About
Being so close to the goal and with all the awesome support I have received - despite not quite being funded - I will be going the traditional route and getting a small business loan to make Lead Mate happen regardless. Thank you to everyone, so much, for your support.
Please head over to www.lead-mate.com to order yours today.
Testimonial by Yvonne DiVita, CoFounder of BlogPaws, Pet Industry Woman of the Year 2015:
Review by Dr. Chris Bern from A Vet's Guide to Life:
This is probably the strangest product I didn't realize I needed! One I can't imagine hasn't been invented before." http://bit.ly/1LgmscG
http://gearhungry.com/2015/09/lead-mate.html
http://theupscout.com/gear/lead-mate-leash-grip/
Testimonial from Cindy Schreiber Huxley - Professional Pet Sitter
My dog gets excited - especially when it’s time for a walk. Training classes have helped but she is still difficult to control at times - so I invented something that makes walking her easier. It's called Lead Mate.
Even if your dog is a great walker - Lead Mate is much more comfortable and a lot safer than wrapping the leash around your wrist.
Simply screw Lead Mate on to your favourite leash wherever you like - it literally takes a moment and can be removed or re-positioned just as easily. It attaches securely enough to hang from - here's how:
Lead Mate gives you the comfort and safety of a short control leash and fido the freedom of a long roaming leash - when you decide.
If you have a dog that is easily excited, a little bit hyperactive or just likes to pull - Lead Mate was designed for you.
Super durable - simple really - so it lasts. On top of building a product that should outlast the very leash it's attached to:
100% Recycled - every Lead Mate and all packaging will be produced from 100% recycled materials.
Helping Earth - as part of our commitment to a sustainable world and in order to offset some of the environmental impact of production and shipping, a tree will be planted for every Lead Mate purchase.
Ergonomic – Lead Mate eliminates the problems and potential hazard clutching at or wrapping a dog leash around your wrist can impose. Patent pending and in the running for an ergonomics design award through the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors.
Strong and Secure – strong enough to hang from so no chance of it slipping or falling off.
Ultra-light weight – approximately half the weight of a similar size knot of leash so won’t swing around annoyingly when not in use. Doesn’t shorten your leash either.
Easily adjustable – attaches and re-positions in an instant.
The majority of pet professionals consider retractable leashes are not only dangerous but also teach your dog bad habits - like rewarding them with extra leash length for pulling! The internet is literally teeming with articles on why they should be avoided altogether:
In America alone 1.2 million dogs are euthanized every year due to shelter shortages. Our goal is to reduce this number so 10% of all future Lead Mate profits (post Kickstarter) will go to 'no kill' dog rescues and shelters.
In addition to providing funds, we donate Lead Mates to help with the daily walking of shelter dogs; which can often be a difficult task. Several shelters were involved with the development and initial prototype testing with great results.
As well as making your life easier, we are committed to improving the lives of those dogs less fortunate.
Click to rotate, zoom and pan
Click to rotate, zoom and pan
Lead Mate is a simple idea, but we believe it can help a lot of dog owners and dogs alike. We’re a new start up so that’s why we need your help. All it takes right now is a pre-order pledge on Kickstarter.
Please help us spread the word via the [Share this project] button above and get this neat little anodized dog ID tag with your pledge (25mm x 25mm).
1) Send us the Screen Capture Image or the Shared Link to: leashmate@gmail.com
2) Include your Kickstarter User Name with Subject "I have shared"
The future of Lead Mate is now in your hands… Everyone who has tried one absolutely loves it so why not give one a go for yourself. Please share our story on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – a couple of clicks will help so much. Social media is the main way people learn about crowd funded projects. Share the love. Thank you!
Lead Mate can be attached to any part of the leash, it simply screws on and off and is designed to suit just about any leash, it adds comfort, flexibility and control.
No more wrapping your leash around your hand or clutching on to your leash trying to hold on as your dog wants to pull away.
Especially useful for larger dogs or those who are more excitable. Perfect for the dog park, walking near roads, on footpaths, in crowds... whenever you need your dog close to your side.
We are a small start-up with a big dream. We already have most of the capital for tooling but in order to make Lead Mate affordable we need a large scale production run. Below is a breakdown of the major costs involved. The calculated goal of £6,000 ($9,000 US) represents the minimum amount we require to bring Lead Mate to life.
We have been working closely with an injection molding company in North America who have helped us modify the design slightly to make it both easier and more affordable to manufacture.
Detailed quotes and lead times have been provided for a delivery date of mid-January 2015. We have also allowed time for proper sample evaluation and quality control checks.
We're offering an open line of communication throughout the project and will be updating you on each stage of development. We are confident Lead Mate will be delivered as planned, but any issues or setbacks will be shared with our backers.
We appreciate transparency and as ‘investors’ we believe you have the right to know exactly how things are progressing.
Our dream is to sell Lead Mate in every Pet store. With a 10% donation to dog shelters on every sale - this will enable us to give homes to even more dogs in need. Inevitably the price will have to be more expensive than this KickStarter run. We're planning the RRP to be $12.95 USD (8 GBP) to cover shelf packaging, distribution, wholesale, retail mark ups and more.
We're able to discount Lead Mate by fulfilling via KickStarter and direct selling our product. If our project is successful, not only will you be helping less fortunate dogs by bringing a new product to market, you'll also be getting a great deal. Especially if you get in early.
I have been super lucky to have help from so many awesome people while building this project. THANK YOU all so much - it would not have been possible without you.
With special thanks and recognition:
- Kate for all her awesome help - you're amazing.
- Dee for testing and everything else I don't have room to list.
- Mark & Belinda for photos/video and general awesomeness.
- Janna for the sweet logo design brommika(at)hotmail.com
- Rhadi for video editing and general advice
- Amy for more photos
Plus all my other friends for putting up with my constant posts and plea for support! You're all amazing! :)
We have been working on a rubber coated version of Lead Mate so you've always got a fetch toy whenever you're out walking fido. If we can reach £12,000 ($18,000 US) then this stretch goal will also be available.
Risks and challenges
Every project comes with a number of risks and potential challenges; however, we consider our risk to be minimal. The founder has a professional background as a chartered mechanical design engineer and has been through the process of successfully bringing complex mechanical equipment from concept to market many times before. We are more than confident Lead Mate can be delivered on time and to specification.
We’ve already invested hundreds of hours into the design and prototyping and although small, there are still a few hoops left to jump through. In order to minimise any risks, sound engineering practice has and will continue to be employed to ensure a smooth and trouble free execution of the final project stages.
• A number of working and well tested prototypes have been created so we know the design works, it’s strong and compatible with most leash varieties on the market.
• We have had extensive discussions with a number of experienced injection molding manufacturers who have both accurately quoted and helped with design changes to decrease shrinkage and other potential problems during manufacture.
These changes should be enough to ensure a smooth manufacturing process, however, a trial run of Lead Mates will highlight any manufacturing defects and if required the modifications to tooling will be small, not overly expensive and quickly implemented.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterQuestions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Support
Funding period
- (30 days)