Flossing is a task everyone knows that is essential, but few really give it enough attention. But there are no more reasons to toss the floss now that we have Flaus, the first eco-friendly electric flosser. Founder, Samantha Coxe, recently pitched her company on Shark Tank and got a deal a deal with Candace Nelson. After the show, Flaus is worth $5 million.
Samantha’s Backstory
Flaus works with sonic vibrations and can use multiple speed levels like an electric toothbrush. You can charge it and change its dispensable head to apply a new one.
Sam made the product as convenient as possible because she understood the struggle of manual flossing. Before introducing her brainchild to the world, she never flossed. It fired back on her as she got 9 cavities filled.
Founding Flaus
After paying a huge dental bill, the New Yorker was set on improving her flossing habits. Sam believed she found a better way to take care of her teeth and co-founded the product alongside Ellie Hanson who left the business in 2023.
Coxe quit her stable job as a lawyer at a renowned firm once she made hundreds of prototypes and finalized the idea. Sam invested $80,000 of her own cash, and friends and family backed her with $2 million.
The aspiring entrepreneur also raised $345,000 on IndieGoGo, and hit the funding goal in just three hours. The DTC brand later closed a $2 million seed round led by Yeti Capital to bring the total funding to $4 million.
Unbeknownst to many of the startup’s top supporters, Coxe has been aiming to swim with the Sharks since the moment the launch. In the finale of season 15, she got her chance and secured a deal with Candace Nelson – receiving $250,000 for 8% equity. Prior to filming, the company had made $900,000 over the last 12 months.
Post Shark Tank
The episode aired in May 2024 and the startup should have done around $100,000 in sales within a week after the show. Typically, the first 48 hours after airing are the most manic. Coxe wasn’t fully prepared since she only found a few days beforehand that her pitch would feature on TV. It appears the deal with Cadance closed as she promoted the business on her Instagram account in November 2024.
$119 may seem pricey for a flosser kit, but the product is five times faster than traditional floss. Their starter bundle has an average of 4.6 stars from 411 reviews. Currently, they’re running discounts on GoFlaus.com and their Amazon store.
You can buy recyclable Flaus head refills for $19. Customers can save a couple of bucks if they subscribe to their service or purchase other sets. Attracting repeat orders for the refills will be crucial to succeed in the long term. Competition is slowly heating up as Slate now sells an electric flosser.
Flaus is taking calculated risks in terms of growth, trying to create new products for their customers while staying lean. Samantha plans to stick in the oral beauty niche and reach the 70% of Americans who don’t have a regular flossing schedule. According to LinkedIn, the business has 10 employees and is currently looking to recruit a Director of Marketing, a role that is paying $160,000 to $200,000 per year.
