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In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Sandy Stinson, the President of GoodWag, Inc. Sandy’s journey from mortgage loan officer to pet product entrepreneur is a fascinating story of risk-taking and empathy. She shared how her personal need for an easier way to handle pet waste led her to create GoodWag’s signature product, the “PooPail.”

Sandy’s background as an entrepreneur shines through in her tenacity. “When I came up with the idea for GoodWag, I didn’t hesitate. It’s like, if I want this, maybe other people do too,” she explained. Her initial Crowdfunding campaign was a resounding success, with $500,000 in sales within 30 days. However, navigating production hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic was far from smooth. Despite delays and supply chain issues, she persevered, eventually manufacturing the PooPail in the United States.

Today, Sandy is taking GoodWag to new heights through a regulation crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine. “There’s what, 65 million households in America that have dogs? And nobody likes to pick up dog poop. I’ve decided to make that my focus,” she noted. With additional products in development, Sandy’s vision extends beyond just solving a messy problem—she’s aiming to be the go-to company for pet waste solutions.

For those interested in supporting her innovative endeavor, Sandy’s StartEngine campaign is currently live. You can check out her crowdfunding effort at s4g.biz/goodwag.

tl;dr:

1. Introduction to Sandy Stinson: Sandy Stinson, President of GoodWag, shares her journey as an entrepreneur, highlighting her background as a mortgage loan officer and her natural inclination towards risk-taking.

2. GoodWag’s Product Story: The origin of GoodWag began with the creation of the “poop pail,” a solution for dog waste disposal developed out of personal need. Sandy tested the product’s market viability through a crowdfunding campaign in March 2021, raising $500,000 in 30 days.

3. Challenges in Manufacturing: Sandy discusses her struggles with manufacturing during the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain issues and setbacks with manufacturers. Despite delays, she overcame obstacles to successfully bring her product to market.

4. Sales and Expansion: Since launching the product on their website in late 2022, GoodWag has sold over a million dollars worth of poop pails. The company is currently exploring new products and has launched a regulation crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine to support its Growth.

5. Empathy as a Superpower: Sandy identifies empathy as her superpower, using it to understand and solve customer problems, both in her previous mortgage career and in her current business. She emphasizes the importance of listening to customer feedback to improve products and services.

How to Develop Empathy As a Superpower

In today’s episode, Sandy Stinson described her superpower as empathy—the ability to understand and appreciate how others’ lives differ from her own. She emphasized how empathy drives her to create products and live a life that eases the burdens of others. For Sandy, empathy isn’t just a personal trait; it’s a guiding principle in her business practices, helping her connect with customers and design solutions that truly address their needs.

Sandy recounted her time as a mortgage loan officer, explaining how empathy was key in serving her clients. Unlike others who focused solely on sales, Sandy took the time to ensure clients fully understood their loans. She used worksheets and wrote upside down to walk them through complex details, emphasizing, “You’re not leaving here until you understand everything.” This patient, empathetic approach led to her clients being well-prepared for their financial commitments, resulting in fewer foreclosures among her customers.

Tips for Developing Empathy:

1. Know Your Weaknesses: Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses and understand that not everyone shares the same abilities or background.

2. Resist Judgment: Recognize that people are doing the best they can with their skills and experiences. Avoid making assumptions about others’ capabilities.

3. Be Patient: When communicating, especially in complex situations, take the time to ensure others fully understand. Reiterate and simplify as needed.

4. Listen Actively: Incorporate feedback into your actions. Sandy redesigned her product, the poop pail, based on customer feedback, demonstrating the importance of listening to others’ needs.

By following Sandy’s example and advice, you can make empathy a skill. With practice and effort, it can become a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.

Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!

Guest Profile

Sandy Stinson (she/her):

President, GoodWag, Inc.

About GoodWag, Inc.: GoodWag wants to become the go-to company when your dog goes #2.  We tap into the $147 billion pet industry (US only for 2023) in the largely underserved area of pet waste.  Our initial products are SmartPoopy Walking Bags and the PooPail, the world’s first 2-in-1 system for picking up and storing backyard pet waste.  Both PooPail Liner Bags and SmartPoopy Walking Bags are home compostable and biodegradable.  Why preserve dog poo in plastic forever? We want to grow the company with three new products and expand our sales footprint.  

Website: GoodWag.com

X/Twitter Handle: @poopail_club

Company Facebook Page: fb.com/ThePooPail

Instagram Handle: @the.poopai

Other URL: s4g.biz/goodwag

Biographical Information: Sandy Stinson created the PooPail out of necessity.  She took the company from idea to successful business.  With 15,000 units sold only through the GoodWag website, which went live on Black Friday, 2022.

Personal Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009206707398

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sandy-stinson-a8669461/

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Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar

If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.

• Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on October 15, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.

• SuperCrowdHour, October 16, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, we host a value-laden webinar for aspiring impact investors or social entrepreneurs. At September’s webinar, Devin Thorpe will provide an in-depth answer to the question, “Can I Beat the Stock Market with Impact Crowdfund Investments?” Free to attend.

• SuperCrowd Mastermind Group, twice monthly on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at noon Eastern. This group is for entrepreneurs and small business owners interested in raising Money from the crowd. Attend your first meeting free! 

• Superpowers for Good Live Pitch, September 25, 2024. The Live Pitch will stream simultaneously to the e360tv network, Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube and Superpowers for Good. We hope for an audience of thousands! Watch the pitch and invest in the best!

Community Event Calendar

• Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET – Click on Events

• Community Revitalization, Thursdays, 10:00 AM Eastern.

• Community Capital Alternatives for Outdoor Recreation Challenges, Kathleen Minogue of Crowdfund Better speaking at American Trails, October 3, 10:00 AM, free.

• Main Street Skowhegan and NC3 Entrepreneur Finance Workshop Series, September 17 – November 19, 2023.

• Power Your Passion: Funding Social Enterprises Through Crowdfunding, September 19, with Paul Lovejoy, Logan Fahey, Eve Picker and Devin Thorpe.

• Krishi Janani PBC Crowdfunding Virtual Office Hour, Sep 21, 2024, Noon Eastern.

• Investment Week 24, October 19-20, 2024, Los Angeles. 

• Crowdfunding Professional Association, Summit in DC, October 22-23

• Asheville Neighborhood Economics, November 12-13.

If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 8,000+ members of the SuperCrowd, click here.

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Originally Published on https://www.superpowers4good.com/

Devin Thorpe Champion of Social Good

Devin is the CEO of The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation helping diverse founders and social entrepreneurs raise capital via impact crowdfunding. He is also a bestselling author who calls himself a champion of social good. His most recent book, How to Make Money with Impact Crowdfunding, is an investment guide for everyone. He has produced about 1,500 episodes of his show featuring luminary change agents, including Bill Gates. His books—read over 1 million times—help people do more good. He has helped nonprofits raise millions of dollars via crowdfunding. He draws on his experience as an investment banker, CFO, treasurer and U.S. Senate staffer. He earned an MBA at Cornell. Frequently finding himself on airplanes, Devin is grateful to be middle-seat-sized.