Meet Kathy Burnell | Co-Owner of PupLid & Veterinarian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kathy Burnell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kathy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
PupLid was created out of a need to protect our dog, Buddy’s, sun-sensitive eyes. While Buddy has always loved the beach, we started to notice that on bright days his eyes became irritated by the intense sun. At times he would even frantically run to try to escape from the sun. My husband Tony and I needed to help Buddy but could not find a well-fitting, stylish hat on the market that shaded Buddy’s eyes, so we set out to make one for him. To reflect Buddy’s San Diego beach lifestyle, my husband and I used our professional experiences as an engineer and veterinarian to create a trucker hat just for Buddy. We decided to call his hat a “puplid”. After seeing how well Buddy’s puplid stayed on and protected his eyes, we created PupLid, the business, so every dog could benefit from a puplid.

As a dog mom, I was thrilled that Buddy’s puplid kept him comfortable on sunny days. As a veterinarian with a natural desire to help animals, I was excited about how beneficial Buddy’s puplid would be for other dogs with sensitive eyes or conditions brought on or worsened by sun exposure.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At Puplid, we specialize in one thing, making premium hats for dogs. Above all, the comfort, fit and style for our canine clients is paramount to us. We also love getting to know the dogs (and cats, rabbits, goats, calves and horses!) that wear puplids and their families! Our dedication to making the best dog hats on the market and forming relationships with our customers are what set us apart.

I am most proud that our puplids help protect dogs’ eyes and bring joy to people. It is beyond rewarding to hear from pet parents how their dogs benefit from wearing their PupLid hats! To hear from customers that Puplid has not only brought joy into their lives but has also enhanced the life of their dog is the ultimate compliment for PupLid and for me as a veterinarian!

One of my favorite parts about my position at Puplid is when I am able to meet the dogs and people who love our product at live events. This speaks to who I am personally and professionally because I cherish the relationships I develop with my patients and their families.

Puplid has gotten to where it is today by focusing on our products and the dogs who wear them. We are continuing to build brand awareness virtually, through our website and Amazon, as well as on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Our amazing and growing team also attends events across Southern California.

In addition to offering our designs through retail, we also apply custom designs and logos to puplids for our wholesale and promotional customers. We love getting to know our wholesale and promotional customers and being able to make them unique products that they are excited about. It is so gratifying to see the success and happiness that PupLid hats generate for these businesses.

Building a business includes lots of “firsts”, like learning new skills and understanding when to outsource or bring on another team member. Google and Youtube have been surprisingly amazing resources. When I’ve hit a roadblock, I’m normally able to reference either website to give me an idea on how I can move forward. So far, the journey has not always been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding.

I want the world to know that PupLid trucker hats are more than just a fun accessory, they are hats that most dogs will actually wear! Just like with any new gear, treats and fun rewards help dogs get used to their puplid. Within a few training sessions, most dogs forget they are even wearing a puplid. When hat-wearing is paired with a favorite walk or trip to the park, many dogs start getting excited to see their hat because they know they are about to go on an adventure!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Cardiff so we would start by exploring the beaches and towns of Cardiff, Encinitas and Solana Beach. Breakfast at Swami’s then head over to the Meditation Gardens at the Self Realization Fellowship. At some point, we would have to stop at Le Papagayo for sangrias and food.

Not surprisingly, part of the trip would definitely be going to Del Mar Dog Beach / La Jolla – Start the day with VG’s Donuts and Buddy at Del Mar Dog Beach.

I also love adventure so other things on the “must do” list would be kayaking, snorkeling, hiking Torrey Pines then Torrey Pines Glider Port for lunch and to watch paragliders. Perhaps also a morning paddleboard on Carlsbad Lagoon or Mission Bay. Check out some local breweries and maybe end the trip by taking the Dana Point ferry to Catalina for the night!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my husband and business partner, Tony. Tony is a numbers guy and a problem solver, both of which have been instrumental in the engineering and production of PupLid trucker hats. Tony’s experience building teams and growing businesses from his career in the energy field has also been a key part of PupLid’s success. PupLid is an exhilarating adventure to be on with my husband and best friend and PupLid would not be where it is today without him.

Website: www.puplid.com

Instagram: @puplid

Linkedin: Kathy Burnell

Facebook: PupLid

Other: Tik Tok @puplid

Image Credits
Allison Shamrell Celso Bemvenutti Ezirio @leominibernedoodle