Kim Hehir and Sue Delegan, Founders of Brutus Broth are this week’s featured Women of Wisdom.

Their Mission: To share the benefits of our broth with as many dogs as possible. We create broth and broth-related recipes that are both tasty and nutritional. As the only bone broth for dogs on the market that is fortified with glucosamine and chondroitin, Brutus Broth can give dogs the added joint and hip protection that so many animals need. It is easily digestible and helps naturally detoxify a dog’s system. Bone broth has also been known to help with food sensitivities and allergies. Our bone broth is non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, low fat, low sodium, and contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

"Kim Hehir and Sue Delegan founders Brutus Bone Broth"

This is their interview:
  • What/who inspires you?  
    (Sue) My father has always been a huge inspiration to me.  He is the one that instilled an entrepreneurial spirit and taught me that no matter how tough times may seem, never feel defeated.  Why work for someone else’s dream when you can build your own?   
  • What’s been the most surprising thing that has happened on your journey to Wisdom? 
    (Sue) That no matter how long you have been on your journey, you continue to learn and grow. 
  • What’s your typical day like now? How is it different from your daily routines in the past?
    (Kim) As founders of Brutus Broth, there are no boundaries in the workday.  Our days are never the same.  In the past, we would go to an office for a certain amount of time.  Now that we’re virtual, our office is everywhere and our cars double as conference rooms. 
  • What do you enjoy most about what you do?
    (Kim) Through Brutus Broth, we’ve been able to give back in so many ways.  I really enjoy helping animals in need and mentoring the future generation of entrepreneurs.  I also love being able to bring ideas to life.
  • What advice would you give a woman over 40? 
    (Kim) Don’t underestimate the importance of balance. (Sue) Make sure you take time for yourself both physically and mentally.  I pencil my workouts in as meetings.   
  • What, if anything, would you have done differently in your life? 
    (Kim) I can’t say that I would have done anything differently.  
  • What things are most important to you now? Why? How have your dreams and goals changed through your life? 
    (Sue) This sounds so cliche but what’s important to me is being in the moment, whether I am with my kids, my husband, friends or colleagues.  Being present is not as easy as it sounds.  It is something I have had to work on.  I make conscious efforts to put down the phone, not think about a business transaction, or worry about what needs to get done tomorrow.  It is about giving 100% of myself to the moment.  My dreams and goals have always stayed pretty consistent.  I have always been driven to find success at something that I am passionate about.  It has happened with Brutus Broth.  
  • Tell us about any community projects you are involved in and why you support them?
    (Kim) Both Sue and I strongly believe in community service.  We are involved in so many ways, from supporting animal rescue organizations across the country to building our Kids Committee in an effort to teach entrepreneurship and philanthropy to today’s youth.
  • What advice would you give your younger self?
    (Kim) Listen more and ask more questions.
  • What do you do for fun/relaxation?
    (Kim) I enjoy traveling whenever I can steal a few days away.  I also enjoy playing tennis and spending quality time with  friends & family
  • What’s next for you (or what’s left on your “bucket list”
    (Kim) There are so many places I still want to travel and experience with my friends and family. I love the creative journey and want to invest in small start ups when I can afford to.  I’d also love to fully fund an animal shelter.
  • What’s your ‘secret’ indulgence?
    (Sue) This is embarrassing to admit and my husband tells me it is going to rot my brain but…reality TV.  Honestly, it is something I can do that makes me switch off my brain and get sucked into drama! 
  • What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why? 
    (Sue) I personally loved Phil Knight’s book Shoe Dog.  When people think of Nike they may think that it was an instant success.  It took Phil Knight years and years of failures and work to build one of the most iconic brands in the world.  It is inspiring to know that even one of the most successful business owners was “in the trenches” at the beginning.    

About Your Business

  • How did you get your idea or concept for the business? When and why did you start your business?
    (Sue)  Our story began on Thanksgiving Day 2016 when a family member asked me how my rescue pup, Brutus, was living such a long life.  Well into his years as a senior dog, Brutus lived a happy life and active life.  We found that adding Bone Broth to his diet not only provided him with a tastier meal but, also gave him added nutritional benefits that helped his aging joints, gut health, and more. Not only that, he loved the taste and adding the broth to his dry food made it more easily digestible. The challenge was finding a way to share these benefits with other dogs.

    (Kim)  Sue came to me and right away I thought it was a great product idea because there was nothing on the market like it.  She tapped me to help bring the idea to market and together we went right to work, spending thousands of hours researching the pet market, speaking to industry experts, testing recipes, coming up with packaging prototypes, and working with manufacturers and suppliers to bring Brutus’ Bone Broth to life.​​​
  • To what do you attribute your success?
    (Kim) Relationships, research and really hard work.
  • What is unique about your business?  
    (Sue) We have been very thoughtful in every aspect of our business.  Kim and I are both moms and we wanted a platform where kids could learn about building a business and being philanthropic.  That is why we created our Kids Committee. The Kids Committee is made up of kids 6 to 16 years of age.  They receive quarterly newsletters that contain  “learning moments”, interesting facts about dogs, recipes, and charity spotlights.  The kids are also instrumental in helping us choose the charities we give back to.  
  • What made you choose this type of business/career?
    (Kim) We wanted to bring an amazing product that helped Brutus live a long, healthy life to market so that others dogs could too.
  • What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? 
    (Kim) The relationships we’ve fostered have been instrumental to the growth of the business. For us, it’s not just about making a transaction.  It’s about nurturing and growing relationships in all aspects of our business.
  • What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
    (Sue) Prior to founding Brutus Broth, I had another start-up in a different industry.  Unfortunately it didn’t work out due to manufacturing issues.  Though it was in a completely different field than I am in now, what I took away from it was my knowledge of manufacturing, production, logistics, sales, etc.  The valuable information I learned during my time with my previous business is what made me a success today. 
  • What advice would you give to someone just starting out?
    (Kim) Do your homework, beta test everything, and make sure you love what you do.  Believe in yourself and what you are doing or no one else will.
  • What’s been the best advice you received as a business owner? 
    (Sue) To always find a way.  Kim and I believe that if the front door is locked, try the back door, and if that is locked, go through a window.  It is how we have grown this business.  We take a “no” as a “not yet” and we find another way.  
  • What is one business idea that you’re willing to share with our readers? 
    (Sue) We have a lot of business ideas but your readers would all have to sign NDA’s! 

 

 

 

 

 


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