Your Name: Kathy Dannel Vitcak
Name of Business:
The Blissful Dog
Type of business: Holistic Dog Items, specializing in Nose Butters for
flat faced dogs
What does your business do? 100% all natural nose butters to help flat
faced dogs that suffer from dry, crusty noses...French Bulldogs, Pugs, Bulldogs,
Boxers and more! We also have Vibrational Essences, Aromatherapy and MORE!
Why did you start the biz and when did your business open? About
five years ago I was slathering some shea butter on my legs and my French
Bulldogs all rushed around and started licking my legs. I had a EUREKA moment
and realized that would be a great solution for their crusty noses. The rest is
Blissful Dog history!
How many people in your company? Me
What's your office location like? I have a great little home office nestled deep in the far north woods of Minnesota. We also have a small resort, Dancing Bear Resort, and that is one of my other passions.
What's the toughest part of running your biz? The expense of advertising like I want to!
What's the most fun part? The heartfelt emails and letters from people who are thrilled with my products.
Anything you would have done differently? I would have had a more robust email marketing list in place from day one and also would have advertised more in breed specific magazines.
Explain what's next on the horizon for you and your business? I want to broaden my horizons within all-breed groups online and so some more intense target marketing. For instance, Facebook ads, Dogster, etc.
What advice do you have for others? (Don't hold back!) Get all of your systems in place before you get started. Be ready to be professinal from day one, but do not lose what makes it personal and YOU!
How do you use OnlineBizU.com to help with your biz or sanity?
Donna's info has been a blessing. I am still plowing through, with delight, all
the fabulous content . I cannot wait to implement MORE of her well researched
info.
Personal Info:
School
Mississippi University for Women, graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1978
Prior jobs or business?
ACK, so many careers/jobs...so little room! I worked in the fashion industry for almost 15 years when I graduated from college and was blessed to travel internationally during a bit of that time. I also worked for Petsmart and Petco and loved that. About 15 years ago I moved to MN to take a job as an apprentice graphic designer and met my husband a week after I moved to MN! Along the way, I bred top- winning, top-ranked French Bulldogs (yep, Best in Shows and all that), but have retired from breeding over the course of the last few years. By the way, Francesca and Sharkey (Martha Stewart's French Bulldogs) were both bred, born and raised by me. We bought Dancing Bear Resort in 2001 and at that time I started my Graphic Design business. I still do graphic design work, but am concentrating on other areas. Now, I am lasering on The Blissful Dog and my newest venture, a spiritual growth site (new info soon).
Favorite food? oatmeal, I know, but it is
What are your pets' names?
French Bulldogs (these are there pet names, not fancy show names): Money, Vegas,
Keeper, Mudd, Nink Nink, Favor, EZBoy; Newfoundland: Deuce; Great Pyrenees: Zoey;
Mini-horse: Nyker; Alpacas -- there are 14, so will skip all those names.
Do any of these pets help with your biz? The dogs have enriched my life so very, very much. from all of the wonderful friends to business partners to an actual business! I adore my dogs and hold them so very near and dear to my heart.
What person or event in your life led you to go into business for yourself?
My husband, Steve
Website URL:
http://www.TheBlissfulDog.com/
http://www.KathyDV.com
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