Teen entrepreneur stitches together growing pet brand

Ciara Reid founded Daves Woofly Bandanas at the age of 13. Four years later, the young entrepreneur is balancing school with a self-funded business creating handmade and personalised accessories for dogs.

A sewing lesson from her grandmother in Canada gave Ciara Reid the skills that would eventually help her launch her first business.

When she returned home, her grandparents bought her a sewing machine and she began practising by making simple products such as scrunchies. Inspiration for a new venture arrived through Dave, the family’s rescue Yorkshire terrier.

“At the time we had our rescue Yorkshire terrier, Dave, and somewhere along the way the idea of making a bandana for him came about. I really enjoyed making something that was fun and personal for him, and that eventually developed into Daves Woofly Bandanas.”

The family later adopted Marley, another rescue Yorkshire terrier who has one eye. He soon joined Dave as a model and helper for Reid’s expanding business.

Meeting demand for personalised pet accessories

Ciara Reid with her dogs Dave and Marley

Daves Woofly Bandanas gives dog owners an opportunity to buy handmade accessories for everyday wear and special occasions.

“Dogs are very much part of the family for so many people, and owners increasingly want to include them in birthdays, weddings, Christmas and other special occasions. Handmade and personalised accessories give them a way to do that, as well as being something fun for everyday wear.”

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The business began with handmade bandanas and gradually expanded as customers requested different products. Reid now makes bows, tuxedo-style bandanas and personalised accessories, alongside seasonal collections and designs for birthdays, weddings and other occasions.

She has also received requests for bandanas featuring business logos, an opportunity she had never imagined when she made the first product for Dave.

Every stage of the production process remains in Reid’s hands.

“I do everything myself, from choosing fabrics and coming up with designs to cutting, sewing and packaging each individual order.”

Instagram powers a made-to-order business

Most orders come directly through Instagram, where Reid has developed a strong base of repeat customers.

Some return for different seasonal collections, while others order accessories for birthdays or Christmas. Recognising a returning customer’s name remains one of the rewarding parts of running the business.

Reid has also sold her products at several markets. The experience provided useful lessons about customer demand and stock management, as handmade businesses must produce inventory in advance without knowing which designs will sell.

“With Instagram orders, I can make each item as it is ordered, so there is much less waste.”

The made-to-order model allows Reid to manage the business while completing fifth year at school. She can sew at weekends and during free evenings, fitting orders around her studies and other commitments.

From pocket money to entrepreneurship

Reid started Daves Woofly Bandanas at 13 after neighbours and friends saw Dave’s bandana and asked if she could create similar products for their dogs.

“I realised people actually liked what I was making and were willing to buy them, and earning some extra pocket money at 13 was definitely a bonus!”

She came up with the name and established the business herself. Reid later participated in the Student Enterprise Programme through her school’s business class and placed second in the Junior Category.

“That gave me a lot of encouragement to keep going with it.”

Creativity continues to drive the business, while photographs sent by customers provide Reid with a visible reminder of the growing community around her products.

“I love being creative and coming up with new designs, but it’s also really nice when customers send me photographs of their dogs wearing something I’ve made.”

Reid has also worked part-time in her grandparents’ café business for the past two years. The role has given her experience of a traditional part-time job and helped her appreciate the flexibility that comes with running her own venture.

“I can work from home and fit orders around school and everything else I have going on.”

Starting small in Ireland

Screenshot

The Student Enterprise Programme provided Reid’s first direct experience of Ireland’s start-up community. It allowed her to see what other young people were creating and showed her that running a business involves much more than developing a good product.

Markets and social media have also helped her meet other Irish small businesses.

“One of the biggest advantages now is that you can start very small. I was able to begin at home with a sewing machine and an Instagram account and build things gradually rather than needing a huge amount of money to get started.”

Reid believes young people in Ireland have valuable opportunities to test business ideas, particularly through initiatives such as the Student Enterprise Programme.

“Even if an idea doesn’t become a huge business, you learn so much from actually trying it.”

Growing without outside funding

Daves Woofly Bandanas has remained self-funded since it was established.

Reid’s grandparents provided her first sewing machine, giving her the opportunity to get started. Since making her first sales, she has reinvested revenue in fabrics, materials and the development of new products.

Producing each item herself and working from home allow her to keep costs relatively low. This structure also means she can grow the venture at a pace that works alongside school.

An embroidery machine is among the investments Reid would like to make in the future. She believes it could move the business forward by allowing her to offer more personalised designs and experiment with new product ideas.

Learning what customers really want

Predicting the products customers will buy has been one of Reid’s biggest lessons.

“I still see a fabric and think, ‘This is going to sell amazingly,’ and sometimes it doesn’t, while another design that I’m not sure about can end up being one of the most popular.”

Markets brought that lesson into sharper focus. Preparing for an event requires Reid to produce stock in advance and estimate which designs will appeal to shoppers. An incorrect prediction can result in a considerable amount of unsold inventory.

The experience has made her more careful about the quantity of fabric she buys and the volume of stock she produces.

Reid has also developed a better understanding of the costs involved in fulfilling each order.

“You have to think about the cost of materials, your time, packaging, selling fees and everything else that goes into an order. I’m still learning as I go, but I think that’s one of the best things about having started so young.”

Keeping the business simple

The technology behind Daves Woofly Bandanas remains straightforward.

Reid’s sewing machine is the most important production tool. She uses her phone for product photography and relies on Instagram to display new designs, communicate with customers and take most of her orders.

“I don’t have a team or lots of complicated technology behind the business. Because I make everything myself, keeping things simple actually makes it easier to manage alongside school.”

Four years after establishing the venture, Reid believes consistency is among the most important qualities for a young entrepreneur.

“I would say start small and just give your idea a try. You don’t need to have everything perfect or spend a huge amount of money before you start. I began with a sewing machine, some fabric and an Instagram page.”

The business has experienced quiet periods, while some collections have attracted less demand than Reid expected. She has continued to return with fresh designs and new ideas.

“Four years later I’m still doing it, so I think being consistent and not giving up just because something doesn’t work straight away is probably the best advice I could give.”