Sophomore Lannie Fox enters her craft room after a long day of school, homework, and soccer practice. 

Ding! 

Her phone flashes as she receives a notification. Three new orders have been placed! Fox skims through her drawers, selects the desired ribbon and begins to work. As the sun goes down outside her window, the sound of her sewing machine continues clicking and clacking, her stitching perfectly uniform. Carefully addressing and sealing each envelope, Fox feels a sense of accomplishment. Her business is on a roll, and it’s only up from here. 

Fox started her own dog collar business, Dolled Up Doggie, at the age of 10. While other kids were out playing, she was busy negotiating deals with retailers. It all started as a fourth grade project, ‘genius hour’, where the students could choose a problem and find a solution. Fox decided to donate homemade collars to the Harbor Humane Society. Using leather belts from the thrift store and fabric found around the house, she sewed them into what would be the first of many collars. 

This was when she first realized the potential of her new hobby. 

“That’s when I thought, hey, maybe I can make good collars out of these,” Fox said. “My mom found a website for materials, and I’ve been using it ever since.” 

Fox quickly caught on and began crafting quality collars. She created a workspace in the upstairs of her home to do her sewing and store her materials. 

Now that she knew what she was doing, Fox needed a place to sell. She landed a deal with downtown Grand Haven pet store, Must Love Dogs, and continues to sell there today. 

Must Love Dogs isn’t her only source of revenue, Fox also participates in local summer craft shows and has her own online page, which has brought in customers from all over the world. 

“I’ve shipped to lots of places,” Fox said. “Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany are a few of them.”

Not only do her international sales showcase the success of her business, but the revenue she’s made as well. “I’ve been putting it aside for my future,” Fox said. “For college, and if I don’t end up going to college then I would use it to buy a place.”

Fox has enjoyed watching her small business grow. Since she’s started, her line has expanded to personalized bandanas, leashes, and a variety of seasonal products. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. 

“I was a kid you know? Sometimes I just wanted to do stuff,” Fox said. “I kind of lost sight there for a while but then I got back into it.” 

Sitting in her workspace, you might think Fox has been operating her business for lifetimes. Her tidy organization of materials and neat stack of business cards display efficiency seldom found among teens. 

Fox pulls her Jeep up to the post office and drops her finished products into the mail. As she heads home, she thinks back to where it all started. Her ten year old self would be proud of the challenges she’s overcome and the work she’s put in to get where she is today. Fox plans to continue pursuing her business, dolling up one doggy at a time. 

SHOP LANNIE’S COLLARS HERE