Sara is an entrepreneur. She owns her small shop called, WildMuttco, where she handmakes eco-friendly dog accessories for adventurous lifestyles.
Sara has spent the last two years creating and working on her small business. She has filled over 10,000 orders and is now sold in multiple different boutiques all over the United States.
What is your life led up to creating your own business?
I was born in San Diego, CA but was raised in Las Vegas, NV. My parents divorced when I was just 2 years old. So, growing up and having to jump from house to house and parent to parent every week was hard. When I was 18 I wanted to leave Vegas and go as far away as possible to learn things on my own. So, three days after my 18th birthday I took my dog and we moved across the country to pursue college. I quickly realized that college was not for everyone, and especially not for me despite being a straight-A student. I dropped out of college and began the process of creating my own business at just 18 years old.
What makes your brand unique?
I created WildMuttco as a creative outlet for myself. I have always loved crafting things with my hands and turning nothing into something beautiful. I have always loved dogs so the idea of creating dog bandanas was not such a bad idea. My thought process was, if it doesn’t work out at least I will have a few unique accessories for my dogs. When I first opened WildMuttco it was strictly a dog bandana shop, however, at the moment we have been making Biothane dog collars as well as leather and denim dog collars. The main idea behind WildMuttco is to promote the idea of getting outside with your dogs and make memories with them. If you asked anyone who knows WildMuttco, they would say my brand is moody and outdoorsy. I have always loved outdoor activities so to be able to have a brand of my own that makes people want to adventure outside is a dream come true.
WildMuttco is also an eco-friendly shop. Meaning, every order is made with fabric that does not use as much water as typical fabric. I order all of my fabric from a place that only makes as much fabric as you need. So, there is never any leftover fabric to send off to landfills. It all gets used. My packaging is also 100% eco-friendly. From the biodegradable adhesives to the recyclable mailers and craft paper. As a brand that loves the outdoors, it’s important to me to keep the planet clean.
Was it easy for you to open up your shop?
Owning your small shop, especially at 18 is tough. No one takes you seriously. I was always told, “get a real job” or “when are you going to stop messing around and get back into college?” Dealing with all of the negative commenters while still trying to be creative and push out more products is difficult, to say the least. But, at the end of each day, all that mattered was what I thought about my business and I was proud of myself.
Another challenge I run into daily is copycats. Not to say I was the first one to create dog accessories because I was not. But, sometimes, people will create a brand similar to mine, which is fine, but then they would come out with fabrics that are the same as mine, names of products that are the same as mine, marketing styles that are the same as mine, etc… which is frustrating because I put so much time into a creating every item in my shop. So, when I see other people copying every move I make, it can be discouraging. Throughout the years, I have found that copycats are inevitable, and They will continue to happen every year, but I just have to ignore them and keep pushing forward.
How did you afford to create a business at 18 years old?
Financing my small shop, honestly, was easy for me. I am very good at saving money and cutting down on costs. When I began WildMuttco I started with a cheap $50 sewing machine and a few pieces of scrap fabric. I practically started with nothing. I had no sewing experience and no marketing or business experience. But, you learn as you go. I could not pay for entrepreneur classes, so I watched “how-to” videos on the internet. I read books and listened to podcasts. I have also done extensive research over the years to gain knowledge on where the best fabrics are and how to get them at a good deal. I wanted to build my small shop so badly that the lack of money was not going to stop me.
Do you plan on doing WildMuttco forever?
Yes, when thinking of the future of WildMuttco, I think of a storefront. Eventually, somewhere down the line, I would love to have a small storefront in a small town. But in the meantime, I plan to move WildMuttco into a van and travel the US to different “Maker Markets”. I love the idea of living outdoors and van life caught my eye a few years ago. I plan to create dog accessories in my tiny home on wheels and travel to see all of the wonderful faces who support me and my small business.
What advice do you give to someone interested in starting their successful small shop?
For anyone interested in beginning their own small business, I would say, go for it. Start small and get a feel for it. See if it is something you can see yourself devoting countless hours to each day. Most people will come up with stupid excuses on why the business won’t work, but that does not do you any good. If you are passionate about something and devote hours to it each day, do it! The only one holding you back from doing what you love is yourself. Social media is your best friend, use it to your advantage. There are so many different platforms out there to help you get started. Stop waiting for “the idea” or “the money”, just start. You will learn as you go.
Where can people go to follow along your journey?
If you would like to follow along with me and my small shop you can follow me on Instagram @wildmutt.co or by clicking the links below.
WildMuttco
Wildmutt.co@gmail.com