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, the 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 and later became missionaries, 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 and DiPeri both attended Brigham Young University, where Walker 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 exchanged ideas with plans to collaborate sometime in the future. Back at 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 were rarely used for therapy. He called up Shaquille, who regularly experienced muscle pain from running.
In 2018, the pair designed a massage roller using specialized vibrations and 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
The post-show momentum was immediate. When they woke up the morning after the episode aired, they had sold out of the Meteor entirely and it took four months to restock and fulfill back orders.
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 timing was not without its challenges. The 2020 pandemic caused a 90% drop in sales. However, they recovered as demand for at-home therapy tools grew, and sales climbed back toward pre-pandemic levels.
Since then, MyoStorm has expanded its product range considerably. The Meteor now comes in regular, mini, and lite versions, retailing between $79 and $139. The Meteor 2.0 introduced a heat function upgrade and USB-C charging, and the company also launched the 3-in-1 Recovery Roller, priced at $69. Two Kickstarter campaigns for the Meteor Mini raised a combined total of $470,389.
All MyoStorm products are available on Amazon, Walmart, and their official website. The company employs around ten people and has built endorsement deals with pro athletes to grow its profile. Annual revenue reached $2.3 million by 2023, up from the earlier $1.8 million figure. MyoStorm is currently valued at around $5 million.
