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

Natalia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I haven’t made the leap of faith yet to quit my full-time job and solely focus on my small business. I’m not at a place financially where I can make that decision. Some days are harder than others trying to juggle everything, but I will say that having my own business is the best decision I ever made.

Like most, I’ve worked for someone else for most of my career. I poured all my energy, ideas, and efforts into making someone else’s dreams a reality. Now that I have my own business, it’s so fulfilling. The freedom of choice makes it all worth it. I can decide what products to have, promote, and sell. For example, I can choose to introduce a new flavor or product at my discretion. I don’t have to ask for permission from my boss. Decisions are up to me.

I can also network and build relationships with other businesses working toward the same goal. I’m still working on getting out of my comfort zone to put myself out there more, but the small business community is so friendly. The opportunity to brainstorm and collaborate with others helps tremendously. It’s so gratifying watching your ideas come to fruition instead of getting passed on because they don’t get approved by the boss. I am working hard towards being able to quit my full-time job and work for myself full time. Work isn’t work if it’s your passion.

Natalia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I was little, my mom had the word veterinarian printed and taped to my wall so I could learn the spelling and tell everyone what I wanted to be when I grew up. Fast forward, I ended up with a career in veterinary medicine. I worked alongside veterinarians and veterinary technicians. I learned quickly that I wanted more of the hands-on aspect. I enjoyed the technical skills and bedside care I provided to hospitalized patients. I also enjoyed the relationships I built with pet parents. You could say that I loved going above and beyond.

I worked tirelessly along with my co-workers through COVID. Some of us didn’t make it through the emotional and mental burnout that comes with the job. It’s a known aspect of the job, but it intensified throughout COVID. After 5 years, I decided to make a complete switch and find a low-stress job. That meant stepping away completely from what I had known for so long. It was worth it for my mental state and to heal. Being away from the field for 3 years, I missed working with animals and building that rapport with pet parents. I decided it was time to make my way back but in a different way.

At the beginning of 2022, I embarked on a health journey to improve my relationship with food and take better care of myself. I began to be aware of the food I was eating and paid attention to the ingredients. Since I was more conscious, I thought about the treats I was buying for my dogs. A lot of them had preservatives or ingredients I couldn’t pronounce. I decided to make all-natural, homemade dog treats with limited, organic ingredients. There are two flavors, peanut butter and grain-free pumpkin. I made this decision based on the fact that the majority of dog allergies stem from protein sources like beef or chicken. Since there are no protein sources in my treats, allergy flare-ups are significantly reduced. Pet parents love this because not only can they recognize the ingredients, but they also find comfort in the fact that they don’t have to worry about an allergy flare-up. There’s also no guilt of overindulgence because pumpkin is a great source of fiber. All of my treats are dehydrated to remove moisture and extend shelf life. If humans can eat healthy, your fur babies should too.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I want to start by saying that I am fortunate to have amazing followers and supporters on my social media. Without them, I wouldn’t have the content or attention. I began like everyone else. I didn’t know how to build my brand and did hours of research online. I’m not the greatest when it comes to content creation. I’m a little self-conscious which leads to self-doubt and I spiral from there. Thankfully, photography is one of my hobbies, so I’m able to post professional photos of my products. That gives me a little edge.

My advice is to start with well-lit, clean pictures of your product. Then embrace your audience. Surprisingly, there are a lot of people who are willing to support your brand and mission. They want to see you succeed and it’s a great feeling to know they had a helping hand in your journey.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think my customer service skills and willingness to collaborate with other small businesses help build my reputation within my market. I treat my customers how I would want to be treated and give them a 5+ star experience. I don’t hassle them or pressure them into buying my product. I love meeting new people and hearing about their fur babies.
I also love to network. With networking, comes business relationships and collaborations that help both parties promote unique products.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fredostreatsllc.square.site
• Instagram: fredostreatsllc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fredostreatsllc