Meet Natalie Kahn

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Natalie Kahn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Natalie below.

Natalie , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
The road to creating, planning and launching my own small business has not been a completely smooth one. It is difficult to start a brand new small business at any time. However, doing it as a newly turned 14 year old, and in the middle of a Global Pandemic, brought its own challenges. I have had to learn to be patient with shipping, with making and sticking to budgets, with running my social media accounts, all while still being a teen and a freshman in high school.

Currently, I am a Junior in high school, facing a variety of AP classes and trying to think about future college applications. I really have had to take a step back and just take a deep breath because it can be overwhelming but SO worth it. I am still figuring out how to balance it all, running Mina + Pup, studying for my high school classes and having a social life outside of it all. I just try to remember and focus on why I started this brand, and to take things one day at a time even if things don’t go as I expected. Everything that’s worth it in life takes hard work and resilience!

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Picture this, it was 2020 and I was a 13 year old going through the worst time of my life. My 34 year old uncle Michael, whom I adored and was extremely close with, just passed away and Covid was raging. I was sad, grief struck, and very heartbroken. The only thing that showed me a light at the end of the tunnel was my dog, a French Bulldog named Angus. His unconditional love and support was everything. One day, while spending time with Angus and trying to make him look super cute, I realized that the current pet accessory market was a bit bland and boring. I wanted to put my spin on it, and at the same time honor the life and memory of my dear uncle Michael. I combined our names (MI)chael + (NA)talie and Mina + Pup was born.

I pride myself on making accessories that are both super stylish and relevant, as well as durable and comfortable to use for both the pet and the owner. I am known for bright colors, lifestyle-inspired designs and excellent and timely customer service. I specialize in walking accessories like harnesses, leashes, poop bags, bandanas, bow ties, collars and more.

However, I am most proud of the fact that I can honor the memory of my beloved uncle. Additionally, as part of my company’s mission, I am donating a portion of all proceeds to nonprofits/charities. Sometimes that means a monetary donation, and other times I buy items off wish lists or donate my products. It is based on what the nonprofit needs at the time.

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?
I would say the three top skills you need to possess in order to start your own small business would be creativity, passion and focus! There will be many things that come your way and try to distract you and the road is not alway smooth! However, if you have the true love and passion for what you do, combined with creativity for new ideas and stay focused on your goals, nothing can stop you!

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me is believe in me and listen to a 13 year old me with an idea! I could have never executed my ideas and turned them into reality without their support and guidance.

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