We had the good fortune of connecting with Ilana Green and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ilana, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I founded Pawsitively Delicious because of my love for cooking and my love for dogs. I wanted them to enjoy my dogs to enjoy my cooking but in a safe way. Everyone loves their dogs, they aren’t called man’s best friend for nothing. Many dog owners treat their dogs like their children. Sure there are many dog treats out I the world, even many organic dog treats. However, there aren’t many treats that look like human food. Just like parents, dog owners only want the best for their fur babies. Many times, our delicious human treats are not dog friendly and can make them very sick. Making it difficult to have them enjoy our delicious snacks. Pawsitively Delicious specializes in making dog friendly treats that are inspired by human food. Not to mention all my hand- made treats have organic ingredients. Giving your pups the best of both worlds. Everything down to our packaging of products makes it feel like your dog is getting bakery grade treats for their enjoyment.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Pawsitively Delicious is a small business based out of Savannah, GA where I create organic dog treats and other cute dog accessories such as bandanas! During the pandemic, I began making treats for my two pups, Camilla and Mateo, just for fun. I love cooking and just wanted to make something my pups could also enjoy without getting sick. After a little while of doing this, my friends started asking me to make some of my treats for their dogs, and it just grew from there. That same year I formed Pawsitively Delicious, LLC and moved to Savannah, GA. Moving to a new city where you don’t know anyone and starting a business at the same time was definitely a lot to tackle, but I started small and made small goals that I was able to meet. I’m a firm believer that as long as you have a vision and can break that vision up into small goals everything is possible. I know that I didn’t know much about the pet industry or running a business, but these days we are surrounded with resources that can be used to find people that do have a little more information regarding your industry. So I took time to research and network with people and eventually I was able to begin selling my products at different pop-up events. I would like for people to be inspired by my story and just know that you aren’t alone and can spread positivity in everything that you choose to do!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am a complete foodie, so eating through Savannah is one of my favorite things to do. There are so many different types of food and so many restaurants to try. I’ve lived here for about 2 years now, and am still discovering new restaurants! For my friends that come to visit, if they like to do brunch we go to Collins Quarter. Following brunch we can go to the historic district and Broughton Street for some walking and shopping. Then we make our way to the Plant Riverside district to grab some sweets from River Street Sweets. Now we are preparing for dinner at Madame Butterfly, my favorite Korean BBQ place. Finally we will wrap up at LuLu’s for their amazing desserts and chocolate martini’s.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Creating and operating Pawsitively Delicious has provided me with the amazing opportunity of meeting other creators. With meeting other people with same interests and goals, I have been able to be a part of a group of wonderful women entrepreneurs or as we like to call ourselves Business Besties. This group led by Angel Johnson, Founder and CEO of ICONI, was created so we can have a space where we are able to be vulnerable with each other and share the good, bad, and the ugly of operating a small business. This safe space has provided so much encouragement and knowledge for me and the other ladies. We are mostly in different industries and are able to run ideas by each other and provide a fresh set of eyes and ears towards any questions that we have. Running a small business has been much easier knowing that I have a group of women that go through similar struggles and whom I can lean on for support and encouragement.

Website: www.pawsitivelydeliciousdogcafe.com

Instagram: @PawsitivelyDeliciousSav

Twitter: @pawsitivelycafe

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PawsitivelyDeliciousSav

Image Credits
No credits these pictures were taken by me.

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