Are you tired of dirty golf balls? You’re in luck, because now you have the Twister. Alfonzo Dowe made a comeback on Shark Tank with the Twister. Alfonzo is an inventor, a golfer and a retired police officer.
Once Alfonzo was playing a golf match when a dirty ball made him miss a match-winning putt. This misfortune compelled him to come up with a device that can clean dirty golf balls in no time. For Dowe, the missed putt made his dream of designing a golf cleaner turned into a reality.
Like any other game changing product, Alfonzo didn’t make the Twister in one night. He tried bunch of different ideas before he could get it right. This little gadget fits into your pocket, and eliminates the need for big and hefty ball cleaning devices.
What Is the Twister?
As discussed above, The Twister is a golf ball cleaning device. It is effective and convenient, and one can easily attach it to a golf bag. It not only cleans the ball, but also ensures immaculate performance on the golf course.
Furthermore, when balls are clean and free from dirt and grime, they tend to last longer. Because of being small and handy, it can easily be tucked into the golf bag, and eliminates the need of stationary golf cleaners. Moreover, it is the only product the manufacturer produces.
Who Founded The Twister?
We have already talked about Alfonzo Dowe, the person who invented The Twister. Being a retired policeman, and a golf enthusiast, Alfonzo had little or no business knowledge, and by inventing The Twister, he opened the doors of the corporate world upon himself. After leaving his job as a cop, he has focused all of his attention and abilities towards marketing his product.
The primary reason why Dowe showcased his product on the Shark Tank was to gain some business knowledge. When he appeared on the Shark Tank, he made it clear to them that the only reason why he couldn’t ensure business growth was due to his busy schedule. He spends all of his time working on his product, and that keeps him from experimenting with different growth activities.
As we have discussed, Dowe was compelled to design this product after he lost a game to a friend. After the game, he looked closely at the ball, and realized that the dirt and grime on the ball kept him from bagging a convincing win.
It was at that very moment that it dawned on him. He realized that for ages golfers had been struggling to keep their golf balls clean, but they were failing to do so. They needed a small and light ball washing device that they could carry with them to the field.
Before the Shark Tank
Dowe had been playing golf for two decades. He understands very well the frustration a golfer goes through. Moreover, because a dirty ball prevented him from winning a game, he knew he was onto something.
It took him a lot of trial and error before he could come up with this device. The twister gets rid of the dirt on recently used balls. Moreover, it is tight and compact, and keeps the cleaning solution from spilling out of the assembly.
Whenever a player needs to clean the ball, they insert the ball between the cleaning brushes. After sealing the device, it only takes a couple of shakes and twist, and your ball is good as new. This saves a golfer from the anger and the frustration that Alfonzo faced when he lost that game.
The major problem faced by most entrepreneurs is the lack of resources, as Alfonzo did when he decided to make a golf ball cleaning device. In order to make an invention succeed, a decent investment is needed. Alfonzo’s appearance on the shark tank gave him the financial potential to make it big.
At the Shark Tank Pitch
Dowe showed up on the Shark Tank, as he wanted an investment of $85000. In return, he was willing to offer a staggering 40% share of his firm. He asserted that golfers wanted a clean ball, as it helped them play better. He also showed them how the device worked. The Sharks were amazed to see a golf ball emerging from the Twister looking good as new.
Daymond John is one of the Judges at the Shark Tank. He saw the product and said that it was fantastic. Robert Herjavec asked if he had sold any Twisters. Dowe told him that he had sold hundreds of dollars’ worth of his product not only on his website, but also in flea markets.
He told the Sharks that making a single piece costs him $6, and he sells them for a little over $19. The Sharks asked why his product didn’t achieve better sales success. He told them that it was mainly because he wasn’t a businessman.
At the time, he hadn’t left his job as a police officer. When the was asked by Kevin O’Leary whether his product was available in stores or not, he told them he couldn’t do it because he didn’t have the time to do so, because of his full time job as a cop.
Sadly for Dowe, he failed to get any kind of investment from the Sharks. This is what happened.
- Kevin Harrington thought it was a seasoned product and backed out.
- Barbara Corcoran thought it was a promotional item, but more than that, she hates golf, and that is why she too backed out.
- Robert Herjavec wasn’t quite sure about whether or not this was the right product, and he backed out too.
- The product was declined by Kevin O’ Leary due to a lack of pre-orders.
- Daymond John was uninformed about the sport, and he too backed out.
After the Shark Tank
Despite being unable to strike a deal with the Sharks, Alfonzo still managed to sell his product. He not only sells his product through his website, but also through online platforms like eBay and Amazon. The appearance on the Shark Tank enabled the business to achieve an increase in sales. Despite not being a genuine success story, Alfonzo is still running the business at a steady pace.
Final Thoughts
Even though the Twister failed to impress the judges at the Shark Tank, and the best part is that it is still available online. Moreover, the Shark Tank episode allowed Dowe to generate a small but steady sales stream. Lastly, the Twister is still in business in 2022, and each year, it makes a total of $200,000.
