Bucks &amp; Oxon

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="870" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi0-870x1000.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-169280" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi0-870x1000.jpeg 870w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi0-696x800.jpeg 696w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi0-348x400.jpeg 348w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi0.jpeg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px" /></figure>



Hi Emma, you&#8217;re obviously very close to your black Labrador Hildi – the inspiration for your business. How long has she been with you?



I brought Hildi home when she was eight weeks old and she turned four in March &#8211; so we&#8217;ve been together for over four years now, and it has flown by. We are extremely close; I believe you get a single &#8216;one in a million&#8217; dog in your lifetime, and she is mine. We have a truly magical bond &#8211; she&#8217;s the dog I needed.&nbsp;



It was Hildi who triggered your interest in exploring how artificial fragrances are toxic for dogs. What set you off on this scent?



Hildi has a &#8216;house&#8217; under the stairs, which is next to the oven in my cosy cottage. I was cleaning the oven and struggling to breathe because of the fumes (I am very sensitive to smells and chemicals myself), and I suddenly thought how awful it must be for her with such a sensitive nose. After rushing Hildi outside for some fresh air, I started going round the house and thinking about the kinds of chemicals I had been exposing her to. 



There’s been such an increase in the amount of stuff we use in our homes in the last ten years, and it&#8217;s so easy to just go along with this instead of taking a moment to think about their possible effect. I believe that everything we bring into our home affects the energy and the homeostasis of the space, and animals are so much more sensitive to that than humans. I initially assumed that all essential oils (i.e. natural fragrances) would be a safe alternative to chemicals. But after a little research, I found they weren’t &#8211; so I started making my own candles to burn at home, and here we are!



Once the idea for dog-friendly aromatherapy products was born, how did you make it a reality? How did you go about finding suppliers and testing products to bring the idea to market?



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi1-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-169238" style="aspect-ratio:1;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi1-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi1-copy-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi1-copy-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Hildi1-copy-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



This is probably the part of starting the company that took the longest. I believe that things happen and work out at the right time, so I had to practice allowing myself to go about things slowly, to pick things up and then leave them. You&#8217;d think making and selling candles would be simple, but in reality there are a lot of boxes to tick, and hoops to jump through, to make sure you&#8217;ve set everything up properly.



I kept testing, testing, testing until I was happy with the ratio of ingredients. Then I started reaching out to larger companies in the industry to come on board. It was important to me to find UK-based companies who were excited about working on my products. I was so excited about the larger-scale testing because this was when everything started to feel real. By that point, it had been two years since I first had the idea for my business &#8211; and for a somewhat impatient woman like me, it felt I had waited a lifetime.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_439906643_17870613240091178_5784737562817998027_n_1080-800x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-169282" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_439906643_17870613240091178_5784737562817998027_n_1080-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_439906643_17870613240091178_5784737562817998027_n_1080-640x800.jpg 640w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_439906643_17870613240091178_5784737562817998027_n_1080-320x400.jpg 320w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_439906643_17870613240091178_5784737562817998027_n_1080.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



What’s your background? Are you a scientist by training – or are there any other entrepreneurs in the family?



I have a very varied background! My CV includes playing the cello to a very high standard while growing up, working at a local stables in exchange for rides, graduating from Manchester University with a degree in Linguistics and Spanish, spending time living abroad, working in hospitality management, working as a dog trainer, and volunteering for Women’s Aid in Luton. I&#8217;m not sure there is a clear-cut logical path to the entrepreneurial role I have found myself in. However, my one constant over the years is a strong work ethic. I have always been incredibly determined (some might say stubborn) and I learnt to strengthen my discipline muscle to get where I needed to be. My Dad always said the way to make me do something was to tell me I couldn’t.



Did you get any grants or start-up funding to launch House of Hildi?



Not yet &#8211; although it is something I have looked into. I wrote a lengthy business plan for a start-up loan. However my concept was so new, I felt it was too risky at that point. I will look into a loan again in the future should I need to.



How fast did you grow the business?



If you ask me, I’ll say not fast enough &#8211; but if you ask any of my coaches or friends they would say super-fast. I took my first three blends of oils to Christmas craft fairs in 2023, and used them as focus groups and for feedback. I had zero expectations to sell any candles &#8211; I was mostly interested in the feedback &#8211; but we sold out of our first batch before Christmas. The business then re-launched more formally in February 2024 to gear up for this year&#8217;s festive season. We now have three product lines: 30cl candles, wax melts (with Hildi’s own paw print in them), and luxury room sprays.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/HouseofHildi.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-169279" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/HouseofHildi.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/HouseofHildi-800x534.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/HouseofHildi-400x267.jpeg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What have been the biggest challenges along the way?



Patience and perspective! I am definitely prone to trying to rush things, or doing too much at once. It’s such a blessing to have ambition and drive, but it also makes it more challenging to sit back and celebrate the wins, and let the dust settle. I make it a regular part of my working week to reflect on the wins, and to say thank you to myself. I also set clear boundaries around my working hours. I still have my dog training business to run alongside volunteering, horse riding, staying active and trying to keep some form of social life, so balancing things is a constant practice. I think it’s so easy to be hard on ourselves, and to be always pushing for more. But we are always doing our best, and that’s got to be enough.



Do you love being an entrepreneur and all the stress it can entail? Any occasional yearnings to go back to the 9 to 5?



I do. And I absolutely don&#8217;t. My 9-5 career before going self-employed was working in hospitality management. It was definitely not for me. I am much more suited to the stress of being an entrepreneur than the stress of working within someone else’s infrastructure and institution. I am constantly grateful that I can choose my own diary, my own working days, and have that autonomy in my job. I wouldn’t change that for the world.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449627543_17878592739091178_5532817827840179785_n_1080.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-169277" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449627543_17878592739091178_5532817827840179785_n_1080.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449627543_17878592739091178_5532817827840179785_n_1080-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449627543_17878592739091178_5532817827840179785_n_1080-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What are your interests when you’re not working on the business?



I love to cook for the people I love, especially baking. And I volunteer once a week with Women’s Aid in Luton, including working with children in refuge and visiting high schools. That brings me so much joy. I also love being outdoors, especially with Hildi, and I love horses and riding &#8211; so I try and get down to a yard as much as I can. This year I have been blessed with two horse riding holidays: one in Romania and one trip in Canada coming up.



Any more business partnerships in the pipeline?



We have some very exciting partnerships in the pipeline &#8211; but that would be telling. We have recently been stocked in Tetbury Pet Shop near Bristol, and have also featured in the guest directory of Forever Cornwall holiday cottages and Calm Acre Cabin. We are also hosting a botanical illustration class at the Tetbury Pet Shop in September, which I am super excited about. It&#8217;s always been my dream to run events that promote mindfulness and bonding with dogs, slowing down with aromatherapy in the background. So watch this space.



Does Hildi approve of her namesake business? (I’m sure she does)!



I would hope so. I think she enjoys me spending more time at home, and this makes me happy too, so it&#8217;s win-win. Plus, I make sure I buy her treats with profits!



Readers who love their four-legged friends as much as Emma can check out her dog-friendly aromatherapy candles, wax melts and room sprays at<a href="http://www.houseofhildi.co.uk/"> www.houseofhildi.co.uk</a>. Enter the code MUDDYBUCKS to get 10% off your first order.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="999" height="987" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449764814_17878715364091178_1105337218931680955_n_1080.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-169275" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449764814_17878715364091178_1105337218931680955_n_1080.jpg 999w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449764814_17878715364091178_1105337218931680955_n_1080-800x790.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Snapinsta.app_449764814_17878715364091178_1105337218931680955_n_1080-400x395.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px" /></figure>

Muddy meets: the founder of dog-fragrance start-up House of Hildi

You may also like