We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Crystal Wiebe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Crystal below.
Crystal, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
It sounds trite, but there is always another day – and although it’s not always easy to see it in the moment, there is also always another WAY.
I try to remind myself of both of these truths whenever I run up against a mental wall. Deadlines are real, yes, but we don’t actually have to solve everything today. Do what you can today – break the challenge down into manageable parts and move forward.
If I’m really honest, blind optimism got me into business – at least from a full-time standpoint. Sure, I had a great deal of momentum when I quit my corporate job for Beer Paws. But I was also just so in love with my product and my brand and believed in my abilities so much (maybe too much) that I couldn’t even fathom failing. That kind of optimism is not always a good thing. In fact, being too in love with my brand has caused me to overextend and take risks that haven’t always panned out.
For that reason, I would urge newer entrepreneurs to do their best to balance their optimistic view against an experienced mentor. But do hold onto your smile and your hope. A positive attitude makes the harder times so much easier to weather.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
It’s hard to believe, but the Beer Paws brand has been around for a decade this year! I started the company in my Kansas City kitchen, mixing up batches of spent grain dog biscuits by hand and selling them at local events, including lots of beer festivals. The treats, along with Beer Paws’ original Beer for Dogs, made their way onto retail shelves, including dozens of breweries and pet boutiques, all over the country.
As for many, 2020 was a pivotal year for me personally and, of course, the brand. The pandemic brought an end to the events and festivals that were a major source of Beer Paws’ revenue. This forced a shift in focus to the online channels for both retail and wholesale. Not being tied to events was also a blessing as it freed me up to spend more time with my family. In 2020, I relocated to Hawaii and had my son, followed by a daughter in 2023.
At this time, Beer Paws continues to be based in the Kansas City area, with our classic treats made and shipped out of Barkville Bakery’s headquarters in Peculiar, Mo.
My vision for the brand has always been to celebrate “the love of good times with good dogs” with fun products for both pets and people. Recently, that has extended to an expanded selection of fun apparel for dog lovers as well as “brew” for humans, aka fresh-roasted specialty coffees available at beerpaws.com. A portion of website sales always helps an animal related charity, as well. Currently, that is Maui Humane Society.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Know Your Subject Matter – For me, my company grew directly out of the fact that for my whole life I have been a total geek about dogs. I know a lot about dogs, I love dogs, and that comes across authentically to my customers, who trust my recommendations. Whether you’re engaging online or in person, it is crucial that your buyers be able to feel your passion and authority, especially in a busy niche. Some of this will happen organically but just do your research and study up if you need to.
Be Open to Opportunities – From the beginning with my company, I sought partnership opportunities, such as collaborations with breweries and other pet businesses. Whether that meant co-branded dog treats or sharing tent space at a convention that I couldn’t afford to be at alone, it always led to greater brand awareness and sales. I was also among the early wave of brands to begin selling my products on the wholesale marketplace Faire. Being open to this opportunity and willing to sacrifice a bit of margins for a wider audience was crucial in my brand’s survival during the pandemic. Sometimes as an entrepreneur, we can feel like we’re alone out here hustling. But if you’re open to it, you can work with other brands and individuals, sometimes in unconventional ways, that help you both.
Make a Visual Impact – I really built the Beer Paws brand within the craft beer community, through live event marketing. At beer festivals, I took my marketing cues from the real craft breweries set up all around us. And as soon as possible, in every way possible, I stepped up my event setup with a well-designed custom tent, table cloth and all the trappings. Eventually, I even wrapped my vehicle, which got tons of brand impressions on the road. The overall effect was that my brand had a much more professional image (even when we were still baking out of my house), which helped first-time customers trust it. And the eye-catching display helped returning customers find us over and over again at events. Of course, the branding created for the live events was also translated to the packaged products, which customers could then recognize on the shelves of their favorite breweries and shelves. Having such a strong, identifiable brand made me feel incredibly proud, as I think every entrepreneur should feel about their brand.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
For the past couple of years, I have been managing my business from afar. Being out of the bakery and mostly out from under the event tent has been great in a lot of ways – allowing me to focus on my growing family, as well as giving me the mental room to focus on the big picture of my business instead of being stuck in the everyday tasks.
However, those everyday tasks still have to get done and it’s me that has to coordinate that. Currently, I am focused on streamlining Beer Paws’ supply chain and finding the best fulfillment solution so that my customers can depend on fresh products delivered on time – and at a reasonable rate. Achieving this means doing tons of research and phone calls with service providers to see if they will be the right fit.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beerpaws.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/beerpaws
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/beerpaws
Image Credits
All photos courtesy Stacy Ideus Photography
