Sickness Helps Discover Lucrative New Biz
Carol Perkins was leading a glamorous life as a Ford model — appearing in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and modeling for clients such as Victoria’s Secret. Until she got sick.
Women Home Business reports that Perkins was diagnosed with Cushing’s Syndrome, which was caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland.
From a glamorous jetsetter, she became home-bound, with mostly dogs for company. She has always loved dogs, but her hectic lifestyle as a model and constant travels prevented her from keeping dogs in her home.
Perkins realized that she loved crafting doggie outfits and accessories. She then made a decision to turn her newfound hobby into a career. As luck would have it, a magazine editor saw and liked a doggie bed she made for a neighbor, and decided to feature it in a magazine.
That was 1997. After three years fulfilling orders from her kitchen table, she formally launched her business, Harry Barker, in 2000.
Today, her pet accessories company Harry Barker offer collars and leashes, beds, toys and doggie treats. She has recently added a line of environmentally conscious collars and leashes made from recycled plastic bottles. From a “typical entrepreneur in that I didn’t have a clue,” Perkin’s products are now available in her website and in 3,500 stores internationally.
Photo by Women Home Business.
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