Not everyone gets to say this, but it all started with rabbits. 

My journey to e-commerce began in an unexpected place: the rabbit hutches of my childhood home. As a young 4-H member, I showed Mini Rex, Holland Lops, Dutch, and Polish rabbits at county fairs and competitions. While I loved all aspects of raising rabbits, I became particularly fascinated with angora rabbits and their extraordinary wool.

Angora fiber—not to be confused with mohair from Angora goats—is among the softest, warmest, and finest natural fibers in the world. These rabbits aren't typical pets; they're production animals requiring shearing several times yearly. Without regular harvesting, their wool grows continuously, eventually harming the rabbit's health. The fiber is sustainable but demands intensive care and handling.

My curiosity led me to purchase a few angora rabbits, which quickly evolved into my first business venture during high school and college: Happy Hoppers Angora. We raised various breeds, primarily German Angoras, and I learned to process the wool into marketable products that I sold locally and eventually online.

The timing was convenient—my small business was growing just as online marketing was emerging. Needing a digital storefront, I taught myself website development and built my first e-commerce site. To my surprise, I discovered I enjoyed building and maintaining online shops more than tending to rabbits during harsh Midwest winters!

This unexpected path from rabbit breeder to website developer eventually led me to found Penguin E-Commerce. Just as penguins migrate across challenging environments to reach their destinations, I help small businesses navigate the complex journey of e-commerce migration and strategy. Having experienced firsthand the struggles of running a small business when online selling platforms were just taking shape, I feel a deep connection to entrepreneurs working to establish their digital presence today.

I'm passionate about empowering small business owners with the tools and strategies I wish I'd had when starting Happy Hoppers. Whether it's optimizing a Shopify store or completely reimagining an e-commerce strategy, I bring both technical expertise and a fellow entrepreneur's understanding to every project.

And I can’t wait to assist you in building your e-commerce brand!