Meet Keely, Kyra, & Kaelin Jackson | Entrepreneurs

We had the good fortune of connecting with Keely, Kyra, & Kaelin Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Keely, Kyra, & Kaelin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My sisters and I have always been the do it yourself types. Halloween costumes were made by us from whatever we could find around the house, Christmas and birthday presents were often homemade, and holiday and thank you cards were always made from fancy paper we stole from our mom’s art stash. We have always had high standards and if we can’t find the quality we want, we will set about to find a way to make it ourselves.

We first began thinking of starting our own business after ordering dog gear and always finding some issue – whether that was a wait time of 8 weeks to get our gear, a collar that was not the size we ordered, or materials that did not hold up to our adventuring. We decided to give it a go after a long and stormy hike where my little Husky made a mess of his gear after chasing after his big sister, Daria.

So when we got home we began researching materials and tools and we sketched out a budget and price ideas. We knew we would have to put our gear to the test, so also roped in some friends to try the new products with their pups. And that is where Flicker Mountain Co began.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Since my sisters and I started Flicker Mountain Co as a trio and all work together to keep it growing, the answer to this question is multifaceted. I have degrees in Communication and Computer Information Systems and now work in content creation and management, Kyra is finishing up an undergraduate degree in Cell Biology and Neuroscience with plans to attend medical school the following year, and Kaelin has one year left of her Mechanical Engineering degree. We cover a broad range of specialties and all have our unique skills. Our varied backgrounds and educations is part of what sets us apart from the others. We use our strengths to support the weaknesses of the others. This has resulted in a strong base for our business to continue to grow from.

One lesson we have been learning lately is that we cannot cater to everyone. There may be a bit of perfectionism that runs in the blood, and we would love to be able to serve our customers exactly what they want 100% of the time. But the truth is, that simply isn’t possible. We started our brand with adventure, quality, and durability in mind and that is something we are always striving for. We have come to realize that if we try to come up with a solution to everyone’s gear problems, we will lose focus of those goals by spreading ourselves too thin. So we have cut back and tried to really find and develop products that aline with our goals and our style. If customers come to us with requests outside of those lines, we do our best to help them find other creatives who can solve them.

As we grow, we want to remember our journey and what has inspired us. Our brand is a story of where we’ve been and where we want to go. We name our products after adventures we have had and the places we grew up in that fostered that yearning for adventure. The Chequamegon is named for the land we mountain biked as kids, and still do to this day when visiting our hometown. The Birkie is named for the trails we skied. The Seeley and Cable are named for the small towns where many adventures began. But we also name our products for the places that inspire us to explore today. The Bridger is named for the mountains we now call home. The Glacier is named for an amazing park that is calling our names. The Blackmore is named for a peak we have yet to summit. The meanings of these names may change as we grow as people and as a business, but they will always tell a story and serve as a reminder of this journey and its many twists and turns.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We have often had friends visit the area, and let me tell you, we never plan more than a day ahead of time. Maybe this is just our vacation style, or maybe it is the carefree atmosphere of Bozeman, MT. But we will give it our best shot and suggest some ideas for where to start exploring.

The Eats:
Wild Crumb Bakery – A must for pastry and bread lovers and those who crave a good artisanal sandwich.
Shine – Perfect for anyone craving a massive burrito and a wide selection of local craft brews.
Dave’s Sushi – Not your typical sushi spot, but delicious non-traditional combos.
Rockford Coffee – Some consider it the best coffee in town, but since we are not huge coffee drinkers we are ranking it off of the lattes, teas, and smells (which are 10/10 by the way).
Steep Mountain Tea – If you are a bubble tea fan, check this place out!

The Drinks:
Outlaw Brewing – Amazing craft brews, free popcorn, and frequent food trucks!
MAP Brewing – A small, but mighty, food menu with top notch beer.
Lockhorn Cider – A whole establishment dedicated to cider?! Yes. And it is amazing!

The Adventures:
Copper City – If you are a mountain biker we highly suggest checking this trail hub out. There are loops for all skill levels and top notch views from every spot.
Hyalite Canyon – A super popular tourist spot, this canyon is full of hiking and biking trails in the summer and skiing trails in the winter. We do recommend going early in the morning or in down seasons if you don’t like the crowds though.
Bridger Canyon – Take a trip up Bridger Canyon road and you will find any number of adventure locations! With the Bridger range on one side and the Bangtail range on the other, the views are always astounding!

And if you are looking for some Flicker Mountain Gear for your adventures, check out our awesome local pet shop Dee-O-Gee and you will find some pre-made gear ready to go!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We would not be where we are today without our family and our team! They have been there through every step of the process: every release that didn’t sell out, every tough decision, and every high when we have a new best month!

Our parents, Roberta and Jeff, have been instrumental in assisting in the business side of things. They are the ultimate role models, with years of experience from running their own consulting business together. Many late nights have been spent on the phone discussing margins, product ideas, and large potential purchases. So thank you for always answering and pouring your heart into our small business. Teague and Maizey, our little brother and his lab, have also been amazing at helping with product testing. Their crazy adventures on the mountain bike trails and lakes of Northern Wisconsin have truly proven our products durability.

But a business is not only about optimizing the numbers and having a solid product, you also need a way to reach your customer base. This has been one of the hardest parts for us, but thanks to the amazing community we have found through Instagram and the dog community there, we are growing more than ever before. Our team of ambassadors provides us with the amazing photography you see featured on our website and social media platforms and they have truly thrown all their support our way!

Website: flickermountainco.com

Instagram: @flickermountainco

Twitter: flickermountain

Facebook: Flicker Mountain Co

Other: TikTok: @flickermountainco

Image Credits
Keely Jackson