Dawn Myers, founder of Richualist, is revolutionizing the curly hair care market by creating a tool specifically designed to make styling, detangling, and conditioning textured hair faster and easier. She became inspired about eight years ago after watching a "Shark Tank" episode featuring a curly hair product and recognizing a lack of hardware solutions tailored for naturally curly hair. Myers’ innovation, called Mint, combines detangling, conditioning, styling, and product application in one device with warming technology and refillable pods, cutting styling time from over an hour to just seven to ten minutes.

Myers collaborated with Dow's materials science team, who had recently started a textured hair care unit, to develop and manufacture Mint. Despite facing significant challenges, including the difficulty of securing funding for hardware geared toward a niche market, she was able to raise over $1.4 million by selling her home and liquidating her retirement savings. Myers also highlighted the historical marginalization of textured hair in beauty technology and emphasized the need for bespoke solutions that recognize the unique structure of curls.

Myers’ journey was punctuated by a personal health battle when she was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer in 2022 just as her company was preparing to enter the market. She balanced treatment with business development, ultimately closing a funding round while undergoing chemotherapy. In 2023, Myers appeared on "Shark Tank," securing a deal with investors Mark Cuban and Emma Grede, which accelerated Richualist's launch and helped it reach Ulta’s online marketplace earlier in 2026.

Richualist’s success has earned it a spot among TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 200 companies and a platform at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt conference. Myers is eager to represent textured hair technology on a significant stage alongside leading innovations, hoping to continue expanding the company’s reach as its products gain momentum and approach sell-out status.