In Chicago, a business owner who gained recognition on the popular television show “Shark Tank” is reaching out to the community for support.

The entrepreneur behind the hair care line “CurlMix” is expressing concern that this year might be their final one in operation, due to rising expenses driven by tariffs, inflation, and other hurdles.

She’s urging residents of Chicago to step in and help keep her business afloat.

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Established a decade ago in Chicago, CurlMix achieved national acclaim after its creators appeared on “Shark Tank.”

In an unforgettable moment, founders Kim and Tim Lewis, hailing from the South Side, turned down an offer from investor Robert Herjavec, choosing instead to continue growing their brand independently.

“Appearing on ‘Shark Tank’ undoubtedly elevated our presence across the country,” Kime Lewis remarked. “It marked our most successful year in business history.”

Their textured hair care products, known for their flaxseed recipe, were flying off the shelves nationwide. But today, the owner is asking the public to help save CurlMix.

“I am a proud, hardworking, entrepreneur, and I hate asking for help,” Lewis said. “My bank account was negative $18,000, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do,’ and I was like, ‘I can’t just close silently.’”

Lewis says 2025 has been the hardest year for her business by far.

“When tariffs go up, our cost of raw materials goes up,” Lewis said. “The second thing I would say is… there’s less investment in DEI… we also have, people have less money, just in general. Everyone needs to think about their purchase a bit longer.”

Her massive warehouse on the South Side that once had 40 employees is now down to 14.

“We have to do everything that we can to survive,” she said.

So, Lewis launched a social media campaign called Protect CurlMix.

“If our community wants it, our community will show up for it. I believe that,” Lewis said. “There’s a lot of shame with telling people, ‘Hey I’m struggling.’”

Lewis says if there’s anyone who will have their backs during difficult times, it’s Chicagoans.

“If a bank’s not going to give it, if an investor’s not going to give it, we can earn it, and our community can be our heroes, and that’s what they’re doing,” Lewis said.

Lewis says people can support CurlMix by donating to their campaign, purchasing some of her products or simply sharing her post.