Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Natasha Sidhu, founder of Wagging Companions, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are Wagging Companions, a plant-based and human-grade dog food company based in Toronto, ON. We were founded with the vision to enable dogs to thrive, not just survive. We make your dog's life more enjoyable through whole foods and balanced meals that fuel and nourish their bodies, without the use of chemicals and preservatives. We are more than a business that just generates revenue; we are a company built on sustainability and giving back to help animals in need. For every order, we plant three trees with One Tree Planted. By being Plastic Neutral certified through rePurpose Global, we remove as much plastic from the environment as we use in our packaging.
And most importantly, we partner with many local organizations, rescues, and shelters to donate our time, effort, and resources to the dogs in need, strays, and street dogs in developing countries. By choosing to feed your dog plant-based ingredients and helping us direct 5% of our profits towards animals in need, you're joining us in taking a stance against animal cruelty.
Tell us about yourself
Having dogs for years, I felt guilty giving them commercial dog treats. I didn't know what most of the ingredients were. The shelf life was always questionable. Honestly, my dogs were more excited when I gave them table food. I started researching about canine diets and how dogs went from eating table food centuries ago to eating kibble today. A lot of dirty secrets about the pet food and human food industries revealed themselves, and I understood why dogs prefer human food over their own.
After looking at 'human-grade' dog food, I realized that dogs could essentially have all human ingredients without any harmful additives. Fast forward a few months later, the research and development part of our treats was complete, and I started doing taste tests with family and friends dogs. And to not much shock, they went absolutely crazy for each flavour. Packed with whole foods, fruits, and vegetables, it's like dogs know what's good for their bodies.
As much as I like educating pet owners about conscious diet choices for their pets, the real joy comes from helping dogs in need in shelters and helping rescue them from the streets of developing parts of the world. The true motivation behind this brand is to build something so monumental that we're able to donate an infinite amount of resources to get every dog in need basic care, medical care, and into a forever-loving home. Along the way, we hope to put meat-based food in both industries behind us and end the suffering of every animal that goes through it.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is building this company from scratch and getting it so far over the span of 2 years all by myself. From research and development, manufacturing the products, marketing, creating business and financial plans, building relationships with organizations in the industry, working with veterinary nutritionists on formulations, product testing, and much more, was all done by my sole efforts. I think the biggest thing would be, for someone who does not have a business/ marketing background, what I'm most proud of is that I forced myself to learn about all aspects that form a business.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Investing all of your time, resources, and efforts into one basket and hoping it'll pay off. Staying consistent even when you feel like you should give up. Not being able to get enough capital to invest in your business most times, loans and grants are not approved, but this is when you have to think outside of the box.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Just do it. Start now and do it however you like; you'll learn along the way. There are always going to be people who don't support you but don't let that stop you from your goals.
- Collaborate with other businesses in your industry and build good relationships with them. Learn from them, share your ideas and listen to theirs.
- Find your why and believe in your mission and vision so much that others have no choice but to do the same. You have to be your own #1 fan.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.waggingcompanions.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waggingcompanions/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waggingcompanions/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wagging_C
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wagging-companions/
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.