Made in the Ozarks: Copper Paws

Making tags for Patrick Mahomes’ dogs, Steel and Silver, was a highlight of 2020 for Casey Shayne. She said the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback’s mom has the tags, and she plans to deliver them after the Super Bowl.

Shayne’s pet tag business, Copper Paws, has come a long way from starting as a side gig in college. With more than 100 tag designs ready to customize on her website, she’s now on track to reach $150,000 in revenue in 2021.

SBJ: What inspired you to start the business?
Casey Shayne: Ever since I was young, I always knew I was an entrepreneurial spirit and I love dogs. I thought originally that I would do something in the pet business. I just didn’t know what. When I found metal stamping, it was just natural for me.

SBJ: How has the business changed?
Shayne: My whole basement now is full of probably close to 400 different stamps. Starting in college, I didn’t quite have it all together. They started out looking way different than they do now. I watched a lot of YouTube videos, a lot of trial and error, and there’s a lot of people that have since kind of copied what I do. To combat that, I get my own stamps custom made.

SBJ: When did you know the business was a success?
Shayne: Originally, it was just a way to make some money on the side. I was in the accounting field and doing the work as the full-time job, but I just didn’t enjoy it. About two years in, it was 2018, and I decided, you know what, this business keeps growing year after year and month after month. I’m just going to wing it and try and see if I can make it on my own. It was kind of rocky and scary at first, but it turned out to be a huge success.

SBJ: As a primarily e-commerce company, how do you market the product?
Shayne: I have a team of ambassadors. I send them tags and they take pictures that go on Facebook, Instagram and my website. They love the business. I like to think that my tags are geared toward the outdoor adventure lifestyle, so all of my ambassadors do these crazy things, like they live in Colorado and hike the biggest mountains out there. I’ve also got The Super Collies, which were on “America’s Got Talent.”

SBJ: What was the biggest mistake you’ve made so far?
Shayne: Trying to do collars and leashes, as well. Between those and the tags, there just wasn’t enough time in my day.

SBJ: Do you see earnings potential in the pet industry?
Shayne: People are even spending more on their dogs than they do their kids. There’s over 80 million dogs that are owned by people in the United States. I’ve only reached a small percentage of these people; the growth opportunity there is huge. Of those 80 million dogs, 1 in 3 will get lost at some point in its life, and of those, 90% won’t make it home because they don’t have dog tags and they’re not microchipped properly. It’s my goal to have a tag on every dog to prevent those lost dogs from going to the pound and humane societies and getting euthanized.