Best of the PNW – Doggie Zoom Zoom
Corinne Visser was motivated to start her CBD dog treat business Doggie Zoom Zoom when her lab mix, Chase, was suffering from a number of health issues. Chase had been battling for a while from a series of conditions: Allergies, Arthritis, Anxiety, Hip Dysplasia, joint pain together landed the lab-mix on a grain-free diet, prescribed expensive medications with little changes to show for. Corinne was left unhappy and inspired to make a change.
It was then that she started doing research to find an alternative solution. She started to look for solutions that would meet her dog’s dietary restrictions, mitigate the high prescription bills, and offer her dog Chase relief he deserved.
After extensive research, Corinne learned that CBD could be used as a safe alternative to prescription medications to relieve pain in animals. She took a leap and tested it out — to her luck showing relief with no side effects. Chase’s quality of life improved drastically.
Starting her business
As the months went on, Corinne felt inspired to share the magic behind the improvements in her dog Chase’s life. CBD was not only helping, but also offering her a more affordable solution to pricy prescriptions. With her newfound remedy, she wanted to do something to help others in the same situation; with few options on the market, she took a leap to start her own business.
The idea of creating grain-free CBD treats was one that Corinne put a lot of time into crafting. Little by little, she came up with treats that worked, from ‘Bacon n Cheddar’ to ‘PB & Pumpkin’, all grain-free and available with and without CBD. Her natural love for animals allowed for a marrying of business and pleasure that excited Corinne. Shortly after, Doggie Zoom Zoom took flight.
With products ready, and solutions at-hand, she was surprised to learn that her biggest hurdle was still ahead. When she began selling her product she learned that many people have negative connotations with CBD – including a false pretense that it is psychoactive.
“The CBD oil used in our cookies are certified 100% organic, non-psychoactive, and made with full-spectrum CBD oil, with less than 0.3% THC, making our treats 100% legal in all 50 states,” she shares.
After receiving feedback, fighting venue restrictions and overcoming funding barriers, Doggie Zoom Zoom now uses its platform to educate buyers about the benefits of CBD. On their website the including studies and dose charts to help spread useful information with the public.
Corinne hopes that her product can be used as a tool to end the stigma against the use of CBD.
Turning passion into purpose
Early in the stages of her business growth, Corinne came to Mercy Corps Northwest to get insight into what she needed to know to take on her own venture. For her, the biggest learning was to research every aspect of the business down to the name before launch. “It can save you a lot of time and frustration – particularly if someone else already has your business name,” she shares.
Her advice for business owners going through any type of business struggle is to keep going.
“Through the process, I learned to be more patient but also learned to stand up and advocate for the business’ needs,” she shares.
After finishing education courses she enrolled in Mercy Corps Northwest’s IDA program to earn a grant that would help her business solidify its presence.
Now Corinne’s business DoggieZoomZoom was formed around a strong passion for loving animals and improving their lives. Now several years into business, Corinne has many plans for the future of her company.
“Our goal for the business is to take 20% of the proceeds from this business to go towards purchasing land to build a shelter for dogs. We will rescue dogs that are currently in high-kill shelters and train them to be service dogs, emotional support dogs, dogs for the elderly, and for PTSD patients,” she shares.
To learn more about Doggie Zoom Zoom, and buy some treats for yourself, visit the business at www.doggiezoomzoom.com