Big Decisions
Well, decision made. I’m going for it. I’ve decided to start a business.
I work in veterinary medicine and I live in a high cost of living area. Unfortunately these two things don’t really go together. I don’t have the energy for a second veterinary job, so I needed a side hustle.
I had something turning around in my head for a while, but then a situation came up that took a good chunk of my savings and I was hit hard with the realization that I couldn’t afford to live alone in the city where I worked while having a single full time job. So, the idea that I had come up with, Gunther’s Treats, was going to have to come up in the priority list.
Gunther’s Treats is a snack business that caters to dog owners who are choosy about what they feed to their dogs. We will make freeze dried treats for humans that can be shared with our canine friends! There will also be pet-only treats. The pet-only treats are also safe for humans to consume, but may not be agreeable to the human palate.
I have lived in the Cedar Valley area since 2004, and moved into Cedar Falls in 2019. One of the things I enjoy about Cedar Falls is our “Shop Local” attitude within the community. It is important to me to support local businesses within the Cedar Falls and Waterloo areas, and I buy from local business owners whenever possible. I also hate waste, and so I really like to dehydrate food. I relish in the fact that I can store and save food for my family.
Gunther doesn’t have a sensitive stomach, and even though he’d eat tree bark (literally) I’m pretty picky about what I feed him.
When searching for treat options I was pretty disappointed. There isn’t much that exists locally. That includes the Cedar Valley, but more largely in Iowa. Unfortunately there just isn’t much anywhere when it comes to “clean” or “healthy” dog treats that aren’t sold in a big box store, for a huge markup.
Just like most other dog people, treats are part of our lives, and the longer I have had Gunther the more I have thought about my (and his) preferences when it comes to the treats we use. I decided I would just make his treats myself. I dehydrated treats for him for a while. Then I started looking into freeze drying as a way to preserve food for my family. I found so many resources for people who purchased a freeze dryer for just that reason, and then started a business with it.
I am starting a crowdfunding campaign on ifundwomen.com, and January 1st, 2024 is our launch date! I’m stoked! Funding a small business is no small task, so I’ve been working really hard lately. I am getting my website finished up (so glad you found us) and my campaign page planned, and my video scripted. I know I will get lost among all of this, so I have set up a calendar for the next few months. I have scheduled out things like social media pushes and launch dates coming up. Today, 11/21/23, is the first date on my Goals calendar that has something specific written in it. My first campaign-related blog post is due today! Silly joke, it’s due only to myself. But I work better with deadlines!
I’m excited to put in this work, and I’m delighted to share this idea with my local community! Gunther’s customers want to buy a clean snack made with local ingredients that they can share with their dog. I want the pet owners that buy our treats to know that they can be confident about where it comes from. It’s where they live.