In this episode, Clayton sits down with John and Lisa Bryson, the president and vice president of Tranquil Tails, at SuperZoo 2025. They share their unique journey from diverse backgrounds - John's transition from law to small business and Lisa's experience in neonatal intensive care and retail—to create a product aimed at alleviating pet anxiety through a non-toxic pheromone diffuser. They also discuss the growing awareness of pet anxiety, particularly in cats, and the innovative solutions Tranquil Tails offers, including a plug-in diffuser and a spray formulation for travel.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

John transitioned from a law career to the family business after a personal tragedy, leading to the development of Tranquil Tails, a company focused on calming products for pets using pheromones.

Tranquil Tails offers a plug-in heated diffuser that releases a non-toxic pheromone blend to help alleviate anxiety in pets, particularly dogs and cats. The product is based on years of research and aims to address the growing issue of pet anxiety.

There is a noticeable shift in pet ownership dynamics, with more people treating pets as family members. This has led to increased awareness of pet anxiety, particularly in cats, which have historically been underserved in the pet product market.

Entering the pet market involves navigating significant challenges, including competition from established brands and the complexities of retail partnerships. The company is focusing on direct-to-consumer sales through their website and Amazon to build their brand.

The founders see potential in expanding their product line to address issues related to aging pets and are committed to innovation in the pet care space. They emphasise the importance of adapting to market changes and consumer needs while maintaining a focus on safety and efficacy.

BEST MOMENTS

"We talked to our supplier about this pheromone and we said, wait a minute, maybe we could put this in the pad."

"The pheromones that we are using in our formulation are mammillary."

"The interesting thing is, the difference between animals and humans is you don't get the placebo effect in animals."

"If a pheromone can be used to alleviate that bad behaviour, a lot of these dogs that are put down don't have to be put down."

"It's not how many times you fall down, it's how many times you get back up."

HOST BIO

Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few.

Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica).

As well as being COO of one of the UKs fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/

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https://www.youtube.com/@PetBusinessDisruptors

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/