Heroes in Business - Gayle Martz Founder of Sherpa Bag and Sherpa Trading Company, Pet Travel Expert gaylemartz.com

Episode Date: April 18, 2025

Gayle Martz, Inventor and Founder of the Sherpa Bag and The Sherpa Trading Company, revolutionized airline pet travel policies. She joins David Cogan, host of the Eliances Heroes Show and founder of Eliances, to share her journey. gaylemartz.com

Up in the sky. Look, it's captivating. It's energizing. It's alliances heroes. Alliances is the destination for entrepreneurs, investors, CEOs, inventors, leaders, celebrities, and startups. Where are heroes in business aligned? Now, here's your host flying in, David Cogan, founder of E-Lionces. That's right, and thank you again so much. I just love it. I love what I'm able to do by interviewing the most interesting people and learning so much.

And we all learn from every person that I have on the show because there's so many secrets that are revealed. How do you get to where you got to? The road that it took to get there, the skills, everything. It's just, again, so much, and I really appreciate all the feedback

that we continue to have, especially too, when I recently had I'm the founder of E! Entertainment. So again, make sure that you go to elliances.com. That's E-L-I-A-N-C-E-S.com. Now you're probably wondering, because those of you that have been watching mine, why do I have a dog?

My dog today. Well everybody, this is Mason, and there's a specific reason of why. And I'm gonna have our next guest today, steal the thunder, because we have with us, Gayle Marks. Now she is the founder and also has her dog Coco here today. She is the founder. Yes, hello, Gayle, the founder.

Are you ready for this? Of the Sherpa bag and the Sherpa Trading Company. And she could be reached at gailmarks.com. Well, Gayle, welcome to the show today. Thank you so much David. It is my honor, my pleasure to be with you and your best companion right there. Yes so Mason please meet Coco. Coco here is Mason. You what? There could be a match there. But Gail, let's get into it. How did you, again, how did the whole idea come up with the being and founding, you know,

creating the Sherpa bag? And by the way, in case there's somebody out there which listening or watching that may not know what the Sherpa bag is, first tell us what the Sherpa bag is. The Sherpa bag is the first soft sided pet carrier that was named after the dog Sherpa, my Lhasa Opso, 34 years ago. And I created the Sherpa bag so you could take your pet wherever you go.

But in the beginning, I had to first change the policy on all the major airlines so people could take their pet on board a plane. So prior to that, people weren't able to or was it difficult or like? You changed that hope. You made it possible. Yes, I did. I've like, I couldn't even imagine all the things that you had to go through. First of all the bureaucratic system. How did you get that done? Well it was step by step, one by one. I started with American Airlines and I met with the, Coco says, she says, I've heard this story.

So I'm just going to hang out over here and listen. But it was to educate, make people aware of how they could increase their revenue in this competitive world and be able to service their customers with taking part of the family, which is the dog or the cat inside the passenger cabin in a Sherpa bag. Okay, so was the Sherpa bag, which came first, the chicken or the egg, Sherpa bag,

and then the policy change or the policy change, and then the Sherpa bag? No,, Sherpa bag, and then the policy change or the policy change, and then the Sherpa bag. No, the Sherpa bag came first because Sherpa the dog came first. And then it was, how can I take her safely, comfortably? And then of course, stylishly was what it was all about as well too. But to be able to take her with me in the car.

But that was easy. The plane was, you could not get the pet on board an airplane. And so then I became the alternative to the hard plastic carrier, which was not allowed on all airlines. So then the Sherpa was the first soft sided pet carrier officially approved by the major airlines. And again, we're speaking with Gail Martz.

She's the founder of the iconic Sherpa bag and Sherpa Trading Company. And you can reach her at gailmarts.com. And of course we have it on our bottom here. Those of you that are watching, I have it on the bottom of the screen here, you'll see it. So make sure again, you go to galemarts.com. All right, so I couldn't even imagine like all the

measurements and everything you had to do to create and the Sherpa bag and then get that type of approval. What kind of things took place? I mean, did you have to get the approval from the airline for people to be able to use the Sherpa bag then? Yes, I had to meet with the airlines individually and I would sit at the conference table with let's say 15 of the people,

in-flight policies and procedures, all of the different factors involved, reservations, anything that had to do with traveling with a pet. And then I had to present to them a new way that they could be reaching their customers and servicing them and bringing revenue into their companies. So it was to present the Sherpa bag with Sherpa and show them. So what was the most difficult process of that? I mean getting the one of the first airline to say yes or what? Well that was the beginning. I had to do that. So first I had to meet with,

it was American Airlines was the first airlines and then I needed to work with them on the bulletins, on all of the things to go out to all of the different departments, the in-flight departments, the reservation departments, the policies and procedures department. So it would be like, I felt when I would change a policy that I had graduated with honors each policy I changed was so major to me and and it was really the highlight of my life Yeah, and I can't believe it to get anything done through the airlines is just a miracle in itself Yes, and you know and and then back 34 years ago to begin back then when no one had any idea of a soft-sided

pet carrier. And so I had to go through the publicity and to educate the people and let them know this was not punishment. This is a den environment for your dog or your cat. And they love that environment. They're safe, they're comfortable, and then you can take them with you or in the home. Use it in the home. It's all about safety.

So, Cale, did it get easier then after capturing getting the first one to say, yay, did it just snowball from there? Or did each one still have to, you still had to go through all the hoops? No, I had to go through all the hoops and then the last one was Delta Airlines which was four years later and that was really, was a big thing for me and there I was in Atlanta and the conference table and I had Sherpa, of course, the dog in her Sherpa bag, in the middle of the conference table and then I'm talking with each of the people and we're sharing and we're learning how we can make this the very best and educate the people and the

customers and all of the staff and people involved in the process of a pet on board a plane. Oh, you must have a lot of patience. You have to do what you have to do one by one. You have to prioritize, follow the steps, and make sure to educate, make them aware of the process. And then the bulletins that needed to go out and rewriting and then showing people, being a photographer, it was great because I would have the picture that was worth a thousand words that would show,

you know, Sherpa was in her bag, but then I had to get that out to the airline industry. And the flight attendants, you know, I went to get that out to the airline industry and the flight attendance You know, I went to all the grassroots. So I had the flight attendants veterinarians groomers All the different people connected in the pet industry dogs and cats Amazing amazing well

we're doing a lot here to educate by having people like you help and educate our audience because you're listening and watching me, David Cogan, host of the Alliances Hero Show. So make sure that you go to alliances.com. That's E-L-I-A-N-C-E-S.com and catch many past interviews that'll help you. Also too, like recently had on the CEO of Gerber Foods so make sure again you go to alliances.com because we have with us

Gail Martz founder of the iconic Sherpa bag and Sherpa trading company and you could reach her Gail Martz.com that's G-A-Y-L-E-M-A-R-T-Z.com and again of course we'll have that on our website. So you're the author, not one, but two books. In fact, I love, I gotta take the title of this. This is awesome. The most recently published book, it's in the bag. It's in the bag. So what's the book about?

Well, you know, how many deals did you think were in the bag? How many situations did you think were in the bag? How many situations did you think were in the bag? That's a done deal. You think it's in the bag, but then it wasn't in the bag. And those are all of the trials, tribulations, the challenges that you go through in life. And when you're building a business,

that's one of the key points to always know. You think it's in the bag, but the story of Sherpa, the dog, and how it all began is also the story that is really the part that interests so many people. How do you begin? Like an idea, what is an idea? It means nothing if you don't lay the foundation. So it was different points that are in the book that will help people, I hope, to motivate, inspire. Yeah, I mean, again, to do

what you did. And that certainly opened up a whole, like, new industry for you. I mean, you basically created and changed something that, you know, 99.9% of people would have never been able to do to get anything, a policy change, less alone a product on that, it's two rare things to happen. Well, I created a category. And then when you create a category, you have to lay all the foundation to create a category that can help to inspire, motivate, educate people so they can actually be able to use the Sherpa bag or now the proliferation of millions of pet carriers that are out in the marketplace.

But the Sherpa bag is the number one globally, it's still the number one soft sided pet carrier. Congratulations. So when did you see all that then taking place? So the policy gets passed, people start seeing your bag everywhere. I imagine that competitors are just flocking to do the same. Not right away because you couldn't, you know,

so I always suggest that you have a proper team with you. And we have the patent and trademark attorneys. And then you have to have the people that you could help you. I had a organizational consultant, Richard Bechard, who was excellent and would help me with all of these different things. But you have to really when I had in the writing the computers of what would go into the computer, it started out as the Sherpa bag is the only soft sided pet carrier approved for carry-on on board.

It is identified by Sherpa zipper pulls. So it was like, gosh, you know, I'm so grateful for all the people that helped me because it takes a team, it takes a world. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. I'm here. So that's just, that is in itself to have created something and then have the policies in place,

just absolutely phenomenal. What advice though do you have for others that are looking to, that have products now, want to create and or want to create products where it's all policy driven and while it may not be the airline, it could be any of these other gazillion types of customer, you know, industries, companies.

Like how do you, I mean, what kind of secrets can you share of what you did to even get one step in? I mean, even a range of meeting in itself is difficult. It really is. You just have to make a commitment and persevere. And then I always say you do what you love. And if you love what you do, it's not work. It's what you know that you are meant to do in your life. So an idea can be an idea, but that's nothing without laying a foundation. So I always say to people, do what you love in the places you love

with the people and the pets that you love. But not everybody has a pet and not everybody wants a pet. So for businesses and people starting a business, the first thing you must do is research the market. And then if there's a void in the marketplace or something that you can provide a better service a better product and Fill the void then you've got the market that you wanted to go into so you you have to do your market research Very excellent. I'm gonna do a little bit of snooping now.

Oh, yes, I'm going to do some snooping. Snooping in your office. OK. Because our producer, Glue, has been salivating with the background in your office. Oh, isn't it great? Oh, and again, for those of you that are listening, it is stacked with books everywhere, completely

surrounded by books. So I must ask you, what, why, and what inspired that? And what's your favorite book? Well, my favorite book right now is by Diane Grissel, and it's The Fundamentals. And she has so many books out that are so helpful to people in business that I would suggest just go, you know,

we can Google. You can Google Alexa. You can do everything. You say Diane Grissel, or you say Gail Marz, or you say David Cogan. And it's like you pop up. And you're, what did you do? What have you done?

But when I started way back then we didn't have that and so there was a whole different way but now you've got the social media and everything that can help so much to build whatever it is in your heart in your soul that you love to do. Truly incredible. Well, Gail, you created the iconic Sherpa bag. That's right. So people can now take their pets on the planes. You created a whole industry of its own. You also too, second time author, It's in the Bag.

So make sure you do a search and buy it's in the bag and go to gailmarx.com that's a hero this has been David Kogan with the alliances hero show but you gotta dance