Lissie's Story

Self-Employment Success Story

Lissie's Luv Yums (Gourmet Dog Treats)

When Lissie Clark graduated from high school, she knew three things:

• She did not want to work in the fast food industry;
• She liked animals; and
• She wanted to promote awareness and prevention of fetal/ alcohol syndrome.

She started a dog walking service and was doing pretty well, walking three dogs, but she knew she could do better. She wanted to give her charges treats, a good tasting dog biscuit that she made herself. She talked to her mother and a friend about it, and together they began to develop a recipe, testing it on a friend's dog. The biscuits were to be made from only the very best ingredients (flour and wheat berries from Wheat, Montana exclusively), and were to be decorated with beet juice hearts. They began manufacturing them in their kitchen using the family's mixing bowls, cookie sheets, and oven. Lissie was already thinking bigger. She was going to expand her business into "Lissie's Luv Yums", and promote awareness through presentations to groups who wanted to know about her business and her disability.

In order to expand the business, she needed funding for packaging materials, promotional materials, equipment, and a video public service announcement that would act as an advertisement for the products and to advocate for women to abstain from drinking when pregnant. She found the money through a Jobs Training Partnership Project and The University of Montana Rural Institute which granted money to people with disabilities who wanted to start their own businesses. Lissie, her mom, and their friend started "Lissie's Luv Yums"!

In the following three years, what had been a product which was sold only in Great Falls, Montana through the local flea market and friends, has expanded to a company which has customers in many locations in Montana and 15 other states, has a public service announcement (PSA) which is aired on the local Montana TV stations, and has a variety of products, including buttons exhorting "I Luv Lissies Luv Yums". Lissie and her mom make presentations to national conferences that highlight self-employment for people with disabilities in Montana, Nevada, and North Dakota. They also participate in fund raising events for Native Americans. They contract with employees to help them manufacture the products, have a mix so you can make your own biscuits, and have began to contemplate other products related to people's beloved pets.

To order your Luv Yums products call:
Melissa Clark @ 406-453-2531
Or visit the website: http://www.lissiesluvyums.com