Saturday, February 10, 2007

Kelly's Story

Kelly Seyler, part owner of Bung-Gee Pup-EE “The Expandable Dog Leash” TM says she succeeded by not giving up. She should know. In 1997, she founded a company that sells a dog leash the pet industry didn’t want and no one would finance.

Kelly self-financed, started manufacturing by hand in her garage, and found that pet owners - and their dogs - love the leash. And when she found her first big customer and needed to grow really quickly, she also found ACCION Texas and the loan she needed to do so.

Bung-Gee Pup-EE started when its inventor’s dog “went after a cat” knocking its owner down and causing a dislocated shoulder and two knocked-out teeth. He created a leash using Bungee cord material, theorizing if there had just been ‘a little give,’ the whole accident could have been avoided.

“At first we went to the retail pet shows and shops, but it was slow going,” says Kelly. “The pet industry was very hesitant.” Kelly retained her full time job in property management while slowly growing the business.

Kelly had to go outside of the pet industry to reach pet owners. Kroger in Houston became a client, and sporting goods stores. In 2001 Academy Sports came aboard with 50 stores. “That is when I turned to ACCION Texas,” said Kelly. “In one deal we grew the business 60 percent, and I had to find financing really quickly. ACCION Texas was wonderful.”

“People love the product,” says Kelly, “I get e-mails all the time. There are 4 different leashes, made for dogs 10 to150 pounds. We weave different numbers of cords to maintain about a 2 and ½ foot stretch. Our black/red and teal/blue colors are our best selling combinations. Even dog trainers are now calling Bun-Gee Pup-EE a 1st Step Training Tool.”

Bung-Gee Pup-EE now has a thriving Web business, supplies many pet stores, and six distributors, including one in England and one in South Africa. “We grew by 400% in the last 90 days!” said Kelly, and this cash award is really going to help with that.”

Along the way, Bung-Gee Pup-EE is finally winning over the pet industry. “Dog trainers, including Guide Dogs for the Blind UK, are now using the leash as a first step training tool to train the dog not to pull. We didn’t invent the leash for that, but it’s a happy result,” says Kelly.

For more information or to order a Bung-Gee Pup-EE Expandable dog leash, call (866) 546-6785

or visit the Bung-Gee Pup-EE Web site at www.bungeepupee.com

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