Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melody Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Melody, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I got a corporate job right after college in 2017 and I always wondered if sitting in front of a computer and climbing the corporate ladder was all I was going to do. When COVID happened, I was transitioned to work from home and my friend suggested that I should do lash extensions during my spare time and I figured out it made me really happy to see people like my work. I realized that I valued job fulfillment more than anything and the fulfillment gave me a sense of purpose in life.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Melody, and I’m the founder of Doodle Treats! We specialize in handcrafting Asian-inspired cups of noodles for dogs and cats. I created Doodle Treats because I love noodles, and my dog, Brobee, would always stare at me hungrily when I ate. Coming from Hong Kong, noodle soups are a staple in my diet—I can eat noodles any time of day. I wanted to share my favorite food with Brobee safely, so I made noodles with meat instead of flour. Brobee basically inhaled his first bowl of Cup Doodles, and I thought it would be fun to make other noodle soups that I loved into pet-friendly versions.
Owning a small business is challenging, especially since we’re a new brand, but it’s also incredibly fulfilling. It makes me so happy when customers tell me that their dogs went crazy over our Cup Doodles. I’ve also met customers with picky dogs, and it feels great to hear that their dogs enjoyed our Cup Doodles too.
We’re always brainstorming new flavors to keep things exciting, so be sure to keep an eye out!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think customer engagement, adaptability, and financial management are crucial to the success of my small business. I regularly get feedback from my customers and ask them which flavor their dog liked best. It’s also important to adapt as challenges arise. If a flavor isn’t popular, we need to be able to pivot to another one. I use cost trackers and pricing strategies to financially manage my business, ensuring I’m turning a profit so I can continue reinvesting in it.
I’m still at the very beginning of my journey and have a lot to improve on, but my main advice to any small business owner is to just keep believing! Good things take time and patience!
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
A particular challenge we’re facing right now is creating brand awareness and letting our customers know that noodles for pets exist! Pet treats are typically in the form of jerky, biscuits, and bones, so many people are confused when they see our noodle cups. Since pet noodles are so new to the market, it takes time for people to understand who we are and what we’re selling.
We’re vending at multiple pop-up markets in Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and we’re keeping up with our social media platforms regularly to spread awareness about our product!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.doodletreats.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doodletreats.co/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
