When Kerry Whitney split up with her boyfriend, lost her dad and had to move back home to her mum's, it led to her starting her dream business.
It was back in 2015, and she'd just started an Instagram account for her Pug Frank, and started making him fun bow ties as a way of coping with her grief and the upheaval she'd experienced.
Things grew, she started sending out her products to other dog owners, and decided to make it into a business.
Then she added in some sweary bow ties to stand out, and it took off.
From viral posts with the C-bomb, being featured in the Daily Sport dressed as a giant penis, getting her products in Pets At Home, experiencing burnout and taking a year for herself and coping with trolls, Kerry has seen it, done it and got the Dogs Not Sprogs t-shirt.
We talk about so much here - there's a bit of oversharing from me, and Kerry announces her dream new range, sweary harnesses which will be on sale from March 2026.
Kerry is a friend who I value so much, she's supported me through a lot, and I'm so pleased to share this podcast. I hope you love what she has to say.
Topics and timings:
0.20 - Episode overview.
1.50 - Episode sponsor - pet business planner.
3.16 - Kerry introduction.
4.35 - What Kerry did before Franky’s Bowtique.
5.31 - Getting her first Pug Frank and going on Instagram.
7.00 - Losing her dad and beginning making bowties as a way of managing her grief.
9.17 - Growing on Instagram, gifting her products and building her business.
10.14 - Moving back home after her relationship broke down and back to her mums.
13.35 - Putting out her first sweary bowties and going from the F bomb to the C bomb.
17.45 - Growing her community and brand reps and having raving fans!
19.48 - The most bonkers stuff Kerry has done to get her business and products out there.
23.11 - Appearing in the Daily Sport dressed as a giant penis.
24.17 - Pitching to UK retailers and getting her products in Pets At Home.
28.23 - What it’s like to go viral.
31.10 - What it’s like to get nasty comments and how Kerry turns them into ‘content gold.’
33.08 - What it’s like behind the scenes when orders go crazy from viral posts.
35.16 - What happened when Gemma Atkinson bought a bandana for her dog.
36.45 - How Kerry totally ignores all social media advice and is herself.
38.05 - Kerry’s advice to anyone who is holding back on social media and why the shouldn’t tone themselves down.
38.53 - No-one is safe from the savagery of social media.
40.47 - Not being afraid to fail publicly.
42.03 - Kerry’s experience of burnout and taking a year out.
46.16 - Thoughts on resilience and having a strong business that could continue when Kerry felt low.
47.17 - Copycats and how they fire you up to be stronger.
52.29 - Keeping going and standing out.
54.02 - Kerry’s health transformation and how that’s impacted on her business.
58.13 - Getting a part time job and how that’s helped her with her business and feeling more positive.
1.01.02 - My own emotionally fragile time and what I needed to do to pick myself up.
1.05.14 - How Kerry stops herself comparing to others and self care, Mel Robbins and sunlight first thing!
1.06.54 - Kerry’s new dog harness range.
1.08.15 - How the money for the harness range came from an insurance policy from her late father.
1.14.23 - What her dad would think and how good things can come from challenging times and loss.
1.17.12 - How to find out more about Kerry.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Pet business content planner: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/product/pet-business-content-planner/
Visit Kerry's website: https://frankysbowtique.com/
Follow Frank and Brenda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankandbrendaruletheworld/
Follow Franky's Bowtique on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankysbowtique_ltd/
Follow Franky's Bowtique on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@frankysbowtique
Franky's Bowtique on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Frankypantspetboutique
Further listening/reading
Should you buy my pet business content planner?
How to use the pet business content planner
Dealing with copycats with Debbie Humphreys from Redhound for Dogs
Putting your personality into your marketing with Alex McCann from AltrinchamHQ
Stuff the social media rules and do things your way with Colette Adwin
Creating a business that works for you with Jane Ardern
How to create a pet business social media calendar
