Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kathy Dannel-Vitcak, founder, and CEO of The Blissful Dog Inc., located in Clearbrook, MN, USA.

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

The Blissful Dog creates skincare products for dogs...like Lush (when people give me a blank look). Dogs can have dry paws, elbow calluses, minor skin irritations, and dry, crusty noses. Nose Butter® is our flagship product, but dog-loving customers clamored for more over the years! Relax Dog Aromatherapy calms anxious, frightened dogs.

Age Well Dog Aromatherapy gently supports your aging dog, and Focus Dog Aromatherapy turns hyper inattentiveness into canine concentration.
Several years ago, we added the Blissfully Clean Dogs Collection with shampoos, spray shampoos, conditioners, coat de-tangling sprays, colognes, and natural insect products.

Our Nose, Paw, Elbow, Boo Boo, and Bug Off Butters are handcrafted here in far, FAR, Northern Minnesota. Our team also crafts aromatherapy products. Our shampoos are made to our specs by a group of pet care shampoo specialists who have become dear friends.

Our customers are pet lovers tuned into their pet's needs, the ones who will try something new or different for their pet's comfort and well-being. It is more fun if our customers understand my odd, quirky sense of humor.

Tell us about yourself

For 25ish years, I bred and showed top-ranked, top-winning French Bulldogs. That was when no one knew what they were! To win big, Frenchies have to look and feel their best, and a dry, crusty nose is a big turn-off to judges. At that time, there was no product for this issue, and most people used petroleum jelly. No offense, but dogs lick their noses, and I didn't want my dogs ingesting that.

Back in 2002, we had moved from St. Paul to NW of Bemidji, and it is even colder up here. I was slathering shea butter on myself, and a couple of my Frenchies ran over to see if I had a snack for them. Without thinking, I dabbed some on their noses, and the very next day, their noses looked better! The lightbulb flickered, and I started playing with various formulations.

My Nose Butter was very much a side gig as I had a busy freelance graphic design business going. I gave it away at dog shows and to friends, never thinking it would be more. Fast forward through all the recipe tweaking, business classes, coaching, and mistakes to about ten years ago. All of a sudden, I noticed more and more orders coming through ETSY and my website (which I built using Adobe GoLive with A PayPal button). I knew I had a decision to make, and I was not turning back! The Blissful Dog was a real business!

We have tens of thousands of reviews. Some of our clients have called us in tears, as they never thought their dog with the crusty nose would look again. Customers shared stories of their dogs who could go on walks again, as the extra tissue was gone from their paw pads, dogs whose elbow calluses were gone, and senior dogs whose last time with their family was enriched by using Age Well. That is what motivates me...knowing my idea has brought so many dogs and their families relief.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

After building a multi-million dollar business that helps dogs, a deep source of pride for me is providing careers for my team. To pay them well and treat them with respect while challenging them is important to me. That includes lots of birthday cake, even if we have cake for dog, pony or celebrity birthdays. Too many June birthdays! My goal is for Ashley and Nick to take it over and continue sharing the bliss.

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

It never ceases to amaze me how cut-throat, unethical, and plain old mean some people can be. I do my best to take a deep breath and put my hurt feelings on a unicorn's back and send them on their way.

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

  1. Realize how many hours you will need to put in to get started. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke!
  2. Find something you love doing and a problem within that realm that needs to be fixed. If you are a golfer, ask 100 golfers what is their most frustrating part of playing golf. If you love to braid your horse's mane and tail, find a new solution to a problem. Be interested and excited about the industry, not just to make a quick buck...or lose many bucks!
  3. Never, EVER quit learning. I take at least one big business course a year and one tech course. Every single day I make it a priority to learn something new, even if it is a new old-timey cussword.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Surround yourself with honest, hard-working people you would enjoy having a BBQ or sitting around a campfire with, and your days will fly by. Teach your employees something new every day, even if you share your new old-timey vituperation.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://theblissfuldog.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theblissfuldog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblissfuldog/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathydv/

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.