PAWTALKS WITH SPLEASH

What was the inspiration behind Spleash?

This entire venture began a few years back while I was on a walk with our family dog. She is a black lab mix and we live in Southern California. So she was always overheating. I wanted a way to carry water for her to drink that wasn't a hassle to bring on walks. Thus the Spleash was born! Now we use ours every day on walks. It has become a part of our daily lives, as well as a constant reminder of my goals and what I have to do to reach them. 

How does your brand differ from other industry brands in the same category? What gives you the competitive edge?

What sets Spleash apart from other water solutions is that we really honed in on the innovation. When creating our product we knew we had to think outside of the box. In fact, searching on the internet showed us that there was hardly even a box to think outside of! No one had done what we were thinking of doing so we knew we had to jump on the opportunity. We believe this gives us an edge over our competitors as you will notice many of them are simply selling variations of the same ideas, collapsable bowls, clip on bottles, bowls for lids. No matter where you look every hydration-based company had some combination of those things but never anything new. Which is why we set out to create something truly innovative and I believe we’ve succeeded in doing so with Spleash. 

Describe the ingredients you look for in the products you use.

We always look for high quality all natural ingredients in any potential product we may use with our pets. The same goes for ourselves. Living a long, healthy, and happy life is our ultimate goal. 

"Our belief that this product needed to be made, that people needed to have this, was always driving us forward. When you have a clear and present motivation it becomes easier to tackle challenges. Because you know it'll all be worth it in the end. "

Walk us through your development process — from ideation to the product we see on the shelf.

A couple years ago, my daughter and I were walking our dogs, and I realized what a process it was to bring all the gear (leash, water bowl and bottle) along for the ride. It was cumbersome! I thought, “There has to be a simpler way to do this!” I searched online for a product that would meet our needs, and when I didn’t find one, I decided to create it myself. 

I brought this idea to my daughter and the two of us worked together to bring it to fruition. After drawing up some initial designs we partnered with a design firm, who helped us to create the final product. Since then, we have focused on creating something that is dependable, honest, and most importantly, useful. We believe we've succeeded in doing so and will endeavor to ensure it remains so for many years to come.

What are some things you take into consideration during the creation of new products?

One of my first thoughts is, who needs this? If I can't imagine the customer who would buy such a product then it's difficult to bring something of true value to the market. You have to know who you are targeting with every decision you make. From the color to the weight, the shape and the texture. Every detail of the product must be optimized for the customer it intends to target. Otherwise you can have something really great that misses its audience entirely. 

Other than Spleash, what is something you are passionate about?

I would say that my passion, outside of work, has always been for animals. Dogs in particular. There is something so beautiful and profound about the human-animal bond. 

What is one major lesson you learned about running a business?

One of the most important lessons I've learned as an entrepreneur is that you have to be flexible. This is because timelines and project requirements are constantly changing. You have to be able to adapt, or you'll get left behind. The best way to do this, to stay on top of things, is to build a framework of processes that allow you to pivot quickly without missing any details.

What are some challenges you have overcome with Spleash?

As a brand we have encountered many obstacles in our path. Both big and small. Of those, the most disruptive were the issues during the product development phase, and the unique challenges attributed to international shipping. Which only worsened with the pandemic. We were able to overcome these hurdles with raw determination. Our belief that this product needed to be made, that people needed to have this, was always driving us forward. When you have a clear and present motivation it becomes easier to tackle challenges. Because you know it'll all be worth it in the end. 

What would you say is your most effective marketing channel?

Our most effective marketing channel to date has been our social media. The journey to build a social media presence was one of patience and persistence. Starting from absolute zero, we had to build our brand and our page at the same time. This meant consistent, clear, and informative posting daily. Keeping up a schedule is very important when you are trying to distinguish your presence on any social platform. It is also integral to keep your content diverse yet relevant to your brand. With a product like ours education is everything, so TikTok and Instagram in particular have been very effective tools for us. We have over 5 million views on our videos. All acquired organically, no paid ads. 

"We always look for high quality all natural ingredients in any potential product we may use with our pets. The same goes for ourselves. Living a long, healthy, and happy life is our ultimate goal. "

Give us the backstory of your brand’s name.

We wanted to convey the basic elements of our product through the name alone, so we combined them. Spray and Leash became one. Thus, Spleash was born. We bring the spray to your favorite leash! 

What would you like to see for Spleash's future?

Of course we want nothing but success for our company's future. But beyond that we want to be able to eventually expand our product line. Bringing a whole new world of pet-friendly products to the people who need them most. All so that we can ultimately help more pets and the people who love them.

What do you think is the most prominent concern in the pet industry?

I believe that the most prevalent issue in the pet industry today is the overwhelming number of unhoused pets in the United States. As long as there are animals living on the streets or losing their lives in kill-shelters then we have not fulfilled our duty to help animals live happier healthier lives.