hair relaxers which cause cancer.  

It will grow the hair styling tools category from $5B to $27B considering how many people have curly/coily hair times the tool retail price: $125.  

In five years, I will sell to 6,610 hair stylists. Beyond using the MisTeePRO tool in the salon, each of our targeted 6,610 stylists will sell an estimated 8 MisTeePROs per month and we anticipate 60% of consumers will buy annual subscription (oil pods).  We will reach this number of stylists because of the relationship we have with Mayvenn that has access to 50,000 stylists.  

We will execute a social impact initiative that will transform lives by lowering the number of curly/coily consumers with hair loss and alopecia. It includes teaching how to make money with healthy hair services in cosmetology schools and offering in person and online classes to hair stylists.  ChatGPT says there are 1500 cosmetology schools which does not sound accurate.  We will partner with the Association of Cosmetology Schools to offer "how to monetize healthy hair services".  

We will see impact as chemical relaxer sales go down. Another indicator is the decline in the number of alopecia claims.  See info below.  

After applying some statistical adjustments, they found that claims submitted suggest that prevalence (the number existing cases) of alopecia had crept steadily upward between 2016 and 2019, from 0.199% in 2016 to 0.212% in 2017, to 0.219% in 2018 and to 0.222% in 2019. Their calculations also show prevalence is roughly 60% higher among females (0.252%-0.271%) than among males (0.145%-0.171%) and higher among adults (0.220%-0.245%) than among children (0.120%-0.135%).*

The rise in Trichology's popularity is another indicator that alopecia and hair loss episodes are growing. Seeing a decline in patient demand will also be an indicator of success.  

"Trichology is a field of dermatology that is currently experiencing a rise in the number of patients consulting, research and teaching.  With respect to research, the number of scientific publications related to trichology has almost doubled in the last decade: 1456 in 2011, compared with 2780 in 2021, according to PubMed data (Figure 1). **

*Source:  https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/amcp-2022-prevalence-of-alopecia-areata-is-increasing

**Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10107354/#:~:text=Trichology%20is%20a%20field%20of,patients%20consulting%2C%20research%20and%20teaching.

By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

- MisTee Wants To Know, Inc. is committed to an inclusive workplace that includes the disabled, veterans, new mothers, seniors, LGBTQ, felons etc. We will partner with organizations that work to employ felons.  Our goal is to strive for at least 20% of our workforce to come from these neglected social groups.  

Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.   

- MisTee Wants To Know, Inc. will partner with Dove and LinkedIn to support the Crown Act to help end race-based hair discrimination in the workplace.  Currently, 18 states have passed the CROWN laws.  Our goal is 35 by 2030.  Tennessee is the first state in the mid-south to pass the CROWN Act.  The goal is achievable.  

Background:  

Research presented at AMCP’s annual meeting suggests that the prevalence of alopecia areata is increasing among those with employer-sponsored health insurance. Markqayne Ray, Pharm.D., MBA, and colleagues used the IBM MarketScan database to identify claims related to alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder characterized by hair loss. The condition has become well known lately because of Will Smith’s slapping Chris Rock during the Oscars ceremony after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s buzzed hair. Jada Pinkett Smith cut her hair because she has alopecia.

After applying some statistical adjustments, they found that claims submitted suggest that prevalence (the number existing cases) of alopecia areata had crept steadily upward between 2016 and 2019, from 0.199% in 2016 to 0.212% in 2017, to 0.219% in 2018 and to 0.222% in 2019. Their calculations also show prevalence is roughly 60% higher among females (0.252%-0.271%) than among males (0.145%-0.171%) and higher among adults (0.220%-0.245%) than among children (0.120%-0.135%). Source:https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/amcp-2022-prevalence-of-alopecia-areata-is-increasing

Organization: MisTee Wants To Know, Inc.  

Activities:  

• Selling the MisTeePRO tool and the oil pod formulations 
• Training hair stylists and consumers how to use the tool and which oil pods to use for detangling and other issues
• Creating trainings for cosmetology students and hairstylists on how to make money providing healthy hair services.  
• Creating trainings for birth/adoptive/foster parents how to care for children with curly/coily hair
• Creating  "unconscious bias and hair" classes to non-Black parents with Black children. 
• Creating self-esteem classes that focus on hair.  

Output: 

• Tool/pod formulation shipments 
• Webinars/events/classes/IG discussions 
• Stylists and cosmetology students gain competency in healthy hair practices
• Stylists see the value materially and emotionally in offering healthy hair services.  
• Customers learn ways to keep their hair healthy and easily managed.
• Parents gain a deeper understanding about how hair is linked to self-esteem as well as learning healthy hair techniques.  

Outcome: 

• Improved self esteem among children and wearers of curly/coily hair
• More people wearing their hair curly/coily 
• More healthy hair - decline in alopecia and hair loss and chemical relaxers
• More income for hair stylists and influencers; increase in the number of returning and new customers. 
• A decline in the number of people needing trichology services.  

Phase one includes a tool that discharges "oily steam" from a pod that uses sensors for pod authentication and to monitor heating/temperature control and output. The different formulations in the pods will address a variety of hair and scalp related issues.  The steam is naturally occurring vs. pressurized.  

Phase two includes the tool, app and cloud, all communicating using over the air software (IoT).  Data-collection is important in this phase.

How are the MisTeePRO tool, app and cloud interrelated?

•The devices (phone and detangling tool) are interrelated through an App on the phone, receives communication from the tool that detangles hair.  A wireless communication option, Bluetooth LE, will collect the data from the tool.  

•Data such as oil type, oily steam discharge level etc. and any issues the tool is experiencing are transferred to the App. The App communicates the information to the cloud.  Issues are collected into the Over the Air            software in the cloud which allows the communication back to the tool to fix any tool issues. 

•The data such as the oil pod type, temperature, city etc. are communicated to the cloud and eventually downloaded into an excel spreadsheet.  

•Issues are collected into the Over the Air (OTA) software in the cloud which allows the communication back to the tool/firmware to fix tool issues or provide updates.     

•Each functional unit in the tool will be monitored using custom electronics to ensure ideal temperature control and tampering detection.  

We are currently testing the prototype which is using our oily formulation and discharging oily steam.  We know that the MisTeePRO tool, app and cloud interplay will work with over the air software because cars for example, use over the air software for maintenance and upgrades. 

See video featuring the first MisTeePRO prototype.  

The Founder/CEO and former L'Oreal chemist are African-American.  The Stylist Advisory Committee includes African-American and White stylists. My advisor is a Hispanic male. The IP vendor, Multi-Innovation Group, is founded by an Israeli.  

I strongly believe that diversity of backgrounds, thoughts, cultures is very important particularly for a brand that is revolutionizing how steam is used in hair care specifically for curly/coily people.  Over 60% of the world does not have straight hair.  My Japanese friend receives a relaxer.  I know people in China that have curly coily hair.  Saudi Arabian women started to wear their hair curly/coily because they could not visit the salon during Covid.  

Diversity also includes hiring felons, new mothers, veterans, the disabled and seniors.  

Because MisTee Wants to Know, Inc. transcends ethnicity, our C-suite, board, employees, advisors, vendors all, will transcend ethnicity too.  

Building the MisTeePRO tool for stylists and consumers with coily, curly hair.  Using Mayvenn's business model (B2B2C), we are selling to stylists, stylists are selling to consumers and stylists will make a commission.  The pods are sold using a subscription model like Dollar Shave Club.  We are selling to consumers via e-commerce by executing affiliate and influencer marketing programs.  

We have a LOI with Mayvenn who has access to 50,000 stylists.  We are also partnering with entities that have access to hair stylists like ShearShare.  The major focus of our GTM plan is affiliate marketing.  I have a Shopify affiliate marketing coach and will attend the Affiliate East conference to meet affiliates with lists of hair stylists.   

The tool will be professional grade and purchased by stylists and consumers for $125.  Deva Curl's very popular diffuser was $125 and purchased by both stylists and consumers. 

The Y1 tool price will be $125 increasing to $135 in Y5. We will offer two yearly subscription levels: $120/$235. 

Stylist are the core of our sales model. 6,610 stylists have revenue potential of $125 Million in year 5. We have a LOI with Mayvenn who has access to 50k stylists. Our target is definitely doable. 

There are white labeling opportunities too in beard care, horse/dog car and possibly remedies for skin challenges (eczema). 

How do I provide the MisTeePRO tool and pod formulations? 

Ecommerce, the tool will be sold on the MisTeePRO website and the websites of the 50,000 Mayvenn hair stylists.  Also, because Mayvenn is being sold in Walmarts in Texas, selling the MisTeePRO at retail is possible too.  

MisTeePRO tools and the pod subscriptions will be sold to hair stylists and consumers for a monetary price.  

We will become financially sustainable by first raising money through grants and angel investors.  So far, we have two angel investments totally $150K and 2 grants equaling $20 from P&G Beauty/WWD Media and DigitalUndivided.  

We anticipate raising the remainder to reach our goal of $600k by receiving more grants, acceptance into accelerators and angel investors.  

Once we reach the $600k and have a MVP, we will seek venture capital money, up to $3 million to ship the tool, hire employees etc.  Once we start shipping we will continue to seek grants, accelerators if it makes sense and consider debt.  

We will need to calculate the cost of investment to launch internationally.  This will require another round of VC financing.  

We have two angel investments totally $150K and 2 grants equaling $20k from P&G Beauty/WWD Media and DigitalUndivided.  

See article about MisTee Wants To Know, Inc.'s P&G Beauty/WWD Media win. https://wwd.com/business-news/...