Muscle pain will get to you in one way or another, especially if you’re an active person. There are many tools to help with this, but MyoStorm’s massage ball, Meteor, stands out by combining heat and vibration therapy. It was created by runner Shaquille Walker and engineer Jono DiPeri. After the show, MyoStorm is worth an estimated $5 million.
The Founders
Jonothan “Jono” DiPeri and Shaquille Walker are both from Provo, Utah. In high school, the two met as members of the Mormon Church. They then became missionaries and were assigned to Manchester, England.
Walker clinched the Georgia High School Association AAAA track and field 800-meter title in 2010 and 2011. At one point, he became the world record holder for the 800-meter dash.
He, along with DiPeri, attended Brigham Young University, where he continued as a student-athlete. Jono focused on studying mechanical engineering, and earned his bachelor’s degree in 2018.
Founding MyoStorm
While doing missionary work in England, the two young men exchanged ideas with plans to collaborate sometime in the future. In college, Jono’s research involved studying the impact of vibrations on the body.
He discovered that certain frequencies offered more benefits for muscle injuries than others. Jono also realized that these frequencies weren’t much used for therapy. So, he called up Shaquille, who often experienced muscle pain from running.
In 2018, the two designed a massage roller that used specialized vibrations as well as heat to speed up healing. They called it the MyoStorm Meteor. The duo launched a Kickstarter campaign, hoping to raise $20,000, but ended up raising $70,000. After that, they sold 900 units.
Shark Tank Pitch
In 2019, Shaquille Walker and Jono DiPeri pitched their invention on Shark Tank during its eleventh season. They were accompanied by their professor, Jared Ward, an Olympian marathon runner. The three offered 10% of MyoStorm for $150,000.
They gave each Shark a massage ball, and they all loved it. However, the investors were concerned that the product was too expensive. Still, they knew that this was something that could be resolved later. A bidding war soon started.
Mark Cuban started by offering $250,000 for 20%. Kevin O’Leary and guest Shark Matt Harrington then made their moves. Lori Greiner proposed $150,000 for 5% and $1 royalty, but wanted the price reduced. The entrepreneurs agreed, and the deal was struck.
Update After Shark Tank
After making her investment, Lori Greiner got what she asked for. MyoStorm Meteor was listed at $99 each instead of the original price of $149. This led to a massive surge in sales, as products under $100 tend to sell better.
The company also expanded by introducing a new product, the Meteor 2.0. It features a heart function and USB-C charging. All MyoStorm massage products are available to buy on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and their official website.
Shaquille and Jono attracted more publicity to their startup by making endorsement deals with pro athletes. MyoStorm is continually growing and is making about $1.8 million in annual revenue. MyoStorm is currently worth around $5 million.
