Greensboro entrepreneur Dr. Anika Goodwin Hilderbrand pitched her magnetic lash brand on season 12 of ABC’s hit TV show “Shark Tank.”
”Lashes are the new boobs,” Goodwin Hilderbrand shared with the Sharks. “Every woman wants a bigger, better pair.”
Goodwin Hilderbrand offered the Sharks a $75,000 investment opportunity in exchange for 5% of her company. She caught the attention of the Sharks, walking away with a $100,000 offer from fashion entrepreneur Kendra Scott.
“My parents would be so proud right now,” Goodwin Hilderbrand said in a heartfelt response after closing the deal.
Pitching a Magnetic Lash Brand on Shark Tank
Dr. Anika Goodwin Hilderbrand is the Founder of OpulenceMD Beauty. It’s a luxury beauty brand that specializes in an array of eyelash extension products.
After noticing a lack of safe, comfortable, and easy to apply lashes for the professional woman, Goodwin Hilderbrand created a solution. In 2019, OpulenceMD Beauty was born. The company officially launched in June 2020, according to the All Sharktank Products website. Her company immediately grabbed a piece of the beauty market, generating six-figure sales within a few months.
As a vision advocate and beauty enthusiast, Goodwin Hilderbrand wanted to show women that they didn’t have to sacrifice safety for the sake of beauty.
“As much as I love wearing lash extensions, I suck at putting them on correctly,” Goodwin Hilderbrand revealed during her Shark Tank presentation. “And worse, it bothers me that I’m using harmful chemicals like formaldehyde near my eyes.”
OpulenceMD Beauty focuses on magnetic eyelashes. The Siberian Minx lashes are cruelty- free and consumers don’t have to worry about toxic glue, latex, and parabens. Goodwin Hilderbrand informed the Sharks that the lashes are easy to apply. They are reusable for up to 40 uses and takes the trial and error out of the lash process.
“I did not create magnetic liner and lashes,” says Goodwin Hilderbrand. “What I did was build a better mousetrap. I created a lash that is weightless. You feel like there’s nothing there.”
The Woman Behind the Magnetic Lash Brand
The Sharks loved the concept of lighter, comfortable, and user-friendly lashes. But Goodwin Hildenbrand’s unique story and background were the most captivating bullet points.
She’s a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in eyelid care and procedures. The eye surgeon graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997. Then, she received her PhD from Medical University in South Carolina in 2001.
Goodwin Hildenbrand says that a portion of her profits will go to individuals who can not afford eye screening exams.
“I think you do have something different that what I’ve seen out there,” says Kendra Acott. “You have you…your expertise and knowledge of being a doctor. I would feel much better buying it knowing that an eye doctor is endorsing it and creating these products.”
Kendra Scott is an entrepreneur with over 2,000 women working for her. Scott’s background was the perfect match for the goals of OpulenceMD Beauty. The two negotiated a 100,000 investment in exchange for 20% ownership in the company.
