Success Stories
Care About My Pet
PCV provides a great platform for entrepreneurs like me to stay organized and learn what to focus on to grow their companies, and is a great place to start for anyone who has a vision and passion to live the American dream.
PCV is highlighting our AAPI small businesses for AAPI Heritage Month! This week, we’re featuring Krystle Antonio Niekra, founder and CEO of Care About My Pet: an American-made, woman and family-owned pet care business based in Detroit, MI. Founded in 2018, Care About My Pet offers the highest-quality pet products to help pet parents provide the best love and care to their furry friends. Looking to expand the business and its own product line, Krystle was introduced to Pacific Community Ventures through our partnership with Detroit Development Fund. We connected her with Michelle, the co-founder of a fair-trade fashion clothing business, and she directed Krystle’s focus to improving her profit margins in preparation for future funding efforts.
Mapping a baseline for Care About My Pet’s sales, Michelle helped Krystle to increase best-selling product margins by 20-40%. Meeting month to month, Krystle and Michelle have also explored other important aspects of the business, such as expanding Care About My Pet’s local outreach to assist 4H groups’ initiatives to empower and educate the youth about proper animal and livestock care. Using Care About My Pet’s data to drive the decision-making process, they’ve also investigated local manufacturing initiatives to cut down on production and shipping costs to increase the bottom line of the business during the pandemic, and discussed general CEO know-how that has improved Krystle’s confidence in her own leadership.
When asked about the mentoring program, Krystle says: “PCV provides a great platform for entrepreneurs like me to stay organized and learn what to focus on to grow their companies, and is a great place to start for anyone who has a vision and passion to live the American dream, but does not have the tools and know-how to get started or keep business going during tough times. PCV provides the right tools and an excellent, well-organized and developed program to keep in touch with our advisors easily while receiving other forms of support on the side such as continuing education through webinars and other events.”
Could your small business benefit from free advice or a fair and affordable loan? PCV can help. Learn more about our advising program or our loan program.