Let’s dive into our super fun mini-series that’s all about celebrating a few cool entrepreneurs! PaSH is centered around sharing inspiring stories, breaking down stereotypes, and sharing the authentic, behind-the-scenes moments that make entrepreneurs so amazing. Let’s dive into, “Success Can Get a Little Hairy: A “Tail” of How The Love For A Pet Sparked a Business”.
Meet Debra Mastic:
Founder of Fluff Trough, a small company based in Denver, CO. In 2018 Debra Mastic and her pug Pork Chop worked together to solve a problem. Pork Chop, a pug, he struggled to eat from traditional feeders because of his flat face and worsening health issues as he got older. After he was diagnosed with vestibular disease (which causes a loss of balance) he had even more difficulty eating.
After searching everywhere for a bowl that would help Pork Chop eat better, Debra created a special bowl for him using her 3D printer. When she shared the prototype with other pet parents, she was amazed by their excitement about using the feeder for their pets, too! She used the money she had been saving to buy a home to bring the Fluff Trough to market, to help as many animals as possible.
Catch Fluff Trough on Episode 8’s Amazon Prime’s Buy It Now business competition that aired in December 2024.
Can you share the story behind starting your business and what inspired you to take the
leap?
I did not start out trying to start a new business. I was focused on solving a problem for my pug Pork Chop to improve his quality of life. He loved eating, but struggled to eat because of his flat face. I bought a 3D printer to experiment with creating a dog bowl for him that would make it easier to eat and eventually came up with the concept of the Fluff Trough. I had some close friends see the value in what I created and wanted the same style of feeder for their dog. At that point, I decided to use my entire savings to invest in the intellectual property and tooling to commercialize the product because I thought the product would be beneficial for other dogs like Pork Chop. It was a very scary leap of faith, but I did it because of my love for pugs.
What’s one stereotype about entrepreneurs that you’d love to break?
I think a lot of people are misinformed about the term “overnight success” because there is no such thing as an overnight success in my experience. Your product or business may go viral at some point, but there has to be a lot of foundational work done prior to even having your business ready for consumers. If you do get a huge surge of sales, the work that has to go into scaling your brand will also equate to more effort and time.
What’s your go-to mantra or quote when the going gets tough?
I constantly remind myself that “failure is a stepping stone to success.”
In a world full of trends, how do you keep your business authentic and true to your vision?
I don’t just do something because every other brand is doing it. I carefully evaluate new ideas and often tweak them to what makes the most sense in my head versus copying the same thing everyone else is doing because it seems to be working. One example is that many brands only share very professional and polished photos and videos on their social media. We love to feature real customer photos and we are not afraid to show customers using the product in a way that it was not intended to use (like their dog sleeping in the Fluff Trough instead of eating out of it), and I feel this has helped us connect and build trust with our community.
How do you stay motivated and innovative in your business?
I love reading the “love letters” customers send us about how the product has solved a problem for them or changed their lives in some way. It keeps me motivated during the difficult times of running the business which is almost daily. I love seeing pictures and videos of people taking the Fluff Trough on their vacation because it’s become one of those essential items they can’t live without and it pushes me to continue to strive for innovation.
What is one lesson you’ve learned through your entrepreneurial journey that you think
everyone should know?
Don’t start a business to make money. Start a business to solve an important problem.
Thank you for reading, “Success Can Get a Little Hairy: A “Tail” of How The Love For A Pet Sparked a Business”. Check back each month for a new addition to our mini series.
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