Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Bijal Patel, owner of PetToba, located in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

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

PetToba is a Canadian pet store retail business. I want to support Canadian companies that are into pet products. I want to educate pet owners on healthy feeding and help them decide on the best food their money can buy. I want to help out our customers by providing FREE delivery across Winnipeg. Our business is growing, and we are looking into adding a second location and many more pet services for our customers like Pet Grooming, Dog Wash, Dog walking, etc. One of our goals is to help pet rescues, and we donate to rescue almost every other month.

Tell us about yourself

I always wanted to do something which would help me to be with dogs and cats. When my husband and I discussed Pet Food, he recommended I do a Pet Nutrition course. After doing the course, I realized that there was a lot of misinformation about dogs' and cats' food. Big companies are marketing on selling what makes them more profit, and they are not concerned about the dog's and cats' health. Having realized that, I decided to start my own Pet Store in Winnipeg and help pet owners make the right decision when it comes to their pet food. I am learning in pet grooming now, and I will keep learning so that I can provide my customers with the best knowledge anyone can acquire when it comes to their pet's health.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

After two years of starting my business, I can proudly say that I have achieved the mission with which I started this business. I feel really good when our customers see the benefit of our pet food, and we are very happy when their issues get resolved. I will keep on this journey until every pet parent is educated about what to look for in a dog or cat food and how to decide what is right for your fur baby.

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

Sometimes I am not able to spend enough time helping my customer because of the various other things that a business owner has to do. Managing my time is the most difficult task of my day.

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

I would say first and foremost, get the knowledge of the industry, and unless you are able to contribute to the industry meaningfully, don't jump into starting the business. Knowledge, knowledge & knowledge is the key.

  1. Knowledge about the industry.
  2. Help non-profit organizations in your industry.
  3. Provide the best customer service that anyone can dream of. Go one step beyond when it comes to customer service. Only sell products which you can guarantee.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Follow us on Instagram & Facebook to receive the best knowledge related to your pet.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://pettoba.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PetToba/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pettoba/

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.

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