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Take 5: Seattle women create Wineblock for your teeth

Cheers to a stain-free smile on wine night!
Two Seattle women created a product to prevent 'wine mouth' on your teeth and lips.

Have you ever suffered from wine mouth? Then raise a glass to this Seattle company: Wineblock created a product to keep red wine from staining your teeth and lips.

Two Seattle women came up with the idea after a New Years' Eve celebration with family and friends.

The product is an all-natural, pocket-sized balm safe to apply on your teeth and lips before sipping red wine.

See below for an extended interview provided off-camera

Wineblock creators Lauren Calabrese and Brenda Kirkpatrick stopped by Take 5 to explain their product and journey of becoming business owners:

The following answers are from co-founders Lauren and Brenda:

Did you ever want to give up on your project?

Yes, there were some very trying times during the development process that really tested us. We never wanted to give up, but some of the setbacks made us feel like we would never get to market.

Who are some of the people you look up to in your field and why?

We look up to so many female founders and entrepreneurs: Melinda Gates, Sarah Blakely, the Founders of Spanx. Her story is so inspiring. We look up to Jeff Bezos for his vision of offering what the customer wants. Amazon is truly a customer-centric company.

Was there a time you failed, but triumphed in the end?

Yes, we started development with a formulator, worked with them for 8 months and then realized they weren’t the right partner for us. At this point, we had to start from scratch and find a new formulator to make our vision for the product a reality.

Would you consider what you're doing to be innovative?

Yes, we are the only all-natural preventative solution for wine mouth.

How can people help your cause?

Ask for us when you are out wine tasting or at your favorite gift shop! We are also going to do a Kickstarter later this month so check us out.

Name someone who inspires you

The multi-taskers out there; whether it be the working parent or the stay at home parent. Anyone giving it their all with a positive attitude.

Where is the best place to go for inspiration around here?

Brenda loves to walk through Discovery Park while listening to inspiring start-up podcasts. Lauren loves to take walks on Lake Washington to clear her mind and think of new ideas.

Watch Take 5, a new show with a new take on news, on KING 5 News weekdays at 4 p.m. Join the 5 Hive Facebook group to be part of our digital community of people who want to do good.

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