Aisha Byrd

I attribute my success to seeing the impact that we make on our community. For me, success means being able to witness the difference we're making in real time, whether it's helping a family find safe treats for their dog with allergies, bringing people together through our custom cakes, or providing emergency pet food to someone in need at 6 o'clock in the evening. It's about the immediate, tangible impact we have on the lives of pets and their families throughout the DFW area. That's what drives me and what I measure my success by - not just profits, but the positive change we create in our community every single day.

The best career advice I ever received was to follow my dream, because everyone won't see your vision. When someone told me that years ago, I didn't quite understand what it meant, but 8 years later, I completely get it. As long as I stay dedicated to my mission and remain ethical, my business will grow. That advice has proven to be the best anyone could have given me, because it's taught me that not everyone will understand what you're trying to build, and that's okay. You have to believe in your vision even when others don't see it, stay true to your values, and trust that dedication and ethics will lead to growth. It's been my guiding principle through all the challenges and successes.

My advice to young women entering this industry is simple: do not be a gatekeeper. Come out of your shell and socialize and network. Gain the knowledge from people that are willing to share that knowledge with you, and once you've gained the knowledge, then look back to help someone else out. It's so important to be open to learning from others who have experience and are generous enough to share what they know. Don't isolate yourself or hoard information - build connections, absorb everything you can from mentors and peers, and then pay it forward by helping the next generation coming up behind you. That cycle of knowledge-sharing and community support is what will help you succeed and strengthen the entire industry.

The biggest challenge in the pet industry right now is being able to stand out as a small business and be competitively priced against the larger corporations. When you're up against companies like Purina and other big brands, it's tough to compete on price while maintaining quality and values. For us, we're self-manufacturing because I like the fact that it provides jobs and experience for families - most of our current employees are students at UTA University here, and for some of them, it's their first job. When you scale to a manufacturing level, unfortunately, it does kind of cut those experiences out for local people and families. So the challenge is finding that balance between staying competitive with the big corporations while still maintaining our commitment to providing meaningful employment and experience to our local community, and doing it all while keeping our products affordable and accessible.

The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are dedication, the ability to learn, and not being afraid to fail. I've learned that failure is part of the process of succeeding - it's not the end, it's actually an opportunity to grow. Two years ago, when the economy was going through changes and we weren't doing as well, I was wracking my brain wondering what I was missing when I was doing what I love, following my passion, and servicing my community. Then in January, an opportunity came up for me to be part of a Walmart Retail Readiness Entrepreneurship Program, and my business did a total 360. I received so many mentors who were able to help and guide me. I tell people that failure is going to happen, but when it happens, it also allows you to grow. It builds character, fortitude, and belief in what you're doing. That's why dedication to your mission, staying open to learning, and embracing failure as a teacher are the values that guide everything I do.