We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stacy McFarlane. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stacy below.
Stacy , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
My entire life I’ve been interested in animals, so much in fact, that I decided to pursue a career as a veterinarian. I attended Cornell University to pursue a Bachelors in Animal Science and during my time there I took a business class that inspired me to set a goal for myself to one day own my own business. As my education continued I moved to the Carribean, it was there that I noticed that the island I was living in was a home to many homeless dogs. Not only were these dogs living on the streets but it was obvious they were malnourished. Dogs were being fed table scraps, and the animal shelters were full to capacity. During my veterinary nutritional courses, I had an epiphany, I wanted to create nutritional treats for these dogs! I took what I had learned so far and started creating small to large size treats at home during my breaks, I tried a few different recipes, until I created exceptionally balanced treats. I started making batches for local residents and sheltered dogs. Students and staff members noticed what I was doing for the community and they wanted to try the treats for their own dogs. Orders started coming in from my colleagues and they were asking to have some treats donated on there behalf too. I was able to provide treats for all the dogs in the shelter and for a lot of local dogs. The community helped my project grow and because of them we had a great turn out!
It was time for me to leave the island and finish my veterinary studies at the University of Florida , I felt blessed to have helped a lot of dogs on the island prior to my departure , residence and colleagues all pitched in to help make it happen! After settling in north Florida , I didn’t have much time on my hands as I was completing my clinical veterinary studies . I did some branding work when I had small breaks and met with some marketing friends over time for some tips on bringing my creations to the states. Once I graduated Veterinary School, I had time to focus on what today is Doggie Bakery Miami ! I use my continued education to provide treats all over the states that are organic, natural and preservative free! We strive hard to make our treats and cakes delicious but most importantly nutritious! We want the best for your fur babies and we will always provide you only the best!
Stacy , 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?
My name is Stacy McFarlane, DVM the owner of Doggie Bakery Miami . I love helping animals, it’s been my passion since I was 5 years old. I remember coming home with a stray cat, a lost duckling , sometimes even a hurt chicken. My mom didn’t know what to do with these animals but we would find ways to give them a home or atleast rehabilitate them and release. I attended Turner Tech High School which was a magnet school that allowed you to study your career of choice. I worked with livestock and fell in love with farm animals too! I got accepted to Cornell University, where I completed my Bachelors in Animal Science . Then I pursued Veterinary school which led me to find my passion to help the less fortunate dogs on the Island I lived in. I graduated Veterinary School and focused on my new company Doggie Bakery Miami! My family and friends have played a huge role in helping me get this dream of mine rolling . Doggie Bakery Miami is different because it’s formulated for your dog’s needs. Our treats and cakes are not only delicious, but we focus on the nutritional aspect of every good created by us! We make our goods organic, natural , preservative free and very well balanced due to our canine nutritional background. Our goal is to provide dog owners the healthiest treats for their furbabies!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Persistence and consistency are key factors, I believe. We started with a low quality picture of a shelter dog and a treat that I had first made. It may have not been the best picture but it sure was a meaningful one. It was the start of my new adventure. I had to learn to use social media, how to market myself, how to brand the company, find clients and network . It was a whole new world for me! An exciting and overwhelming new road to be completely honest . Day by day, month by month, I learned new tips and tricks to make the company flourish. I started taking better pictures, attending dog events, meeting new people who were extremely interested in my new product. I learned how to improve our products and give great options to clients . We got great feedback as the months went by and the product began to prove itself as customers were coming back for more. We have a good family support system and our clients are well aware of it ! We love networking with our clients as we like to call everyone a part of our Doggie Bakery Miami family . I see everyone as a new addition to our family ! We still work closely with our community to help dogs get adopted, make fundraisers for dogs in need and of course spoil our working k9s.
For these reasons, and the high quality treats and cakes we produce, I believe we have been successful thus far with our Doggie Bakery ! Thank you so much for the support!
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
Social media platforms are a huge factor for us to keep in contact with our clients and furfriends ! We send pictures, catch up , and chat about the future via platforms like Facebook, Instagram & TikTok. We have so much more to come but so far these avenues have guided us the right way!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Www.Instagram.com/Doggiebakerymiami
- Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/Doggiebakerymiami
- Other: Tiktok : @doggiebakerymiami
Image Credits
@brodiethatdood @soniagtphotos40 @jacobforever @theottocockapoo @chanel___thepug