Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dori Gronich. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Dori, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I’ve always loved animals. When I was young I begged my parents for a puppy. I was told no. I wanted to prove to my parents and myself that I was a responsible pet owner and so I started researching guinea pigs. I fell in love with their cute faces and different vocalizations. Back then there wasn’t a big guinea pig community. Fast forward to my adulthood, I’ve raised 6 guinea pigs over the years. I started my brand Planetpiggies back in 2017. I felt compelled to tell the stories of my guinea pigs and share their lives with the world.

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

Planetpiggies is a culmination of funny, quirky, and cute content featuring my guinea pigs past and present. It has over 14k followers. I am known to my followers as Pigmama. Not only do I get to share my own guinea pigs stories, I get to share other people’s Guinea pigs as well. Planetpiggies recently helped fundraise for a Guinea pig in need of surgery. We helped raise over $100. I also create digital pet portraits. So far I’ve created over 80+ different pets. My most famous client is little thumbelina girl, a squirrel celebrity!
During the pandemic, I launched a planetpiggies card game with the help of my brother, Andrew. He was the brains of the project and I was the designer.
Planetpiggies also has a merchandise shop: T-shirt’s, hoodies, bucket hats, and more!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I hope my brand will help allow people to smile during these tough times. Also I would love for planetpiggies to help spread awareness about guinea pigs. This journey has been incredible so far!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I was younger, my goal in life was to be an animator. I practiced drawing over and over as a child and all the way through high school and college. However, in college I realized I didn’t want to sit behind a computer 24/7. I wanted a different lifestyle so I ended up graduating from SUNY Oswego with a BA in graphic design. Even though I didn’t become a full time animator, I actually have done a few animations for planetpiggies! Now I’m living my best life with my guinea pigs!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dorigronich.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planetpiggies/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/planetpiggies
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/planetpiggies
• Other: Card game: https://planetpiggiestcg.myportfolio.com/ Pet portraits: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/planetpiggies Merch: https://my-store-cd8cbb.creator-spring.com/