Action Holdings

What Action Holdings does

Action Holdings is a privately-held eCommerce holding company headquartered in Tampa, Florida, founded in 2016 by CEO Andrew Gilliland with the launch of iSpyPens from a University of Tampa dorm room. The company operates a portfolio of five wholly-owned consumer brands spanning the Home and Pets categories: Embark Pets (outdoor pet products), BBQ-AID Tools (premium BBQ equipment), FlavrQ (food/flavor products), iSpyPens (personal security devices), and VeriPen (an upcoming security verification product). Products are sold through Amazon Marketplace and direct eCommerce storefronts globally; iSpyPens alone has served tens of thousands of customers since inception. The company is led by Andrew Gilliland (CEO) and David Hunt (Head of Marketing), supported by a three-person leadership team with 30+ years of combined experience and an in-house team of 13 industry experts across marketing, operations, Amazon growth, and finance.

The business generates revenue through three structured partnership pathways targeting eCommerce founders and owners. The Acquisition path acquires 51%+ controlling interest in off-market, non-distressed eCommerce businesses generating $100,000-$300,000 in EBITDA with 20%+ net margins. The Equity Partnership path acquires 1-49% equity over a 2-4 year horizon in companies generating $1M-$2.5M in revenue with $100K+ annual marketing investment capacity. The Advisory tier is offered either on a fee basis ($24,000 for 12 one-hour sessions over 12 months) or via equity (50 hours of advisory work plus cash for 1-49% equity). The combined structure allows Action Holdings to deploy capital, expertise, and operational support across consumer brands at different stages of maturity.

The company does not disclose a proprietary technology platform, patents, or AI/ML capabilities, and no external funding rounds have been reported, indicating a founder-controlled, organically financed operating model. Strategic emphasis is placed on sustainable brand building rather than "churn and burn" tactics, with the stated long-term vision of reaching more than 1 billion customers through quality-focused eCommerce brands.

Name

Action Holdings

Legal name

Action Holdings

Website

https://actionholdings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Action Holdings is a privately-held eCommerce holding company operating five wholly-owned consumer brands across Home and Pets categories (Embark Pets, BBQ-AID Tools, FlavrQ, iSpyPens, VeriPen) while acquiring and partnering with profitable eCommerce businesses, founded in 2016 in Tampa, FL.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

E-Commerce Brand Holdings

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Care & Pet Supplies DTC (CRAFACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAH)

Keywords

• ECommerce brand operations
• Consumer brand portfolio
• Alternative asset management
• Brand acquisition advisory
• Online retail brands

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Portfolio Brand Operations: Operates a portfolio of wholly owned eCommerce brands in Home and Pets categories, generating revenue through product sales across multiple owned brands including BBQ-AID Tools, Embark Pets, iSpyPens, FlavrQ, and VeriPen.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Action Holdings operates, builds, and sells eCommerce brands in the Home and Pets categories through a portfolio of wholly owned consumer brands (Embark Pets, BBQ-AID Tools, FlavrQ, iSpyPens). The company also provides three structured B2B partnership paths to eCommerce founders: Acquisition (51%+ controlling interest for $100K-$300K EBITDA businesses), Equity Partnership (1-49% minority stake for $1M-$2.5M revenue businesses), and an Advisory Service ($24,000/year for 12 one-hour sessions with leadership).

Product overview

Action Holdings is an eCommerce holding company that operates, builds, and sells brands in the Home and Pets categories. The company operates a portfolio of wholly owned sub-brands including Embark Pets (pet products for outdoor adventures), BBQ-AID Tools (BBQ tools with premium materials), FlavrQ (food/flavor brand), iSpyPens (personal security devices), and VeriPen (upcoming product). The company brings together expertise in marketing, logistics, finance, and operations to scale eCommerce brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Embark Pets: Pet products brand founded by 5 friends - 3 humans and 2 dogs - sharing love for the great outdoors
• BBQ-AID Tools
• FlavrQ
• iSpyPens
• VeriPen

Products and services

• Embark Pets Pet products brand operated under Action Holdings' portfolio. Founded by 5 friends (3 humans and 2 dogs) passionate about outdoor adventures. Offers products for pets that support outdoor activities such as scaling mountain tops or traversing urban environments.
• BBQ-AID Tools BBQ tools brand offering uncompromising BBQ equipment featuring Acacia Wooden handles, high grade Stainless Steel and Ceramic finishes, with fast free shipping and stellar customer service. Sold to grilling enthusiasts via direct eCommerce and Amazon.
• FlavrQ Food and flavor brand operating under Action Holdings' portfolio of wholly owned eCommerce brands in the Home and Pets categories.
• iSpyPens Personal security devices company launched in 2016 by founder Andrew Gilliland from his college dorm room at The University of Tampa. Solves the need for reliable personal security devices and has served tens of thousands of customers worldwide.
• Advisory Service Strategic eCommerce advisory service offered to founders at $24,000 per year, inclusive of 12 one-hour advisory sessions with a member of Action Holdings leadership team, to be used within a 12 month period. An alternative equity-based advisory path is also offered, where Action Holdings invests 50 hours of advisory resources plus cash in exchange for 1% to 49% equity in the client's company.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Acquisition Target CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAction Holdings acquires 51% or greater interest in companies with full control. Targets generate $100K-$300K in EBITDA with 20%+ net margin, off-market non-distressed assets.
• Equity Partnership FounderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor founders not wanting to exit, EP path pools capital, skills and resources. Up to 12-months working together before equity vesting. Takes 1-49% equity typically for 2-4 years. Targets $1M-$2.5M revenue with $100K+ annual marketing/operations investment.
• Advisory ClientsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic advisory for founders seeking eCommerce guidance. Either equity-based (50 hours advisory + cash for 1-49% equity) or fee-based ($24,000 for 12 one-hour sessions over 12 months).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Chewy: Chewy is a publicly traded online pet supplies retailer offering a broad assortment of pet food, treats, toys, and supplies across its own site and via mobile app. It defines the addressable online pet supplies market that Action Holdings' pet brands (Embark Pets) compete within, but at vastly larger scale.
• PetSmart: PetSmart is the largest U.S. specialty pet retailer (in-store and online), selling pet food, supplies, accessories, and services across a national footprint. As a broad pet incumbent, it represents the institutional scale that small DTC pet brands like Embark Pets either partner with or compete against in category.

Direct peers

• Thrasio: Thrasio is the largest Amazon-focused e-commerce brand aggregator, acquiring and operating a portfolio of consumer brands. Action Holdings runs the same fundamental playbook — acquiring and operating multiple consumer e-commerce brands — but at a much smaller, self-funded scale.
• Perch: Perch is a DTC and Amazon brand aggregator that acquires, integrates, and operates consumer e-commerce brands. Both Perch and Action Holdings run a portfolio model focused on profitable small-to-midsize consumer brands, with shared back-office operations across marketing, finance, and ops.
• Pattern Brands: Pattern operates a portfolio of acquisitioned consumer brands with shared marketing and operational infrastructure. The company's emphasis on building sustainable, integrated portfolios of consumer brands matches Action Holdings' stated strategy.
• Unybrands: Unybrands is an e-commerce brand aggregator that acquires and operates consumer brands across Amazon and Shopify. Its portfolio model, off-market acquisition focus, and shared back-office services mirror Action Holdings' own approach.
• Boosted Commerce: Boosted Commerce acquires and scales Amazon-native and DTC consumer brands, with a similar multi-category portfolio approach. Action Holdings' model of operating 5+ wholly owned brands across pets, home, and consumer goods maps directly onto Boosted's category-spanning aggregator thesis.
• BARK (formerly BarkBox): BARK is a direct-to-consumer pet products company centered on subscription dog toys and treats. As one of Action Holdings' pet-focused brands (Embark Pets) operates in the same DTC pet category, BARK serves as a comparable pet-DTC operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/actionholdings

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Action Holdings