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

Hi Natalie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I came up with the idea of Mina + Pup Pet Accessories when I was 14. It came from heartbreak and loss and turned into something very beautiful and impactful.

In July of 2020, my 34-year-old uncle Michael passed away suddenly, and my heart broke. He was my biggest supporter, and we were incredibly close. Michael loved dogs, especially my French Bulldog Angus. I wanted to turn my pain into a way to honor Michael’s memory.

I have loved animals ever since I can remember and loved dressing up my Frenchie Angus in order to create fun photos for his Instagram page, @angus_frenchbully. I noticed the pet accessories industry was lacking very vibrant and lifestyle-inspired prints, so I decided to launch my own company. I combined the first two letters of the name Michael (MI) and the first two letters of the name Natalie (NA), and Mina + Pup was born.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The road to creating, planning, and launching my own small business has not been a completely smooth one. It is difficult to start a brand new small business at any time.

However, doing it as a newly turned 14-year-old and in the middle of a global pandemic brought its own challenges. I have had to learn to be patient with shipping, with making and sticking to budgets, with running my social media accounts, all while still being a teen and a freshman in high school (now a rising senior).

Recently, I really have had to take a step back and just take a deep breath because it can be overwhelming but SO worth it. I am still figuring out how to balance it all: running Mina + Pup, studying for my high school classes, and having a social life outside of it all. I just try to remember and focus on why I started this brand and to take things one day at a time, even if things don’t go as I expected.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I absolutely love the beach. My itinerary for the week would include some local beaches as well as amusements parks. Universal is my top favorite.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a shoutout to my mom, Stella. She has been alongside me on this journey from day 1! I could not have done this without her!

Website: https://www.minaandpup.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minaandpup

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-kahn-172750225

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/minaandpup

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.