Jackson Cunningham, Founder of Tuft + Paw

In this episode, Stacy talks with Jackson Cunningham, founder of Tuft + Paw, a modern cat furniture company. Jackson and his girlfriend and business partner both have had cats all their lives, and describe themselves as obsessed with cats. After a trip to South America in which they observed stray cats being treated like pests, they swore that if a business opportunity came along that allowed them to help the stray cat community, they would jump on it. Fast forward a few months, and Jackson and his girlfriend had just moved into a beautiful new apartment that they wanted to furnish for both themselves and their cat. The problem was, they couldn't find much in the way of nice, high-quality cat furniture. This was when the idea for Tuft + Paw was born. Tuft + Paw works with cat behaviorists, veterinarians, and even shelters to design from the ground up. They currently sell both their own products and products made by others, but as they expand their own design and manufacturing, one thing they are very focused on is sustainability. Not only do they try to make sure their products will last for life (or have replaceable parts, like the sisal on cat trees), they are also careful to source materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible, like recycled ocean plastic. Jackson and Stacy also talk about e-commerce and affiliate programs (and how they can help shelters), as well as the pitfalls of social media in terms of where the best bang for your buck is. Tuft + Paw has recently launched both an affiliate program and a unique referral program benefitting the Stray Cat Alliance in Los Angeles. To learn more, visit the Tuft + Paw website or follow them on Instagram. Shelters interested in exploring being part of the Tuft + Paw affiliate program, can emailJackson directly.