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Alfonzo Dowe, Sr., an inventor, and former police officer, returns to Shark Tank with The Twister, a solution to dirty golf balls. Dowe has been an avid golfer for over two decades.
A little dirt on his ball caused him to miss a game-winning putt during a grudge match round of golf. That was Dowe’s final straw. His dream of developing a compact, lightweight ball cleaner became a reality.
Before landing on The Twister, he tested numerous ideas, including a device small enough to fit in a golf bag that eliminates the need for stationary ball-washing facilities.
What will the Sharks buy, Dowe’s ball cleaner or tastier bait?
What Is The Twister?
The Twister Golf Ball Cleaner is a handheld device that cleans golf balls quickly and conveniently between holes. It is the company’s only offering and attaches to a golf bag for easy access.
A die-hard golfer, Alfonzo Dowe was the inventor and former police officer who recognized the importance of immaculately cleaning golf balls for optimal performance.
They also last longer when they are clean. The majority of players bring a damp towel to clean down the balls. Alfonzo invented the Twister, a portable and lightweight golf ball cleaner, a more efficient and convenient method. The Twister can be easily tucked into golf bags and eliminates stationary ball wash stations.
| Company Name | The Twister |
| Entrepreneur | Alfonzo Dowe Sr. |
| Product | A device for cleaning golf balls |
| Investment Asking For | $85,000 For 40% equity in The Twister |
| Final Deal | No Deal |
| Shark | No Shark |
| Episode | Season 1, Episode 11 |
| Business Status | In Business |
| Website | The Twister Website |
Who Is The Founder Of The Twister?
Alfonzo Dowe is the founder of The Twister. This is his first foray into the corporate world. He recently retired from active duty as a police officer and is now focusing his efforts on marketing this product.
Dowe’s lack of business knowledge motivated him to seek assistance from the sharks. He cited the responsibilities of his daily work as the reason for his incapacity to advance the project on his own.
According to Dowe, The Twister was created due to a day on the links. This passionate golfer had a grudge against a friend when he had the opportunity to win the game.
When he examined the ball closer, he found a dirt pocket contributing to his loss. There was a need for golfers to have lightweight, portable ball-washing equipment they could carry with them, removing the necessity to use fixed facilities that may or may not be located on the course.
Alfonzo Dowe is a former police officer who has become an inventor through his lifelong passion for golf. Having played golf for more than 20 years, Dowe is familiar with the frustration associated with dusty golf balls.
A clump of dirt marred his game-winning shot during a grudge match, prompting him to sit down and figure out how to resolve this problem.
Dowe finally perfected the Twister after extensive trial and error. The Twister is convenient for golf equipment that quickly cleans up recently used golf balls.
The secret of this little mechanism lies in its water-tight chamber, which keeps cleaning solutions from spilling out.
When a golfer wants to clean one of his golf balls quickly, he simply pulls out The Twister and inserts the ball between the cleaning brushes. Cleaning the ball takes only a few shakes and twists after the gadget has been sealed.
The concept is simple and convenient, making it easier for average golfers to prevent mishaps like Dowe’s, but there was a problem. As Alfonzo Dowe did, most entrepreneurs do not have the financial resources to start a company independently.
The invention would need additional funding to gain traction. Dowe’s exposure from ABC and his appearance on Shark Tank allowed him to appeal to corporate multimillionaires.
How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of The Twister?
Alfonzo Dowe appeared on Shark Tank requesting an investment of $85,000 in exchange for a 40% stake in The Twister. Dowe begins by telling the sharks that having a clean golf ball is very important in golf.
Dowe claims that balls free of stains and residues will perform better than dirty ones and last longer.
Players usually bring a damp towel with them when they play golf, but that usually proves rather inconvenient, which is why Dowe came up with the idea of creating a very handy portable cleaner for golf balls.
Dowe creates a hypothetical scenario where he is playing a game of golf where the golf ball is getting dirty, and he cannot make a good shot. He explains that his product cleans the golf balls for you, and the result is that you can play a good golf game.
There are several handy products that you can use to clean golf balls easily. Getting The Twister out of and into your bag takes a few seconds.
Dowe took a miniature version of his product and screwed the top off. He inserts the golf ball into the chamber of the Twister and twists the lid slightly until it is clean.
After that, he twists the lid back and forth on the Twister, giving it a good shake. Dowe then twists the lid on the top half of the golf ball to get a good grip on it to clean it.
Dowe removes the cover the golf ball is in and twists it back and forth until it cleans itself, revealing that it looks new. Those sharks think people who clean golf balls are very clever.
Dowe provides insight into how his product has performed and discovers that he has only made a few thousand dollars in profit from selling them at flea markets and, occasionally, on his website.
Dowe also confesses that he isn’t much of a businessman but rather a police officer instead. He can do much with the law and justice system but lacks practical experience, so he needs a business partner.
The cost of making a twister is $6, and the cost of selling it is $19.99.
Herjavec admires the fact that this particular golfing accessory is robust and well made, which sets it apart from all of the silly golfing accessories he has encountered.
Kevin Harrington claims he has previously sold golf products, but only products that helped people score better.
Herjavec feels that the market that Dowe is trying to attract is not suited to golfers, but Dowe abruptly ends the conversation by explaining that it is an efficient product that helps golfers score more points.
There are around 68 million golfers worldwide, many of whom are the golfers’ relatives. Dowe thinks people who love golf would be able to purchase it for their loved ones as a gift.
Harrington adds that the sales of The Twister are seasonal and would most likely happen during the Christmas holidays. Dowe counters that there are many more occasions that his product would make a great gift.
Harrington still is not convinced that The Twister is a good investment in his business. He decides not to invest in the business.
Barbara Corcoran is the next guest to discuss why she is not a big fan of golf. However, she sees a lot of potential in The Twister and believes it could be used as a good corporate gift.
She sees a lot of potential in this product but does not decide to invest in it solely because she hates golf. Herjavec quickly jumps on the bandwagon and decides it is wrong to partner up with a Delaware police officer.
Kevin O’Leary invests his money into a company that makes great golfing accessories only to discover that the money will be used to purchase stock, which completely turns him off and forces him to pull out.
Daymond John is the only one who could save his company, but he also decides not to invest in it because he is unfamiliar with golfing products.
Dowe walks away empty-handed from the Shark Tank stage even though he was supposed to make a profit from selling the Twister.
Final Deal: No deal between The Twister and Sharks.
What Happened To The Twister After Shark Tank?
Alfonzo still managed to get his The Twister out there despite being unable to secure a deal with one of the sharks.
Dowe continues to sell The Twister directly to consumers via his website (http://www.thetwistercleaner.com/) and other significant marketing platforms such as Amazon and eBay.
The Shark Tank’s appearance increased sales of The Twister several months after the episode aired. Though his story is unlikely to be the most successful, Dowe maintains a comfortable position in his firm without fresh funding from an investor.
The Twister Shark Tank Update
Dowe could leverage the publicity into a tiny but regular sales stream despite failing to achieve traction with the Sharks. To date, his Twister is available directly through him and via various online retailers such as Amazon and eBay.
Even though it didn’t twist the Shark’s tails, The Twister has carved a niche in a crowded market and provides a solid game for officers and entrepreneurs alike.
The Twister is still in business and thriving after appearing on Shark Tank, generating $200,000 in annual sales.
The valuation of The Twister was $212,500 when it appeared on Shark Tank. The current net worth of The Twister is estimated to be $1 million.
