Archive for category: It’s In The Bag Blog

As travel returns for humans, more of them want to take their animal companions with them on vacation. Here, tips on making that experience a happy one for everyone.

By Julie Weed – New York Times

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I recently went one on one with Gayle Martz. Gayle is the founder and former CEO of Sherpa Pet Trading Company, maker of The SHERPA Bag®, the first soft-sided pet carrier officially approved by major airlines.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Gayle: My journey began as flight attendant with TWA. I have always loved to travel and experience different foods, cultures, and places. The job also allowed me to pursue my other passion, photography. I was a freelance fashion photographer for high-end brands in the handbag and fashion industry. I photographed Lanvin in Paris, Valentino in Rome, and Adolfo in Milan. Life was good until my flight attendant career came to an abrupt halt on the heels of a corporate raider who took over TWA. His first order of business was to get rid of all flight attendants and hire a new work force. I remember wondering, how am I, and others, going to make it? I was living in Manhattan, the most expensive borough in the most expensive city in the country, and just lost both my revenue streams. And then shortly thereafter, the unthinkable happened. My finance died of a heart attack. All these events left me with no money, no home, and no job. But as they say, the good thing about hitting rock bottom is there’s only one way left to go and that’s UP.  The knowledge I gained from being a flight attendant and my experience as a photographer coupled with the love I had for my dog, SHERPA, who I never wanted to go anywhere without, helped me create a vision for what became the first soft-sided pet carrier, The SHERPA Bag. My signature design was the first of its kind, as the soft-sided pet carrier category did not exist in the world. This bag allowed me to create my multi-million-dollar business, the SHERPA Pet Trading Company, where I served as the CEO until 2016.

How did you come up with your business Idea? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas?

Gayle: The idea for the SHERPA Bag came to me when I wanted to fly with my dog, SHERPA, from New York to California but she was not allowed in the cabin, so I had no choice but to make the cross-country trip in a car. I started experimenting with dimensions and designs for a new type of pet carrier that would fit a pet comfortably and safely under the seat of an airplane. Was it a good idea? Yes. But what most people don’t realize is an idea means very little without a strong foundation and execution. When thinking of an idea, search for a void in the global marketplace. If there is a void in the marketplace, do research to see if your idea would be beneficial and attractive to consumers. The only good ideas are the ones that have a lot of hard work that goes into them. Read more

So what happens when you introduce some Alpacas to an Alpaca plushie? Find out more at https://www.lilymoorefarm.com

And I cannot imagine having to choose between the two. Globetrotting with my pets has become my way of life, but not so long ago, things were very different.

In 1987, Sherpa, an adorable gray Lhasa Apso given to me by my fiancé, became my everything when my fiancé tragically died in his sleep a month before our wedding. Without a signed will, I wasn’t entitled to any of his estate and had to leave our New York home. To make matters worse, after two decades as a flight attendant, I had recently been laid off during a strike. At thirty-seven years old, my entire world had been turned upside down.

Feeling alone and distraught, I wanted to spend some time with my mother who lived in California, but I hesitated because the only way that Sherpa could accompany me on the plane was in a small hard-sided pet carrier that would be uncomfortable for her and cumbersome for me. I finally decided to leave her with a friend.

After arriving in California, I was appalled to learn that my friend’s husband had placed Sherpa in a kennel. (Kennels then  were not what they are now.) But worse than that, I felt completely lost without my little best friend; I realized I was the victim of a travel industry that had caused me to separate from my pooch during the time I needed her most. Read more

• When traveling through the airport it is always best to keep a low profile when accompanying your pet at the airport.  Do not let him or her out of the carrier once you enter the airport terminal.  If they are traveling with you in the passenger cabin, never take him out of their carrier during the flight.
• Be sure to take your dog outside before walking them through an airport.  Some airports provide dog-walking areas, but to be safe, have plenty of wee-wee pads on hand. Even if you are a responsible pet parent and don’t give your pet food for six hours before a flight or water within two hours of takeoff, sometimes your little friend still has to relieve himself.  If your pooch is sending you signals that this is the case, you can use the wee-wee pads in the airplane rest room, allowing your dog to relieve himself quickly, calmly, and discreetly.  Your dog will be very grateful.
• If he must travel in the cargo hold, fasten a water bowl filled with frozen water to the door or carrier.  If you are carrying your pet through baggage check, politely and quietly inform the TSA agent at the security checkpoint that a pet is in the carrier so he is not exposed to x-rays.  If you are asked to take your pet out of the carrier as you pass through security on your way to the gate, make sure that he is wearing a collar and a leash or, better yet, a harness . Read more