I want to tell you a story about Michael Ziadeh, CEO of Ezebrush. I have been working with Michael for 1.5 years advising as he developed his product. He is an inventor and a salesman for a big copier company. He would sell and service the machines and had a great love for gears and mechanisms. He encountered a nagging problem as a salesman who wanted to brush his teeth before his sales calls. He recounts, “I hated having to carry my toothbrush and toothpaste in a baggy, it was messy and the public bathrooms were a rather unsanitary place to brush”. He began working on his prototypes 3 years ago. Initially, the design for a toothbrush and

Michael Ziadeh, CEO

toothpaste all contained in a single device seemed impossible. He tried hundreds of designs and finally came up with one. The initial design was a retracting toothbrush that when extended, would automatically apply the toothpaste onto the bristles. The toothpaste was to be refilled through the nozzle tip. I looked at it and thought, Michael, the toothpaste should be in a reloadable cartridge. He agreed and more designing ensued.

Designing the EzeBrush

Perseverance is the key.

He used several designers but they did not understand the complex gear mechanism as well as he did. Each failed to create the new design properly. Michael joined an incubator in Dublin California called i-Gate Innovation Hub and Robot Garden had CAD and 3-D printing available. He proceeded to design the new version with numerous long days and printed designs. He added a toothbrush head that was removable to decrease waste, air vents in the cap to allow for escape of moisture, a 180 degree rotation of the toothbrush head when extended to allow for an unobstructed use of the brush. I commend Michael for his devotion and perseverance. So far after presenting to several angel investment groups, there are no takers.

Focus on Patents.

What happens to EzeBrush claims?

It was a first concern to focus on the patents of the device and we selected Jim Heslin with Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich and Rossati (WSGR). Jim was amazing and wonderful, he is a consummate perfectionist and gem of a person. Michael submitted his patents for USA and Asia coverage in March 2013. I had not heard anything about the patents until yesterday. Michael had not told me that 15 of the 16 claims had been denied by the patent office. He said that he cried of 3 days and went into seclusion for several weeks, very depressed. He said that he prayed to God and meditated for guidance. He set his sites on preparing the rebuttal on the denied claims, doing research and showing how his claims were unique and not encompassed in any previous designs. He met with Jim and they prepared the rebuttal and submitted it. Yesterday, Michael received notice that his patent will be accepted and issued.

What is the big deal?

“…toothpaste loyalty is huge”

You may ask, what is the big deal about a new toothbrush? Well let me tell you that the competition for toothpaste loyalty is huge!* In the United States alone $1.5 Billion is spent on toothpaste. America’s favorite toothpaste comes down to either Colgate, which is made by Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) , or Crest made by Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ). The competition is not just for toothpaste but brand loyalty. According to Motley Fool, “As New York-based research firm Brand Keys has discovered, brand loyalty, or how attached consumers become to a brand on an emotional level, can play a key role in determining future sales.” The story about Spinbrush tells it the best. Spinbrush** was invented by two Cleveland toy inventors behind Dr. John’s Spinbrush with a $1.5 million investment went on to be sold to #2 toothpaste manufacturer P&G for $475 million.

Now Michael is getting his team ready for a Kickstarter Campaign to begin in early 2015. You can be part of this new stellar company that aims to be the next Google of dental hygiene.

Join the Kickstarter pre-launch team.

See Brochure

References:

* http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/09/12/colgate-or-crest-can-you-guess-which-is-americas-f.aspx<http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/09/12/colgate-or-crest-can-you-guess-which-is-americas-f.aspx>

** http://adage.com/article/news/spinbrush-cost-p-g-a-hefty-475-million/52204/ <http://adage.com/article/news/spinbrush-cost-p-g-a-hefty-475-million/52204/>

Ezebrush a Triumph of Perseverance