Started in 2023 by Regan & Abby, JFLI brings a whole new level of laser engraved gifts and products direct to your door. With their high-powered fiber-optic laser, they can laser engrave a huge range of products, including keychains, travel cups, pens, drink bottles, hip flasks, slate and bottle openers. They can work with any idea you have, customising products and gifts that are one of a kind. Here they talk to The Natural Parent Magazine about the passion behind their business, how they balance work and family life, the challenges they have overcome, and their hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
We have been in the online e-commerce world for several years with our other pet-related business, Purr. Meow. Woof., which has grown to have the largest range of laser engraved pet tags in New Zealand. To do this, we own a high-powered fiber-optic laser. We soon were using this laser to laser our own goods, like drink bottles and keep-cups for ourselves, and gifting for friends and family, which led us down the track of starting our newest website, JFLI, which is focused on laser engraved goods only.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
We started by laser engraving our own things, and then doing this for friends and family for gifts, some of whom asked, “Where did you buy this from?!” and were happy to learn we had engraved it ourselves rather than buying from someone else. From this reaction, the idea built up that this could be an extension of our already successful store.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest innovation was learning that we are only limited by our mindset – with a laser engraving business like this, we are only limited by our imagination, or lack thereof. We sat down together and looked through what we believed was missing in the market for laser engraved goods in New Zealand and opted to add to it. One of the things we noticed was a lot of the websites have a .co.nz or .nz domain, however they are based overseas. We pride ourselves on being New Zealand based, in Christchurch, and our customer base has been very happy with our fast shipping times.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Carefully! Abby works as a registered nurse; Regan works from home. He balances his time well to be able to work while Abby is at work, and then have family time once she has finished. We have a strict ‘no business during the weekend’ unless there is an event on that we attend as a business, and this allows us to focus on family and friends during the weekends. Obviously, some days this all goes up in smoke and Regan is needed to focus on business after hours, and he always answers customer queries after hours too.
