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

Hi Kanchan, how does your business help the community?
My cat cafes, Crumbs & Whiskers, saves homeless cats from euthanasia in shelters and gives them a safe place to live, play, and meet with potential adopters! So far, we have saved over 3,500 cats from euthanasia and found homes for over 1,500 cats in DC & LA. Our cat cafes also give humans a place in big, busy cities to relax, have fun, and connect with cats — which is a very therapeutic and healing experience for animal lovers.

What should our readers know about your business?
The hardest part about starting a cat cafe was that it was a totally new and unproven idea in the US, which meant that landlords were not willing to lease their spaces to me, banks were not willing to give me loans, and people (including my family) were not supportive of my idea. As a 24 year old girl starting her first business, I felt very anxious and afraid because no one around me seemed to believe in my idea, and starting my business despite my anxiety and fears took a lot of courage. I’ve learned now that when we know that something is right for us deep in our hearts, we have to listen to that voice, even if no one around us understands or supports us.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mentor & business coach, Mary Rydman.

Website: https://crumbsandwhiskers.com

Instagram: crumbs_whiskers

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.