Balancing Purpose & Profit: Lauren Kelley's Entrepreneurship Journey

Description: In this episode, Jade and Max sit down with Lauren Kelley, founder of Collie & Corso and a certified positive reinforcement dog trainer, to discuss her journey in the dog world and her path to becoming a small business owner. Driven by a passion for improving the lives of dogs—and their humans—Lauren ventured into both training and product creation, launching a dog training service and a business making stylish, durable leashes inspired by her own two dogs, Harvey and Veti. Lauren reflects on the challenges of going solo in her career, the financial realities of entrepreneurship, and her recent return to an employment role that balances both purpose and profit. Tune in for an honest look at Lauren’s unique path and what it takes to thrive in a passion-driven business. Connect with Lauren & more Instagram: / @collieandcorso TikTok: / @collieandcorso Website: https://www.collieandcorso.com Special discount code for Collie & Corso products for The Hurdle podcast listeners: Use code: ”THEHURDLE15” for 15% off any order. LivePlan Social & Website Instagram: / liveplan Facebook: / liveplan TikTok: / liveplan LinkedIn: / liveplan Website: liveplan.com Newsletter & More: linkin.bio/liveplansoftware Timestamps 01:28 - Introducing Lauren Kelley 04:07 - The Journey to Certification 07:58 - Lauren's Origin Story Helping Dogs 12:06 -  From Dog Training to Leash Making 16:23 -  Preparing To Scale From The Start 26:02 -  Defining Lauren's Ideal Customer Profile & Brand 31:26 -  Setting Prices & Profit Margins 40:04 - Dealing With Supplies & Limited Space 44:00 - Balancing Business & Market Demands 48:38 -  The Challenges of Going Solo: Lessons Learned 57:25 -  Expanding The Leash Business