07/05/2025
Why wouldn’t it have got past the first 100 sample order stage had I not been living in Whistler? Maybe it would have eventually, but equally the belief I had in it might have died.
Up until I posted on that Facebook group, I was working solely on “this works for me and I love it, so I presume other dog owners would like it too..”.
But mixed in with the people who were encouraging me were also the ones telling me that it wasn’t a good idea, that no one would use it, that it was a nice idea but I shouldn’t waste my money trying…
I’d posted to my personal page and got very little response, so I was really starting to believe it was way too niche, and maybe I was just unusually un-phased about carrying a bag for dog poo.
Whistler turned out to be the sweet spot of perfect people who really got the benefit of PupPouch off the bat:
✔️ Outdoor enthusiasts
✔️ Environmentaly responsible
✔️ Dog parents
✔️ Very few bins, but SO MUCH space and nature to explore with K9 companions.
People just like me, experiencing the same frustrations I was having - they just got it! And that reassurance, realising I wasn’t alone in thinking it was a valuable idea was the boost I needed to go for it.
I’ll be forever grateful to those first customers and supportive comments who got it off the ground!
So if you’re ever starting a business - find your niche, and don’t be dissuaded until you’ve found them. It’s odd to say but your friends and family are not your customers - they’re not your ideal audience, they’re not necessarily your tribe when it comes to business, and that’s ok! They don’t need to get it - the people who get it, get it, and that’s all you need to get going!
