March is Women’s History Month!
To celebrate, we’re putting the spotlight on real women entrepreneurs who are taking the boy’s club of business ownership by storm. Throughout the month, we’ll be featuring fearless women who’ve taken the leap into entrepreneurship, so stick around.
Today’s post highlights Julie DePaola of The Tasty Biscuit.
Julie’s Story
Unlike some of the other female entrepreneurs we’ve highlighted this month, Julie’s entrepreneurial story is just getting started. After a long journey that most small business owners can relate to, Julie launched The Tasty Biscuit earlier this month.
“I started this business because I wanted make healthy dog treats,” Julie explains. “I was starting to eat healthier and I wanted my dog to eat better, too.”
While trying to find a better alternative for her dog, Kyia, she noticed that most of the treats on the market were chock full of unhealthy ingredients, preservatives, and words she couldn’t even pronounce. She set about making her own, homemade treats for Kyia, and you can probably guess the rest of the story.
Challenges
The biggest challenge Julie faced was a common one -- how does a first-time business owner even know where to start?
You have an idea, but there’s a lot that goes into getting a new venture off the ground. There’s the legal stuff, like registering your name and getting a tax ID. And the product development stuff, like figuring out how to keep dog treats fresh without preservatives. Where should you invest your time and effort first?
Julie overcame this challenge by not being afraid to reach out and ask for help. “I ended up calling a lot of people to try to figure out the correct licenses I needed to make this business possible.”
Advice for Future Women Entrepreneurs
Julie’s biggest piece of advice is all about perseverance:
“The journey is long and hard but never give up on something you want. There’s always something to learn from the business. There are times that I’m stressed out and wanting to quit, but I have to keep reminding myself that I can do this.”
For Julie, starting her own business has been an exercise in finding out what she’s made of. While she’s lucky to have a great support system at her back, Julie noted, “This journey has really empowered me, and allowed me to push myself to be the best that I can be.”
About The Tasty Biscuit
It’s no secret that dogs are an integral part of many families. The Tasty Biscuit was developed as a passion project to create healthy, all-natural treats that dogs love and owners can feel good about.
Treats are available in 5 different flavors (my pup loves the peanut butter) and can be purchased through their online store. You can keep up with The Tasty Biscuit (and lots of adorable doggie pics!) on Twitter @TheTastyBiscuit.
Wanna learn more about the history of women in business? Check out Women in Business: How Women Entrepreneurs Have Grown Through the Years.
