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

Hi Winnie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Entrepreneurship has always intrigued me, but I couldn’t put a finger on what kind of business I would start, nor did I ever think was ever possible for me. At a very young age, I have always been an animal lover and had a strong passion in learning more about them. There was nothing else that sparked my curiosity more than animals and wildlife, which led me to pursue my B.S in Animal Science & Management at the University of California, Davis.

Upon graduation, I landed my very first full-time job as a Marketing Coordinator at a veterinary supply company. There I learned digital marketing, how to build a website through Shopify, and social media marketing strategies. I was able to learn the soft skills that I needed to start my own small business. Since I’ve always been in touch with my creative side and had this burning desire to ‘do more’, I began to dabble in different creative outlets like building my own website and getting back into videography.

After trial and error, I finally found the perfect idea that combined both of my passions into one. For as long as I can remember, I loved handmaking cards and gifts for my friends and family for any special occasion. When I purchased my very first bandana for my pup at Petco, I fell in love with how adorable he looked in it and how easy it worn over the neck. The bandana gave him so much personality, and I thought to myself how fun would it be if I started creating bandanas for other pups? I decided to purchase my first sewing machine and give it a try. I started off sewing pieces for my coworkers’ and friends’ dogs and then explored the idea of creating a small business in August 2019 – and that’s how & MUTTS Co. came out to be.

It has truly been a blessing to be able to combine both my passions into one. Every day I wake up excited to be able to do what I love to do – create and connect with fellow dog owners. This has honestly been a dream!

What should our readers know about your business?
Running a business will never be easy. I learned that everything that you put into it, is what you’ll get out of it. There are no short cuts to entrepreneurship. The harder you work, and the more time you invest in it, you will see defined results. That is the hard part about it – you never know when to stop. Finding balance between my work, social life, and personal time has always been a huge challenge for me because my mind is constantly thinking about my business and how I can improve. I go to bed thinking about what I need to do the next day, and wake up worried about my endless tasks. There will always be something to do at any given time, and to-do lists are neverending. Being an solopreneur has been quite a journey, but I would not have it any other way. If you ask me if I would ever go back to a 9-5, I can confidently answer no.

In the fall of 2020, I was unexpectedly terminated from my 9-5 job. Never in my life I thought I would lose a job, especially in the middle of a pandemic. As the idea of going full-time for my small business seemed to hover over my mind, there was no way it seemed like it could be a reality. Too many risks would be involved, I didn’t have a mentor, and I come from a famiy who values stability over all. However, I decided to go full-force regardless of my doubts and gave myself 3 months to generate more income than I would have in the 3 months I had at my 9-5. This allowed me to really take a step back and consider if this was the right choice for me. Of course, my family doubted me and did not believe that it was possible, but this motivated me more to try harder, to prove it to myself and my close ones. 3 months later, I achieved my goals and have continued to grow my small business ever since. My family now wholeheartedly believes in my business and that is what I am most proud of.

Although I’m working way more hours that I would at an office job, working for yourself and seeing results can truly be the most rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced. Being able to combine both my passion for crafting and love for animals into one has ben the most fulfilling thing I have ever done for myself.

Lessons learned:
– Always follow your intuition; Your inner voice will always guide you to where you are supposed to be.
– Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 30 because they all started where you were first. You don’t know what they sacrificed and learned on the way to get to where they are now.
– Make friends with other small business owners, even if they are within the same niche. Community over competition, always. This makes running a small business more enjoyable, because odds are they will understand your daily struggles and hustle, when your friends don’t.
– The brand you build is a reflection of yourself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting my town, I would take her to my favorite hike in LA that oversees the city! It’s called the Wisdom Tree hike which is a short hike with lots of incline that leads you to a symbolic tree. Underneath the tree is a treasure chest where anonymous people write stories or encouraging notes to either themselves or others. It is such a sacred place to me that brings so much joy and peace, especially because it’s out in nature where you can really feel connected with the outside world. If you walk a little further up, it’ll lead you to the Hollywood Sign. This is my go-to hike in the LA area, and after I would take her to grub in the city.

One of my absolute favorite brunch spots around the area is called Bea Bea’s which is in the Burbank area. They have such fluffy pancakes with Asian inspired flavors such as Matcha and Thai Tea. Hands-down my favorite pancake place in LA.

Other fun destinations would be Venice Beach – there is just so much character in that little area that will never be boring for a visit. Riding bikes or scooters can also be a great way to end the night. The ocean breeze and the beaming SoCal sun will always be one of my favorite things about living in Sunny California.

And of course, Disneyland. Who wouldn’t want to spend a day in the happiest place on earth? You can never go wrong with the music, food, and just blissful energy that Disney exudes!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Growing up watching Animal Planet and Zoboomafoo, Steve Irwin has always been my hero and inspiration. His bravery and curiosity for all living things opened my eyes that there are other people are just as passionate about animals as I was. I always felt different from others because no one else seemed to have the same level of interest for animals as I did. Although no one shared the same interest, coming home from school and watching Steve Irwin on Animal Planet allowed me to feel connected. Shout out to Steve Irwin for not making me feel ‘weird’ or ‘different’ from others, but rather give me the validation that loving animals is completely normal!

Although my path may look different from others, listening to my inner child’s voice that has alway lead me to the best decisions I’ve made, so thank you Steven Irwin.

Website: www.andmutts.co

Instagram: @andmutts.co

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winnie-goh-336b0ba7/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andmutts.co

Other: tiktok: @andmutts.co

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