Here's What Went Down With Pinch Me Therapy Dough After Shark Tank
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Do you ever feel the stress build up inside you to the point that you need to touch something to displace the tension? That's the problem Nancy Rothner aimed to solve with her company, Pinch Me Therapy Dough. Rothner is a clinical hypnotherapist who used her experience to create the stress-busting dough. The dough is designed to be played with and squeezed at the most stressful moments to encourage a more calm state of mind, similar to a stress ball. According to the brand's official website, the product is a little more sophisticated than that, as it's made into a very specific consistency that's been proven to effectively minimize feelings of stress, therefore reducing the risk of burnout.
Determined to make her business a success, Rothner turned to "Shark Tank" to scale her business and take things to the next level. "From the very first person who met me, I've heard it countless times, 'Oh, you ought to be on 'Shark Tank','" Rothner admitted to Delaware Business Times in 2021 before appearing on the ABC series. "I needed to do more before I felt ready to apply. But once COVID hit, I thought, 'Well, the timing is definitely right," she added. With how things went in the Tank for this entrepreneur, she wasn't wrong.
Pinch Me Therapy Dough's impressive sales numbers caught the Sharks' interest
Nancy Rothner took Pinch Me Therapy Dough in front of the Sharks during Season 12, Episode 16 of "Shark Tank," which aired in March 2021. Appearing in front of Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec, Rothner was looking to give away 7% of her business in exchange for $300,000. And it's safe to say her numbers impressed the Sharks. The entrepreneur revealed the product had sold $5.3 million worth of products since it began, with a view of making a further $1.2 million that year.
With numbers like that, it's no surprise that the Sharks were interested. Though Cuban and Greiner weren't willing to part with their money, both O'Leary and Herjavec were. They both offered Rothner the full amount she was looking for, however, they both wanted 25% equity in exchange — quite the upgrade from the 7% she was offering. That's when Rothner used her negotiation skills. She asked both Herjavec and O'Leary if they'd be willing to drop their offers closer to the 7%, but that didn't exactly go over well. Luckily for Rothner, John was also looking to invest and he offered the $300,000 for 20% of the company. With that offer on the table, Rothner managed to talk Herjavec down to a 20% equity stake, and the two shook hands on a deal.
Nancy Rothner was happy to get Robert Herjavec on board
Understandably, Nancy Rothner was clearly thrilled to have Robert Herjavec on board with Pinch Me Therapy Dough. After securing her deal, she admitted during her "Shark Tank" episode that it was the Solemates investor she was hoping would get onboard. "Before I walked in, Robert was the one I wanted to work with. I feel he's so worth it, so I'm thrilled to be working with him," she confessed.
It turns out that the show brought a whole new demographic of clients to her product, too. Rothner explained during an interview with ameridisability.com in 2023 that appearing on the show brought her product to the attention of many people with disabilities. Through her appearance, the dough was found to be useful for people with a range of different needs, including helping people experiencing the likes of ADHD, ASD, and chronic pain.
Pinch Me Therapy Dough is still in business today
For those looking to give Pinch Me Therapy Dough a go, you're in luck. As of March 2024, the company is very much still in business and has a big collection of items to try. Pinch Me Therapy Dough sells a wide range of products on its official website and is also available via Amazon.
On its site, the company now offers a vast array of different versions of its dough, with scents including citrus and melon. The business also offers doughs named after more specific needs, such as Relief and Peace. But it's not just all about the dough. In addition to the flagship product, Pinch Me Therapy Dough also sells a range of sprays designed to encourage a more stress-free lifestyle. The brand now sells mist sprays that offer a calming effect, as well as pillow sprays to aid successful sleep. But that's not all! The website also lists clip-on lockets and a book designed to be used alongside the products, titled "Stress Relief in a Pinch."
Pinch Me Therapy Dough isn't slowing down
We know that Pinch Me Therapy Dough has already launched a wide range of new products since appearing on "Shark Tank" in 2021, but it's not slowing down when it comes to innovation. In March, the company shared on Instagram that it had something brand new in the works, teasing a mystery new product was on the horizon. "Exciting News Alert! Introducing our latest creation from Pinch Me: ?????!" the company captioned the post alongside a beach umbrella emoji. "This new addition is designed to transport you to a tranquil getaway with its soothing scent and calming texture," the caption continued. But Pinch Me Therapy Dough fans will have to wait and see what the exciting new addition is.
It seems Nancy Rothner also has big plans to expand her career. According to LinkedIn, in addition to expanding Pinch Me Therapy Dough, Rothner also lists herself as being the owner of Coastal Hypnotherapy. This entrepreneur is determined to keep on helping others with her skill set. "I live, sleep, breathe the field of stress relief and just feel compelled to share what I know," she told Gift Shop Plus. "And what I know is that Pinch Me can be — and very often is — very effective. So I feel compelled to share that. The testimonials we've received from people just mean the world and show that it is doing what it's designed to do."