Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet nutrition but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Henry Matus, owner and founder of Bark n Sniff, located in Saint Louis, Missouri.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Bark n Sniff is a pet nutrition startup that aims to provide all dogs with affordable, accessible and high quality nutrition. Our first product is our Pawsitively Barkelicious Superfood Seasoning for Dogs. Our superfood seasoning helps to strengthen your dog's immune health, digestive health and skin health while creating a deliciously new flavor profile that will have picky and non picky eaters begging for their next bowl of food! Bark n Sniffs' customers include those who are just as conscious about the type of nutrition they feed their dog as they feed themselves.

Tell us about yourself

The motivating factor behind the creation of Bark n Sniff was my personal brain cancer diagnosis.   I was first diagnosed with Stage 1 Brain Cancer at the age of 18 and then re-diagnosed with the same stage 1 tumor at 19. During my initial four week hospital stay, I encountered a story published by the Texas SPCA that included a shocking statistic that "50% of dogs over the age of 10 will develop some form of cancer". Although many factors could be attributed to this statistic, a recurring theme that I discovered in my research was the prevalence of chemicals and pesticides in many of today's dog foods. I believe that it is my life's mission to help fight rising rates of canine cancer in any way possible since there is so little research being conducted in the fight against cancer in dogs as compared to humans.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as the owner of Bark n Sniff is forming a relationship with our partner charity, CareSTL. CareSTL is an amazing non-profit that helps to fight animal cruelty in the Saint Louis area and "exists to create a supportive community rooted in collaboration, compassion, and caring, for people and animals." We donate a portion of every single unit sold to CareSTL to help support their incredible work in the St. Louis community and beyond.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

As a business owner, you learn to wear a countless number of 'hats'. You are the producer, the marketer, the CEO, the CFO, the COO, the logistics manager, etc. With all of these responsibilities comes great sacrifice. Many times in the past, I have sacrificed my mental well-being in order to accomplish the necessary tasks for that day. As a result of sacrificing my mental well-being, I have struggled with burnout and depression because my sole focus was always my business and never my personal health.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Strike a balance between your work life and personal life. You will experience the greatest amount of sustainable success with an 'unhustle mindset'.

2. Remember that your hard work and dedication will all pay off in the end. If one idea fails, then apply all of the lessons learned to your next idea in order to minimize the potential for failure.

3. Never be afraid of someone saying no to you.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Anyone can be an entrepreneur. The only barrier to entry is the amount of belief that you have for yourself. Other than that, there are no prerequisites needed for being an entrepreneur.

Where can people find you and your business?

https://www.barknsniffspice.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bark_n_sniff/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrymatus/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.