Who is James Pidhurney?
James Pidhurney is a coatings engineer and co-founder of Chalkless, a grip enhancer for sports, the military and everyday use. He studied chemical engineering at the University of Maine and earned an MBA from Babson College in 2008. His career included engineering roles at Teradyne and Cabot Inkjet Colorants and a stint as global business development manager at Cabot Corporation. In 2017 he co-founded Entry Point International with Greg Pope, and the two later developed Chalkless after Pope's frustration with sweaty palms on the tennis court led them to focus on skin oil as the cause of poor grip. Their granular formula rubs into the hands, absorbs oil and resists moisture.
Pidhurney has served as executive vice president of the Wilmington, Massachusetts, company since January 2023. A Shark Tank talent scout found the brand, and in Season 16 the founders asked for $400,000 for 4% after reporting about $740,000 in annual sales. Mark Cuban walked away over their refusal to share costs, but Kevin O'Leary and Rashaun Williams invested $400,000 with a royalty attached. The founders have described plans for global expansion.
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