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

Hi Ana, what role has risk played in your life or career?
To me risk is just something that comes with making decisions on a daily basis. As a business owner, risk is constantly present. From the moment you decide that you want to open your own business, you start thinking “What if I fail?” “What if I lose money?” “What if no one likes my product?” These are all very real risks, but I think that there is also that part of us that needs to be courageous and not allow these things to hold us back. If we don’t try, we will never know if it could work.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own a home-based pet bakery in Greenville, SC. I make high-quality, all natural dog cakes, cookies, and treats. Before I opened my bakery, I did a lot of research on the best ingredients for our dogs’ digestive systems so my focus ended up being on recipes that are gluten, sugar, and preservative free. My goal is to make the best, cleanest, most appealing treats for my customers. I absolutely adore dogs and I think they should be celebrated with top-notch products!

This isn’t my first business, however. Back in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, I opened an Esty shop called “twinkle by tomb,” where I sell personalized party items for children. I have almost 3,000 sales on there, so that has given me quite some experience when it comes to running a business. It taught me about all the paperwork that needs done to become an official business, figuring out my prices and how profitable I want to be, shipping, customer service, efficiency, and bookkeeping. Although there are similarities between the two businesses, opening a pet bakery has presented challenges of its own. For example, shipping a cake is a different ball game than shipping an Easter basket. I’ve been lucky to have understanding and patient customers who have let me correct my mistakes and learn from them. It has all been a very humbling experience!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would definitely be staying at a pet-friendly hotel in downtown Greenville, where there is plenty of amazing restaurants and activities. We would probably do Gather GVL a few nights, try Craft Axe, and most definitely visit Falls Park. I would take them to O-Ku and also Windy City Burgers. Maybe go for a bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail!

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?
My husband, my children, my mom, my sisters, and my dogs. They are the pillars of my life. My husband, my mom, and my sisters are always cheering me on, even when I feel like I won’t succeed. My two small, beautiful children, who are always complimenting my work and offering to help. And my dogs, Mia, Oggi, and Bear, they inspire me to keep creating delicious treats that other pups will love.

Website: sweetpawcakes.etsy.com

Instagram: @sweet.pawcakes

Facebook: Sweet PawCakes

Other: TikTok: @sweet.pawcakes

Image Credits
Main picture (personal picture) and Golden Retrievers picture –> credit to @samanthasilfiesphoto (Instagram)

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