There is no shortage of hair products on the market, but there aren’t many for those with textured hair. Founded by Monique Little, You Go Natural (YGN) caters to this niche market and also sells headbands, turbans, and head wraps. They appeared on season 14 of Shark Tank and scored a deal with Mark Cuban. As of 2023, You Go Natural is worth an estimated $6 million.
Monique Little’s Background
Monique Little is a New Jersey native based in Dallas, Texas. Little attended Rutgers University and got a bachelor’s degree in business and managerial economics. After college, she jumped into entrepreneurship and due to her success, she featured on Forbes’ “Next 1000 list” in 2021.
The Birth of You Go Natural
Not long after college, Monique also became a mother. During this time, she soon realized that busy women with curly and kinky hair don’t have much time for haircare. In addition, traditional head wraps can be a hassle to wear.
Monique wanted to make things easier and enlisted the help of her mother to sew easy-to-wear head wraps. They were satin-lined and pre-tied, making them suitable for women looking to save time without sacrificing comfort.
The business launched in September 2016 and ended the year with $100,000 in sales. You Go Natural achieved tremendous success early despite operating from her mother’s living room. The company opened up a production facility with 7,500 square feet, enough room to fulfill customer orders and scale operations.
Getting on Shark Tank
In 2020, YGN made an impressive $2.2 million and wasn’t showing signs of slowing down. The founder revealed the pandemic limited people’s hair solutions and they opted for a simple choice. The rise orders also meant hiring more staff.
The following year, they expanded their facility and needed more capital. Monique raised a $2 million funding led by Brand Foundry Venture Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Capital Factory.
In early 2022, she applied to appear on Shark Tank and got through the show’s lengthy screening process. Monique appeared on Shark Tank with her brother David Dundas, the COO. Dundas also runs an influencer marketing agency called HelloConvo. The brand had $15 million lifetime sales which surprised the Sharks.
After Shark Tank
The episode aired in May 2023 and You Go Natural received a mixed reaction from fans online. Some viewers labeled it ‘unflattering’ and ‘cartoonish’. A little less than four million people watched the episode live and millions more through syndication.
Currently, there’s no evidence to suggest the deal with Mark Cuban has closed yet. Potentially it’s because the royalty aspect of the deal would take too much money out of the company. Based on the run rate, Mark would get his money back in six months!
To check out their products, visit YouGoNatural.com. Apart from head wraps, they sell swim turbans, headbands, t-shirt buns, and more. There are also items for men, like open turbans and premium durags. You Go Natural is still thriving and has a team of 50 sewing machine operators to keep up with demand.
Unlike some businesses that have appeared on the show, their website is very slick and they understand how to market to their target audience. Right now, You Go Natural is valued at $6 million, annual revenue is forecasted to reach $10 million and they should become profitable this year.
