Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kylee Kronenwetter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Kylee, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
In my line of work, my work ethic is motivated by the animals and my customers. In order for my customers to view us as reliable, educated, and professional, the health of my animals really says it all. There are days where I feel lazy, I’m human. But I keep in mind that many lives are in my hands, and it is up to me to ensure their living space is clean and their bellies are full. If my animals are healthy and happy, I have happy customers coming back again and again.
In essence, my work ethic stems from the love I have for each and every one of these magnificent creatures paired with the amazing customer base I have built and continue to build day by day.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My husband, John, and I are the owners of Keystone Cold-Blooded LLC in the heart of Saint Marys, Pennsylvania. Keystone Cold-Blooded is a business centered around reptiles and everything they need to thrive in captivity. What makes us stand out amongst our competitors, is the quality of reptiles we provide.
We produce ball pythons and crested geckos in house at the moment, and plan to keep expanding our breeding operations in the near future. We pride ourselves on the health of our animals, and if we didn’t produce the animal being offered, we source the animal from ethical and trustworthy members of the reptile community we have been working with for 5+ years.
Keystone Cold-Blooded was born out of the love and passion of all things reptilian. John was known as the little boy stuffing our native snakes in his pockets around the neighborhood. John introduced me, Kylee, to these animals when we began dating. When we had the big conversation of what we wanted out of life, John said he wanted to own a reptile store, and I was ready to make that our reality one step at a time. I was working in home health care at the time, about ready to scream. I knew I didn’t want to work for anyone else, and I envisioned being my own boss someday… and slowly but surely, we made that dream come true.
I obtained a business degree through Penn State using my veteran benefits, as John and I are both veterans.
Our plan was to open up a storefront after getting my degree, but life had different plans. We were offered a supply deal, so the search began for a great location, and once we found it. I quit my job and opened up about halfway through my degree. There was a second business in the building we were renting, and I became an hourly employee while renting my space. In March of 2024, we were offered to buy the building and the second business, and so we did.
A big door opened up for us already in 2025. We have been asked to me the main supplier for enclosures, heating, lighting, and decor at many reptiles shows in Western Pennsylvania whereas before we would just set up and sell the animals we produced. So, we are very excited to see what doors this may unlock for us and our future.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Being personable, transparency, and open mindedness were by far the most impactful qualities in our journey thus far.
Building our following at solely reptile shows for the first few years was tough, but remaining friendly, open to be approached and making those who stopped at our table feel like a friend rather than a transaction really helped our case. As a baby business owner, I had SO MANY QUESTIONS about EVERYTHING! Being open minded to learning as I was while getting my degree and pivoting with the times and trends while maintaining my goal of being as transparency I really believe is what got us this far.
My advice to folks who are early in their journey is to say, “Take the leap”, and learn something every step of the way. My husband always says, “If you’re comfortable, you’re not progressing”. It can be some really big, scary decisions, but everything is figure-outable. Just remain open minded, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed with your business is natural. Everything is on your shoulders at all times. I have my days where I feel just buried whether it’s taking care of the animals, supply orders, dealing with customers, or simply mopping the floors in between it all. As trite as it sounds, when I’m feeling overwhelmed, I list out my duties for the day. Just jotting down all my tasks for the day helps organize my thoughts and day tremendously. Ordering them in order of importance to ensure the important stuff DOES get done.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
The personal picture was taken by Isaac March at the Mega Reptile Expo in Monroeville, PA.
All other pictures are animals advertised on our Facebook Page.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
