Buzzy for Shots is a vibrating, bee shaped band that houses a small ice pack to numb the site of an injection and distract those people who don’t like getting shots. Kids are probably the biggest group of people who hate shots, hence the cartoonish appearance of Buzzy for Shots, but inventor Dr. Amy Baxter sees uses for Buzzy beyond kids. She’s a pain researcher who originally got the idea for Buzzy when her own son had “unnecessarily traumatic routine injections.” Even doctors have kids who hate shots!
As for Buzzy‘s other uses, there are plenty of adults who hate shots, according to the Buzzy for Shots website, “23% of adults fear needles,” so if a grown-up can strap on a vibrating, chilled bee, they can take some of the pain and fear away. Arthritis sufferers benefit from Buzzy, too. The combination of vibration and cold helps sooth the aches from arthritis and muscle sprains. It’s a solution as old as ice and massages; by combining the two, pain and fear disappear. There are dozens of testimonials from happy customers, too. The bottom line is Buzzy for Shots works!
My Take on Buzzy for Shots
I have to confess, I am one of those 23% of adults that HATES needles. I broke my nose some years ago and when the doctor went to inject my nose before setting it, I fainted straight away. He ended up setting my nose on the floor! Would I use Buzzy for Shots if it were available in a doctor’s office? The answer is a big YES!
I also can see the benefit for kids. As a father of five, I’ve dealt with childhood fears of needles many times. If a cute looking bee could take away some of that fear and pain, it would be a priceless item. I can only imagine how kids who need a lot of shots would benefit from such a tool.
Buzzy for Shots reminds me a lot of Ava the Elephant: it’s something to take the unpleasantness out of a routine, but often terrifying, event for kids. Ava does big business now, there’s no reason Buzzy couldn’t be in every drug store in the USA. Every doctor’s office and blood lab ought to have a few Buzzys kicking around, too. Using Buzzy for Shots is a heck of a lot easier than dealing with a frightened child or a big wimp of an adult (like me)! I am IN!
Do Sharks Buzz for Buzzy?
The press release for this episode says Dr. Baxter “may have overestimated the value of her buzzing medical device that takes the sting out of the dreaded shot.” This tells me the discussion is going to revolve around the company’s valuation. This is always dicey in the Shark Tank. When the focus is on the valuation, the effectiveness and marketability of the product or business often gets lost.
Baxter will have some serious ammo for the Sharks on her valuation – she’s one of Inc. Magazine’s Top Women in Tech to watch plus she got grants from the May Fund, the National Institute for Health, and Kimberly Clark. Those outfits don’t hand out money to every kooky idea that comes along, so some very astute people think Buzzy is a hit. The question is, will the Sharks?
Unless he gets some kind of royalty, Mr. Wonderful won’t be in. He’ll likely lead the rant about the valuation. I can’t see Mark or Robert in on this either, unless they team with someone else. That leaves Lori and Barbara. If Lori thinks it’s a hero, she may bid, but I think Barbara is the best Shark for Dr. Baxter. She has the experience with Ava the Elephant which is in t he same space. Barbara could plug Buzzy into the same distribution channel and have the product buzzing into 10,000 stores in a few months.
If the Sharks focus on the product’s value and potential and not on Dr. Baxter’s “overestimated” value, Buzzy should see multiple offers.
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