South Middlesex Times

A Rutgers physical therapy graduate, Daniel Staats, and his partner David Restiano have successfully secured a $100,000 investment offer from billionaire Mark Cuban on the TV show Shark Tank for their therapeutic soap massage bar, SorSoap.

Staats shared, “It’s been a crazy few weeks,” as they navigated the excitement of the show and the surge in demand following the airing. Staats, a 2004 graduate of the Rutgers School of Health Professions Doctor of Physical Therapy program, revealed that the idea for the soap bar came from a physical therapy session with Restiano. Staats mentioned, “He thought, this is similar to what Dr. Dan was doing. When he called me, I said that’s great.”

The pair had to keep the news of their successful pitch a secret until the show aired, during which time they prepared for the increased demand. Staats noted that their total sales have doubled since the show's broadcast.

Staats also conducted a study on the soap's effectiveness, which led to an article published in a peer-reviewed journal. He mentioned that the Shark Tank producers were impressed by the scientific validation of their product.

Despite facing initial rejections from four investors on Shark Tank, Mark Cuban was won over by the SorSoap after using it during the pitch to massage his sore neck. Cuban expressed, “My neck has been killing me. It fixed my damn neck. That’s the reason I’m giving you an offer.”

Nancy Kirsch, the Chair of the physical therapy department at Rutgers, expressed pride in seeing Staats on Shark Tank, highlighting his entrepreneurial spirit that was evident even during his time as a student. She mentioned, “It filled me with tremendous pride to watch a colleague and graduate of the Rutgers DPT program in the national spotlight speak so proudly of being a physical therapist.”

Looking ahead, Staats and Restiano plan to use the investment to offset production costs and potentially create a branded line for the Dallas Mavericks and other sports franchises. Staats reflected on the journey, acknowledging the challenges they faced but expressing gratitude for their success. Staats shared, “We had our ups and downs. We put a lot of money in the company and at times wondered when will we see a return on this? But my partner is the most optimistic person you’ve ever met. So if I shared a shadow of a doubt that this would not work, he’d squash it in two seconds. Right now, it’s paying off, so all is good.”