We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Arpita Gentela a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Arpita, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

Hund Bakery has been years in the making. I have two loving mini dachshunds that I adore to death. One of them suffers with Irritable Bowel Disorder (IBD). Last Fall, when we brought him home, it took us several vet visits, countless sleepless nights and endless changes in his food for the doctors to figure out what was really wrong with him. After a long 6 months of trying to figure it out, my husband and I were able to get him on the right medication and the right type of food for his condition. Once we figured out his food, we started to think about his training for which we needed treats. However, we didn’t find anything on the market that suited his condition.

This is where I got the idea to start Hund Bakery. I needed treats with all natural ingredients, with protein good for my pups stomach so I set out to create a company dedicated to my pups. Hund stands for Dog in German and the last 4 letters of Dachshund. The goal of this company is to cater to dogs in need of special attention that have diseases/allergies and the like.

I started to research creating my own company and found Legal Zoom online that helps with set up etc. I gave them a call and they were extremely helpful in setting up my company. One of the challenges I face till date is shipping. I was able to spend weeks on creating my logo, website, my tag line, but when it comes to shipping it is challenging with the prices on the rise everywhere. I am always open to ideas and on the lookout for how to solve this challenge.

Knowing what I know now, I think I am going to market my products more and put my story out there. I started this company with the best of intentions: to improve the experience of giving treats to a pup with health issues and because I am an animal lover! It brings me joy when I see pups enjoying my treats.

My advice to anyone looking to start their own company would be to remember your intention in the hard times. It is easy to get lost in the day to day but when you lose sight of things, it is important to remember what you set out to accomplish.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Human Resources Professional by day, an entrepreneur, dog mom, wife, animal lover and an avid CrossFitter. I also enjoy horseback riding, reading books, karaoke, watching movies, and spending time with my hubby.

As mentioned in the last question, I created Hund Bakery for dogs that have health issues and that are unable to find anything else on the market. I make treats catered to the pup, not the other way around which makes Hund unique in its offerings. Because one of my pups has IBD, I understand and can relate to the struggle many dog owners face when it comes to finding treats suitable for their pups.

I want my clients to know that I pour my heart and soul into creating each treat. I am transparent about the ingredients in each bag so that they know what’s going into their pups stomach. Just as we want to know what we put in our body, I think it is important for dog owners to know what’s in their food. All my treats are made with all natural ingredients. I try my best to restrict the number of ingredients to 4-6 in a bag. Because I am a one man show, I ask my clients to give me 5-7 business days to ship out their treats to them and also let them know that because these treats do not have preservatives, they stay fresh for around 2 weeks. Its best to freeze them to make them last longer!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I believe word of mouth and the quality of my products have been the winners. Most clients of mine have dogs with health issues/picky eaters and they have all loved treats from Hund Bakery. Additionally, having a social media presence and creating recipes by season have also proved successful. I like to include ingredients in treats that are currently in season. We eat what’s in season, why not our pets?

Can you talk to us about how your funded your firm or practice?

Lucky for me the dog treat business has low barriers to entry. All I needed was cookie cutters, a baking mat, a kitchen aid machine, an oven and some island space. However, as my business grows, I am always on the lookout for investors and an area to rent where I can make treats all day long!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hundbakery.com/
• Instagram: hund.bakery
• Facebook: Hund Bakery, LLC
• Other: Email: support@hubdbakery.com

Image Credits
Nolan O’Reilly Videography & Photography