Inspiring Conversations with Dana Ford of The Salty Cat Co

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Ford

Hi Dana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As my daughter has grown and become more independent, I found myself with extra time on my hands. At first I decided to take on an extra job but found that my heart wasn’t in it. I took a moment to reflect on what I enjoy doing and decided that was crafting. I’ve always been “crafty” and craft shows/vendor events are nothing new to me as I grew up helping my mom with hers! Throughout the years, I’ve had various “crafty” endeavors including two successful Etsy shops, one being The Salty Cat Co. I took January through March of this year to resurrect my business, deciding what I wanted to sell, purchasing supplies and displays, and researching vendor events in the area. My first event was in late March, near Easter, and focused largely on personalizing stuffed Peeps for Easter. I’ve learned a lot since then and have made changes along the way. I plan to use Q1 of 2025 to hone my business focus even more!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not always been smooth. I’ve tried various events this year; some were successful and some were duds. Despite the best research on an event, the results are not guaranteed!

I’ve also learned that presentation is everything when trying to generate sales. Sometimes the location of an item in the booth or on the table matters. Sometimes the way the item is displayed matters. There have been instances where I’ve put items in a wooden tray and nothing sold, but I switched it to a basket in the middle of the show and then sales happen! I try to plan my display for each event to maximize space, traffic flow, and sales.

The biggest struggle for me is setting up my booth by myself. This can be limiting, especially due tothe weather and the size of the event. I had to turn down a large event this year because I could not do it by myself and those I usually ask for assistance could not help. But as much as this is a limiting factor now, in the future it may be possible for me to hire an assistant as I grow my business.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Salty Cat Co?
The Salty Cat Co is in the business of creating joy! I make a wide variety of products including fun t-shirts & sweatshirts, Bedazzle kits, earrings, enamel pins, mystery boxes, custom tote bags, and seasonal home decor. The Bedazzle kits are very popular, containing everything you need (rhinestones, pickup tool, wax, and glue) to bedazzle your very own resin Balloon Dog figure. I love making punny, funny shirts and pins. I’m probably best known for the tshirts/sweatshirts, bedazzle kits, and earrings/pins. I like to think what sets me apart is the creativity of my line of offerings and my booth set up (I get a lot of compliments about how good my set up looks). A lot of folks don’t realize that I can also personalize or customize items.

The Salty Cat name is from my desire to live at the beach (think Salty = Beach, not grumpy) and my love of cats. I mean, if there can be a Salty Dog Cafe, why can’t there be a Salty Cat Co?

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
There are three lessons I’d pass along:

1. Know your target audience. My audience is people who are young at heart and enjoy a good laugh. Lots of my products are unexpected, fun, punny, or silly. I enjoy people coming in to look at what I’m offering and giggling. Or having to show their friend for a good chuckle.

2. Do what you love. I started with a wide variety of products. As I continued to do events, I realized what I enjoy making the most and am planning to narrow down some of my product lines to focus on creating the things I most enjoy making. Don’t be afraid to specialize or offer fewer products – focus instead on delivering high quality, unique items. Even with a smaller product line, I can already see many ways of expanding my business.

3. If things aren’t working, pivot! Life is about learning, so don’t be afraid of change. Change what you sell, change how you advertise, change what events you do, change prices! Change shows you are learning and learning makes you a better human (and business owner).

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thesaltycatco.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesaltycatco
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/saltycatco

Image Credits
Headshot by Nancy Jo Photography, Wake Forest