Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Caleb Gilmore, co-founder, and president of Suzie's CBD Treats, located in Denver, CO, USA.

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

We are Suzie's CBD Treats, and we have been proudly manufacturing high-quality, USDA organic CBD pet products since 2016. Our customers are pet parents across the country who trust us to make safe, consistent, and effective products that offer a natural, holistic way to keep pets feeling their best. We're grateful for our customers' continued support, which allows us to donate 10% of profits back to animal shelters and organizations that help communities across the country.

Tell us about yourself

Richard Squire and I started this business when I was 21 years old after he convinced me to drop out of college halfway through my engineering degree. He offered me the opportunity to learn how to run a business with the goal of making a product that helped pets and that people could afford. In the years that have passed, I've learned that there's so much more to biz than the numbers. The relationships we've built, stories of animals helped, and new experiences shared inspire me to keep working hard and looking forward to the future Suzie's.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

In 2021 we reached a company goal of partnering with an animal shelter in all 50 states through both product donations and monetarily. Giving back has always been a core tenant of Suzie's, and being able to do it at this scale is extremely gratifying. As we continue to grow, I look forward to seeing the impact we have on our local community and beyond grow.

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

One of the hardest things about owning a business is the pressure of having to care for something larger than you. From employees relying on their paychecks to customers who count on using your products in their pet's daily routines, it's both intimidating and humbling to know that something you built has such a widespread impact.

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

  1. Build a strong team – a great support system is invaluable and always ends up greater than the sum of its parts. Having people, you can trust with different strengths will strengthen your business.
  2. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I've been lucky to have incredible mentors. Learning from people with experience is a much better route than figuring everything out yourself.
  3. Finally, just be consistent. Consistency in your mission and values and being patient while you push forward. Success doesn't come overnight, and you have to be ready to put your head down and keep doing what you're doing to see the fruits of your labor on the other side.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I'd like to extend my deep gratitude to our customers and believers who have helped spread Suzie's by telling their friends, sharing a social media post, and purchasing our products. We wouldn't be here without their support, and it means the world to us that they trust us to be a part of them and their pet's relationship.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.suziespettreats.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PETCBDPRODUCTS/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suziescbdtreats/

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.