Little Linc: Keep your pups in style while helping animals in need

Calling all dog parents! We have your next favourite shop for your furry friends, Little Linc. This online shop is run out of the South Shore of Nova Scotia by Emily Statton, a full time dog mom and business owner. Statton has been running Little Linc since 2018 and was kind enough to share the ins and outs of her small business with Let’s Nurture.

Little Linc is committed to offering safe, efficient and stylish products for all dogs. How does Statton accomplish this? With a collar top-slot to ensure the ultimate canine comfort. Although Statton works another job, her brain is always on Little Linc-mode creating new design options for her loyal customers. In 2019, Little Linc partnered with the SPCA to donate $1 from every bandana to help animals in need. This online shop can be found on
Instagram, Facebook and their website, https://littlelinc.ca/. Check out the full interview with Little Linc below!

“I thought if I’m making the money and my dog is so happy, I should be able to provide for other dogs or animals in need.” – Emily Statton.

“The whole #shoplocal thing has just exploded, which is amazing!” – Emily Statton.

Friday, June 4th, 2021

Name: Emily Statton

Name of Business & Location: Little Linc, South Shore, Nova Scotia

LN: How did Little Linc start?

Little Linc: It basically started when we got a puppy! I wanted to deck him out but I couldn’t find any male bandana options. I decided to take it to my sewing machine, started sewing and it kind of snowballed from there… My brother was like, “Emily, you need to make a website!” and I said okay let’s go for it.

LN: Has there been a surprise from running a business during a pandemic?

Little Linc: I think the amount of people who are actually still purchasing and want to support even though some people are having financial hardships during the pandemic. The whole #shoplocal thing has just exploded, which is amazing.

LN: That’s so great to hear! I think people are starting to shop more consciously these days.

Little Linc: Yes, it’s awesome.

LN:Can you tell me about your work with the SPCA?

Little Linc: Yes, I thought if I’m making the money and my dog is so happy, I should be able to provide for other dogs or animals in need. One dollar from every bandana sale gets donated but instead of doing a monthly donation I like to stockpile, so when they have an emergency, I can give them a big chunk which seems to help them out more.

LN: What online programs are you using?

Little Linc:To do our website, we used Ecwid and GoDaddy as well as Microsoft Suite products and Procreate.

LN:What is your favourite feature from GoDaddy and Ecwid?

Little Linc: We have the opportunity to choose variations for each product. So, let’s say a bandana is on the website from size small to large, I can add a size quantity for each one. It will sell out on the website itself so I don’t have to update the website…The variation option is key!

LN:Is there anything new that you’d like to see from these programs?

Little Linc: Yes, we have some products that have the same products within each other. We have the matching Mommy & Me sets which have a bandana and a scrunchie but sometimes we sell that same scrunchie on it’s own. When someone buys that single scrunchie I then have to go into the Mommy & Me set to change the quantities available. They don’t simultaneously update on their own which can be a struggle when we do a big launch.

LN: Any advice for small business owners who also work full time?

Little Linc: Have a planner! Try to schedule ahead when you’re going to get your work done. Even when I’m at work, my brain is still in Little Linc-mode and I come up with new ideas so I spew them into my planner. Then when I get home from work, I have all of my Little Linc ideas ready for me to concur that night.

LN: Do you have a favourite method to communicate with your customers online?

Little Linc: We get a lot of questions through Instagram which is great. Our DM’s are probably the most efficient way to answer questions.

LN: Is there a message you want to get across to your potential customers?

Little Linc: Yes, I hope when they first see our website they can tell that our brand has an overall look. So, when they see our photos they think, “I can tell that’s Little Linc!”, right down to the filter we use… I also want them to see that we love dogs! We want to create the most safe, effective, and efficient products for their dogs.

LN: How does Little Linc stand out from other brands?

Little Linc: A lot of other brands I noticed had tie-around bandanas which is basically a square piece of fabric that you tie around your dog’s neck. Whereas ours have a top slot so the collar goes right through it. That whole safety, irritation thing is completely off the table for these ones which is one of the main reasons why I wanted to start making these.

LN: Has the pandemic affected your online activity?

Little Linc: I’ve definitely picked it up… I’ve had to get into the whole Tik Tok game because that’s such a big platform since the pandemic started. I also try to interact more with our users.

LN: What would you say is your favourite part about running a small business?

Little Linc: To compare it to working a Monday to Friday, the flexibility and freedom to do what I want when I want is amazing, it’s dreamy.

If you are also having any idea to start your own small business or want to share your views with us, you can call us at +1 902 620 9098 directly mail  to  enquiry@letsnurture.ca

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