
The journey from professional hair stylist to inventor/entrepreneur was a trip made over several years, and one that included the help and support of many local people. I had an idea for a different type of hair styling tool – a hybrid that would combine the best features of both a brush and a comb.
But beyond the concept, thanks to Chad McDonough, a student with the Plastic’s Engineering Department at Penn State Behrend, helped turn my idea into a real product. At the end of his Senior Capstone Project , we had a prototype of “a Pennello” – which means, a brush that fits the hand like a glove.
Without John Skinner, a local manufacturer’s representative, I never would have met Scott Whitman with Southcreek Tool in Northeast or Jeremy Anderson with Anderson Plastics in Girard, our mold designer and a manufacturing partner.
“Never in a million years did I dream that I’d be an inventor…
if it wasn’t for Penn State Behrend, I wouldn’t be.”
– Fran, Owner of Pennello Brush
Since 2013, we have produced and sold over 12,000 brushes through local salons, stores and distributors such as Angelo’s Salon Development Group, FLH Distributor, and QVC.