Meet Cheeky Charlie, a charming online company taking pet care up a notch.
Since Charlie, a miniature dachshund cross miniature foxy, walked into Campbell Hall’s life, he saw an issue, solution and a business idea.
To help reduce the occurrence of spinal issues common in small dogs, Campbell wanted to prevent his fur baby from jumping up on the couch, so he sought out a ramp.
“It was so difficult to find, there were no ramps available in Australia and the ones located overseas cost hundreds of dollars to ship,” says Campbell.
“I found a small set of stairs on Facebook marketplace and after realising they weren’t suitable, I ended up reselling them.”
The influx of enquiries was swift and significant.
“The amount of people messaging me to purchase the stairs for the same reason I bought them was incredible,” he says.
Unlike ball tossers and themed winter jackets, Cheeky Charlie’s product offering is far from another fad in the market.
The ramp is simple and there’s a real need for it.
As a preventative measure, it’s ideal for smaller breeds prone to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), which is often caused by excessive jumping.
From an elderly dog access issue, the ramp can support larger dogs, such as Labradors and German Shepherds, two breeds susceptible to hip dysplasia in later life.
“I always wanted to do something that was my own and when I looked into it, I thought these ramps can’t be that hard to make,” says Campbell.
“I never set out to be a boutique pet e-commence store, but it just worked.”
Designs were drawn and tools were taken up over one weekend, resulting in Cheeky Charlie’s first ten ramps.
Listed on Facebook marketplace, they sold out within 14 days and Campbell realised fairly quickly that he was on to something.
Within the business’ short three-year history, the construction of the dog ramps has progressed from self-made, to a single contractor to factory production.
“The quality was my main concern when we went to a larger production scale,” says Campbell.
“I was really adamant we maintain the same high standards, because that’s what we built our name on.
“The beauty now is we’ve got stock on the shelf because the demand is certainly there.
“This year has been the best growth year for the business, particularly from a supply perspective.”
I never set out to be a boutique pet
e-commence store, but it just worked.
@cheekycharlieco Wait for it ??? @kingkingsley__ #puppy #foryoupage #minidachshund #dog #sausagedog #dogramp #hotdog ♬ The Doggy Anthem by Brandon Zingale 1dude2doodles - Brandon Zingale
The business was ticking along nicely, but it really took off after the success of a viral video.
“A friend told me to get on TikTok, I was flat out trying to post on Instagram, and I thought I don’t have time for this,” he says.
“I took his advice and we grinded away for 16 videos, getting anywhere from 200 to 2,000 views.
“One day I did about two hours of filming with Charlie, she wasn’t being very cooperative, and I thought I’ve spent all this time, so I’ve got to post something.
“I ended up filming a simple video, it was just me taking out both ramps, the small and large, and setting them up.”
Within a few hours the video was seen by 80,000 people and by the end of the week, had amassed a whooping 5.6 million views.
“Everything boomed, the video translated into significant online traffic and sales,” he says.
“I was fortunate enough at the time to realise this moment might never come around again, so I told myself to enjoy it.”
Campbell still gets about ten notifications each day on that video.
“The dog social media world is phenomenal and expansive space; we’ve really only scratched the surface of where this could go,” he says.
“Interaction within this space is amazing, you’ve got an entire community who are genuinely connected.
“We’ve created this online network, where someone will purchase a ramp from us, and share the entire experience, from the moment it’s delivered to a cute video of their dog running up the ramp.
“The whole community sees this and often this will generate interest, follows and sales.
“We really try and engage with our social media followers and while it is time intensive, it’s worth it.
“You really see the effects when you drop away with your engagement, at the end of the day, Instagram, TikTok that’s Cheeky Charlie’s sales channel.”
Cheeky Charlie is set to introduce a new product to the range, one sharing a similar origin to the ramp, a booster seat.
When I’m driving around in my car with Charlie, she’s short and got her little legs up on the side and every time I turn a corner, touch the brakes or accelerate, she’s slipping and scampering.
While there are other seats in the market that keep dogs strapped in and safe, it was the lack of boosting up that inspired Campbell to add the product to the range.
The booster seats are set to drop early 2022 and there will even be a double booster option, so two dogs can share a duo drive.
Instagram: @cheekycharlie.co
Website: cheekycharlieco.com
