Raquel Graham, the creator of Headlightz who scored a major deal on Shark Tank back in 2020, is reporting now generating millions of dollars in sales. When she appeared on the show, she ended up landing a deal with Kevin O’Leary and Peter Jones for $200K in exchange for 20% of her company plus a one-dollar per unit royalty until they recoup $600K.
That deal has paid off very well for all parties involved because, in 2021, she generated $1.7 million in revenue. She reportedly generated another $1.8 million in revenue in 2022.
Her company, Roq Innovation, produces Headlightz, a line of hats and headbands with removable and rechargeable LED lights that are perfect for outdoor running, walking the dog, and many practical and safety uses for hands-free lighting. In addition to appearing on Shark Tank, her products have been featured on Oprah’s O List twice, Oprah’s Favorite Things, Forbes, Good Morning America, and The Drew Barrymore Show. She has even sold out multiple times on HSN.
Raquel is no newbie to entrepreneurship. In fact, she has a very successful track record in marketing strategy, branding, partnerships and sponsorships, and event management.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she later moved to Chicago where she worked for Johnson Publishing Company (Ebony and Jet) as Vice President and a National Marketing Director for seven years. She earned her MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and holds a B.A. in History with an Associates degree in Economics from Wesleyan University.
Her products are currently being exclusively sold on Amazon via a page that profiles her company as one of their most successful Black-owned vendors.
