A name familiar to anyone up to date with the latest in dental hygiene, the Daily Update spoke to SURI co-founder, Mark Rushmore, whose electric toothbrushes have taken the UK and US by storm.
With a background in Fast Moving Consumer Goods and a desire to apply his knowledge towards more sustainable products, Rushmore explained how he and co-founder, Gyve Safavi, turned their attention to toothbrushes, using e-commerce to support their “global ambitions” for the firm’s hit product.
Sustainable niche
SURI’s sustainable, pared-back electric toothbrushes were created out of a need to cut waste and provide a product that only served necessary functionality. Rushmore says:
“When we looked at categories [of goods], we saw that toothbrushes in particular, every year, billions are thrown out and end up in landfill and ocean.”
“In fact, virtually every toothbrush you probably ever used since you were a child”, he adds.
As well as physical waste, he notes that a common theme among consumers and dental professionals surveyed was the number of superfluous features in your average electric toothbrush.
Asked whether Bluetooth or the multiple brush modes were ever used, the answer was a resounding ‘no’.
With that feedback, Rushmore and Safavi set out to make “a brush that's both more sustainable, but also more enjoyable to use, with features that consumers really want, rather than gimmicks”.
Global ambitions
The pair set out with “a global outlook and ambition” from the get-go, viewing their market as “anywhere where people brush their teeth”.
Already, approximately 40% of SURI’s business come from the US. “We've had a lot of traction there from the very beginning,” Rushmore says. He notes that attention from Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop certainly hasn’t harmed sales.
He adds that interest is picking up from other export markets with “firm force”, and for many “it's a matter of when, as opposed to if”.
While the UK and US markets still dominate SURI’s sale, Rushmore says there’s persistent interest from rest of world markets, with Australia the one likely to be the firm’s next focus.
The role of e-commerce
Online sales were the obvious avenue to support this, with “the vast majority” of sales coming from the firm’s own website, with its Amazon shop also supporting online, direct-to-consumer sales.
Reflecting on using e-commerce sites to enter a new market, Rushmore says “it’s been a great experience”.
“It's incredible to think what's possible now which 20-30 years ago would be totally impossible.
“The fact that we can set up this company, and ‘e-sell’ our products to the US, is a phenomenal feat of technology, government and international shipping.”
Challenges ahead?
In light of shifting government stances on trade, especially the new protectionist inclinations of largest export market the US, is Rushmore concerned about international sales?
“I’ve got a slightly alternative take on it”, he says, “one, it depends on how you’re positioned at the announcement of tariffs – I think some firms have much more exposure, or it’s much more challenging because of their product price”.
He adds that SURI was also “quite cautious” about the impact of a Trump presidency, so “pre-planned a large amount of stock at the end of 2024”, beating the pre-tariff import rush at the beginning of 2025.
He adds that overcoming unexpected challenges is the norm in the life of an entrepreneur.
“It's not about what the hurdle is, it's about how you respond.
“I've got zero influence over what Donald Trump's foreign trade policies are going to be. I can worry about it, or I can adapt and work out what our best possible response is.”
Best advice
In the spirit of taking control, he says that his best advice for other small firms is to do as much as possible to “lower your risk, while giving yourself potential to have a good upside”.
It’s a classic piece of entrepreneurial advice, he says, but really applicable to exporting.
“For companies looking to export to other markets, it's just about looking at how you can test that with the lowest financial risk, while maintaining the potential to scale if it works”.
When it comes to derisking the first foray into a new market, Rushmore highlights pushing for the best possible payment terms – “upfront payments, where possible” – and pre-launching in target markets.
“It's always going to be a bit of a risk, but there's so many different ways that you can minimise that risk.”
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