Steps in Designing your product

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s a caregiver to the elderly, I knew nothing about business and found it very intimidating stepping into that world. At the time, I was at a low point in my life. I had left a long- term relationship and lost everything dear to me, except my border collie Abby. I was incredibly unhappy with where I was in life. I was alone at 30 years old, renting a room and had no vehicle. Little did I realize this minimalistic lifestyle is what would afford my entrepreneurial journey. Instead of viewing myself as a “failure” I learned to utilize this gift, which was the key to my success. My office desk may have been a label printer box, but every story has a beginning.

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My journey started when I would frequently find black- legged deer ticks in Abby’s fur during our local hikes. When I discovered that black- legged deer ticks are the largest carrier of Lyme Disease, this left me concerned for her safety. I feared the use of chemicals after seeing adverse side effects on other dogs. Some of these side effects include severe burns to fur/ skin, seizures from vet prescribed tick and flea medications, and even death. I tried many natural products that did not prove to be effective. Eventually, I formulated something natural that finally had us coming home tickfree. I would clip it to her leash and never leave the house without it. The elixir started as personal use on my dog but soon gained attention on our walks and at local dog parks. People would approach me with questions and wanted to buy our bottles. I then realized the actual selling potential. “Abby’s Elixir” was born. The label was designed using Abby’s beautiful face. She was my inspiration, after all!

knew I had to start thinking bigger. My label design had to change to be less personalized and gender- neutral so that the product would appeal to all potential clients. I found that creating the packaging was one of the easier tasks for me because, as a consumer, I knew what attracted me to buy a product. Colour option played a considerable role in my purchasing decisions. I applied this simple concept to my own work. Proper chemistry needed to be applied to the formula for the product to be dispensed evenly and have a longer shelf

life. I needed to keep my key ingredients in a safe dosage for all dog sizes. It took months of research, as well as analysis of peer review studies to prove the safety and effectiveness of each ingredient. I had many questions for dozens of professionals including entomologists, veterinarians and clinical and animal aromatherapists; questions which were not always welcomed with kindness. It was also important to me that the product was made as environmentally friendly and practical for outdoor use as possible.

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ne of the biggest challenges I faced in the early stages of starting a business was sourcing. I quickly learned that I would need to keep my costs low to make a profit. In fact, 30% cost and 70% or higher profit, is essential, to succeed in business. This compelled me to source overseas. I did not believe I had the right skillset or knowledge to negotiate with Chinese suppliers and manufacturers, so I made the mistake of hiring a sourcing company “Sourcify” to connect me with factories in China. I believed by hiring Sourcify I would bypass scammers and find the best pricing on items. I was quoted outrageous costs, and many of my emails were ignored entirely. My frustrations led me to do my own sourcing online, where I spent time learning accurate terminology and the best ways to communicate. It was very challenging for someone with my level of inexperience to make a deal. It soon became apparent I had to implement a strategy to overcome the deterrents I was up against. With the language barrier, I learned to skip details. With inexperience, I learned to play the role of a confident entrepreneur with a thriving business. Bearing in mind, cultural differences make being a female someone who is not always taken seriously; I also found a fantastic supplier at a price that was less than half the quote acquired via the sourcing company.

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ntrepreneurship is a learning process the entire way through. I found that the real foundation for success is having the courage to ask questions, the will to work through obstacles and having a real hunger for a better quality of life. I used to think in order to be in business you had to be an intellectual, be highly educated or have a lot of money behind you. I am happy to say that none of these things are required. Do not wait for an opportunity, create it.