Meet William Whitehouse | Small Business Owner & Culinary Nutritionist

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

Hi William, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from a small town called Mountain Lakes in Northern New Jersey. I had a great family upbringing, with wonderful parents and siblings. I struggled with a learning disability in school, which made me feel less than others. When I started getting curious about cooking at age 8, it felt like I fit in somewhere. With these struggles growing up, cooking was always a nice outlet for me. Growing up with learning disabilities has been challenging, even into adulthood but I wouldn’t change these things. My struggles have made me who I am today. I enjoy being creative as I build my small business, and connecting with the community is important to me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I attended Johnson & Wales University for Culinary Nutrition in 2004. I was most interested in product development and food manufacturing. I had the opportunity to be an intern for Heinz and this really allowed me to be creative and use my problem solving skills. This also engaged my mechanical mindset. Some learning disabilities I had struggled with actually became an advantage in this scenario. When I graduated in 2008, no one was hiring due to the recession. Another challenge I faced after graduation, was drugs and alcohol. At first these things were fun but I quickly became dependent. After many years of battling addiction, I found my 12 step recovery program and learned to give myself the compassion I needed. I want the world to know that my story is not unique, many people have felt the shame and guilt of addictions or feeling like that aren’t worthy of greatness. This business has allowed me to do what I enjoy most. Which is the creative process of manufacturing healthy food products. I now create healthy Bone-Based treats for dogs. I am passionate about keeping my dog Tobi happy and healthy and I want all dogs and their owners to benefit from high quality, nutritious dog food products.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Colorado is a special place to me and many others. When my friends or family come to visit I always tell them to check out Eldorado State Park, which is a 15 minute drive from my home in Broomfield. After that you can grab lunch at Pica’s Taqueria in Louisville. They have lots of great Mexican dishes. Some of their vegetarian options are even better than the traditional meat options. Next I would swing by Moxie Bread Co. also in Louisville, to take home their fresh-made loafs of artisan bread. To end the day you can take a nice evening walk at the Westminster Hills Dog Park. This is a huge open space, available for off leash dogs. It has many different walking/biking trails. Even if you don’t have a dog, this is a great place to catch a sunset in Colorado.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The biggest part of my success is my 12 Step Recovery Program. It has given me a sturdy foundation for all aspects of my life. The love and acceptance that I’ve gotten from this program has given me the courage to pursue my dreams no matter the size. I am more confident with my life decisions, and this has truly been the support I need for a successful business.

Website: https://www.real-bones.com

Instagram: @realbonescolorado https://www.instagram.com/realbonescolorado/

Facebook: Real-Bones https://m.facebook.com/p/Real-Bones-61551920908549/

Other: Email – realbonesco@gmail.com