Jeffers Pet Catalog oversees 500 product changes in every issue. Their website's bargain bin offers low prices on discontinued products.

It is said that all one needs is a dream and perseverance to succeed. The ingredient that recipe for success left out was hard work…and lots of it. Just ask Ruth Jeffers, vice president of 1-800-Jeffers, a mail-order company that her parents started over 25 years ago.

Dr. Keith Jeffers began his family business after retiring. He began raising cattle at his southwest Missouri home, and started taking orders from neighbors who also raised cattle and needed supplies. Their first catalog (more like a church bulletin) was a simple list of products and prices. "My mother would stop at houses [of neighbors] who had cattle and send me to the door to give them a catalog," recalls Ruth "When the company started to grow, my sister and I weren't too thrilled because my parents converted the basement of the house, which we used to use as a roller rink, into the office and call center."

The Jeffers did very well for many years with their Equine and Livestock catalogs. When Ruth graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., she went to her father with the idea of beginning a pet catalog. By winter of 1995 the first Jeffers Pet Catalog was produced, and it grew from there. It continues to grow, and includes the recent addition of 18 more pages. Ruth hopes to double sales. The Pet Catalog is their second-largest catalog and is rapidly catching up on the Equine catalogue to be first.

Ruth credits the success of the Jeffers catalog to the company's efficiency-all orders are shipped out the day they are called in. She goes on to note that customers find it very helpful when they can call up and speak to an operator who has technical information on each product and can offer advice on purchases (employees constantly test new items on their own pets). Of course their reasonable prices have also played a role in their success.

Ruth Jeffers, seen here with Blaze and Miracle created the Jeffers Pet Catalog in 1995

In this age of information, the Jeffers knew how important it was to have a presence on the Web. In June 1999, they launched their website www.jefferspet.com. The site allows users to ask questions directly to customer service agents while online during the regular hours of operation. A unique feature is the bargain bin. When products are discontinued and there are not enough to last through an entire catalog, the prices are drastically reduced so that space in the warehouse can be cleared. Those products are available exclusively through the website. This is just another way the Jeffers make their products affordable for their clientele.

Each catalog boasts over 500 product changes and keeps seasonal needs in mind. The summer edition will feature more flea and tick products while the fall will showcase a large selection of pet beds. The majority of orders come from the larger states-New York, Texas, California, and Florida.

With over $80 million in sales annually, the Jeffers continue to provide quality products for animals and their owners. Their newest venture is their Science of Living Catalog, founded and run by Dr. Jeffers-who will be 80 years old in February. The catalog is for human beings, and it strives to improve the quality and length of life as much as possible by providing top-notch products for people to use.

Besides her role with her family's business, Ruth also pursues a career in politics. In 1998 she ran for the Alabama House of Representatives and, although she won the Republican primary, she lost the election to an incumbent who has held office for 24 years. She has not given up on involvement in politics and plans to work on improving pet health and related issues.

Ruth Jeffers' dream of a pet catalog became a reality, thanks to her dedication and hard work. Like a saying that hangs in her father's office: "When the sun comes up you better be running."

-Kareem Tabsch is a freelance writer who specializes in celebrity interviews. He has interviewed celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope, Joan Rivers, Julio Iglesias, and Barbara Mandrell, among others. He writes frequently on animal-related issues as well as on the entertainment industry.