Naman Shrestha
How many times has the bar of soap slipped from your hand while showering? Well, with the introduction of SOR Soap in your lives, you no longer have to worry about the issue as it is a handle-barred soap that also comes with some other benefits. For instance, the products can be used to get relief from different kinds of aches and pains. The founders pitched their brand on the 20th episode of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ season 15, in hopes of getting one of the sharks on their side to help them build SOR Soap and make it a successful and profitable business.
SOR Soap: Who Are They And What Do They Do?
David Restiano, a Marist College graduate, grew up to be an athletic personality who played soccer and bagged a corporate job as a graphic artist. However, he always had a hunger and the characteristics of an entrepreneur, which came to life when he helped create a nightlife app that could be used to book parties at bars in the 2000s. Although it was quite successful in the beginning, David eventually found the long drives exhausting. Soon, the start-up was shut down. Still working as a graphic artist, he used to coach soccer at St. Rose High School in Belmar and even play soccer in adult soccer leagues.
In order to get relief from his mounting aches and pains, David started going to physical therapy sessions with Dr. Dan Staats. As the pandemic disrupted his daily activities, he started running to stay agile and fit but ended up developing a hip injury. When he went to see Dan again, he used a metal tool to scrape his skin, loosening the tightness around his muscles. In 2019, David realized that a hardier soap could give him a similar feeling while showering and came up with the idea for a soap-based soft tissue scraper with a handle in order to make it easier to grip. Soon, he contacted Dan to see if he would be up for developing the product he had in mind.
According to Dan, the idea of SOR Soap was quite interesting as it turned showers into therapeutic sessions, leading to improvement in muscle flexibility and easing joint pans. Since he had a medical background, Dan took over the development process of SOR Soap by buying a soap-making book and watching videos online. Until he was able to get to the right formula, he kept experimenting with essential oils and menthol. When Dan and David found a production plant to manufacture their unique soap bars, they tested the product and distributed it to physical therapists and athletes, only to receive a positive response.
For instance, Dan Staats gave 30 Jersey Mike’s employees a clinical trial and received only positive feedback about the product. They reported that SOR Soap improved their ability to perform tasks with more range of motion and much lesser pain. As the buzz around SOR Soap rose, the brand attracted several investors but they rejected many of the deals since they wanted to focus on helping people get the benefits of the product.
After its success, David talked about the brand with Happi, saying, “I had a good feeling this was going to take off. The timing was perfect during the pandemic. People were dying from this new scary disease (covid-19). Families were putting a focus on wellbeing and staying safe and fit. We created a lane for this type of approach coming out of a bad (situation).” Made from hand-molded acrylic resin and other natural ingredients like flower oil, citric acid, and Shea butter, the handle-barred soap might not be the cure for all physical discomfort, but it definitely improves the quality of life of athletes and others.
SOR Soap Update: Where Are They Now?
Even though SOR Soap products were selling at a slow rate in 2009, they have almost tripled each year, as per co-founder David Restiano. Nearly five years into existence, SOR Soap has managed to amass more than 80,000 followers on social media platforms, especially on TikTok. The two founders planned to capitalize on the “everything shower” phenomenon in order to sell their unique soap bars.
Since many users prefer using body wash these days, David and Dan are currently working on developing a body wash and meet the demands of the ones they haven’t reached yet. Still reportedly bootstrapped from the inception of the brand, SOR Soap provides a range of different products, including the SOR Soap, a soap-saving bag, a suction cup holder, and a pack of 6 soaps. You can purchase all these items from the official website of SOR Soap.
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