How one Aussie turned a pet obsession into an empire

Four years ago, Kathryn Turnbull left her job in the fashion industry to launch a sustainable dog apparel brand. Now she’s signed a distribution deal in Japan. Here’s how she did it.

“Take any opportunity and put yourself out there,” Ms Turnbull said. “A lot of people go into business thinking it’s easy and you’ll get rich quick – it’s the opposite.”

While she used some of her savings to start her business, Ms Turnbull also received help from Westpac.“I could never have scaled to where I am now without that support".

A Westpac Business One Account gives business owners a clear view of their cash flow.“I’ve got an everyday business bank account with a debit card, and it’s been essential,” she said.

Ms Turnbull also uses the overdraft on her Westpac account when cash flow is tight."Without that support, I’d never have been able to place the big orders that helped me scale".

Now that Ms Turnbull has moved into international markets, currency conversions can eat into her margins. Every time money changes hands across borders, fees add up.

Her advice?"If you’re dealing with international customers – get them to pay you in the currency of your suppliers. In my case, it’s US Dollars".

“Building a business is hard work, but when you’re truly passionate about what you do, it doesn’t feel like work,” Ms Turnbull said.

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How one Aussie turned a pet obsession into an empire

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