Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Freeman
Hi Jeff, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m Jeff Freeman, born and raised in LA and the founder of Lumi Pawtners. Ever since I was a kid I have been very gifted and inventive, finding out of the box solutions for all kinds of problems. I’m a bit of a polymath one could say and have experience in everything from working for Ferrari building and restoring cars, to Real Estate and serve as the VP for CAC Property Management currently. Lumi was launched in 2024 and created because of the need for a product like this to help all dogs and their owners who have to walk their dogs at night/ in the dark.
My whole life I have always been a huge dog person and dogs have always been a part of my family. So when my dog Sloan started showing symptoms of impaired vision a few years ago, I obviously wanted to help him. Sloan has PRA which is a hereditary condition that affects millions of dogs around the world, and he will be completely blind in the coming years. Symptoms of PRA start to be most noticeable at night, which was very true for Sloan. It got so bad for Sloan that he would refuse to go outside as soon as it was dark because he was scared. Tripping and walking into things, and when you add cars speeding by it was just too much for him. But he was perfectly fine during the day. So I figured that if I could light up his line of sight, he would be able to go out at night. I started looking online for something, thinking I was not the first person to have a dog who is going blind (but not yet completely blind) so there must be something to help him. But there was nothing. Not a single product available for dogs with his condition. If I wanted to help I would have to make something myself.
That’s how the first Lumi was created and it worked better than I could have ever hoped for. I used a 1000 lumen LED strip light mounted across his chest (so the light wasn’t in his eyes and lit up everything in front of him) and remained comfortable. Sloan was not afraid to go outside at night at all after that, and he stopped bumping into things and stopped tripping over things he couldn’t see before. Within days, everyone in my neighborhood wanted a Lumi for themselves and their dogs. They wanted one not because they had dogs with PRA, but because it was the best hands free flashlight they had ever seen for walking their dogs, and they felt safer. Safety is the biggest unintended benefit to Lumi. The LED light is so bright that it can be seen clearly from 1/4 mile away. Drivers speeding through LA can see you long before ever getting close to you and they slow down because they have enough time to do so. Being seen at night, vs. hoping drivers are paying attention, has already saved the life of 1 customer and my goal is that it saves many more. Dog owners can also see where their dog goes potty, they can see if they are trying to eat something off of the ground, and the peace of mind it brings cant be understated. The light also scares coyotes away (and we have a lot of them in my neighborhood) which is another added benefit.
This theme of safety is critical, because it is dangerous to go out at night. This is LA and we all know weirdos come out at night too. This got me thinking about what else we could add to the harness in order to make it even safer for dogs and their people. So we started adding smart features like GPS tracking, interactive neighborhood maps with alerts for various hazards, scheduling walk times so dog owners could go out with neighbors (it’s safer to walk with another person than alone), etc.
Lumi today has 2 version of the harness. The Lumi One and Lumi Pro. Lumi One will be released this year and is the non-smart version of the harness. It has a 1000 lumen LED and is controlled by the button on the harness, or the remote that it comes with (for added convenience). The Lumi Pro will have all of the smart tech you could hope for and that will be released in 2025.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a bumpy road getting Lumi off of the ground, just as any start up is. How do you market a product that is beneficial to every dog owner on the planet? It’s not an easy demographic to target and getting to this point has not been cheap. But the response from people when they see the harness is always 100% positive, and dog owners everywhere will eventually learn about who we are and our mission. On a very positive note, Lumi will be featured on Shark Tank next season, and that exposure will be very beneficial for the brand.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Lumi Pawtners?
Lumi is the first dog harness of it’s kind and is designed to keep you and your pup safe when walking at night. There are other harnesses with lights, but they don’t do anything to help you or your dog see better at night, and they look a little silly to be honest. Blue and Green lights on the dogs back that are only visible from 10-20 ft away. Lumi is much more than that.
Personally, I have an engineering and mechanical background with over 30 inventions under my belt. My biggest strength would have to be my attention to detail, which you understand when you see the harness. I’m a huge dog person, so the harness has been designed with safety and comfort in mind. The materials used are not only 100% sustainable, but they are waterproof, tear proof and fireproof as well as comfortable for your dog while holding them securely on your walks. There are 3 colors available currently (Black, Blue and Pink) which look really cool in person. They aren’t the basic colors you are picturing right now, but are very fashionable head turning fabrics with subtle patterns.
What am I most proud of about Lumi? We have already saved 1 life. A gal in Florida named Kate, who found us on Instagram, received one of our prototypes for our initial beta testing. The very first night that she used the harness it saved her life. Her street in her neighborhood happens to be quite dark, and while walking her dog, a drunk driver jumped the curb in front of her and was headed directly at her. The driver, saw her dog because of the light and swerved out of the way and into a tree. Nobody was hurt, except for the tree, Kate ran to the car and got the guy out, and the driver was taken into custody shortly afterwards. She immediately called me to tell me about the experience and it was very emotional for both of us to say the least. It was a moment in my life that I will never forget and I felt like I had made a difference in this world. Even if it was just a small one.
The biggest difference between Lumi and other brands is that I care. I care about the products and will deliver the best harness money can buy. Lumi matters to me, helping people and their pups around the world matters to me. Kate is alive today because of Lumi and I will forever be grateful for that.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
There is so much negativity in the world today, so much so that people have become numb to it. I am just doing what I can to make sure I don’t add to it. I show up for others whenever needed, work as hard as I can to make an honest living, and want to leave this place a little better than how I found it. Helping pups is just a big bonus.
Pricing:
- Lumi One $79
- Lumi Pro $99
- Pre-Order discount 40% off
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.discoverlumi.com
- Instagram: @Lumi.Pawtners
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LumiPawtners
