Bridging Style and Function: Chelsie Jean Fernandez's Journey with Boogs & Boop

Hi, Stephen. Thanks for having me today. I really appreciate the opportunity. I’m Chelsie Jean Fernandez, the founder and CEO of Boogs & Boop. We are a small e-commerce business specializing in high-quality, modern, and fashion-forward dog accessories that are also budget-friendly. My idea for Boogs & Boop came from after having my dogs in aisles during the pandemic. I quickly encountered dog accessories and walking gear that just didn’t fit him right, especially due to his long body and his short legs. So of course, I took to social media, as do many people these days, to search for different ideas on where to find more suitable walking gear for him. I started Isles as Instagram @luckoftheisles, for those of you that want to follow his journey. And as I dove deeper into that pet community, I found others that were experiencing very similar issues as us. Many well-fit dog accessories were plain, while fashion-forward ones were very awkwardly fit or were outright expensive or costly. And I immediately noticed there was this gap in the market that needed filling and these pain points that needed to be addressed. So with over a decade of e-commerce product management experience under my belt, since I also co-founded an e-commerce web development consulting firm called A Bunch of Creators that I actually manage concurrently.

I have a background in fashion, brick-and-mortar retail, and pet industry consulting. So I endeavour to create my own dog accessories that would fit Ailes and his friends that encompass both style and functionality at an affordable price. And add to that, our matching dog owner accessories for the proud parents out there.Yeah. And then just for a further backstory, animals have been such a huge part of my life. I grew up in Hawaii, where my family-owned many animals, dogs, horses, chickens, you name it, we probably had it. And at one point, I even considered becoming a vet. So Boogs & Boop isn’t just a business venture for me, it’s a fusion of my passion, my professional experience, and a whole lot of love for animals stemming from my childhood. And I’m very excited to share more about that with you.

Sure. First and foremost, we are an AAPI, women-owned and operated small business. So a lot of our accessories are in partnership with either, obviously myself or AAPI, women-owned artists and designers. We provide a curated assortment of modern pet accessories and toys for dog lovers and their furry companions. Again, emphasizing style and fit for safety. We offer a wide range of high-quality pet accessories like harnesses, collars, and leashes that meet the standards that we’d expect for our own furry companions. All of our prints are designed in Brooklyn, New York, and we don’t stock anything that we wouldn’t or haven’t used ourselves. My dog Isles is actually constantly out and about in New York City wearing our accessories. Then we also carry things that allow us to give back to different communities, such as animal shelters. We contribute to animal rescue efforts through donations based on all, if not specific harnesses and accessories that we have. We are able to volunteer our time with the efforts of people purchasing our products. So we actually do outreach initiatives and donations to organizations like Maui Humane Society, heavenly Angels Animal Rescue, and Washington Square Park Dog Run, which are ones that we’ve donated to in the past.

So when people choose to purchase our harnesses, our collars, our leashes, etcetera, they’re not just adding stylish accessories to their pup’s closet. Again, they’re supporting an AAPI woman-owned small business that makes a difference in the lives of animals.

Our target audience comprises individuals, mostly female, aged 25 to 42, who prioritize their dogs as family members. These owners seek out stylish and unique accessories. They’re willing to invest in high-quality products that not only enhance their pet’s appearance, but also prioritize safety and comfort, as mentioned before. And they typically have a keen eye for fashion as well and a desire for individuality, especially because a lot of our harnesses and prints, as you can see behind me, are very flashy and they’re very bright. They also likely have a social media presence for their pet, as a majority of our business comes from social media platforms like Instagram. So these parents like to show their dogs off.

I like better than our competitors. So part of our inspiration behind Boogs and Boop stems from recognizing that bond, like I mentioned, that family ties between their dogs and their families. In countless households, dogs aren’t simply just pets, and we recognize that they’re treasured members of the family. For example, a 2021-2022 study, I believe, by the American Pet Products Association, showed that in the US alone, 70 % of households or about 90.5 million families own a pet, and out of that 90.5 million, 69 million own a dog. So we embrace that connection between humans and their canine companions because it’s unmistakable. And due to this bond, we believe, at least in our opinion, that your dog needs a wardrobe just as much as everyone else in your family and Boogs & Boop pays tribute to that special bond. And in such a competitive marketplace, our brand stands out by placing equal emphasis on fashion, fit, and giving back. We understand that pet owners seek accessories that not only match their personal style but also prioritize the safety and well-being of their beloved pets or family members. Based on our own experiences, we understand that finding the perfect fit for dogs, especially, can be very tricky when they fall between sizes or have unique proportions like our dogs and isles

So we’ve taken a lot of care to offer harnesses and accessories with adjustable sizing options that cater to a wide range of dogs and breeds. Unlike brands found on online marketplaces such as Amazon, our three harness types, Adjustable, Seppin, and Reversible, for example, are each designed with versatility and comfort in mind. They offer multiple adjustment points at the neck and the chest, allowing dog parents to fine-tune the fit to their dog’s unique proportions. Our size ranges also fall between typical sizes you might find elsewhere. We’ve tailored our is to accommodate dogs who don’t fit neatly into standard sizes, ensuring that we can enjoy or they can enjoy a comfortable and secure fit without compromising on style. And we also take a lot of pride in our fast and efficient shipping. Because we are a small business, we work seven days a week, and we have very streamlined processes allowing us to pack and ship orders within 48 hours, often just under 24, again, weekends included. This means that anyone who orders from us can expect their dog accessories to arrive very quickly. And again, last but not least, we believe in making a tangible difference in giving back, especially as it relates to the lives of animals in need. So our customers help us play that vital role in that mission with each purchase contributing to us being able to give back to animal shelters.

Yes. So our best-selling products, you can see some of these behind me, are our adjustable dog harnesses. They have become our best-selling products for several reasons. Firstly, we offer a wide variety of colors and prints. We have 15 of them to date, ensuring that, again, pet owners can find the perfect style to match their dog’s personality or their own preferences. So whether it’s something I have some here, whether it’s something like this, which is like a neon solid, or more of something like a print that we have here, we have something for everyone. Secondly, our adjustable dog harnesses come in a range of sizes, from extra small to extra large. A lot of other companies only have small to large or small to medium, depending on their target market. So our extra small harnesses are perfect for petite breeds like chihuahuas or for puppies. While we have breeds as largest pitbulls that actually comfortably fit our extra-large harnesses. So this extensive size range ensures that every dog, regardless of their size, can enjoy a well-fitted harness. As for example, pit bulls and things like that, you typically see them just with collars because they’re unable to fit harnesses.

At the moment, these actually sell very well because our most expensive adjustable dog harness is only about $35 plus tax, so it’s very affordable for most pet parents.