Meet Autumn Hawes | Small Business Owner & Dog Enthusiast

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

Hi Autumn, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
For most of my life risk has been something that I avoided at all costs. Long story short I was too comfortable with being comfortable. I dreaded stepping out of my comfort zone or doing anything that could result in negative consequences. But then something drastic happened and it changed my whole perspective on risk.

November 8, 2018. That was the day the Camp Fire in California started. It was an extremely devastating fire, and unfortunately I happened to be affected by it. I lost almost everything in that fire. That whole experience forever changed my perspective on risk.

Fast forward a few months. I moved to Arkansas, and I started doing things I had never done before. I started hiking, and visiting new places, like Colorado, as often as I could. I started meeting up with a lot of friends I had made through social media. Throughout all of these new experiences my dog was right by my side.

I discovered this community of dog lovers, and quickly became immersed in it. I started working with companies that made a variety of dog products, and I started supporting as many dog related small businesses as I could. I always thought of how cool it would be to be able to make and sell products that one is truly passionate about. For the longest time I never took that thought serious enough. Starting a business was too risky. I told myself it would never happen.

Eventually it did happen, and I am so thankful that it did. It was terrifying at first. I had no idea if it would be successful or not. I invested so much money into my business not knowing if I was going to get it back. That was a huge risk, but it was a risk that I definitely needed to take. Seeing dogs around the world wearing products that I made is an amazing feeling.

Maybe to some it doesn’t seem like much, but the things I’ve done (and am currently doing) are things that my younger self would have been too scared to do. I’ve learned something in the past few years. Risk is always worth it.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started my business, Natural Danes Co., back in March 5, 2021. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time. Even though the products that I make are for dogs it still is a lot of work, and it’s definitely not always easy. I’ve come across a lot of challenges, and the most important thing that helps is perseverance. There have been some times where I wanted to quit or it feels like I’m in over my head. I just have to push through it, and remember why I started this business. I try to support dog related small businesses as often as I can. When I get new collars or anything else in the mail it’s always so exciting getting to see what other people are making. Then I imagine other people getting that same feeling looking at the stuff I’ve made.

One of the best parts of my business is looking at new designs and coming up with new products. It’s a fun challenge trying to figure out what’s going to sell or what designs are trending at the moment. I’ve actually been working on collars made with Italian leather and solid brass hardware. I’ve been testing them for a couple of months now, and I hope to have them available for the 1 year anniversary.

I also try to stay as eco friendly as possible. My shipping materials are recycled, and I have a lot of recycled materials for the products themselves. Being eco friendly is something I am very passionate about, and it’ll always be a part of my business.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Bentonville, AR is a really cool place to visit. Very active. Very dog friendly. It’s one of our favorite places. I always bring my dogs with me when I go. There’s a business called Rope Hounds that sells some awesome collars and leashes, but they also have a dog friendly bar. If you ever end up in northwest Arkansas you have to go visit them.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that have supported me and helped me to get to where I am. But there are some wonderful ladies that deserve a special shoutout: Danielle Hull, Mallory Anderson, Kimberly Johnson, Alyssa Glock, and Danielle Palko. They have been so incredibly supportive throughout this journey.

Website: https://naturaldanesco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturaldanesco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Natural-Danes-Co-101562865303560

Image Credits
Danielle Hull & Danielle Palko