When Angela Green created TheBraidReleaser in 1992 it was solely to address a personal need. Her daughters wore braids all the time, and she struggled with taking their braids down without breakage, tangles, and damage. So she created a tool that allowed her to do just that, and dreamed of one day making it available to everyone.
Fast forward to today, and Green’s daughter Saraa is making the dream a reality. She originally redeveloped her mother’s prototype for a required business proposal when she was receiving her MBA. That was when she realized that it was a tool that needed to make it to the hair care market. With help from Arielle Loren and the 100K Incubator she was able to take the business to the next level.
“Our company’s mission is to conquer the world one braid at a time,” said Green. “We hope to change the way women of color approach unbraiding their hair. We should no longer be used to stressing, losing hair, or losing time when taking down braids.”
If you’ve ever struggled with a rat-tail comb then you’ll appreciate the smart innovation behind this easy-to-use tool that’s made for all hair types, and works on faux hair and locs. It glides through braids without tangling, allowing you to avoid that breakage that can come with taking out protective styles too roughly, or in a hurry.
In an era when the time-consuming process of taking down braids can affect your coins, a tool that cuts down that time significantly is key. So the Greens creation is rooted in hair care, but it’s protects your pockets along with your strands.
And now, she is giving the community the opportunity to be a part of the company’s growth and development through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. Through the campaign consumers can pre-order TheBraidReleaser, learn about the history behind the product and help the company raise funds which will help make the tool available for sale on thebraidsreleaser.com.
“I want to bring this product to the next level to be a voice for my mother and the numerous other women who have ideas that they never pursue,” Green finished. “We have so many ideas and often fear sharing or pursuing them because we may not get the support we need. Well, the time is now! I’m motivated every day by seeing women like Jesseca Dupart [of Kaleidoscope] and Courtney Adeleye [of The Mane Choice] who grew their small businesses into multi-million dollar enterprises. If they did it I know I can do it.”
The company’s goal is to raise $45,000 total in order to make the tool available for sale by May 2020. Go to Kickstarter to check out TheBraidReleaser campaign.