We recently connected with Marilyn Pianelli and have shared our conversation below.

Marilyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

While out walking my dogs late one night in a couple of years ago, a black cat happened to cross our path. One of my dogs, a black Terrier named Mo, managed to wiggle free from his harness and decided to give chase. We live in a dark, suburban neighborhood with poorly lit streets. Mo charged across the street, and was almost struck by an oncoming car that never saw him. Thankfully, Mo wasn’t hit by that car, but many dogs and their owners aren’t that lucky. It’s a scenario that plays out all too often across the country. Pets and their owners being struck by vehicles due to low light conditions and poor visibility. I decided there and then that my dogs and I would NOT be one of those statistics. I spent the next few months shopping for something that would keep my dogs visible to vehicles, safe on walks, and help me see my surroundings. Unfortunately, that product didn’t exist. So my husband and I spent the next year designing, developing, and producing the Headlight Harness. Originally intended for our own personal use, it quickly became apparent that our Harnesses filled a giant void in the pet industry. On every walk, I would be stopped by people and asked where they could get a Headlight Harness of their own, until finally, Headlight Harness LLC was born.

Marilyn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Headlight Harness is a small, family owned and operated business run out of New Jersey. Formed in 2015 by Peter and Marilyn Pianelli, Headlight Harness and its products have already helped thousands of pet owners across the country to keep their furry family members safe.

At Headlight Harness, we have a simple goal: To keep you and your pet as safe as possible anywhere your adventure may take you.

All of our products, from the Revolutionary, Headlight Harness, to our Reflective Leashes and Collars, have all be designed around that core concept. We focus on Safety, Quality, and Comfort, and our products reflect those values. Our Harnesses are “No Choke/No Pull”, Highly Reflective, Light Weight, and include a focused beam LED in the chest. The LED lights up the path ahead, helping you see in dark areas, and making you and your pet highly visible to any vehicles in the area which greatly reduces the risk of being struck. Our Headlight Harnesses are also compatible with any car or truck, and will keep your pet seated and secure during the ride, greatly reducing the risk of injury. Thousands of highly satisfied pets and owners have joined the Headlight Harness family, and trust us to keep their pets safe and secure no matter what their walk, car ride, or adventure may hold. Stay Seen. Stay Visible. Stay Safe.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

We sell all of our products on our website www.headlightharness.com. We ship worldwide and on our website we offer embroidery on all of our products. We are also in over 70 stores located in the US, Canada, and the UK. Our products are also on Chewy and Etsy.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

While out walking my dogs late one night, a black cat happened to cross our path. One of my dogs, a black Terrier named Mo, managed to wiggle free from his harness and decided to give chase. We live in a dark, suburban neighborhood with poorly lit streets. Mo charged across the street, and was almost struck by an oncoming car that never saw him. Thankfully, Mo wasn’t hit by that car, but many dogs and their owners aren’t that lucky. It’s a scenario that plays out all too often across the country. Pets and their owners being struck by vehicles due to low light conditions and poor visibility. I decided there and then that my dogs and I would NOT be one of those statistics. I spent the next few months shopping for something that would keep my dogs visible to vehicles, safe on walks, and help me see my surroundings. Unfortunately, that product didn’t exist. So my husband and I spent the next year designing, developing, and producing the Headlight Harness. Originally intended for our own personal use, it quickly became apparent that our Harnesses filled a giant void in the pet industry. On every walk, I would be stopped by people and asked where they could get a Headlight Harness of their own, until finally, Headlight Harness LLC was born.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.headlightharness.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/headlightharness/
• Facebook: Facebook.com/headlightharness