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Interview with Sue Stipanovich, Inventor of BreezeGuard™
1. How did you come up with the idea?
I first came up with the idea for the BreezeGuard in May 2004.
I was sitting at a stop light in the heart of Woodinville, Washington. It was a beautiful day! The guy in front of me had an expensive, shiny new truck with some sort of large, purebred dog hanging more than half way out of the passenger side window.
I wondered why a person would allow their best friend to be so much at risk. Then it came to me. The pet owner was weighing, what I call, a quality of life issue against the safety of his pet.
Owners like him want their dogs to live and experience life, however long, with full freedom versus living a longer life with restrictions. This all got me thinking why someone had not come up with a product that would allow a dog to enjoy the breeze and be safe from falling out the vehicle window.
In my view, the BreezeGuard strikes a balance between what a dog loves to do and being safe while doing it.
2. How long did it take to bring your idea to market?
I made my original prototype fairly quickly with items I purchased through a local hardware store. I then secured the services of a patent lawyer followed by a design engineer. I hired a couple of manufacturers to help me produce the professional prototype.
I currently have a Provisional Patent and should get the final Utility Patent within the next couple of months.
3. What makes your product unique?
The BreezeGuard has a couple of unique features. First, it is a 3-D welded wire cage that allows the dog to be just a bit outside the vehicle. Second, it has a platform that protects the dog from slipping or losing its grip while doing this. The platform also protects the car from getting scratched by the dog's nails.
4. Are you planning any enhancements/improvements to the product?
Since the BreezeGuard is custom made for each vehicle, we are always trying to make enhancements and improvements.
One of the areas we are looking into now is making the product available for vehicles where the rear window does not retract completely. Most people want their pets to ride in the back seat but currently the BreezeGuard can not be installed in cars where the glass does not completely retract.
5. What is your professional background? Did that line of work or education help you in developing this product?
I worked in the high-tech field. I have been a Network Administrator and technical consultant and am currently writing reports for a cell phone company. My certifications are in Oracle 9i and a couple of Altiris products.
The part of my personal background, though, that has helped me is that I love to solve problems and I can fix just about anything.
6. Throughout the entire inventive/manufacturing process what was the hardest obstacle you faced?
I think the biggest obstacle was (and still is) me. It's hard to have an idea and then let others try to help. Lots of people want to offer their ideas but sometimes their ideas compromise the stability or safety of the product.
7. What type of pets do you own?
We have a German shepherd mix named Rufus. We have had him for about a year and he's now 11 or 12 years old.
Rufus has a pal and her name is Pita. She is a Golden Retriever. It is my understanding that she is about 8 years old. She has a bit of a sketchy background but she is with us until she passes. We are not sure why her former owners no longer wanted her. She is such a sweet girl.
8. Is there anything else you'd like readers to know about you or your product?
It is definitely my passion to put out a product that is professional looking and safe to use. To that end, it is a fair bet to say that the BreezeGuard will not be available in your local pet store.
I will continue to market the BreezeGuard to individuals as a custom made product. I also plan on marketing my product to automobile after-market companies.
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