Start of the Adventure
THE BACKGROUND OF THE CONOR'S ADVENTURE STORY
FROM PUPPY TO A DOG BRAND…
Honestly… neither Primož nor I (Pija) ever imagined in our lives that we would go into business with dogs or dog equipment. If we look far back into the past, neither of us ever had a strong desire for an independent business path… until that critical year 2019.
Enough is enough, let’s go independent
Job loss is never a pleasant situation. But when it happens twice in one year, even though you leave part of yourself in the company, there comes a day when your body simply has had enough and shuts you down. The decision to go independent was, more or less, logical. I had grown tired of “working for others” until the system simply replaced you.
It was a Saturday morning, 31.8.2019, when Primož and I consciously decided to create something on our own, together. There was hardly any idea—just a desire. I must disappoint you; our story is not one where an idea popped up overnight and succeeded… phew.
At first, we dreamed about getting into the boating industry – selling boats, yachts, or something nautical-related. But then we ended up spending a bunch of money on a software program that 'teaches' you how to sell on Amazon. Looking back now, I’m not even sure which was worse – the boating dream or that program.
Then Covid-19 happened, and then the lockdown. And my desire for a dog began to speak even louder. Primož and I had been talking about getting a dog for quite some time. It was a hidden desire for both of us, but the right time never came.
I Would Have a Dog… and the Birth of a Dog Blog
I won’t explain how the decision was made to choose a Belgian Malinois for our first dog. The important thing is that it didn’t happen overnight. Even so, it is irresponsible for many to impulsively purchase a Belgian “malinois” as their first dog.
Conor stepped into our home on 7.6.2020. A few days earlier, an agreement with the Chinese fell through (thankfully, I think, to this day), where we had planned to sell an interesting and innovative sports accessory on Amazon.
The first days with Conor were anything but boring. I experienced the full spectrum of emotions with him—from happiness, anger, and fear to crying and despair. But as they say, “the best ideas are born in the toughest times,” and so it all started with a simple sentence: "Primož, I would write a blog about raising a puppy – a Belgian Malinois from the perspective of a beginner."
And so I began writing a daily dog blog, where I spoke candidly about the feelings, challenges, successes, and even “failures” that Primož and I experienced every day while raising Conor. By the way, over 350 posts had already been published by that point, as I wrote the blog almost every day – at least five times a week.
You can find a direct link to the current posts here (Unfortunately, the blog posts are still in Slovenian – we haven’t managed to translate them yet.). Unfortunately, I must tell you that the blog is not very active at the moment, since ever since Conor became an adult male, there isn’t much left to discuss or write about.
Old Military Bags and an “Aha” Moment
Two weeks after Conor joined a small dog school, a series of key moments occurred. First, Primož, by chance using old military bags and a military vest, assembled the first “dog training kit,” which contained three bags – one for dog treats, one for the leash, and one for the water bottle.
In particular, the last bag turned out to be super convenient. While other “classmates” went to training with ordinary water bottles, empty plastic containers for cottage cheese, or foldable dog water bowls, the two of us simply came with a bag where we stored the dog’s water bottle. Its practicality meant that we always had our hands free, as everything we needed (treats and water) was stored in the bags attached to our belt.
Due to various comments from other dog lovers like “Where did you get that dog training kit from?”, by the end of June 2020 the idea of developing our own dog brand officially took shape—a brand focused on creating various accessories for dog handlers. From the very beginning, we wanted to dedicate the brand to our Conor, and that is how Conor's Adventure was born.
From the Conor's Adventure Logo to the Values of the Brand and Its Products
It’s one thing to have your own brand, and another to add value to that brand in terms of products—and, of course, all the values and emotions a brand is meant to evoke in its future users.
Now, as I write these words and look back, I honestly can’t believe that Primož and I managed to do so many things “right.”
I have only about five years of work experience across various companies (from roles as a secretary, manager and marketing assistant, and finally as a procurement officer), just enough to say that I have a rough idea of how certain processes work.
With a blog that I initially thought, “who even reads this?”, we hit the jackpot. Thanks to its authenticity and honesty, we inadvertently let everyone know who we are. And who stands behind the Conor's Adventure brand will not change in the future.
I could write at length about our vision, goals, and the values of the brand. But I believe that it is the customers and users who, to some extent, shape the brand. For instance, from the very start, Primož and I promised ourselves that we would not deviate from two key values:
- The first is quality, which we maintain at a truly top level. Everyone who follows us knows this, as we make every effort to use only the best materials. If you’re hearing about us for the first time today and thinking, “Well… every brand promises that,”... I also hope to say publicly that I would personally rather close the company than lower our standards when it comes to using certain materials—even though, given the current state of the world, that is clearly a trend.
- The next value we set for ourselves is our approach to customers and the level of “customer service.” From the very beginning, our guiding principle has been that our customers are “members of the Conor's Adventure family” and not just a number on a piece of paper. This is reflected in how we interact with them, answer all questions, solve various challenges, etc. For us, customers mean everything and more. They are definitely one of the main reasons—aside from having a good product—that we have a truly bright future.
After a good 4 years of operations, I dare to say that our customers have also felt these two values. We have not let them down. After all, that is our wish and goal—to have the user, the follower… your aspirations, values, and ultimately your vision… be felt through our business operations, the brand’s presence, and through our products.
For us, it all began with a dog training kit, through which we wanted to offer the Slovenian market something new, modular, and above all, extremely high-quality—crafted by a Slovenian.
A series of events then led us to discover a magnetic buckle at our supplier (who had previously sewn everything for us). The idea sparked another idea, and the Conor's Adventure brand inadvertently expanded to include magnetic collars. Leashes were simply a logical choice.
After just over a year in business, our entire production moved in-house, where it still remains today. Likewise, we significantly expanded our range, growing our assortment from the initial 12 products to over 50 products.
From Changing our slogan… to launching the first modular harness in the world!
We have a huge number of ideas in our heads. We’re a tiny team – just two people and one fluffy companion.
We are all a little crazy, extremely visionary… and as they say in English, “the sky is the limit.”
We believe that Slovenians also deserve their own quality dog brand for active dogs and demanding owners…
- A brand where products are not only developed here, but actually made on Slovenian soil.
- Gear that owners can truly rely on at any moment...
- Gear they trust on a walk – and that, in return, helps shape and strengthen the relationship between the dog and their human.
- Gear that connects. That deepens the bond. That lifts the relationship (DOG-HUMAN) to a HIGHER level.
And so, after weeks and months of growth, a year and a half into our journey, a new company slogan was born: Upgrade your BOND (with your dog)
And it replaced the previous one (Same. But better.), where we used to say: “In the world of dog gear, it’s hard to reinvent the wheel – but it’s always possible to do things better.”
But as the brand evolved, we saw firsthand how many things can be done differently. And yes – at some point, you really can reinvent the wheel. We got a glimpse of that in fall 2021 with the launch of our glow-in-the-dark reflective add-ons (here).
And in September 2023, we introduced the first truly modular harness in the world – once again proving that in the dog gear world, where copy-paste is often a favorite sport, it is possible to carve your own path. To do something bold. And different.
As more and more customers began describing our gear as “next level,” we felt it was time to update the slogan again: Next Level Dog Gear.
What are our plans for the future?
Well… you’ll just have to wait and see. ????
Pija, Primož and Conor