We were lucky to catch up with Mandy Kennedy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mandy, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

It all started during the Covid-19 lockdown. I had a lot of free time on my hands and a 6 month old puppy named Rosie, so one day I brainstormed business ideas that would allow me to combine my love of dogs and my passion for crafting and I ended up with the idea of my shop, Hibiscus Pet & Co.

First, it started out with me creating an Instagram for my dog to document her life as she grew up. As I browsed other pet accounts, I thought it would be fun to create a shop that allowed me to have not only humans as customers, but their adorable fur-babies as well.

I’ve always been crafty, but I was new to sewing, so one day I decided to order a sewing machine and taught myself to sew. I used scrap fabric to practice and quickly got the hang of it.

The next thing I did was create a business Instagram for my shop and I started forming a community filled with like minded pet parents. The community I built was so supportive and excited for my shop, so it inspired me even more to continue with my vision. The hardest part was building my website from scratch… It was a little daunting at first since I had zero experience creating a site but that didn’t stop me!

It took me about a month to have everything up and running and to start making sales.

My sole focus was to keep my shop as distinctive as possible since there were numerous other pet accessory shops out there selling the same thing – I didn’t want to use fabrics that anyone could get in stores, I wanted to source fabrics that were meaningful to me and that were unique and handcrafted.

After days of research, I connected with a supplier based in India and worked closely with him to create custom fabrics for my shop. The fabrics I use are naturally dyed, 100% cotton and hand block printed (hand stamped) – The hand block printing technique is so special – it’s the perfect balance between tradition and innovation, the technique dating back to over 4,000 years old.

It was also important to me to use fabrics that were made with the concept of “Slow Fashion” in mind. “Slow Fashion” encompasses an awareness and approach to fashion that carefully considers the processes and resources required to make clothing. It advocates for buying better-quality garments that will last longer, and values fair treatment of people, animals, and the planet along the way. I felt good knowing where my fabrics came from and exactly who was making them.

After receiving my custom made fabrics, I started sewing all of the accessories I wanted to offer in my shop. I started with bandanas, scrunchies, bows, bow ties, paw & lip balms, then gradually started adding new products such as headbands, dresses, quilted tote & toiletry bags, etc. My focus was to carry beautiful products for humans that allowed them to match with their furry friends.

The best part about my shop is connecting with my amazing customers and seeing the cutest photos of pets dressed up in their Hibiscus Pet & Co. accessories.

Mandy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hey there! I’m Mandy Kennedy, the creator of Hibiscus Pet & Co. which was inspired by my 4 year old malshipoo pup, Rosie.

During Covid-19 quarantine in 2020, I had a vision to create a small business where I could make matching accessories for pet owners and their furry best friends and worked hard to bring that vision to life.

We hand-make everything here in Seattle, Washington and source our block printed fabrics from a small family business in India. We strive to make unique, hand crafted accessories that make you and your pet look and feel good.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I started out by posting a “model search” or “brand ambassador” search via my business Instagram account. After receiving dozens of applicants, I sorted through all of them and selected 10-20 to help promote my brand. I selected people/pets who I felt were supportive of my vision and were excited to help me grow my brand. I offered incentives such as a flat rate discount for all purchases made while being a model, free gifts with model orders, etc. to make their time worthwhile and to thank them for being so supportive of my business.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with most of my customers through social media, Instagram being the main platform. I often comment on my customer’s posts or message them to see how they’re doing and take the time to catch up and get to know them. It’s important for me to build a relationship with my customers and have a large pet community to be apart of. It’s been such a great experience being able to share advice, tips, and experiences with other pet parents.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hibiscuspetco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hibiscuspetco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hibiscuspetco/