BRICK – Two local entrepreneurs, David Restiano and Dr. Daniel Staats, a physical therapist, made a splash on the April 12th episode of Shark Tank with their company SORx, which features a unique product called SORSOAP. The soap not only cleanses but also serves as a muscle pain relief tool, leading them to strike a deal during their appearance on the show.
Their literal hands-on presentation showcased the all-natural, essential oil-infused soap’s effectiveness and impressed the Sharks. While some Sharks saw SORx (pronounced sore) better suited as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) product and opted out for that reason, they were still sold on the product’s benefits for their own personal use.
That is, with one exception. Mark Cuban followed instructions to use the handle-shaped soap to scrape the sore areas of his neck. Cuban was impressed with the instantaneous relief he felt and made the two inventors an offer.
“It fixed my damn neck, right,” said Cuban. “You wanted a $100,000 for 10 (percent stake); I’ll give you a $100,000 for 20.”
While Restiano and Staats attempted to negotiate a middle ground to a 15 percent stake, Cuban remained firm, and they ultimately accepted his offer.
In a personal interview with Restiano, before the show aired, Restiano revealed that he and Staats landed on the show in an unconventional way. While Restiano said 40,000 people audition for Shark Tank each year, the show actually contacted him personally and asked if they wanted to be on the show.
“When I first received the email, it seemed a bit weird to me,” Restiano admitted. “I even questioned if it was real, and it turned out that it was.”
The two spent a couple of days last July filming the episode that appeared on television this month. Restiano remained tight-lipped about the behind-the-scenes intricacies, emphasizing the confidentiality clause. He also refrained from divulging whether any of the Sharks had expressed interest prior to the episode’s broadcast.
David Restiano, pictured a couple of weeks before Shark Tank released its episode where he and Dr. Dan Staats secured a deal. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Rising From Personal Pain
A Division I soccer player, Michael Restiano once dreamt of becoming a doctor. While on a scholarship at Marist College, the demanding course load led him to switch majors, landing him in the world of fine arts. This shift in focus proved pivotal, as it ultimately led Restiano to a successful 30-year career as a graphic designer for a Fortune 500 company.
Restiano’s athletic background remained a constant. In 2019, with men’s soccer leagues canceled because of COVID, he turned to long-distance running, experiencing overuse injuries. This is where his path crossed with physical therapist Staats, whom he refers to as Dr. Dan.
Staats, a former college football player herself, began by treating Restiano’s physical injuries. Their professional connection soon blossomed into a friendship and, eventually, a business partnership.
“After a physical therapy session where Dan used a metal tool to scrape my hip flexor, I went home and showered,” Restiano recounted. “In the shower, I noticed a bar of Irish Spring soap had a similar curved shape. On a whim, I decided to try scraping my hip flexor with the soap, and it actually felt effective. It seemed to mimic the same technique Dan had used.”
The soap’s limitations dampened Restiano’s initial enthusiasm for the Irish Spring trick. It proved slippery, difficult to hold, and lacked therapeutic properties. This is when the spark of invention struck. Restiano envisioned a tool replicating the shape of the therapist’s tool but with key improvements: a more secure grip, extended durability, and potentially incorporating natural, pain-relieving ingredients.
Believing he was onto something, Restiano delved deeper into the world of Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). His research led him to Dr. David Graston, a pioneer in the field and developer of the Graston Technique – a set of specialized tools used for scraping soft tissue.
“As I sifted through search results, I realized there was nothing like what I had envisioned in my mind,” said Restiano. “So, I started sketching the shape; I started sketching a logo with a trademark.”
Restiano then drafted a certified letter to himself and documented what he termed a “poor man’s patent.” He waited a couple of weeks to tell Dr. Dan about his idea and found the physical therapist immediately on board with starting a business.
SORSOAP contains responsibly and sustainably sourced coconut palm and natural purple coloring. It includes water, vegetable-derived glycerin, lavender, menthol, and chamomile essential oils, known for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Sodium bicarbonate was added later to enhance hardness, crucial for effective muscle scraping. The product is applied in the shower, increasing blood flow, aiding lymphatic drainage, and reducing inflammation. Users can target specific areas or use it for full-body treatment, mimicking clinical massage with the convenience of self-care. The privacy of one’s shower enhances the relaxation and therapeutic benefits after a tough day.
Pictures of the Ocean County duo who scored the deal on Shark Tank. (Photo courtesy David Restiano)
Meanwhile, Staats decided to study the effectiveness of the soap with the help of Gustave Gallinot, another physical therapist. Their findings were published in 2022 by a peer-reviewed journal named Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine.
After evaluating a group of 31 Jersey Mike deli workers for one month, the study appeared to show that SORxSOAP showed promise in improving hand and wrist strength and flexibility for deli meat slicers. This could not only help them recover from repetitive strain injuries but also prevent them entirely.
SORx has already seen success in the local wholesale market with occupational therapists, physical therapists, gyms, stretch therapy groups, and chiropractic offices. Plans are in progress to enter the retail space as a number of people have expressed interest in purchasing the product in big box store.
“I’ve always thought this was basically going to target athletes,” Restiano said. “We’ve got a huge community of people who suffer from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I’m glad that we’ve come across something that helps them.”
Restiano became visibly emotional as he explained the reasons that developing this product went beyond a simple business venture.
SORx soap is not just any soap – it’s also a muscle pain relief tool. (Photo courtesy David Restiano)
“My mother passed away from Alzheimer’s at a very young age,” he shared. “She always taught me that the golden rule is not to treat people the way they treat you. It’s to treat people the way you want to be treated.”
SORx maintains a consistent social media presence on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook. More information about the company can be found on the company’s website at sorsoap.com.
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