May 19, 2019
Busy bug season ahead for Flick the Tick owners
Photo / Tim Greenway
Flick the Tick co-founders and sisters Crystal Hamlin, left, and Heather Peel are in for a busy summer 2019 as they add to their product line. They started with a spray (shown here) and have added a balm in stick form this week.
Heather Peel and Crystal Hamlin, the entrepreneurial sister act behind the Flick the Tick tick and insect repellent, are in for a busy bug season.
Originally a home-based business featured in Mainebiz's September 2018 "10 Maine startups" list, they now have a production warehouse in Readfield run by Peel, while Hamlin runs all other sales and customer operations from southern Maine.
Aiming to build on the success of their all-natural spray, they're about to roll out a balm in stick form after getting the green light this week from regulators in Maine.
"We over over-the-top excited!" Peel told Mainebiz on behalf of both sisters. "We are just so grateful to our customers who asked us to make the balm and continue to push us to provide more variety in our formula."
She added: "We will be able to serve even more people this way, keeping our commitment to the environment in a biodegradable tube."
Flick the Tick spray, a water-based tick and insect repellent, is made with cedar, citronella and other essential oils. It retails for $12.95.
It's sold at more than 320 vendors across 14 states, including country stores, coops and convenience stores all over New England.
Maine vendors include Renys, Loyal Biscuit Co. and Bow Street Market in Freeport. Later this season, some of their products will also be available in select Hannaford grocery stores.
The new Flick Stick, made with beeswax, almond oil and vitamin E, retails for $13.95 for a 1-ounce push-up tube.
Starting today, it will be available online to customers and retailers interested in reselling.
"We will be contacting our stores immediately to begin in-store orders to stock their inventory as well," noted Peel.
While they don't disclose financials, the sisters say they're expecting a 100% jump in revenues this year, aided in part by the brand extension.
Peel said it took over a year to develop the balm (her sister's personal favorite form of the product), which entailed running tests with family members and friends.
"The only modification we made was adding beeswax," she said, explaining: "Beeswax stays on the skin better than a water-based salve." That, combined with almond oil, allows it to smoothly go on the skin but without feeling overly greasy, she added.
Though summer is still a month away, Peel underscores the importance of guarding against ticks in spring, summer and fall, much like sunscreen is recommended year-round.
Her advice: "Always do tick checks before going back inside, and even before bed at night. Make tick checks part of your daily routine during these seasons."
The duo launched Flick the Tick in 2017 and through last season had sold more than 25,000 bottles.
They run the business on their own with one employee, while Peel also has her own web design business and Hamlin is development and admissions director at the New School of Kennebunk.
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Anonymous
May 23, 2019
Great product that works
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