Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cindy James, Founder of Crafty Beasts Brewing, located in Noonan, NB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are in the business of creating joy and celebrating the incredible bond between humans and their canines. Crafty Beasts Brewing is Canada’s only craft beer made for dogs. We like to say our brews are made by beasts, for beasts, since our primary focus is on the dog’s health and wellness. We have also created a purpose-led business model by using diverted and upcycled foods in our bone broth recipe. The addition of turmeric and ginger adds to the nutritional value. So, different from our human brews our dog beer contains no alcohol and is a healthy, hydrating drink or food topper. Dog parents are savvy consumers, and they are seeking clean labeled foods with Canadian-sourced ingredients, and Crafty delivers on that criteria. Our Instagram-loving community of dog parents enjoys sharing experiences with their fur kids, and that’s the kind of joy we promote with our product.
Although we mainly see women online posing with their pups or enjoying a shared patio drink with our beers, we know that men are in the mix. At the risk of being stereotypical, our male clients like to share their beer with their canine pals while watching sports or around the summer campfire. Many granddogs are also spoiled with a Crafty dog beer as a Gotcha Day holiday or just because they are so darn cute gifts as well. Given their unique nature, FETCH Canine Pale Ale and Unleashed Energy Brews can be found in both pet-related shops and in dog-friendly taprooms across Canada. We do export for wholesale into the USA.
Tell us about yourself
As a “silverpreneur” my drive is to create a business that gives back to both the environment and to increase the health and wellness of household pets. Crafty was created to solve a problem that I encountered when I tried to move my dog daycare to a new location in the city of Halifax. The zoning criteria for the new location required a retail component. I designed a dog beer using my InstantPot, home brew bottles, and homemade labels. That solution to a business challenge led to the creation of our own production facility in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in collaboration with our co-packing company Craft Coast Canning.
Going back to my personal vision of using Crafty to give back, it is also the driving force behind my motivation. I mean, I work with dogs, and I serve them beer that brings joy into the lives of dogs and the humans that love them, and that is truly a gift I give myself each day!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I think if I could impart any wisdom, it would be not to allow your age to dictate your ability to be an entrepreneur or, frankly, to follow any dream. I turn 60 in January, and I bought an existing dog daycare in 2016, started a production company in 2018, and incorporated it as a manufacturing company in 2020. My biggest accomplishment was getting out of my own way and pushing aside societal norms to create a business that I can manage virtually so I can follow my other passion, which is travel. I am writing this as I start a month-long dog sitting in Sedona, AZ.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The complexities of the world, economic impacts, and supply chain challenges have been a constant problem-solving reality. Maintaining faith in my product and its purpose means being resilient to those factors outside of my control. Responding to the challenges while keeping the typical tasks of running a business on track is hard.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My first tip is to figure out what makes you tick first. Your passions, the things that excite you and scare you, and the potential skeletons in the closet that may derail you. Build your plan around those things.
Break the rules. Being an entrepreneur can make you an outlier, and it may put you in a position of going against the grain. Trust your instincts and believe in your process and your plan.
Lastly, surround yourself with people who believe in you. Those that will uplift you when you need it, those that will be honest when you need it, and those that will listen and work with you as you take on challenges and share the joy of your successes. Look for those people in unsuspecting places and be open to letting them in to be part of your story.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.craftybeasts.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftybeastsbrewingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftybeastsbrewingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/craftybeastsbrewing/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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