Oral care is important and should be given more attention on a daily basis. But now, you can also do it on the go with FunkkOFF! The compact device is a hybrid of a toothbrush and toothpaste. Joelle Flynn and Sonia Hounsell pitched their business on Shark Tank and got a deal with Robert Herjavec. Based on modest post-show growth, FunkkOFF! is worth an estimated $2.75 million.
The Women Who Built FunkkOFF!
Joelle Flynn and Sonia Hounsell hail from Dana Point, California and have been best friends since the 7th grade. Sonia has 25+ years experience in brand marketing experience and has worked at various Fortune 100 consumer packaged goods companies.
In 1994, Flynn earned a consumer economics degree from the University of Delaware. Joelle started her career in finance, working as a banker and a stockbroker at Bank of America.
Her entrepreneurial journey started in 1999 when she founded LeadersUnlimited, which was acquired by FinanceU.com. She worked at JSF Consulting for seven years before launching her second startup, Girls on the Run Orange County.
The Origin Story
In 2010, Joelle attended a wine-tasting event, where she always carried a toothbrush to remove wine stains from her teeth. It wasn’t convenient and when she got home, Joelle made a prototype.
When she finalized the product, she needed someone to help her launch it. So, she called Sonia, who has a track record of bringing new products to market. They created a Kickstarter and raised $34,045 from 215 backers to bring the product to life.
The two besties launched FunkkOFF! with their patented Teeth Refreshers at the Dana Point Wine Festival in 2021. The small, two-in-one product featured vegan tooth gel and could be reused up to 30 times.
Catching the Sharks’ Attention
Initially marketed to wine enthusiasts, the product quickly became an on-the-go oral care staple, a positioning that turned into the brand’s identity, alongside a string of industry awards. Joelle had applied to Shark Tank twice and been rejected both times. In 2022, Shark Tank producers found the company on social media and invited them to pitch.
All five sharks initially went out, citing the company’s low sales. But as the founders were walking off, Robert reconsidered, telling them his wife is always asking why he doesn’t invest in products she’d love, and offered $250,000 for 12% equity. Joelle and Sonia accepted on the spot.
FunkkOFF Shark Tank Update
After airing on the show, the founders experienced the classic “Shark Tank Effect” – selling out of inventory almost immediately and struggling to restock fast enough. In an interview with Darden Report Online, Sonia revealed the exposure opened up international opportunities, with interest from sports teams, coffee shops, wineries, and overseas distributors.
Whether the Herjavec deal actually closed remains publicly unconfirmed, the founders have never officially announced its completion, and Shark Tank deals routinely take 6–12 months to finalise (or fall apart in due diligence).
Today, the brand sells direct via FunkkOFF.com and Amazon, with retail distribution in 56 stores across 20 states, concentrated in New York and Washington DC, and including dental offices, med spas, and hotel gift shops. Pricing now starts from $16.49, and the line has expanded to include standalone toothpaste in peppermint and vanilla flavours for $9. The product is protected by 8 patents.
FunkkOFF! has also sharpened its brand positioning since the show, leaning into a “front teeth only” message, pitching itself as a confidence check rather than a full-mouth clean, the “hotter younger sister” of the toothbrush.
The fluoride-free formulation has also become a more prominent selling point. With each Teeth Refresher reusable up to 30 times, the company is banking on repeat orders to fuel its next phase of growth, with an estimated current valuation of $2.75 million.
References:
https://funkkoff.com/pages/store-locator
https://patch.com/california/lagunaniguel-danapoint/woman-owned-business-debuts-product-dana-point-wine-festival
