From banking to pets

“Before I got into the pet world I worked in the banking industry. And you know what they say about banking – it’s a dog’s business. So I decided to go instead into the business for dogs.” That’s Elan Mansur’s tongue-in-cheek explanation of why he established his company Long Paws in the UK. “Seriously though, my wife and I have been animal lovers. When I decided it was time to end my banking career, everything just pointed us in the direction of a pet business.” The pieces of the business needed for Long Paws seemed to come together on their own, according to Mansur.
“We found unique products that we loved and were sure everyone else would love too. We then set about trying to convince the product owners to give us the European agencies for them. That’s where it all began.” The company has a broad range of pro­ducts. “Essentially, we can source most products. That said, we do keep ourselves focussed and introduce very specific products to our range.

Some of the products we manufacture ourselves, and for others, we hold the sole agency. That’s where the chain starts.” In countries where Long Paws does not have a third party distributor, it distributes the products directly to the trade and also works with local agents. It also sells directly to the public through the Long Paws website, as well as through partner websites. In terms of its workforce the company has adopted a very lean concept. “We have three employees. We chose a primarily outsourced model for the business. This allows flexibility to grow Long Paws while keeping control over the costs. So far the model has worked well for us, but that’s not to say it doesn’t come with its own challenges.”
Water bottles and raincoats
In addition to outside products, these employees also sell products manufactured by Long Paws itself, including pet water bottles. The bottles can be used when out walking with the dog. “When the dog gets thirsty, you simply open the cap, invert the bottle, and let the dog lick the floating ball in the tip. As the dog licks, the bottle releases water,” says Mansur. The company has also recently launched its Mac Paws range of packable raincoats for dogs. Long Paws intends to land its latest coup with a new line of African-style dog collars and leads…