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

Stacey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers

My daughter and I were at an outdoor market this year, when a customer came up to the booth and was looking at the display of treats. While he was looking at the bags and all the flavors I was telling him a little about Pawsome Snacks and what makes them special. When I finished, I asked him if he had any questions… he proceeded to tell me “I have a conspiracy theory… all dog treats are the same flavor, they just change the labels.” We chuckled and he laughed, but honestly it was hard to tell if he really thought that way or if he was just making a joke. I assured him that each recipe has their own unique organic ingredients and they were in fact NOT all the same flavor in different labeled bags. He smiled, purchased a bag of treats, thanked me and walked away. The vendor that was sitting next to us, witnessed what had just taken place. He then purchased a bag of treats, ate one and immediately said “Yep! I can confirm, these taste just like banana and peanut butter!” It was pretty funny and definitely a crazy experience. Haha

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

I am a mom of two adult children, a wife and dog mom. Over the years we’ve had 4 cats and 4 dogs. Sadly, 6 have since passed over the rainbow bridge and are missed very much. We’re still blessed to have Charlie, a 14 yr old, rat terrier mix and Gus, a 2 yr old poodle mix, with us; both of which were the inspiration for the brand and the reason I started this venture in the first place.

I started making dog treats several years ago because every time I picked up a store bought bag of treats or when browsing for them online, there were so many ingredients, many of which I couldn’t pronounce, which was extremely frustrating. If I can’t pronounce it, my dogs are definitely not eating it. At home they get real, simple foods–so why should their treats be any different?

When I started searching around our area, I noticed there weren’t many options for pet parents that wanted minimal-ingredient, organic treats. I knew I couldn’t be the only one looking for better options for their fur babies, so that’s when I decided to turn my small kitchen experiments into something bigger.

What started as a personal solution slowly developed into something bigger. The more people kept asking about the treats I was making, the more excited I became about the possibility of helping other fur babies and their humans. I wanted pet parents to feel confident about what treats they were giving their pets. Now, with Pawsome Snacks, my mission is simple: give dogs (and cats, in the future) treats that are made with simple, organic ingredients, that you can trust and actually pronounce; and maybe even eat yourself… though I recommend letting the dogs have first dibs. Haha!

I love knowing that something I created out of frustration has grown into a way to support pet parents who care as much about quality as I do and I love helping pups snack a little healthier and a lot happier. I most enjoy those wagging tails, smiling faces and the “my dog loves these treats” moments, they’re the absolute BEST and make my heart so happy!!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn a few along the way, but the two that stand out are… Not everyone is my customer and I do not need to justify my prices.

Not everyone values (or cares about) organic, minimal ingredient treats, but the ones that do always come back. I have had a few people mention prices of treats and at the beginning I would feel the need to validate or explain why. I do not do that anymore. I know my product, my quality of ingredients, my process and my time. If someone gasps or shouts (yes that’s happened) at $8, they are not my demographic, they are just loud… and that’s okay. Their budget, their attitude, their day… none of that is about my treats. Like I said at the beginning, not everyone is my customer.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has been attending markets/events as a vendor. I always have a great time meeting so many new fur friends and their humans. However, I am now in the process of reaching out to local businesses that align with my brand, in hopes of a collaboration. I would love to be able to reach new clients in that way as well.
This past year had been a whirlwind and I am grateful for everyone’s continued support! I have a lot of fun things brewing for Pawsome Snacks, be sure to stay tuned, you won’t want to miss them!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pawsomesnacks.shop
• Instagram: @pawsome_snacks
• Facebook: @PawsomeSnacks
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits

Me! I took all these photos! 😁