GN: You grew up on your grandfather’s land in Shorter, Alabama, surrounded by dogs, cats, chickens, goats, sheep, and hundreds of cows. What are your earliest memories of being around animals, and how did those experiences shape the person you became?

FJ: They served my person in so many ways. Animals give positive energy, peace and harmony with anyone they connect with. They have been and continue to be my closest friends.

GN: Your grandfather owned nearly 1,000 acres and was known as a successful farmer who began purchasing land as early as 1926. What did watching him build that life teach you about discipline, resilience, and independence?

FJ: I became independent at a very young age of 4, I wanted to be a store owner for as long as I can remember. Looking back, all of his life examples have been a huge impression and blueprint for me to reach my dreams.

GN: You’ve spoken about riding a prize Black Angus bull named Pluto as a child. Looking back, how did growing up so close to animals influence the empathy and intuition you later brought into your work?

FJ: Pluto! In his mind he knew he was the man around there. For example, I was 12. My daddy, mother, granddad, and grandmother told me to go with this tall big man to fish on the river behind our land. The river is the Tallapoosa River. The man’s name was Gov. Jim Folsom. Pluto stayed by our side the whole time.

There was a time when the river, creek, and lake around our land would flood when it rained. Pluto would call all the cows to higher ground. It was amazing to see.

Another time when I was 14, I went down to the river to get our mule named Old Mamie to do some work. A group of snakes popped up. It looked like that was the end of about 4 to 6 seconds of my life. Pluto saw what was going on. He addressed it by moving his tail from one side to the other and walked behind me until I got home. I told my family about it and they had fun with it. None were poison snakes.

GN: Because veterinarians were not allowed on the property, your grandfather created his own salves and treatments for animals. How did observing those early remedies spark your fascination with chemistry and healing?

FJ: Dr. George Washington Carver, the Hall of Fame scientist, my granddad and him were best of friends. He made granddad special stuff. You may recognize his name also for inventing the delicious treat known as Peanut Butter and how to mix paint. Big changes to our world!

GN: Living only fifteen miles from Tuskegee Institute, you later studied vocational agriculture and chemistry there. What did Tuskegee represent to you at that time in your life?

FJ: I had a little Dr. Carver in me and always was attracted to the ‘cause and effect’ theory. It was a great time learning how to make change with the things that mattered to me like treating animals and making them feel their best.

GN: You were also a talented baseball player in high school and were even scouted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. What was that moment like when they offered you a contract, and why did you ultimately decide that path wasn’t for you?

FJ: Two of the star coaches started fighting over a money matter. When it settled, another coach started talking about how much he paid to get his dog groomed. I said, “I can do that.” The coaches and my teammates then said, “What in the hell are you doing here?”

GN: At one point you left Alabama for Lansing, Michigan, where you ran a record shop and worked briefly at the Ford factory. What do you remember most about that chapter of your life?

FJ: To me, it was a dead end. I did not want to make cars for the rest of my life and recognized that education in the field I was most invested in was going to be a long game for me.

GN: After leaving baseball, you opened up a pet store and continued to study taking night classes. How did those studies influence the formulas you would later develop for your pet products, TLC Pet Products?

FJ: I needed to learn more about formulas. TLC was going to be known for being safe and beneficial to all pets. This is a way of myself giving each animal a personal hug, Tender Loving Care.

GN: A friend from Motown eventually convinced you to drive with him to California with only a suitcase and the recipe for my dream pet products and $400 in cash. Did you feel at that moment that your life was about to change?

JF: Yes I did. However, I made sure to include within my suitcase my lucky baseball shoes and glove. I truly only arrived with $400. From that I started my own grooming business with just $100.

GN: When you first arrived in Los Angeles, your first job was at the Animal Farm Pet Shop owned by actor Trent Dolan. What was it like stepping into the world of Hollywood through the lens of caring for animals?

FJ: It was absolutely a different world for me. What a great time it was to work with celebrities and work with their dogs. The money was good and the timing was great. Star studded clientele from Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eartha Kitt, Betty Davis and so many more.

GN: You later attended UCLA for additional chemistry studies while working and saving money. What were your ambitions during that time?

FJ: To get my own shop and make some pet products…it wasn’t a question if I was going to do this, it was just a matter of when. I was in it for longevity.

GN: Eventually you opened your own grooming shop in Westwood called Tender Loving Care. What do you remember about those early days when you were grooming only one dog a day?

FJ: Knowing things would get better and they did. One of my first celebrity clients was Rock Hudson to give an idea of what was to come. The future was looking bright.

GN: Within just a few years, the shop grew to grooming about thirty dogs a day, and your client list began including celebrities and film stars. Do you remember the first time a well-known actor walked through your door?

FJ: Yes! As mentioned, Rock Hudson was the first Movistar to walk into TLC. He had a dog named Giant, after the movie Giant.

GN: You became known as the groomer to stars such as Rock Hudson and Frank Sinatra. Did celebrity clients treat their pets any differently than everyday pet owners?

FJ: There was no difference, every client loved their pet. My favorite celebrity client was an actor, Peter Lawford. He was a member of the “Rat Pack”.

GN: Many celebrities trusted you not only with grooming but also with your specialized skin treatments and oils. What do you believe made your approach so different from other pet care professionals at the time?

FJ: From the time they dropped their pet off, they could see the difference when they picked them up. It was all in the results.

GN: Your product line, Tender Loving Care Pet Products, grew out of the formulas you had been developing since childhood. How important was it to you that the ingredients remained gentle and natural?

FJ: Very important. But marketing is different from treating a pet in a store. The product itself is the proof.

GN: One remarkable story involved an English Sheepdog that had lost large patches of hair and had been unsuccessfully treated for years. When you saw cases like that transform and heal, what did that mean to you personally?

JF: To heal an animal from feeling bad is the greatest feeling. There is nothing else like taking care of a loved one in need.

GN: Another dramatic case involved a German Shepherd whose skin had deteriorated so severely that bone was visible. What goes through your mind when you remember helping animals that seemed beyond hope?

FJ: Only one thing on my mind: to make this animal feel better!

GN: In 1980 you sold your grooming shop and focused entirely on distributing your products across the United States. Looking back, what achievement are you most proud of from your career? And what does your next chapter look like?

FJ: Big money came into the grooming and pet product industry. Little guys with small shops could not pay the rent. So I sold a few products here and there and started helping Mrs. Peters with her real estate business. A couple years later I took TLC to a mobile grooming business. That was the best thing I ever did. No rent and everything on wheels.

GN: What does the term Goodnight mean to you?

FJ: We had a good run in the business world, a great life, relationship and enjoyed ourselves. Goodnight means to have a reset and look forward to what is next, everyday!

Images courtesy of Kimberly Goodnight and historic photos courtesy of Fleming Jackson