01945 Summer 2022

20 | 01945
Goodness
Gracious:
a feast
for furry
friends
BY ALLYSHA DUNNIGAN
Goodness Gracious started
out as a local small business
selling organic dog treats,
but has grown into selling
dog and cat treats as well as dog food to
people across the country.
Chief Executive Officer of Goodness
Gracious Amy Renz began this business
in 2009 — when she was running a
software company — as a way to make
healthy treats for her own dogs.
Renz grew up with dogs, but she got
her first dog on her own in 2007 — a
standard poodle named Grace — then
got her sister, Lula in 2008, and then
another dog, Mae.
"They're the ones that inspired me,"
Renz said. "Grace was the inspiration for
'Goodness Gracious' and Lula was the
inspiration for 'Hula Lula,' which is the
name we give to our jerky."
Grace, Lula, and Mae have died, but
Renz now has three other dogs named
Hana, Lily, and Emma.
"Like a lot of parents, either human
or canine, we become really interested in
their health and well-being and I educate
myself a lot on food and what goes into
the food and treats that are available for
dogs," Renz said. "At the same time, I
also learned a lot about the number of
homeless animals and the number that are
euthanized in our country every year."
With this information, Renz thought
she could create her own company that
not only makes a healthy product, but also
gives back.
Goodness Gracious donates 51 percent
of its profits to community animal shelters
and rescues wherever the treats are sold.
"It's kind of like feeding a treat to one
you love and helping another in need,"
Renz said.
This was the idea that motivated her to
take a right turn in life and start her own
business.
Goodness Gracious now ships coast to
coast, meaning it also makes donations
across the country.
Renz turned 40 in 2009 and started
asking herself questions about her life
and career, like "who am I helping" and
realized that she didn't have a really good
answer for that.
"Creating this company was something
that really gave me that good answer,"
Renz said. "I didn't really know who
I was helping at the time, but
now I know for sure."
Renz began her company
by making treats
for her own dogs
in her kitchen,
with no plans
to quit her
job and do
ILLUSTRATION: EDWIN PERALTA JR.
this full time.
But after realizing she had a good product
and a solid idea for the company she
wanted to create, she put a business plan
together and got a small-business loan.
She then went out and rented commercial
space at an old commissary
on Spring Street.
"It was a great little
first spot," Renz said.
More than 10
years later,
Renz has
FURRY, continued on page 22