We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natalie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Natalie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Picture this, it was 2020 and I was a 13 year old going through the worst time of my life. My 34 year old uncle Michael, whom I adored and was extremely close with, just passed away and Covid was raging. I was sad, grief struck, and very heartbroken. The only thing that showed me a light at the end of the tunnel was my dog, a French Bulldog named Angus. His unconditional love and support was everything. One day, while spending time with Angus and trying to make him look super cute, I realized that the current pet accessory market was a bit bland and boring. I wanted to put my spin on it, and at the same time honor the life and memory of my dear uncle Michael. I combined our names (MI)chael + (NA)talie and Mina + Pup was born.

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 pride myself on making accessories that are both super stylish and relevant, as well as durable and comfortable to use for both the pet and the owner. I am known for bright colors, lifestyle-inspired designs and excellent and timely customer service. I specialize in walking accessories like harnesses, leashes, poop bags, bandanas, bow ties, collars and more.

However, I am most proud of the fact that I can honor the memory of my beloved uncle. Additionally, as part of my company’s mission, I am donating a portion of all proceeds to nonprofits/charities. Sometimes that means a monetary donation, and other times I buy items off wish lists or donate my products. It is based on what the nonprofit needs at the time.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The road to creating, planning and launching my own small business has not been a completely smooth one. It is difficult to start a brand new small business at any time. However, doing it as a newly turned 14 year old, and in the middle of a Global Pandemic, brought its own challenges. I have had to learn to be patient with shipping, with making and sticking to budgets, with running my social media accounts, all while still being a teen and a freshman in high school.

Currently, I am a Junior in high school, facing a variety of AP classes and trying to think about future college applications. I really have had to take a step back and just take a deep breath because it can be overwhelming but SO worth it. I am still figuring out how to balance it all, running Mina + Pup, studying for my high school classes and having a social life outside of it all. I just try to remember and focus on why I started this brand, and to take things one day at a time even if things don’t go as I expected.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building a social media following has not been easy. People today are being pulled in so many directions and have so many choices. I believe in organic growths and all my followers are people I actually interact with. I view it as building a community. I enjoy reading their comments, answering DMs, and seeing photos of their fur babies in my gear or just around town.

I feel like my growth on social media has been slower compared to some other brands because it is completely organic. However, that also means a more loyal following in the long run. This is something I am definitely proud of.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.minaandpup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minaandpup
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/minaandpup
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@minaandpup

Image Credits
@angus_frenchbully