WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.789 --> 00:00:06.320 Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who 00:00:06.340 --> 00:00:12.000 see dogs not as toys or tools, but wise souls worth our respect and care. 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:14.559 I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host. 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:20.560 I talk to poor some humans, people who do great work for dogs and their people. 00:00:21.099 --> 00:00:23.360 So come and join us for today's conversation. 00:00:25.044 --> 00:00:26.844 Anke: Hello and welcome, John. 00:00:26.884 --> 00:00:32.264 I'm delighted to have you here and a very unusual topic, so I can't wait. 00:00:33.094 --> 00:00:38.194 Before we go there, just say hello to people, let people know where you're 00:00:38.224 --> 00:00:41.694 based in this wonderful world and what's 00:00:41.694 --> 00:00:42.234 John: your business 00:00:42.234 --> 00:00:42.364 Anke: with 00:00:42.364 --> 00:00:42.944 John: dogs? 00:00:43.314 --> 00:00:44.044 Sure. 00:00:44.044 --> 00:00:45.794 Well, thank you for having us on. 00:00:45.794 --> 00:00:48.534 We really appreciate, uh, the opportunity to speak to your, 00:00:48.554 --> 00:00:49.744 uh, to your listening audience. 00:00:50.024 --> 00:00:52.524 My name is John Reider, located in St. 00:00:52.524 --> 00:00:54.144 Louis, Missouri, USA. 00:00:54.534 --> 00:01:00.364 And we make very innovative, fun, safe bubbles for the pet industry. 00:01:01.814 --> 00:01:02.274 Anke: That's hilarious. 00:01:02.314 --> 00:01:06.894 I would never even, you know, I hadn't before, like, you know, before 00:01:06.894 --> 00:01:11.919 we met, I had never, you know, Even thought that that was a thing, right? 00:01:12.149 --> 00:01:18.909 So I'm curious, how did, how does somebody get into the business of making bubbles? 00:01:19.229 --> 00:01:23.009 And then to start with, you know, and then how did you discover 00:01:23.009 --> 00:01:28.789 that this is something, um, that's suitable or a good idea for pets? 00:01:29.629 --> 00:01:33.599 John: Yeah, well, you know, it's a, it's a 20, 20 year version. 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:39.249 My wife Beth and I have been in business for many years, but I discovered 00:01:39.249 --> 00:01:44.009 this bubble that someone had created that glowed under black light. 00:01:44.039 --> 00:01:46.839 It was called Technobubbles, and I thought it was the coolest thing. 00:01:46.839 --> 00:01:48.839 That was some 20 plus years ago. 00:01:49.169 --> 00:01:52.999 Um, I bought some of these bubbles online like we all do late at night when we've 00:01:52.999 --> 00:01:54.909 had a beer, and, uh, and, uh, yeah. 00:01:54.909 --> 00:01:55.274 Thanks. 00:01:55.484 --> 00:01:59.714 They came, and I was astounded at how cool they were. 00:01:59.714 --> 00:02:01.924 I mean, these bubbles, when you blew them under blacklight, 00:02:01.984 --> 00:02:04.144 glowed, and they were fabulous. 00:02:04.454 --> 00:02:10.074 Um, long story short, uh, I bought the trademarks, patents, and formulas 00:02:10.074 --> 00:02:15.794 for that product, and we started manufacturing, uh, these bubbles to sell. 00:02:16.069 --> 00:02:16.549 Okay? 00:02:17.069 --> 00:02:21.789 And, uh, so we started by doing, uh, uh, parties in parks and 00:02:21.789 --> 00:02:24.609 anywhere where someone would let us, uh, blow bubbles for free. 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:28.699 And, uh, and then people started asking us to do bubble events. 00:02:28.959 --> 00:02:32.549 Um, so we formed another company called Bubble Bus, where we 00:02:32.549 --> 00:02:34.239 actually go and do bubble parties. 00:02:34.269 --> 00:02:39.719 And, and so that's, that's how this whole bubble business really got started. 00:02:40.079 --> 00:02:42.379 Um, we make our own bubble formulas. 00:02:42.379 --> 00:02:46.579 And a friend of mine mentioned one night at a Um, at a dinner party and 00:02:46.579 --> 00:02:50.569 she said, you know, John, if you and Beth came up with an idea for bubbles 00:02:50.569 --> 00:02:55.309 for, you know, the pet industry, uh, I think, uh, you'd sell a lot of them. 00:02:55.329 --> 00:02:59.759 So I went to work that next day I started researching and, you know, here 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:01.449 we are now in the pet bubble business. 00:03:01.449 --> 00:03:03.409 It's 00:03:03.409 --> 00:03:04.379 Anke: absolutely fascinating. 00:03:04.379 --> 00:03:08.489 So, well, let's, let's back up there for a second, because you said something that 00:03:08.499 --> 00:03:10.289 I think you sort of just jumped over. 00:03:11.024 --> 00:03:13.554 What feels like a much bigger story, right? 00:03:13.834 --> 00:03:19.554 You said like you stumbled across these cool bubbles and then you bought 00:03:20.054 --> 00:03:24.804 the, like, the patent, you know, like what, what went on in your mind? 00:03:24.814 --> 00:03:28.274 Like, I mean, I'll come across a lot of stuff that I think is really cool, but 00:03:28.274 --> 00:03:32.584 I don't go off and buy the patent, you know, like, it's like this, what was, 00:03:32.594 --> 00:03:36.484 what made you think like, oh my God, this is the business that I want to spend my 00:03:36.484 --> 00:03:39.514 time and my energy and my, my money on. 00:03:39.899 --> 00:03:41.559 Uh, really getting into. 00:03:42.309 --> 00:03:42.459 John: Right. 00:03:42.489 --> 00:03:45.569 You know, so, uh, I'm an entrepreneur at heart. 00:03:45.569 --> 00:03:50.639 So I've always, um, even growing up, you know, I, I, whether I was cutting grass 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:54.679 or raking leaves or selling lemonade on the corner, you know, I always loved, 00:03:54.989 --> 00:03:56.999 uh, being in business for myself. 00:03:56.999 --> 00:04:00.829 So when I discovered these bubbles, uh, I thought it was really the 00:04:00.829 --> 00:04:02.229 coolest thing I'd ever seen. 00:04:02.229 --> 00:04:03.639 I had never seen them before. 00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:05.259 And the guy had gotten a patent on them. 00:04:05.259 --> 00:04:10.954 So he had, he was the only guy legal, uh, uh, to make them. 00:04:11.234 --> 00:04:15.524 So we did some research and I really thought as a businessman 00:04:15.524 --> 00:04:21.364 and an entrepreneur that these were different, novel, and that I would 00:04:21.364 --> 00:04:23.414 get really rich selling these things. 00:04:23.594 --> 00:04:27.894 So over time, you know, I started slowly, I started reselling them and whatnot. 00:04:27.894 --> 00:04:31.919 And then the gentleman who had invented them, wanted to get out of the business. 00:04:31.919 --> 00:04:33.179 He was going on to other things. 00:04:33.189 --> 00:04:38.819 We saw the opportunity to, um, buy the patents, the formulas, and the trademarks. 00:04:38.819 --> 00:04:42.419 So, yeah, it was, it was more than, um, you know, days. 00:04:42.419 --> 00:04:47.039 Yeah, there was, there was, uh, a year or two in there making that decision where 00:04:47.039 --> 00:04:51.649 I first saw the bubbles until we bought, you know, actually bought the bubbles. 00:04:51.649 --> 00:04:56.569 So, yeah, it was, and I think it all boils down to my love of business 00:04:56.599 --> 00:04:58.389 and, uh, being an entrepreneur. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:04:58.429 Yes. 00:04:59.414 --> 00:05:01.364 Loving, loving that from the start. 00:05:01.444 --> 00:05:05.404 Bubbles just happened to be the product I, I first fell in love with. 00:05:05.934 --> 00:05:08.744 Anke: Yeah, it's fun because it seems like a, you know, so when 00:05:08.744 --> 00:05:11.954 you think it's like shoes, you know, like that's like a necessity. 00:05:11.954 --> 00:05:15.764 Somebody, like you gotta wear shoes, like in most places, you know. 00:05:15.834 --> 00:05:21.159 So, but like, Nobody needs bubbles, right? 00:05:21.159 --> 00:05:23.269 So who buys bubbles? 00:05:24.459 --> 00:05:24.859 John: Correct. 00:05:24.859 --> 00:05:29.629 You know, uh, the first market I found, at least with my glowing bubbles, 00:05:29.649 --> 00:05:31.249 was the haunted house industry. 00:05:31.259 --> 00:05:33.769 Haunted houses are huge in the U. 00:05:33.769 --> 00:05:34.029 S. 00:05:34.029 --> 00:05:36.244 and I'm, and I'm sure they are All over the world. 00:05:37.544 --> 00:05:41.954 Big biz, six billion dollar business and we started selling our bubbles 00:05:41.984 --> 00:05:44.004 to every haunted house in the U. 00:05:44.004 --> 00:05:44.384 S. 00:05:44.414 --> 00:05:51.114 and they were using them as a special effect as a like a radioactive goo or 00:05:51.144 --> 00:05:56.554 toxic gas or something and so that's where we found our first business success was 00:05:56.564 --> 00:06:00.044 selling to the special effects industry. 00:06:00.469 --> 00:06:00.909 Ah, that 00:06:00.909 --> 00:06:01.669 Anke: makes sense. 00:06:01.719 --> 00:06:02.299 Yeah. 00:06:02.799 --> 00:06:03.139 All right. 00:06:03.139 --> 00:06:05.269 So how, okay. 00:06:05.269 --> 00:06:09.159 So the person who suggested to you, like, Ooh, you should make that for pets. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:13.489 Obviously they would have had an idea of what, like it would, it never, 00:06:13.509 --> 00:06:18.499 it has never occurred to me until today to buy bubbles for my dogs. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:19.089 Right. 00:06:19.299 --> 00:06:20.109 So 00:06:22.429 --> 00:06:24.589 how does somebody use them? 00:06:24.599 --> 00:06:26.079 Do dogs get scared of them? 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:27.249 Do they play with them? 00:06:27.259 --> 00:06:31.199 Is that like, what's the, like, why would somebody buy bubbles for their dog? 00:06:31.934 --> 00:06:32.474 John: Right. 00:06:32.594 --> 00:06:35.474 Those are all great questions, and the same questions I had when I, 00:06:35.594 --> 00:06:36.704 you know, when I looked at this. 00:06:36.714 --> 00:06:39.619 It's like, you know, Does this thing even exist? 00:06:39.629 --> 00:06:41.199 And they do exist. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:43.739 A lot of them were being made offshore, overseas. 00:06:43.739 --> 00:06:45.069 They were very low quality. 00:06:45.069 --> 00:06:47.289 They didn't work well, had terrible reviews. 00:06:47.669 --> 00:06:52.749 And so our first thing was, all right, let's, let's, let's make some bubbles, uh, 00:06:52.779 --> 00:06:54.469 that are going to entice the dogs, right? 00:06:54.469 --> 00:07:00.299 So our first bubbles were, um, uh, peanut butter scented and smoky bacon scented. 00:07:00.644 --> 00:07:02.114 for our for for dogs. 00:07:02.134 --> 00:07:07.014 And then we we use real catnip that were infused into our kitty love bubbles. 00:07:07.304 --> 00:07:12.194 Um, so we knew catnip was was was a no brainer, you know, for the cats. 00:07:12.444 --> 00:07:15.664 Um, but we we just started experimenting with different, uh, 00:07:15.684 --> 00:07:19.174 fragrances and scents that would might entice a dog to go play with them. 00:07:19.474 --> 00:07:22.454 And, uh, we gave them out to a lot of family and friends 00:07:22.554 --> 00:07:23.574 and people that own dogs. 00:07:23.574 --> 00:07:27.184 And we found that, uh, a lot of dogs responded very well to them. 00:07:27.184 --> 00:07:29.634 They they they chased them around like a ball. 00:07:30.024 --> 00:07:35.124 Um, um, they got very excited with them, uh, and then we found out very 00:07:35.124 --> 00:07:39.784 quickly that people were using them for play and for exercise and, uh, 00:07:39.954 --> 00:07:41.484 for health and wellness reasons. 00:07:41.484 --> 00:07:45.214 And, and, you know, I really created them because I thought they were fun and cool 00:07:45.214 --> 00:07:46.744 and that people would have fun with them. 00:07:47.074 --> 00:07:51.134 But, uh, we're finding that the side effects and the, uh, uh, and a good. 00:07:51.419 --> 00:07:54.609 Good attributes that come out of this are health and well being, you 00:07:54.609 --> 00:07:59.329 know, combating dog and cat obesity because you're, you know, your 00:07:59.329 --> 00:08:01.689 older dogs may, uh, are moving more. 00:08:02.019 --> 00:08:05.089 Um, it's, it's, it's low impact, you know, they don't have to do a 00:08:05.089 --> 00:08:06.509 lot of jumping if they don't want. 00:08:06.549 --> 00:08:07.809 Elderly people can do it. 00:08:07.809 --> 00:08:11.669 You don't have to be an able bodied person to throw a ball or 00:08:11.669 --> 00:08:12.939 throw a stick with your animal. 00:08:12.939 --> 00:08:17.719 You can sit out in a chair and, you know, So it really opened up the, uh, 00:08:17.929 --> 00:08:22.209 it really opened up the, uh, you know, the playing field for, uh, all walks of 00:08:22.209 --> 00:08:24.129 life and for all animals, young and old. 00:08:25.449 --> 00:08:26.369 Anke: That's interesting. 00:08:26.579 --> 00:08:27.829 So it's basically a toy. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:29.569 It's like a dog toy, right? 00:08:29.789 --> 00:08:34.304 So instead of me throwing a ball around that I, Like one 00:08:34.304 --> 00:08:35.984 of my dogs is quite funny. 00:08:36.234 --> 00:08:37.894 Like she's, she's a mastiff. 00:08:37.894 --> 00:08:39.184 She's a guard dog, right? 00:08:39.414 --> 00:08:42.494 And you throw a ball and she looks at you like, well, initially she 00:08:42.494 --> 00:08:46.414 goes after it, but then she gets like, yeah, you get that, right? 00:08:46.414 --> 00:08:51.074 So it's usually me who ends up picking up the last ball, right? 00:08:52.014 --> 00:08:54.984 So with the bubbles, you don't, I don't have to run off to the ball then. 00:08:56.324 --> 00:08:56.854 John: You know what? 00:08:56.854 --> 00:08:57.384 Yeah, that it. 00:08:57.754 --> 00:08:58.894 You're exactly right. 00:08:58.954 --> 00:09:01.734 And it's also not a toy that you're going to trip over on 00:09:01.734 --> 00:09:03.614 your family room floor either. 00:09:03.784 --> 00:09:05.794 Um, which is not bad. 00:09:05.804 --> 00:09:09.124 So, um, and you know, the Bubbles are like any other toy. 00:09:09.134 --> 00:09:09.844 They are a toy. 00:09:09.874 --> 00:09:10.814 They're considered a toy. 00:09:10.834 --> 00:09:14.094 When we sell them, they're like in the toy, uh, section. 00:09:14.409 --> 00:09:17.439 Well, uh, you know, uh, you know, on the store, store shelf. 00:09:17.709 --> 00:09:21.609 Um, and sometimes you have to, uh, just like you do with any new fetch 00:09:21.609 --> 00:09:25.289 toy or, or something you play, engage with your dog or cat with, you may 00:09:25.289 --> 00:09:26.779 have to introduce them a few times. 00:09:26.779 --> 00:09:30.019 I will say sometimes the first time, uh, dogs and cats see 00:09:30.019 --> 00:09:31.109 the bubbles, they are a cat. 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:35.059 Possibly a little frightened because they've never seen that, or, or, you 00:09:35.059 --> 00:09:37.659 know, it's coming, it's floating, and it's getting very close to them, 00:09:37.659 --> 00:09:39.059 and they're not sure what it is. 00:09:39.389 --> 00:09:43.129 But once you, uh, um, introduce it to them several times, 00:09:43.129 --> 00:09:44.349 it's just like any other toy. 00:09:44.359 --> 00:09:47.659 If they, uh, some, some dogs and cats will take to them, most do. 00:09:48.209 --> 00:09:50.799 Some won't, you know, I mean, just like they'll look at you like, hey, 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:53.149 yeah, I don't know what you're doing, but this ain't for me, you know. 00:09:53.149 --> 00:09:53.726 Yeah, 00:09:53.726 --> 00:09:55.539 Anke: I mean, that's fair enough. 00:09:55.539 --> 00:09:57.389 Like, that's the same with any other toy, right? 00:09:57.429 --> 00:10:00.389 You know, so some, some dogs will love it and others go like, 00:10:00.389 --> 00:10:01.459 yeah, that's for you, mate. 00:10:01.829 --> 00:10:09.084 You know, so, but, but so, so when they, So if it, if it don't basically 00:10:09.084 --> 00:10:12.914 like bites the bubble, like, you know, obviously, you know, obviously 00:10:12.914 --> 00:10:17.604 that's not toxic, but is that like kind of wet or what's the consistency? 00:10:17.924 --> 00:10:22.064 Like when you, you know, or if it like drops to the floor, is it 00:10:22.064 --> 00:10:25.754 like, what's the, is it just sort of evaporating or how does it work? 00:10:26.494 --> 00:10:27.944 John: Yeah, great question. 00:10:27.944 --> 00:10:28.054 Yeah. 00:10:28.224 --> 00:10:31.824 So, uh, you know, as a kid and, and whenever you blow a bubble, you 00:10:31.824 --> 00:10:33.694 know, it produces that floating orb. 00:10:34.324 --> 00:10:36.634 Mother nature starts evaporating it right away. 00:10:36.924 --> 00:10:42.194 And then, uh, um, if it, um, uh, you know, really depending on the humidity 00:10:42.244 --> 00:10:46.504 and how much wind is blowing outside, that'll, that'll tell us whether or, uh, 00:10:46.504 --> 00:10:49.714 you know, whether the bubble pops in the air or whether it hits the ground, okay? 00:10:49.994 --> 00:10:55.774 Um, so, uh, environmental issues, wind and humidity play, play a part. 00:10:56.084 --> 00:10:58.084 Um, safety, you touched on that. 00:10:58.084 --> 00:11:01.414 Safety was a huge factor when we developed these bubbles. 00:11:01.414 --> 00:11:04.514 We wanted to make sure that, uh, uh, no pet. 00:11:04.819 --> 00:11:08.549 Uh, or human would be harmed if they accidentally ingested 00:11:08.549 --> 00:11:09.779 some or got some in their mouth. 00:11:10.129 --> 00:11:14.869 So we went, uh, to all the, uh, testing labs and, and made sure that 00:11:14.869 --> 00:11:16.719 we were creating a very safe bubble. 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:19.689 And, uh, they carry, uh, uh, a U. 00:11:19.689 --> 00:11:20.039 S. 00:11:20.469 --> 00:11:24.049 toy certification from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 00:11:24.049 --> 00:11:26.619 So, uh, they are, they are tested safe. 00:11:26.909 --> 00:11:30.549 Um, uh, if a dog or cat gets them in their mouth or eyes, you 00:11:30.549 --> 00:11:33.279 know, uh, There's no worries. 00:11:33.469 --> 00:11:36.269 Um, um, they can't be harmed. 00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:38.719 So that was a very, that was the biggest factor when we did these 00:11:38.719 --> 00:11:43.459 for the pets, was making them, uh, super safe and, and fun to play with. 00:11:44.034 --> 00:11:47.344 Anke: Yeah, okay, that makes sense because I'm imagining like my dogs are well, 00:11:47.344 --> 00:11:48.774 yeah, if they go like, oh, what's this? 00:11:48.774 --> 00:11:50.984 Like, first thing is they try and bite it, you know? 00:11:51.254 --> 00:11:52.134 John: Yep, yeah. 00:11:52.134 --> 00:11:56.484 Anke: So it would be, it would be quite a funny reaction, right? 00:11:56.484 --> 00:11:58.694 If they bite into it and then it goes away, like. 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:00.709 John: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:12:00.709 --> 00:12:04.299 It kind of freaks them out at first and then, um, and then they, you 00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:07.489 know, they get used to that wonderful scent that we've put in them. 00:12:07.489 --> 00:12:11.249 So that's a really big kind of, uh, you know, enticement for them. 00:12:11.249 --> 00:12:13.929 They're smelling this, uh, you know, they're smelling peanut butter or bacon. 00:12:14.229 --> 00:12:18.669 Uh, we've also come up with, we've also come up with birthday cake, uh, 00:12:18.709 --> 00:12:22.139 pumpkin, uh, and apple pie as well. 00:12:22.149 --> 00:12:24.429 So, uh, we'll be 00:12:24.429 --> 00:12:25.379 Anke: competing then, right? 00:12:26.454 --> 00:12:27.414 John: Right, exactly. 00:12:27.694 --> 00:12:29.904 It's a, it's a big dog party, baby. 00:12:30.224 --> 00:12:31.114 Anke: Oh, that's funny. 00:12:31.454 --> 00:12:35.164 I mean, have you ever heard of a dog getting a little bit addictive or 00:12:35.164 --> 00:12:37.344 a little bit overexcited from it? 00:12:38.214 --> 00:12:43.624 John: So, you know, I have one gentleman who, um, um, has to hide 00:12:43.634 --> 00:12:48.044 his bottle of bubbles and bubble gun because the dog gets so excited. 00:12:48.044 --> 00:12:52.264 Like, when he starts to walk near them, the dog thinks it's playtime, right? 00:12:52.644 --> 00:12:57.214 Uh, so yes, I've heard stories of some animals just being so excited 00:12:57.214 --> 00:13:00.304 about them that the owners have to kind of stash them away so that they 00:13:00.304 --> 00:13:04.624 don't, uh, see them, which, which as a manufacturer of the product, I love. 00:13:06.094 --> 00:13:07.244 You know, that's a great thing. 00:13:07.244 --> 00:13:10.774 But yeah, so yeah, sometimes you have to hide them from the pets. 00:13:12.744 --> 00:13:13.684 Anke: Well, I can imagine. 00:13:13.684 --> 00:13:15.774 I guess it'd be the same with kids too, right? 00:13:16.194 --> 00:13:19.754 So it's not like, yeah, yeah, that that makes sense. 00:13:20.774 --> 00:13:22.684 So what have you, have you got any? 00:13:23.544 --> 00:13:27.084 What are your other flavors that you've got in the works or like, you 00:13:27.084 --> 00:13:29.294 know, what are you working on next? 00:13:29.644 --> 00:13:31.904 Or, you know, what's the, what's the plan? 00:13:32.244 --> 00:13:33.274 What are you excited about? 00:13:33.904 --> 00:13:36.154 John: Well, you know, as an entrepreneur, I'm always looking 00:13:36.164 --> 00:13:38.154 for like the next best thing, right? 00:13:38.154 --> 00:13:40.704 You know, or, or enhancements to what we have. 00:13:40.704 --> 00:13:47.869 So I was actually, uh, with someone else the oth telling me about um, arom that 00:13:47.869 --> 00:13:52.179 they were doing uh, oils for calming. 00:13:52.579 --> 00:13:56.739 Um, so research for looking at m 00:13:59.354 --> 00:14:02.804 Uh, have calming effects, um, put them in the bubble form. 00:14:02.804 --> 00:14:06.794 But instead of using them for exercise and entertainment and, and, and kind 00:14:06.794 --> 00:14:11.324 of stimulating the, uh, you know, the dog or cat, we'd use them to calm the 00:14:11.324 --> 00:14:12.974 effect, uh, you know, to calm the pet. 00:14:12.974 --> 00:14:17.834 So, um, we we're going after that right now, and then I think, um. 00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:21.419 First quarter of this year, we're going to be introducing, since we've had 00:14:21.419 --> 00:14:27.149 such great response with our catnip bubbles, we use a great catnip from, 00:14:27.149 --> 00:14:29.179 uh, that's made right here in the U. 00:14:29.179 --> 00:14:29.489 S., 00:14:29.509 --> 00:14:33.359 um, um, we're going to create a catnip spray. 00:14:33.599 --> 00:14:37.389 Um, so we're going to be adding that to our, uh, cat line very, very soon. 00:14:37.399 --> 00:14:39.879 We'll have that at Global Pet this year, so. 00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:43.549 Anke: Hmm, because I'm thinking like, yeah, you probably have something 00:14:43.549 --> 00:14:46.819 that you're, that you're, you know, kind of working on in your lab. 00:14:46.829 --> 00:14:50.229 Like, I would imagine, like, do you have like a fancy lab in your, you 00:14:50.229 --> 00:14:53.099 know, somewhere where you have all your little bottles and tinctions 00:14:53.099 --> 00:14:57.929 and play around and develop new, new scents and new products or how, 00:14:58.079 --> 00:15:00.179 how, how, how would I picture that? 00:15:02.004 --> 00:15:03.164 John: Exactly like that. 00:15:03.164 --> 00:15:07.674 So think of you being in your kitchen and you're, you know, you're a cook and 00:15:07.674 --> 00:15:10.844 you're making all these fun foods and you have your spice rack with all your 00:15:10.844 --> 00:15:13.464 different scents and, and, and spices on. 00:15:13.744 --> 00:15:16.334 Um, my lab looks very much the same. 00:15:16.334 --> 00:15:21.724 I have literally hundreds of bottles of, of different fragrances and, and, um, 00:15:21.754 --> 00:15:26.204 essential oils and, uh, things we use in the production of our, of our bubbles. 00:15:26.204 --> 00:15:29.944 And we're, we're always in there kind of experimenting and, and taking, 00:15:29.944 --> 00:15:32.909 um, Taking suggestions from people, you know, I mean, some of the best, 00:15:33.199 --> 00:15:37.669 my best ideas come from talking with people and, uh, folks like yourself, 00:15:37.669 --> 00:15:41.009 you know, in the galley yesterday, just speaking with people about, hey, what, 00:15:41.009 --> 00:15:42.159 uh, you know, what are your thoughts? 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:45.779 What do you, you know, what do you think might, uh, be a good idea? 00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:49.459 Or it just comes up in conversation and you just pick up on it, like my friend 00:15:49.729 --> 00:15:53.639 at the party saying, hey, you know, you ought to check out Pet Bubbles and, you 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:55.494 know, we, you want You know, we did. 00:15:55.494 --> 00:15:58.194 So, uh, you always have to keep your ears open. 00:15:58.614 --> 00:15:59.314 Anke: Absolutely. 00:15:59.314 --> 00:15:59.854 Absolutely. 00:15:59.854 --> 00:16:00.114 I guess. 00:16:00.114 --> 00:16:03.334 And that's always that, you know, when I always talk about when 00:16:03.334 --> 00:16:06.874 this, you know, where your passion meets a need in the market, you 00:16:06.874 --> 00:16:08.624 know, when, when that sort of hits. 00:16:09.024 --> 00:16:12.984 And actually now, obviously we're talking about dogs mainly, but 00:16:13.454 --> 00:16:15.164 are there any other animals? 00:16:15.394 --> 00:16:19.394 Rather apart from dogs and cats who kind of, you know, I could imagine 00:16:19.394 --> 00:16:22.584 like, I don't know if I'm imagining like in a zoo and they have a bunch 00:16:22.584 --> 00:16:24.264 of monkeys to entertain, right? 00:16:24.314 --> 00:16:28.164 So it's like, you know, are there other animals that would really 00:16:28.704 --> 00:16:30.244 enjoy playing with the bubbles? 00:16:33.244 --> 00:16:34.804 John: Again, another great question. 00:16:34.804 --> 00:16:37.274 We have a top 10 zoo here in St. 00:16:37.274 --> 00:16:37.654 Louis. 00:16:37.694 --> 00:16:38.214 The St. 00:16:38.214 --> 00:16:43.804 Louis Zoo is a well known zoo, a wonderful place, and we do a lot of, uh, bubble 00:16:43.804 --> 00:16:48.524 events down there with our bubble company, uh, but I've, uh, I've become friends 00:16:48.554 --> 00:16:53.244 with, uh, the curator of the large animals, so we actually have brought down, 00:16:53.514 --> 00:16:58.804 um, our peanut butter scented bubbles for, uh, They tried them with the elephants. 00:17:00.674 --> 00:17:04.254 And we've actually brought down catnip bubbles to see if the 00:17:04.254 --> 00:17:07.524 big cats, lions and tigers, 00:17:09.754 --> 00:17:11.084 might be interested in them. 00:17:11.084 --> 00:17:13.634 And we're still waiting for feedback on those. 00:17:13.644 --> 00:17:18.724 But yeah, you know, there'd be no reason why, you know, the bubbles would not, 00:17:20.774 --> 00:17:24.284 instill the same excitement in a, you know, in a large animal, you 00:17:24.284 --> 00:17:26.074 know, as it would, like a family pet. 00:17:26.074 --> 00:17:26.324 Yeah. 00:17:26.324 --> 00:17:28.124 So we're, you know, we're looking at that. 00:17:28.124 --> 00:17:30.144 It's kind of a fun, it's kind of a fun experiment. 00:17:30.434 --> 00:17:33.224 And the exciting thing is, is they're very interested in that because 00:17:33.224 --> 00:17:36.884 they're, they're always looking for new enrichment, you know, the, you know, 00:17:36.974 --> 00:17:40.084 the, uh, you know, the animals down there see the same scenery all the time. 00:17:40.084 --> 00:17:43.064 So they're always looking for ways to enrich their lives. 00:17:43.064 --> 00:17:46.084 And it's, and it's kind of fun having people that are excited about maybe. 00:17:46.324 --> 00:17:47.884 playing and experimenting with them. 00:17:47.884 --> 00:17:50.604 And they're, and they're happy about the safeness, you know, like the pet 00:17:50.604 --> 00:17:52.484 safeness of our, of our products as well. 00:17:52.484 --> 00:17:54.304 So that, that helps greatly. 00:17:54.314 --> 00:17:55.154 Yeah, it's wonderful. 00:17:55.184 --> 00:17:55.674 It's fun. 00:17:56.194 --> 00:17:56.584 Anke: Yeah. 00:17:56.614 --> 00:17:58.964 No, I think, I mean, let me just mention enrichment. 00:17:58.964 --> 00:17:59.234 I just. 00:18:00.284 --> 00:18:03.684 There's just an enrichment, a dog enrichment summit going on. 00:18:03.684 --> 00:18:07.724 I'm like, well, next, next time I think you, you should go, go speak there. 00:18:07.774 --> 00:18:10.374 Because it does go in that, in that category, right? 00:18:10.784 --> 00:18:12.784 It's a mental stimulation. 00:18:12.824 --> 00:18:15.504 It's, it's physical stimulation. 00:18:15.944 --> 00:18:19.574 And it's, it's that fun element, but it's not all that serious. 00:18:19.724 --> 00:18:21.614 It's not like, oh, agility, agility. 00:18:21.614 --> 00:18:22.944 You have to do this and that. 00:18:22.954 --> 00:18:24.164 It's kind of, you just. 00:18:24.729 --> 00:18:25.689 John: Be playful. 00:18:26.439 --> 00:18:27.159 Right, right. 00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:27.809 Exactly. 00:18:27.809 --> 00:18:30.439 You know, it's like when you exercise at home in your basement and you're 00:18:30.439 --> 00:18:33.469 not going to the gym and you're doing, you know, the big, you know, 00:18:33.469 --> 00:18:35.629 the big fancy workout, you know. 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:38.019 Pet, you know, pets like to move around all day. 00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:41.339 They've been inside, maybe the, you know, their owners have been at work all day 00:18:41.589 --> 00:18:44.879 and, uh, yeah, everybody can kind of get into their own routine with their pets. 00:18:44.879 --> 00:18:49.379 Uh, the other thing I'd like to mention is, uh, I didn't realize that 00:18:49.409 --> 00:18:51.169 pet obesity was such a big thing. 00:18:51.169 --> 00:18:53.669 You know, in dogs and cats, at least here in the U. 00:18:53.669 --> 00:18:53.959 S., 00:18:53.959 --> 00:18:56.049 our animals are, are overweight. 00:18:56.329 --> 00:19:00.664 And, uh, you know, we're trying to use the bubbles, uh, to get people to get better. 00:19:01.074 --> 00:19:05.064 Moving again, and it goes back to what you were saying about health and wellness. 00:19:05.404 --> 00:19:09.664 Um, and I think we all feel better, you know, when you, when you exercise or 00:19:09.664 --> 00:19:12.934 when you take a walk or, or, you know, when you, you know, when you sweat 00:19:12.934 --> 00:19:16.534 a little bit, man, when you're done with that, um, uh, it, it releases the 00:19:16.534 --> 00:19:18.504 endorphins and, you know, you feel good. 00:19:18.504 --> 00:19:22.534 And, and I think, uh, it, you know, the same Chemistry must be 00:19:22.534 --> 00:19:23.894 happening in our pets as well. 00:19:23.904 --> 00:19:27.144 So if they run around I think they feel good when they're, you know, I think 00:19:27.144 --> 00:19:28.394 they feel good when they're tired. 00:19:28.894 --> 00:19:30.934 Anke: Yeah, no, I mean, don't we all, right? 00:19:31.864 --> 00:19:34.964 I mean, um, actually that's just kind of reminds me. 00:19:35.144 --> 00:19:39.884 So my initial idea would always be, Lou, you play with bubbles outside. 00:19:40.484 --> 00:19:41.594 But you don't have to, can you? 00:19:41.714 --> 00:19:43.414 Like, you could play inside. 00:19:43.414 --> 00:19:47.144 I mean, obviously, if you have the space, but sometimes you see these 00:19:47.144 --> 00:19:50.954 funny videos, you know, when the dogs like crash through the living room and 00:19:51.014 --> 00:19:55.354 smash the, I mean, we don't want to, you know, we don't want that, but in 00:19:55.354 --> 00:19:59.494 theory, there's nothing really that requires this to happen outside, does it? 00:20:00.549 --> 00:20:02.659 John: You know, you are 100 percent correct. 00:20:02.659 --> 00:20:05.649 Yeah, we we actually encourage people, you know, a lot of cat 00:20:05.649 --> 00:20:10.679 owners will play with their cats inside, you know, um, dog owners too. 00:20:10.679 --> 00:20:14.809 We, you know, we see many videos of people, uh, in their living rooms or 00:20:14.809 --> 00:20:19.149 in their kitchens or basements playing with the animals, uh, here in St. 00:20:19.149 --> 00:20:19.519 Louis. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:23.449 Like we talked before we started recording, it's very cold out here. 00:20:23.449 --> 00:20:24.879 Snow and icy conditions. 00:20:24.879 --> 00:20:28.089 It's actually, uh, dangerous for people to be out because they'll slip and 00:20:28.089 --> 00:20:30.059 fall and happens with our pets too. 00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:34.239 So having something that you can do with them, uh, in areas 00:20:34.239 --> 00:20:36.159 that get, uh, cold and snow. 00:20:36.449 --> 00:20:37.859 Um, big deal. 00:20:37.859 --> 00:20:39.939 You, you certainly can do it inside. 00:20:39.949 --> 00:20:42.629 That's a, yeah, that's a great thing to, uh, let people know, 00:20:42.809 --> 00:20:44.144 uh, they can be done inside. 00:20:44.924 --> 00:20:47.854 Anke: Yeah, because that's I'm thinking like, Oh, actually, because we've got 00:20:47.854 --> 00:20:52.314 that here, not, not with the, with the, with the heat, but we have the problem 00:20:52.314 --> 00:20:56.374 in summer, when it's so hot that during the day, you can't go out, you know, 00:20:56.574 --> 00:21:00.294 because they'll burn their feet and they just collapse from a heat stroke. 00:21:00.694 --> 00:21:04.334 And so there's literally you got, you can go out with them like early in the morning 00:21:04.454 --> 00:21:07.964 or late at night, but sort of during the day, if you can throw some bubbles around 00:21:08.604 --> 00:21:10.714 inside, you know, where it's just cooler. 00:21:11.144 --> 00:21:12.424 Then that'd 00:21:12.424 --> 00:21:12.834 John: be fun. 00:21:13.494 --> 00:21:14.894 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 00:21:14.894 --> 00:21:18.034 On the flip side, yeah, when it gets extremely hot, it is, you 00:21:18.034 --> 00:21:21.734 know, it's just as dangerous for dogs and cats to be outside. 00:21:22.054 --> 00:21:25.694 Uh, so yeah, they, you know, I think, uh, our pets like air 00:21:25.694 --> 00:21:27.134 conditioning as much as we do. 00:21:27.954 --> 00:21:28.074 Anke: I 00:21:28.094 --> 00:21:28.544 John: bet they do. 00:21:28.904 --> 00:21:30.004 Well, they're not stupid, right? 00:21:31.904 --> 00:21:32.534 Exactly. 00:21:32.544 --> 00:21:35.934 Break out a bottle of bubbles, turn on the air conditioning and, uh, you 00:21:35.934 --> 00:21:38.174 know, have, uh, have a safe play date. 00:21:38.754 --> 00:21:39.844 Anke: Yeah, I love that. 00:21:40.084 --> 00:21:40.534 I love that. 00:21:40.924 --> 00:21:48.504 So where would somebody go and buy those, you know, like, and also actually, um, 00:21:49.264 --> 00:21:53.084 obviously I want you to tell people where they can buy yours, you know, 00:21:53.084 --> 00:21:58.184 but also if somebody goes, Oh, I'll just go on Amazon and grab some, right. 00:21:58.194 --> 00:22:03.594 So, so what should somebody be watching out for, you know, because 00:22:03.604 --> 00:22:06.514 you said before that a lot of them. 00:22:06.944 --> 00:22:11.004 Get kind of produced overseas and they might come from China and who 00:22:11.004 --> 00:22:16.154 knows what your dog basically ingests there so Is there something where you 00:22:16.154 --> 00:22:20.544 go like, yeah make, like if you buy whatever, like don't buy this You know, 00:22:21.474 --> 00:22:25.284 John: right, you know, uh, yeah, so damn To answer your first question, you can, 00:22:25.294 --> 00:22:27.404 you can certainly find us on Amazon U. 00:22:27.404 --> 00:22:27.854 S., 00:22:28.104 --> 00:22:30.634 uh, and some of the international, but Amazon U. 00:22:30.634 --> 00:22:30.884 S. 00:22:30.904 --> 00:22:33.894 is, is, is a great place to find our products. 00:22:34.174 --> 00:22:36.404 Uh, we have our own website, AtomicBubbles. 00:22:37.184 --> 00:22:40.315 com, which I, I think you're going to share with the audience. 00:22:40.315 --> 00:22:41.104 Yes, we'll pop it below the 00:22:41.104 --> 00:22:41.654 Anke: video, yep. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:46.209 John: Right, and you know, Amazon, you'll find 00:22:48.219 --> 00:22:51.779 reviews are huge and especially on Amazon, reviews are king. 00:22:52.049 --> 00:22:57.779 And so I would, I would tell your listeners to be very aware of, of, of 00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:59.339 reviews, see what people have done. 00:22:59.339 --> 00:23:05.139 That's a good thing for us to say because we rank very high on Amazon. 00:23:05.149 --> 00:23:10.254 We have thousands of reviews with, uh, Uh, uh, 4. 00:23:10.294 --> 00:23:13.544 2, uh, average, uh, review rating. 00:23:13.554 --> 00:23:17.414 So I think it's very important for people to look at the reviews, 00:23:17.734 --> 00:23:21.694 uh, and let past buyers who have, who have tried the product and 00:23:21.694 --> 00:23:23.764 reviewed it, uh, be their guide. 00:23:23.764 --> 00:23:26.784 And, uh, with our particular products, you will find some, 00:23:26.824 --> 00:23:28.454 uh, wonderful reviews on us. 00:23:28.484 --> 00:23:32.174 And, and, uh, a lot of times we're ranked number one on Amazon. 00:23:32.184 --> 00:23:34.844 So that, uh, in today's world, that means a lot. 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:35.939 That means a lot. 00:23:35.969 --> 00:23:36.509 Yeah, for sure. 00:23:37.229 --> 00:23:37.599 For sure. 00:23:37.879 --> 00:23:40.409 So, uh, yeah, and there are other ones that are out there. 00:23:40.409 --> 00:23:44.829 I would encourage, uh, uh, your listeners to stay with, you know, uh, 00:23:44.949 --> 00:23:50.079 US, uh, um, um, uh, manufacturers, people who they might know. 00:23:50.109 --> 00:23:53.629 But again, those reviews, I think are, uh, are the best way to go. 00:23:53.629 --> 00:23:55.379 And we, uh, we rank very well. 00:23:55.379 --> 00:23:59.469 If you're searching reviews for pet bubbles, uh, we will be in that, we will 00:23:59.469 --> 00:24:01.159 be in that top line search for sure. 00:24:01.724 --> 00:24:02.304 Anke: I love that. 00:24:02.314 --> 00:24:03.394 Well, that's well done. 00:24:03.394 --> 00:24:05.604 Like that's not an easy thing to do, right? 00:24:06.034 --> 00:24:09.784 Especially with, with, you know, so many people offering stuff. 00:24:09.784 --> 00:24:14.774 So to, to rank well there and be around for so long, that's definitely worth 00:24:14.774 --> 00:24:17.694 gold in today's, in today's world. 00:24:18.244 --> 00:24:18.704 It is. 00:24:18.704 --> 00:24:22.654 Are you on social media as well for people to follow you? 00:24:22.654 --> 00:24:23.004 I don't know. 00:24:23.004 --> 00:24:28.154 Are you on Instagram having funny, funny, funny, funny reels with, you 00:24:28.154 --> 00:24:29.844 know, with dogs playing with bubbles? 00:24:30.364 --> 00:24:31.354 John: Yes, we have. 00:24:31.364 --> 00:24:35.624 You know what I'll do is I'll have, uh, I'll have Dana, um, uh, reach out to 00:24:35.624 --> 00:24:40.364 you after the show, uh, and she'll give you all of our social media handles, uh, 00:24:40.364 --> 00:24:44.994 and yes, we're on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, all of those, uh, so your, 00:24:44.994 --> 00:24:48.714 uh, audience can go out there and see all the crazy stuff and, and fun things 00:24:48.714 --> 00:24:50.214 people are doing with our bubbles. 00:24:50.594 --> 00:24:54.584 Anke: Yeah, because I think it'd be so much fun to actually see because now, now 00:24:54.584 --> 00:24:56.374 here, it's just you and me talking, right? 00:24:56.374 --> 00:25:00.874 So we don't actually get to get to see the, the bubbles in action. 00:25:00.874 --> 00:25:04.694 So that's why I'm like, I mean, I might be always sharing the link anyway, 00:25:04.694 --> 00:25:08.134 but I think in this case, it'd be like real fun to, to actually see. 00:25:08.284 --> 00:25:11.274 see it in action, you know, what that actually looks like and see 00:25:11.274 --> 00:25:15.734 how much the dogs enjoy it and, you know, so entice people to, to try 00:25:15.734 --> 00:25:20.634 it out, you know, so your dog will thank you for, for a new toy for sure. 00:25:21.224 --> 00:25:22.604 And so thank you so much. 00:25:22.604 --> 00:25:23.504 This was so much fun. 00:25:23.634 --> 00:25:26.934 I think I love the fun element you've got in your whole business, right? 00:25:26.934 --> 00:25:30.964 So when you think the whole, the whole purpose of the business is to 00:25:31.124 --> 00:25:37.509 bring fun and excitement and movement and exercise to dogs and people. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.524 I think that's brilliant. 00:25:39.344 --> 00:25:42.544 John: Yeah, our mantra here at, uh, Atomic Bubbles is Peace, Love, and 00:25:42.544 --> 00:25:49.974 Bubbles, so, um, We love, yeah, we love to make smiles, and we like to, uh, um, 00:25:50.014 --> 00:25:53.944 make, make the world a better place if we can, and, uh, we, you know, we say we 00:25:53.944 --> 00:25:58.424 try to do it every day, one bubble at a time, so, uh, we really, uh, we really 00:25:58.424 --> 00:26:02.394 appreciate the time with you, and, uh, uh, you having us on the show, and I hope, 00:26:02.424 --> 00:26:06.544 uh, and I hope your listening audience gets a, uh, a kick out of the bubbles. 00:26:07.719 --> 00:26:08.699 Anke: With a show will. 00:26:08.749 --> 00:26:09.729 Thank you so much. 00:26:10.299 --> 00:26:11.114 John: Thank you, Anke. 00:26:12.154 --> 00:26:13.384 Thanks so much for listening. 00:26:13.904 --> 00:26:18.204 If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to subscribe, and leave a review so 00:26:18.304 --> 00:26:20.084 other dog lovers can find the show. 00:26:20.874 --> 00:26:24.364 If you haven't already, head over to soul touched by dogs. 00:26:24.794 --> 00:26:30.364 com and sign up for weekly doggy cuteness tips, recommendations, and personal 00:26:30.464 --> 00:26:32.834 stories to warm your dog loving heart. 00:26:32.834 --> 00:26:36.564 And if you know a pawsome human you think I should interview, 00:26:36.984 --> 00:26:38.124 I'd love an introduction. 00:26:38.604 --> 00:26:40.434 Email me at Anke. 00:26:40.704 --> 00:26:44.939 That's A N k E at Soul touched by dogs.com.