We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leon “Shades” Ndemo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Leon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a customer success story with us?

Mike James is a former Army vet and devoted dog lover who has found financial success but was struggling to find a stylish, practical pooper scooper for his dog. After reading an article about my business, Mike decided to reach out. He had been searching for a scooper that kept his hands clean and matched his image as a successful vet. Mike was dissatisfied with the options available at pet stores—they were bulky, unattractive, and didn’t align with his style.

After scheduling a Zoom call, I demonstrated our sleek 3D-printed pooper scooper and introduced him to our line of Merch For Dog Lovers swag. He instantly fell in love with the brand! Mike quickly purchased a pooper scooper for his dog and outfitted his family with Dog Lovers Club t-shirts. He shared that it had taken him years to find a scooper he felt confident carrying on walks. Now, even when he’s out of town, his wife no longer has to feel embarrassed—she uses her stylish scooper with pride when walking their dog.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Leon “Shades” Ndemo. I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, grew up in Minnesota, and later moved to Los Angeles after accepting a job in film production as a cinematographer. With a BFA in Digital Arts and Photography, my Fine Arts education laid the foundation for my entrepreneurial journey, where I learned to solve problems creatively through art.

In 2011, while walking my boss’s dogs, I had a frustrating experience picking up after them with just a bag. It got me thinking—why isn’t there a better solution for Dog Lovers? Then, in 2016, after another encounter with dog waste on my doorstep, I knew it was time to act. Drawing from my experience in 3D design and the rising popularity of 3D printing, I began prototyping what would become the world’s first luxurious 3D-printed pooper scooper.

Fast forward to 2024. I launched Merch For Dog Lovers, a brand that helps dog owners elevate their image with stylish swag and innovative pooper scoopers. I aim to make dog lovers look and feel great on their daily dog walks while offering a chic, hands-off solution for handling dog waste.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

My business originally started as SimpleScooper LLC, a company focused on manufacturing luxury pooper scoopers for dog lovers. When I began, I knew nothing about manufacturing. As a working cinematographer, I had experience collaborating with 3D designers, so I understood their language. After creating my first prototype, I reached out to CAD designers for advice on the next steps. They recommended injection molding, the most cost-effective method for mass production—but only if you order 20,000 units. Plus, the mold itself can be expensive, especially with multiple revisions.

Wanting more flexibility, I started exploring 3D printing. I quickly realized I could get a prototype in just a week after submitting a digital file to a 3D printing vendor. The key was choosing the right 3D printing technology and finding the right vendor. I spent time Googling 3D printing shops, comparing quotes, and ordering samples. I’d researched the machines they used and found that vendors with the same equipment often had lower prices.

The biggest lesson I learned? Understanding the machines and processes your vendor uses is crucial to controlling costs and ensuring quality. Figuring out the best way to produce your prototypes is essential to managing your capital and turning your ideas into reality.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I didn’t have the advantage of wealthy parents or connections to rich investors, so I had to get creative when raising capital for my business. Most of my funding came from working as a celebrity photographer and selling my artwork. While working as a cinematographer, I was assigned to photograph the celebrity clients at the production company I worked for. That experience helped me build a portfolio and eventually connect with an elite circle in Los Angeles.

With my name circulating among the city’s top-tier clients, I used the money I earned to fund 3D printing services for my pooper scooper prototypes. Additionally, as a talented painter, I would create portraits of celebrities based on the photos I took, selling them to private collectors. I currently have a graphite portrait of Supervisor Janice Hahn that I plan to auction to the highest bidder.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://merchfordoglovers.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplescooperllc/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@merchfordoglovers
• Other: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadestheartist/ (@shadestheartist)Website: shadestheartist.com

Image Credits

MerchForDogLover.Com