Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Courtney Roten. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Courtney thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
I worked at a big USA Bank for over 4 years. It was comfortable and paid well. When my little brother died suddenly at the age of 24, I took an extended leave from my bank job. While I was grieving, I found comfort in my bearded dragons. They have so much personality and are often described as scaley puppies. I decided that life was too short to spend it doing anything other than what you love. I aspired to work with animals my entire life. I often rescued cats and raised abandoned kittens before finding them a forever home. I just felt like God was reminding me how short this life is. I took a risk and gave notice at my job. I had 3 young kids at home as well, so I knew I had to give it my all. My husband was wonderful and supportive and I couldn’t have done it without him. I embraced the reptile community online and began working on getting our name out there! I worked hard and was able to turn the risk into a worthwhile business venture!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
We got our first bearded dragon in March of 2020. Right before the world kind of stopped. When we got home with her and began to look up proper care information online, we quickly realize the pet store was completely incorrect as far as husbandry recommdations and they don’t even label the dragons correctly. There are many genetics that are in play with dragons. Kind of like there are different breeds of dogs. We dove deep and began to learn as much as we could. We met amazing people and began to get our hands dirty immediately! We invested tens of thousands into proper care and experimented with what works and what doesn’t so that we could share proper husbandry info with others! We also wanted to learn the ins and outs of their genetics and produce the healthiest and most beautiful dragons on the market! We have sold hundreds of dragons all across America and we are officially only in year 2 of being in business. I feel incredibly blessed to be supported as a small business. It has enabled me to enroll all 3 of my children in homeschooling and focus my life on passion instead of just 9-5 superficial jobs. I am forever thankful.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I began with Instagram. I followed some people with common interests by searching relevant hashtags. From there, I put the things that I love out into the world. Photography is a side passion of mine, so being able to combine that with my new reptile breeding passion was the icing on the cake. Interacting with others plays a huge roll in growing your social media. One thing I had to learn was that you don’t always have to speak to things. You will, in every hobby, find people who want to see you fail. Continue to block and ignore the negative voices that are so common online and continue to ride the tides and focus on why you are there. I put out what I love and only try to speak on positive vibes. We recently got to have our page verified and it has really been such a positive experience. I believe the key in thriving online is just enjoying humanity and connecting with others who also love what you do!
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
We decided to create a Facebook group. Now, everyone who joins our dragon family by getting one of the dragons we produced, can join this group and become sort of like a family. They can share advice with each other as well as show off their babies. It’s also a really fun way for me to watch how my babies are being spoiled and growing with their new homes. It’s rewarding having that channel of communication and sharing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bourboncityexotics
- Instagram: @bourboncityexotics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bourboncityreptiles?mibextid=ZbWKwL