Sometimes the best product ideas come from solving the little problems you encounter every day.
For cosmetologist, educator and entrepreneur Lucy Seitz, that problem was mannequin heads that just wouldn’t stay on their stands.
Lucy experienced it herself while working with mannequin heads and watched her students encounter the same frustration while teaching in Northern Michigan University’s cosmetology program. Then she started noticing people online talking about it, too.
“It happens a lot at the shampoo bowl and when you’re braiding on the mannequins,” Lucy said. “When you pull on the hair when you are practicing braiding or a blow out, the heads just pop off the stands.”
If you haven’t spent much time in a cosmetology classroom, a mannequin head popping off its stand probably isn’t a problem you’ve thought much about. But for students practicing new techniques and educators demonstrating services it can be a regular frustration.
Most mannequin stands come with a hard plastic attachment that fits inside the mannequin head. With even a little pulling or movement, though, the head can slide right off.
Lucy thought there had to be a better way.
A Problem Worth Solving
She had already built experience as an entrepreneur and content creator, but bringing a physical product to life was something new.
Lucy studied cosmetology at Northern Michigan University, where she began posting videos to TikTok and Instagram about her experiences in cosmetology school. Her following grew, and she continued sharing her experiences in the beauty industry after graduation. Today, she works at The Studio in Marquette, teaches in NMU’s cosmetology program and continues creating content online.
It was actually through another part of Marquette’s entrepreneurial community that Lucy learned there was a local resource that could help her take on a physical product.
Bringing the ManneGrip to Life
While speaking on a Women in Business panel at PEAK26, Lucy learned about Innovate Marquette and the resources available through the Protolab. When she was ready to explore her idea, she reached out.
“It’s really cool that we have access to a resource like Innovate Marquette, especially living in a rural area,” Lucy said.
In spring 2026, Lucy began working with the Innovate Marquette Protolab to turn her idea into what would become the ManneGrip. Together, they designed and prototyped an alternative to the traditional hard plastic attachment. Made from a grippy, flexible material, the ManneGrip expands inside the mannequin head to create a more secure connection to the stand.
The ManneGrip is designed to fit most mannequin heads and stands, though users should check the dimensions to ensure a proper fit.
And the process moved quickly. Lucy first came to Innovate Marquette with her idea in spring 2026. By fall, the ManneGrip was patent pending and available for purchase.
Now, instead of just working around the problem, Lucy has created a new solution for the cosmetology community.