Meet Ginger Mendoza | Owner of Ginger’s Bark Bites

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

Hi Ginger, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My dog Luna was my biggest inspiration in starting my own business. With a dog’s short life span in mind, I wanted to provide her with the most nutritious foods in hopes to extend her years for a longer quality of life. While researching which dog foods and treats were the best, I found that many brands I thought I could trust contained tons of fillers, preservatives, additives, and unnecessary ingredients that didn’t benefit a dog at all. I felt it was my responsibility to help share with other like-minded dog parents that there are other options other than what’s sold in pet stores. Options like single-ingredient items that can serve dogs with specific diet restrictions and allergies, or just simply a guilt-free treat that pet parents can trust is nutritious and healthy for their dog.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Aside from my regular full time job as an escrow assistant, I have managed to jumpstart my small business Ginger’s Bark Bites. I spend most of my free time on producing products, marketing, packaging, and selling my dog treats. I am a one-woman show! I believe what sets me apart from others is my dedication to transparency. I am a firm believer that when customers feel like they can trust me, they are more than likely to recommend and re-purchase my products. When meeting customers at pop up events, I do my best to have a conversation with the pet parents and try to understand their dogs’ needs, what they like, what they’re allergic to, etc. I take pride in always trying to create a human connection and listening to my customers. If I can serve them treats that will make them feel confident and guilt free, it brings me joy!

I believe that taking risks and putting in a lot of my time has gotten me to where I am today professionally. I have sacrificed a lot of my free time and weekends working hard on all aspects of my business. Everyday after work, I am either purchasing items, preparing the treats, packaging, and shipping. My weekends consist of pop up events and restocking.

The biggest lesson I have learned thus far is that time is golden. If I dedicate my time into my brand, I will have a more successful week. If I take even a few days off and I’m out of stock, then I don’t produce as many sales as I’d prefer.

I would like people to remember me as someone who is authentic and genuine. With every customer I meet I try to find some common interests or listen to them, and leave them with a smile. With all the craziness in the world, I’d like people to remember me as someone who has brought joy to them and their dog.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in LA is great because you can have any cuisine just around the corner. Usually when we have family or friends visit from out of town, my husband and I like to bring them all throughout SoCal. Malibu Wines is a great spot to visit for wine tasting, a picnic, a few lawn games and music. Another great spot is anywhere on State Street in Santa Barbara; the street is filled with many different restaurants and live music. One of my favorite hobbies is overlanding, which is a term for driving off-grid and camping out in hard to reach areas. We typically like to bring friends to the Anza Borrego Desert near San Diego. Nearby is a small town called Julian and home of the Julian Apple Pie. The town of Julian is quaint and has many tourist spots for shopping.

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?
Vivian and Bonnie from Pawsitive Mgmt, Inc. is a pair of ladies I’d like to shoutout because of their hard work and love for pets. When I attended my first Pawsitive Mgmt event as a guest, I was impressed and introduced to many likeminded people. The pet parents and business owners I met at their Pupoween Halloween event in 2022 made me realize that I am not alone in the search for the best products for my pet. Much of the vendors had similar goals working towards a different approach to nutrition and wellness for pets. I am very grateful to have met Vivian a couple times during the events and looking forward to working with them very soon!

Website: www.gingersbarkbites.com

Instagram: @gingersbarkbites

Twitter: @gingersbarkbites

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gingersbarkbites

Image Credits
Moses Murga