Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Genna Sandler & Maria Melograne. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Genna & Maria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We believe kindness is contagious and so we’d love for you to share with us and our audience about the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
We’re a small dog treat business, that just started a little over a year ago. We house all of our supplies out of our residence in Altadena. During the recent LA fires, all our product and most of our supplies were damaged. Into the seven week evacuation we wanted to try to get back to our business as much as we could.
The generosity of a stranger who knew of our circumstance and donated most of the supplies we lost was one of the most touching acts of kindness for both of us.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Maria and I worked together for almost a decade in the film industry. We worked long hours, to bring other people’s visions to fruition. As the landscape started to shift after covid and the strikes, we decided to take a leap of faith and move forward into a new chapter. A chapter where we bring our creative vision to life.
With our love for food and dogs, we decided to combine the two and that’s how Fur Babes was born. We bake all natural, human grade dog treats and design doggy charcuterie boards for any occasion. With our acute business skills from the film industry, and our creativity we were able to build a business that we’re passionate about but also so proud of.
As a small business, our goal is to not only bring joy to all the pups, but to also keep our treats healthy and affordable so everyone is able to enjoy.
We’re a team of two women and four dogs (that are the best treat tasters around), that want to share our gifts with other fur babes.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Our whole story is a story of resilience. After spending years in one industry, we pivoted into a completely different world. During the most recent strikes, there was no work available. It’s as if everything came to a halt and we were left waiting to see what was going to happen.
During that time, we’d meet up every week to grab a coffee, a breakfast burrito and just catch up. Over time, the uncertainty started turning into anxiety and with no end in sight, we decided to take our futures into our own hands. We brainstormed and Genna quickly came up with the idea. We started to meet more frequently to build the framework of what became Fur Babes. Each meeting cultivated a new sense of excitement and hope for us. With each piece of the puzzle coming together, we were so joyful to be building something for ourselves.
With the recent fires and the obstacles that come with starting a small business, we continue to rise above and rededicate ourselves every day to Fur Babes. We’re excited to see what the future holds for us and how we can continue to share our treats.
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
Manufacturing our own product has been a learning curve. Maria has been a baker for many years and shifting her talents into dog treats was easy. There was a lot of trial and error with finding the correct packaging, maximizing the longevity of the product and keeping costs economical through it all.
After gathering all the appropriate licensing (there are a lot for dog treats), we began to test our products with friends and family. This gave us feedback on what presentation worked and what were the fan favorites amongst the dogs. As we evolved, we decided on a set doggy menu adding in a seasonal treat.
As we continue to grow, we are dedicated to continuing to hand make all of our products, and to maintain quality control that may not necessarily be found in mass produced products.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://furbabeslosangeles.com/
- Instagram: @furbabeslosangeles
Image Credits
G.Sandler Photographer
@gsandlerphoto