Simu and Manjit team up to back innovative kids' helmet company
Brampton company pitches helmets for Sikh kids and Manjit recalls tragic family motorcycle accident
Tina and Herpreet Jhajj live in Brampton, Ontario with their three active sons. She's an occupational therapist and has seen firsthand the damage that can happen to people not wearing proper headgear when participating in sports.
Like many Sikh families, their boys wear their hair tied in a top knot — a joora — secured by a small piece of cloth called a patka. It's an integral part of their religious faith, but it also makes it impossible for kids to fit into a regular sports helmet.
So they innovated a safety-certified multi-sports helmet, called Bold Helmets, for kids of Sikh faith. It has room at the top to comfortably fit their long hair and covering.
"When we are thinking about our kids, as parents, we would do whatever we could to protect them," says Tina, "but when your business is niche, getting the word out that you exist is often one of the challenges."
They decided to seek help from CBC's Dragons' Den.
"When you are a minority and you are looking for funding to build a brand that services a minority, you hear concerns about market size in Canada. However, many niche products have a global market," says Tina. The Sikh market here in Canada is about 300,000 young boys, but internationally that market grows to an astonishing 26 million, she adds.
They came to the Den asking for $250,000 for a 10 per cent share in their business.
Their pitch brought a tear to Manjit's eyes. "My grandfather passed away because he had an accident on a motorcycle. They thought he was fine, but he had internal bleeding. He passed away two days later," she reveals. "It happens to a lot of men who are not only riding motorcycles, but who don't have the options."
Simu also saw value in their innovation despite the challenges. "I think the power of being able to see something on a shelf that represents your needs. I think it's such an incredible feeling, especially, as children of immigrants who didn't always grow up feeling seen. So I admire what you have done," he says.
Together they offered the funds in exchange for 45 per cent of Bold Helmets, which the Jhajjs accepted.
"Manjit's personal connection to the story of why we started and also understanding our value proposition is another great reason to have her in our corner," says Tina, "I think they both understand and value the idea of representation for minorities and what it means to live between two cultures."
Ten years from now, they hope to offer a diverse range of helmets for sports like hockey and cricket to Sikh families around the globe.
Watch Dragons' Den on CBC Gem.
