Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Rowley.
Hi Patrick, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Clip Leash started around 2018 when I was in a situation where a classic fixed-handle style leash left me stuck. I was between a mud-covered dog, who I had finally gotten on the leash, and a hose. My pup didn’t want to be hosed down as he had just started to enjoy his mud bath, and I knew I couldn’t properly clean him with just one hand.
I needed to tether him to something in order to clean him up, but that would have required me to remove the leash, loop it around a tree through the handle, and put him back on, which he would certainly not have been interested in doing.
I couldn’t find a leash on the market that fit my needs, so I decided to find a solution to the problem. Over the next couple of years, in my spare time, I came up with what I felt was the best and simplest solution.
From there I gave a few out to see what people thought, eventually leading to local market sales, which gave me the confidence to launch an online store. The feedback has been awesome, and we are really excited to continue growing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to where we are now certainly hasn’t been smooth.
It’s come with the struggles you’d expect.
Finding reliable suppliers for materials has proven particularly difficult. As a small business, it’s hard to find a supplier who will work with you on smaller quantity orders of raw materials, such as rope.
Learning to build a website was a new journey as well. It took a good amount of time and research to learn what a solid sales website includes.
Even doing my first market was a brand new experience that I was only sort of prepared for. The local community has been great, though. Everyone I have met has been super helpful and supportive.
As long as you’re willing to push on and constantly learn, you’ll be fine.
In learning all of these new things, I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. My logo and branding were done by one of my oldest and best friends, Nick Biewer (https://nickbiewer.com/). I’ve gotten more compliments on the branding and logo than anything else, he really nailed it.
My friend Jess West (@jesswestphotos on IG) helped a ton with social media and product photos.
Without them, I don’t think Clip Leash would look as polished as it is. I can’t thank them enough.
As you know, we’re big fans of Clip Leash. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The main driving goal of Clip Leash is to provide products that make the process of taking your dog along with you as easy and safe as possible.
The Clip Leash is truly over engineered. Its open ended design makes it extremely versatile. You can go from cross-body to waist to a classic handle using only one hand. This means the dog always stays attached to the leash and you always have one hand available to maintain control. It’s also made of double braided nylon rope. This material is not only strong and shock absorbent, but also resistant to salt water, oil, and rot, while still being soft on your hands.
There are a lot of leashes out there that do many different things. Our goal wasn’t to replace those other leashes, but simply to provide the best solution for an everyday, on-the-go leash, and we think we’ve accomplished that.
We’re always excited to see the “aha!” moment when people see the potential of the Clip Leash. At first glance, it can appear unassuming, like any other leash. But when people see the function, it becomes a no brainer.
We also love seeing the new and different uses people find that we didn’t even think of. A lot of people attach their dogs’ waste bags, their collapsible bowls, hand sanitizer, and all kinds of things to the leash, which makes it easier to carry and keeps your hands free.
We support all adventures, from trips to the beach to runs through the drive through for a pup cup. We want to make all of those things easy and safe for both the dog and the owner.
Any big plans?
Our plans for the immediate future are simply to grow the family of Clip Leash users. Beyond that, we’d like to expand our product line to include more colors, multicolor options, and addons that allow multiple dogs to attach to one leash. We’re always watching our community of users for inspiration and input to improve and expand.
We’d also love to get our leashes into local Austin stores. That’s a big goal we hope to achieve soon.
Pricing:
- 6 Foot ClipLeash – $44.99 USD
- 8 Foot ClipLeash $49.99 USD
Contact Info:
- Website: https://clipleash.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/clipleash
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/clipleash
- Twitter: https://x.com/clipleash
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@clipleash
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@clipleash
