I love this interview! When I was growing up our family raised and showed collies, so I can really identify a lot with the things that Katie talks about here.

 

Hope you enjoy getting to know my ‘real life friend’ Katie! Don’t miss her giveaway at the bottom of the page!

 

Your name and age:

Katie Hadley, 19 years

 

Do you have a name for your business?

 Green Meadows Kennel

 

What products or service do you offer?

I am a Golden Retriever enthusiast and breeder. I sell puppies to highly approved, loving homes

 

Why did you choose this?

I have always enjoyed working with and caring for animals.

 

Do you offer other related products or services?

I’m also a representative for Trilogy products which includes Life’s Abundance Natural Dog Food.

 

Tell us a little about your family life growing up.  

     I have had the privilege of growing up in a godly home where my brother and I have been directed towards developing character qualities and principles that are honoring to Christ.  My family and I have also enjoyed living out in the country for the most part of my teenage life. It is so enjoyable to me; I love getting to learn the lessons that seem to be only taught on a farm.  I don’t know how I would  go back to suburbia!

 

Did your parents encourage you in this pursuit?

If so, how?

     Prayer was really where it started.  My Mom has had the vision for me and my brother to develop interests in things we enjoy doing and use our skills and talents to serve God as well as earning an income. 

       My mom encouraged me to read about breeding dogs and find out if it was something that I was really interested in doing. I also had the opportunity to work and earn my first dog. At the time I was interested in breeding dogs, I had the blessing of knowing a young lady who allowed me to come out to her farm for a week and experience first hand what it’s like to whelp a litter of puppies. She is a good friend of mine and has been extremely helpful over the years.

 

What type of school do you attend, or did attend?

 I completed my homeschool education in 2008.  

 

Did you take any extra classes/lessons to help you pursue your interest?

 I’ve read some books on Golden Retrievers and breeding plus I’ve also had the blessing of knowing people who have been breeding for years. They have graciously shared advice and knowledge with me.

 

Do you plan to advance your education in this area? If so, how?

     I hope to get my hands on some good books regarding genetics, showing, natural healing, and health etc.  I would love to learn whatever I can from anyone with experience in showing and breeding Golden Retrievers. 

 

Do you feel like people don’t take you very seriously because of your age?

  I think a couple people were a little surprised last year to find someone running a kennel at 18. = )

 

 If so, what have you done to overcome that?

I try to be respectful and forthright as well as being knowledgeable about the breed including the health problems that they are prone to. I try to prove to them that I know what I’m doing through being accountable if they have any questions or problems. Thankfully everyone has been very nice so far.

 

Why choose your own enterprise rather than just working for someone else?

 I’ve really enjoyed the flexibility of working from home. I’m able to make decisions that I know will be pleasing to God as opposed to working under someone who doesn’t have Biblical views.

 

What do you find most challenging about what you do?

There are several challenging aspects, but I would say experimenting with different kinds of preventatives for pests that plague dogs. For example, I am currently trying to learn about how to use all natural herbs and tinctures to control your typical pests that dogs are prone to get.  Other things would include trying to keep business expenses low and managing my time. 

 

What do you find most rewarding about what you do?

The most rewarding part is looking back on a job well done such as having successfully whelped healthy puppies, and everyone has gone to a loving family. I love to receive emails from people who  adopted  one of my puppies  saying how much they enjoy  their puppy and how  thankful they are for the care my kennel provided.  It’s really great to see the pictures of families with their puppy and watch them grow up.

 

What character traits do you feel have really been built in you since starting your business?

 

 I believe it has built perseverance and patience.  It takes both from the time of breeding to the time that the puppies go home. These are especially at work at 1:00 A.M when you are up whelping puppies!

 

Who do you go to when you need advice?  

I’m fortunate to know a few people that I can contact when I need advice. My friend Brooke Price breeds Labrador Retrievers and Adrienne Wilder, a lady I’m working closely with, has bred and shown Golden Retrievers for over 20 years.

 

Do you have any examples of a difficult situation that you needed counsel for (without giving names and places)?   

I have not encountered any really difficult situation yet, thankfully. I did find myself unsure about a certain medical problem that was affecting one of the puppies that I sold. I sought counsel with a breeder friend of mine and we were able to come to the conclusion that the problem wasn’t congenital as I had feared, but most likely an injury that had taken place after the puppy had left my kennel.  I did have one difficult whelping last year.  A good breeders vet is also very important.

 

What are your financial expectations? (Become rich and retire on a beach? J Or to achieve a level of wealth and do something else? )

  I’m hoping to earn a profit I can save as well as making improvements to the kennel and possibly showing my dogs in the future while staying debt free.

 

Do you use your product or service to help anyone in need without charge?

  While this kind of business doesn’t recommend itself as a service oriented business, I do donate some of the profit to Bethany Christian Services which is an adoption agency. The profits have also helped our family through a time of unemployment. 

 

How do you see God using you or your business to bring glory to himself?

I’ve had the opportunity to meet many people through this business. I hope I can be a witness for Christ to them.  I also hope to encourage young people to work from home, honor God and their parents, and continue to learn and serve at home.

 

Do you plan on expanding your business? If so, how?

  I’m hoping to add a female to my girls who are whelping. That’s probably all but we’ll see. : )

 

Do plan on doing this long term?

 Probably not for the rest of my life, but we’ll see what the Lord wills!

 

Do you have any advice for young people that are considering starting their own business?

I would recommend learning as much as you can from someone who is a specialist in the field you are interested in. Try to find many good books on the field as well. I believe that apprenticing is also a very beneficial option for someone who is interested in learning first hand about something. Take good courses or classes on it. Many community colleges have courses on interesting things like photography and non-credit courses as well. You really want to find out if what you are interested in doing is something that you will enjoy.     

 

 

Do you have a physical place of business or a website that people can go to see what you have to offer?

 

Yes, www.greenmeadowsgoldens.com  and www.katieshealthypetshop.com

 

 

If there is someone interested in breeding quality dogs, I would recommend learning as much as you can from a breeder who has a lot of experience with the breed of dog you are interested in breeding. Read lots of books and articles on breeding and the breed of dog you are interested in. Attend dog shows and classes. Join the club of the breed you are interested in breeding like the Golden Retriever Club of America. (GRCA)  www.grca.org  It would also be great if you could find someone experienced who will allow you to watch them whelp a litter. Being able to think about what all expenses are involved is also very important. Having a good business plan is essential.

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Katie’s mom is hosting a giveaway on her blog for this wonderful book. Hop on over there and leave a comment to get your name put in.

 

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 Encouraging Young Entrepreneurs

Making and Managing Money for Teens