We were lucky to catch up with Dee DeVaughn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Last March I decided to get a puppy to help me adjust to empty nesting. I have family members in others states so I created an Instagram page for my family to keep up with our pup journey and woke up one morning to find that Lux Dior had more followers than I did. Being a brand developer for more than two decades I had to make her brand. Within the last 10 months we have built an online store, had pop up shops, developed dog food seasonings, opened a brick-and-mortar retail shop with a Cafe’, published a Cookbook, and developed reels for social media channels. We have been quite busy but this business venture, alongside the best business partner ever, has been a pleasure to create.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started my career in the beauty industry almost thirty years ago, this is what helped me understand so many different walks-of-life. What I found most common across the board was the love people showed for their dog, and pets in general. I personally treat my fur baby as another one of my children, as do all my customers. I wanted to make sure I was feeding her a well-balanced and healthy meal plan, but I wanted her to be able to enjoy her food the same way I do. I started to research foods that were healthy for dogs as well as the benefits she could receive from human grade foods. I then created three different seasoning blends to flavor those foods, simply because I wanted her to experience fine dining. That meant both presentation and taste were important. Today’s doggy enthusiast want to spoil their furry companions and encourage a long-life span, so why not share the joys of delicious, healthy food options with great presentation.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Absolutely! As a Brand developer I have helped over 100 businesses start or experience success in their business. Starting this business was a little different because it happened by accident. However, I did a lot of research on a target audience and as it turns out that was completely wrong. I was targeting households with small to medium sized dog breeds but as it stands today, we have more large breed customers than anything. Because of this I had to change how I did my wholesale orders and had to add a few more manufactures and suppliers, which hit our budget with some unexpected costs. This is a good problem to have, however it was unexpected.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I am the owner of Lux Dior. Co, however, I do own multiple businesses and I do have business partners with all of them. My advice when planning to go into business with someone is to make sure they are qualified for the job. Allow me to elaborate because I know that statement can rub people the wrong way. Ask yourself the question do you want to build a house by yourself? NO, you need more than just you, so your partner needs to be able to bring something to table. On a personal note, every business partner that I am connected with came from an organic connection, some I worked alongside on other projects, and others came from a calibration of skillsets to complete a service.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.LuxDior.Co
• Instagram: @Luxdior.co
• Facebook: luxdior.co
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@LuxDior

Image Credits
Miguel Hampton Photographer Dee DeVaughn Store Photos