Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandi Ribb.
Mandi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When we got our pup Trixie Pixie 8.5 years ago, we quickly realized that she had severe allergies. We took her to the vet over and over again to find a way to make her stop scratching. She had lost a lot of hair on her backside so I started to make her tutus to cover up the hair loss.
Everywhere we went people would love seeing Trixie in her tutus. I decided to start making more dog accessories and used my sewing talents to make dog collars and bandanas, but my collar flowers are by far a customer favorite. I recently started an Etsy shop and have been working on doing local vendor shows to share my passion with san Diego. Dainty Diva was named after my late Boston terrier Zoey, she was my little diva and her spunky attitude inspired me to create fun and different dog collars that you cant find in a store. Dainty Diva loves to create custom collars and accessories to suit each dog owners needs at an affordable price.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has been a learning curve for sure. when you make a dog collar you need to use quality hardware to ensure that its durable for everyday use. I learned over time that welded D rings hold up so much better then those that are not welded. The hardest part is getting your name out there. Marketing and social media are a lot harder then I imagined. Etsy is a competitive online platform and requires a lot of work and knowledge. I am still new to the online sales world, I am giving myself time to grow and a lot of grace as I learn the best ways to showcase my products.
Please tell us about dainty diva dog boutique.
Dainty Diva specializes in boutique style dog collars and accessories custom tailored to each customers needs at an affordable price. Every person and their dog/dogs have a unique personality and we want to help show that off!
I am proud that I am building this by myself from the ground up. I am a small business now, but I have big plans. I want to go mobile and bring my products to dog friendly places all over San Diego.
What sets me apart from others is my passion for what I make. I work hard and put love into every single collar I make. Every dog is important and I want every owner to feel that when they work with me.
Customer service is something is pride myself in. I want the process of ordering with me to be easy and fun.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would have started sooner, I would have believed in myself sooner. Fear of rejection stopped me from following my dream of having my own business, and sometimes still does. I make beautiful dog accessories but I was so afraid others wouldn’t think the same. Doing shows and putting myself out there has shown me a lot and given me such a confidence boost. Our community here is San Diego has been so loving and positive. That has given me the push I need to keep going.
Pricing:
- Full Set: Dog Collar, Dog collar flower/bow tie/bandanda, Leash and poo bad holder $39
- Collar with Flower/bow tie/bandana $18
- Flower/bandana/bow tie $6
Contact Info:
- Website: daintydivadog.etsy.com
- Phone: 7608550139
- Email: daintydivasdogboutique@gmail.com
- Instagram: @daintydivadogboutique
- Other: Dainty Diva Dog Boutique
Image Credit:
Mandi ribb
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