Hidden Gems: Meet April Spurlock of FTI Pet Products, Inc. dba Flea Treats

Today we’d like to introduce you to April Spurlock.

Hi April, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When our mom came across Jeff Gilmore with his Flea Treats at the Orange County Fair in the 1990s, it was a game changer! Finally, a safe, natural, and effective way to control fleas! When placing an order in the summer of 2022, I spoke with Jeanie and learned she and Jeff were retiring and putting the business up for sale. I called my brother and sister that evening, and we loved the idea of a family business and working for ourselves. Our mom would be so excited to see her kids working together to bring the great product she loved to great people who love their pets. Since we purchased the company in January, we have created a new website, label, barcodes, clothing, promotional products, business cards, QR code, and are building our social media presence. We’ve also made improvements to our packaging, shipping time, and invoicing. The DogFest LA / Canine Companions event we attended at SteelCraft in Garden Grove was great and we are looking for other pet events to go to as well as working on wholesale. Flea Treats are now available locally at Collar and Leash in Garden Grove and City Pawz in Anaheim.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been somewhat bumpy. The customer database from 1980 – 2022 is on a 30-year-old Mac that is no longer functioning properly. When we tried to transfer the data, we ruined our computer and had to buy a new one. We didn’t receive enough stock and ran out of product two weeks after buying the company, and had to wait two more weeks for the next order to be ready. The trademark expired and it’s been an unexpected process and expense to have it reinstated. We were so happy when the new website was up, only to be shocked when two weeks later it crashed due to the previous host. If our new web designer didn’t have backups I don’t know what we’d have done. The previous owners hadn’t raised prices since 2016, didn’t charge for shipping, and gave discounts for multiple bottle purchases; it’s been a challenge bringing things to where they need to be for the business to succeed. We are trying to get on Amazon and are working through that process. Yelp is definitely not our friend right now as we are trying to overcome poor customer service ratings from before we purchased the company. And of course, sometimes siblings have differences, but after a few rocky discussions, we’ve utilized our strengths and better communication to have more fun in our growth and progress.

We’ve been impressed with FTI Pet Products, Inc. dba Flea Treats, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Flea Treats are a safe, natural, and effective method of flea control. Flea Treats are a special formulation of B-complex vitamins that gradually cause your pet’s skin to emit a powerful repelling odor without the unpleasant and potentially harmful effects of insecticides. Neither you nor your pet can smell the repellent, but fleas can. At the same time, you’ll support the health of your pet’s skin and coat. Flea Treats are manufactured with USP Grade vitamins in a GMP Facility and are safe for all pets. And best of all, Flea Treats are tasty tablets flavored with real liver that pets love! They can be given whole, or can easily be broken into pieces or crushed and sprinkled over food, if needed. Customer satisfaction and pet safety is our number one goal!

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Mom always said, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and I’ve always believed that. We were told by many not to purchase the company, but we believed we could make it work for us and have had friends and family help with accounting, IT, signage, and social media. The reason we believed is because of the product itself, the previous owners Jeff & Jeanie, and the thousands of loyal customers who have spread the word about Flea Treats since 1980!

Pricing:

• 100 tablets for $18.95
• 250 tablets for $28.95
• 500 tablets for $42.95

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fleatreats.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fleatreats1980/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FleaTreats
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flea-treats
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FleaTreats
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/flea-treats-aka-fti-pet-products-garden-grove

Image Credits
Amber Spurlock, Will Stapatyanon