IRVINE, Calif. — Dr. Paris Sabo, owner of Dr. Brite, a natural oral care manufacturer based in Irvine, California that creates consumer products, has won the 2017 Tory Burch Foundation Pitch Competition. The annual competition, in only its second year, attracted over 800 women entrepreneurs who competed to be chosen as one of ten 2017 Tory Burch Foundation Fellows. Last week, each of the ten Fellows participated in three days of intensive coaching held in the heart of New York City with fashion designer and businesswoman Tory Burch, as well as, executives from her fashion brand and the team of her namesake foundation created in 2009. The week concluded with each Fellow pitching their products and companies to a who’s who of judges comprised of business investors.
Sabo won the Pitch Competition after sharing her story as a mom and, now former, cancer surgeon who started Dr. Brite to ensure effective products free of harsh chemicals could be affordable. She ended her presentation by swallowing a cup of mouthwash formula that she created with her business partner and sister, Pooneh Ramezani, DDS. The mouthwash is made entirely of food-grade ingredients, with over 95 percent being organic certified. While swallowing is not the recommended use for Dr. Brite’s mouthwash and toothpaste, studies have found that both are safe to ingest. Recently, the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Cosmetic Database awarded Dr. Brite’s Whitening Toothpaste and Cleansing Mouthwash with an EWG VERIFIED seal. The coveted EWG VERIFIED seal, from this large Washington DC non-profit, is earned only after detailed analysis confirms the product is safe and free of all toxins.
As the winner of the 2017 Tory Burch Foundation Pitch Competition, Sabo won a $100,000 investment grant for her personal care company, Dr. Brite, and year-long support of her professional career from the foundation. As a start-up, the $100,000 will help Dr. Brite flourish and grow to new levels, including plans for expanding its marketing and a complete overhaul of the brand’s image. For Sabo, this was an incredible journey to meet a business woman she has admired since completing her surgical residency in New Jersey. Back in 2006, Dr. Sabo during her residency, took a train to Manhattan, and treated herself to a new handbag from a then newcomer to the fashion scene, Tory Burch. From buying a handbag designed by Burch to sharing a celebration dinner with her last week, Sabo feels truly grateful and looks forward to the journey filled with countless opportunities ahead.
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