A Shropshire vet has launched a new company as part of her mission to help pet owners care for their furry friends.
Charlie Astle of Shrewsbury has launched a new company called ‘Charlie the Vet’ and has already secured a major contract with a leading retailer.
“I want to inspire and empower people with the confidence that comes from having the right tools and knowledge to take care of their pets,” said Charlie, who did a science degree at Cambridge University and then worked in management consultancy and sales before going back to university to study veterinary medicine.
She has been a practicing vet for 10 years but it was the pandemic which gave her the idea to launch her own company and so she completed a business start up course with Bridgnorth-based consultants Good2Great.
“Most of my veterinary consultations were done via phone/video instead of face-to-face. I quickly realised that most of my clients lacked the basic items needed to treat their pet at home.
“I started looking into what first aid kits existed for pets and found most were not fit for purpose, with many containing products that were even dangerous for pets. None contained instructions on how to use the contents safely
“Our first product is a pet first aid kit that comes with a great set of resources showing how to treat minor injuries at home and what to do in emergency situations prior to arriving at the vets.
“Our broader focus is pet wellness, welfare and education and we will be launching a range of products in this category in the future.”
Charlie said that the Good2Great training programme provided her with the key knowledge and skills needed to set up her business.
“The one-to-one mentoring afterwards gave me the confidence and inspiration to make it happen. In addition, the course gave me the opportunity to network with other aspiring entrepreneurs,” she added.
Charlie has secured a contract to provide the first aid kits to The Central Co-Op group. Her business will be supported by a marketing campaign on social media and people will also be able to buy direct from www.charliethevet.com.
The Good2Great Business Programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Marches Growth Hub and managed by Telford & Wrekin Council on behalf of partners Shropshire Council.
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