Tired of your pink flamingo pool float that feels like it’s going to fall apart after one more use? Consider ditching it for a beaver inflatable instead. Daniel and Kate Spray, co-owners of Float-Eh, have a wide selection of durable Canadian-inspired floaties for those looking for something unique to bring to the cottage or beach. With floaties featuring Canadian icons like moose, loons and beavers (among others), there’s something for every Canadian to make sure they have a dam good time on the water.
When people think of Canada, they often think of the country’s stereotyped icy-cold climate. Despite Canadian summers consistently turning up the heat, Canada’s pool and beach season is often overlooked by companies designing pool floats and products.
During a trip to their Parry Sound cottage, both Kate and Daniel were struck by the lack of brands selling affordable, quality floaties that represent Canadians and decided to do something about it. In 2017, they established Float-Eh, which offers premium pool floats and floating mats fit for the Canadian aquatic landscape—reminding the world that Canadians float too.
“Purchasing our domain name and website was one of the first things we did.”
Daniel and Kate dove right into getting their e-commerce business set up online. While they dreamed of seeing their products in stores, the two felt that an e-commerce shop made the most sense for broadening their business’ reach to all of Canada.
Additionally, having an e-commerce shop offered Daniel and Kate other advantages like being able to track product performance and better understand the demographics of their target audience.
“At first, we didn’t know what our target audience was. Turns out it’s a whole mix [of ages]!”
When it came to Float-Eh’s site, Daniel and Kate hired an agency to help. They credit the professionalism of the website as a big part of their success. According to the two entrepreneurs, “We wanted people to feel when they landed on Float-Eh that it was professionally done.”
And when choosing a domain name, Kate and Daniel secured float-eh.ca to ensure easy recognition of their brand name. The decision to choose a .CA domain was an easy and logical choice for the pair and their business.
“We’re a Canadian brand, and we feel that the .CA is a badge of Canadian-ness.”
After opening Float-Eh’s e-commerce shop, business quickly took off, becoming a huge hit among customers. While some businesses struggled during the pandemic, COVID-19 spurred growth for Float-Eh with people looking for fun ways to spend time outdoors.
“We didn’t anticipate how busy it would be, and didn’t know business would take off the way it has.”
Remaining flexible and outsourcing certain tasks like shipping helped Kate and Daniel keep up with demand. In addition to their website, marketing on social media and word of mouth has played a huge role in growing their business’ popularity.
“We want to make sure that everyone can see themselves floating on our products… we try to deliver quality products and keep our customers happy, and hopefully they in turn recommend us.”
Moving forward, Kate and Daniel hope to continue Float-Eh’s success by both rolling out new Canadian product lines and an expansion into the northern United States. And even better? Float-Eh partners with Tree Canada to donate $1 from every purchase to reforest areas across the country, so you can relax on your inflatable moose knowing your purchase has made an impact.
