Here's What Went Down With Laid Brand Pheromone Infused Hair Care After Shark Tank
"Shark Tank" fans, cast your mind back to May 2017 and you may remember a company called Laid Brand being pitched to the Sharks during the Season 8 finale. The hair brand was brought onto the show by its co-founders, Adam Rauch and Derek Shaw. They decided to start the company after their fellow co-founder, celebrity hairstylist David L. Hensley, noticed a gap in the market. "[He] wanted to create a brand that conveyed and delivered the lifestyle of passion, artistic expression, creativity and confidence," Raunch and Shaw explained to Mazur Group back in 2014.
The trio started the company not just to sell hair products, but to create a lifestyle for its customers. "Quite simply, we describe the lifestyle as where the model meets rock star, and where the athlete meets artists," Raunch and Derek Shaw shared. The unique selling point here? The products were infused with what they described as "Pherottraction technology." That means they're infused with none other than pheromones.
With that ethos in mind, Rauch and Shaw set about raising funds for Laid, which resulted in them heading on the ABC show to look for an investment. But things didn't exactly go to plan for this bold haircare brand.
Laid Brand's appearance on Shark Tank didn't exactly go well
Adam Rauch and Derek Shaw presented Laid Brand on "Shark Tank", looking for $30,000 in exchange for 30% of their business. The duo explained how their products were designed to hydrate and protect the hair, noting that the infusion of pheromones had been found to increase confidence in their clients and make hair color more vibrant. They explained that each of their products mixed together six pheromones, designed to inspire a physical attraction in others.
Despite the unique idea, the pitch didn't go too well. Shark Robert Herjavec admitted he didn't like the tongue-in-cheek name of the business, and when the two admitted they'd done a three-year test and hadn't sold any products yet, things only got worse. Herjavec was the first to drop out of a potential deal after making it clear from the start he was no fan of the company's image. Kevin O'Leary and Lori Greiner also turned down the opportunity to invest, as did Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran. That meant all the Sharks were out, with no investment for Laid Brand.
After Shark Tank, Laid Brand kept on selling
Failing to secure a deal in the tank didn't stop Laid Brand's co-founders from trying to make the business a success. Writing on the company's official Instagram after the episode aired, the company thanked its customers for their support and made it clear there were no hard feelings towards the Sharks. "What a blessing being featured on ['Shark Tank'] was! We are so humbled and appreciative for the opportunity as well as all of the feedback we have received. This is only the beginning for [Laid]," they shared.
The company continued selling its signature products, which included the Fill Me Up volumizing spray, Rockin' hair oil called Rockin', and its Straight 2 Kinky detangling spray, via various platforms. The company sold on its own website, as well as listing its products on the likes of Touch of Modern and Amazon. The brand was also sold in various salons across the U.S., proving that the entrepreneurs weren't going to get a little thing like not getting an investment on "Shark Tank" slow them down. But, unfortunately, without a cash injection from the Sharks, Laid Brand didn't last too long.
Laid Brand went out of business in 2018
Laid Brand, unfortunately, didn't continue selling for long in the wake of its appearance on the ABC show. The brand, which was once very active on social media, stopped posting on its Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages in 2018. Around the same time, its official website, laidbrand.com, stopped operating. As for the company's Amazon page? That's gone as well. Derek Shaw's LinkedIn confirms he ended his time with the company back in December 2018.
It seems like the end of Laid may have come somewhat abruptly, though, as it didn't say goodbye on social media and was still promoting products until the very end. Its now final Instagram post, shared in November 2018, shows the brand's Straight 2 Kinky spray being used on a client. The brand also launched its own app, titled Rocker Stylist, which is equally no longer available to download.
Laid Brand's co-founders have moved on from the brand
Following the demise of Laid Brand, its founders still went on to find success. According to Derek Shaw's LinkedIn, he's gone on to have a few jobs in the business world since leaving the company behind. Amongst them? COO at Sports 1 Marketing and consultant at American International Industries. Shaw also went on to found another business, as he started Green Lyzard Consulting in 2019.
It's not so clear what Adam Raunch has been up to since Laid Brand ended, but as for David L. Hensley, he still lists himself as a hairstylist at the now-defunct company on LinkedIn. He's still working with his passion, hair, and works out of a loft in Tampa, Florida. Hensley often shares updates with his clients on Instagram, and revealed in August 2023 that he's teamed up with a new company, Titan Medical Centre. "I'm Very PROUD to be considered part of the TITAN FAMILY!!! and that Loyalty runs deeper than their amazing custom therapies that run through my Veins!" he wrote on the social media site.