Mika Bertholdo has a bachelor’s in Science in the subject of Biology at UCSD, but she didn’t want to pursue a career in medicine.
After suffering from alopecia due to her pregnancies, Mika started using headbands, but the extremely tight designs were uncomfortable for her. As a last resort, she created her own headband by spending a few bucks on fabric, and that was where the idea of Ooakshell headbands was born.
What Do They Make?
Ooakshell, which stands for “one of a kind,” is a one-sized headband that fits everyone who wears it and is fully adjustable. They are hand-made and hand-dyed and can be styled in a number of ways. Mika makes both tie-dyed and hand-painted headbands that are sold out as soon as they are put on the website.
What Makes Them Unique?
Ooakshell headbands allow the person wearing them to adjust the tightness however they like. The signature rings created by the company allow you to adjust the headband according to your comfort.
Mika paints every unit of her headbands by hand, and that is how each of her designs is unique and different from the rest.
Ooakshell headbands are made from soft fabric and can be used in a variety of ways to cover up your hairlines – as a turban or to hold your hair away from your face.
Are They Still an Active Company?
Ooakshell is very active on its social media accounts. There are a lot of subscribers on YouTube, and the Facebook and Instagram account receives a lot of love from the customers. The website is actively running, and Mika posts regular videos and tutorials on how her headbands can be styled and used in different ways.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Mika Bertholdo entered Shark Tank seeking $150,000 for 10% equity in her company.
Mika demonstrated how her headbands allowed comfortable adjustment and told the Sharks that her designs were patent pending. She needed the help of one of the Sharks to crush this business, and that is why she was there on the show.
Her first full year of sales in 2019 was $12,000, and by 2020, the figure went up to $245,000, and from that year to date, she had made $386,000 through her headband sales.
She explained how she was handling every aspect of her business, from getting fabric cut for the headbands, dying it, selling, as well as packaging.
The Sharks were impressed by her profit margins and appreciated how Mika didn’t spend any dollars on the company’s marketing.
Mika told the Sharks that she mainly used social media to acquire customers for her business. Each one of her designs is unique, and that was the reason why they were sold at a large profit margin.
She needed the investment from one of the Sharks to help with the production of her headbands, as she already had her hands full due to the rapidly growing business. She had already made 10,000 units of her Ooakshell headbands by hand and sold them from her website or trading groups on Facebook.
The returning rate of her customers was 81%. Emma was really impressed by her sales target and profit margins and offered her $150K for 20% equity.
Emma said that she understood how the apparel business work and the direct-to-consumer approach for sales was good but not enough. She told Mika that she was completely avoiding the wholesale area that should be taken into consideration. Emma could help with that.
She also said that Mika should consider working and dying her headbands in a different location, rather than her house.
Mark was insistent that Mika should accept Emma’s offer, but Mika wanted to make a counter offer. She asked whether Emma would come down to 13% rather than 20% equity.
Emma rejected that offer and mentioned that Mika was still naïve and didn’t know what it takes to actually scale up a business. Mika needs to sell 50 to 60 thousand units of her product every month, and that requires a lot of work. She cannot hand-paint and package her products if she really wants to take them to the next level.
Emma stood firm on her offer, and after a moment of hesitation, Mika happily accepted her offer.
Mika left the Sharks with big smiles on their faces.
Our Review of Ooakshell
Ooakshell headbands are extremely comfortable and used for a variety of hairlines and hair problems. They can be styled in any way, and the unique designs are very well-loved by the customers. The fact that each design is different from the other is the main reason why her headbands are sold out so quickly.
There are a bunch of other small businesses that are selling hand-dyed or hand-painted headscarves and other accessories on Etsy and Amazon, but the designs Mika offers are the major stimulus for her advanced sales and returning customers rate.
Pros of Ooakshell
- Each design of the Ooakshell headbands is unique and different from the rest.
- The fabric used for the headbands is very soft.
- The headbands are comfortable and adjustable and can be used by adults as well as children and toddlers.
Cons of Ooakshell
- The designs are not available most of the time as they sell out as soon as they are put on the website.
- The headbands are generally expensive as compared to other options available on the market.
Who Is Ooakshell For?
Ooakshell headbands are perfect for those people who can get headaches from extremely fit and tight headbands. Ooakshell headbands can be used by people who suffer from hair loss or other hairline problems, as they are not tight enough to cause discomfort to the person wearing them.
Are There Any Alternatives?
● BLOM Original Tie-Dyed Headbands
Our Final Thoughts:
Mika was very enthusiastic about her business, but the reason that she was the only one working to build her company was the biggest challenge in the proper growth of Ooakshell.
As Emma said, she needed a lot of help and guidance and a team to run her business, as there is only a limit on what a single person can do. Emma will help her take her business to the next level with mass production and wholesale business.
