We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amy Cottrill. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amy below.

Hi Amy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I grew up as the only vegetarian-vegan I knew, for most of my childhood years. In high school, I started an Eco Club (environmental), and began organizing vegan luncheons for school staff.

I also began organizing vegan events outside of school, and in 1997, held my first vegan festival (called Multi-Culture Fest). The festival’s intention was to introduce communities in Pittsburgh to dance, music, arts, culture, healing arts, wellness and vegan food of various countries, in a fun and welcoming environment.

Vegan options were scarce in Pittsburgh, and many people did not know the meaning of the word “vegan”. Likewise, I grew up in a closed-minded area, which desperately needed access to both vegan food and cultural awareness.

The events outgrew many venues over the years, as it grew and grew, into the large festivals I currently host.

Amy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the owner of two companies: Pittsburgh Vegan & Amethst Arts.

I am the founder of The Original Pittsburgh Vegan Festival & Pittsburgh Vegan Expo, as well as Pittsburgh Halloween Festival, Pittsburgh Beltane Festival, and many more on-going events.

I hold around 7-10 vegan events every month, all over Pittsburgh & Greater Pittsburgh, combining elements of both businesses.

I am a professional bellydancer and instructor; and organizer of healing arts, cultural arts and wellness events and programs, in addition to festivals.

My events provide opportunities to, support and promote a large number of local businesses, artists, performers, restaurants, food trucks, health practitioners, animal rescues, non-profit organizations (helping animals, people and the environment) and more. While supporting businesses and helping them thrive, my events also bring wellness, education and fun to communities.

My festivals have included keynote speakers such as Dr. Neal Barnard of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; UFC fighter, Khama Worthy; Pro Sports Player, Dean Caliguire (Pittsburgh Steelers, SF 49ers, Pitt Panthers), and many more.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I worked extra jobs for many years, funding my events on a volunteer basis (no profit for me), even when I could not afford it.

Eventually, as my larger events grew into needing huge festival venues, and national acts and speakers, I had to make big changes. I had to put a lot of money I had earned from other jobs, into my new business adventures – switching from volunteering all my time and money, to treating it as a business, as it was too risky to lose all my personal funds as a volunteer. I was helping so many businesses, artists and organizations to pay their bills, but also needed to pay my own. So, I took the huge risk of putting thousands of my own dollars into creating big festivals, crossing my fingers as I signed big contracts (which meant a huge risk)!

Fortunately, over the years, I had taught myself everything I knew about business, through trial and error; and had so many years of experience working with so many businesses, and building up my events, that it worked out! But, I admit, it was a huge risk, and made me nervous, diving into huge contracts (thousands of dollars), on my own dollar! As opposed to organizations who receive their funding through donations, I did it all on my own, by working extra jobs, to fund my new ideas!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I have had to learn the hard lesson, that not everyone is in it for the right reasons. I’ve had to deal with others copying, sabotaging and slandering me. It’s a hard lesson in life, that some people out there do not live with the same ethics and compassion; and not everyone will acknowledge and support all the hard work you do as an originator, and hard-working, dedicated small business owner, in relation to a good cause.

Contact Info:

• Website: Pittsburghvegan.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/pittsburghveganexpo
• Facebook: Facebook.com/pittsburghveganexpo
• Other: My other business website is pittsburghbellydance.com

Image Credits
Bellydance/Indian Dance Photo by Zos Xavius