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What do you do?

Taps & Tails is a  new indoor-outdoor dog bar with agility ramps, a splash pad, and a cocktail bar for dog owners. This new Tremont dog park and bar fills a previously unmet need for dog owners in urban living situations (townhomes, apartments, etc.)

What inspired you to start your business?

Our dog is very high-energy, and we were trying to solve our own problem of getting him his daily exercise without having to spend 1.5 - 2 hours daily in harsh weather conditions. 

What's special about your business?

Taps & Tails is an indoor/outdoor dog park and bar. We know Cleveland, Ohio, weather can be harsh on dog owners. However, that doesn't excuse us, dog lovers, from taking care of our pups! At Taps & Tails, you can exercise and hang out with your dog in a social and comfortable setting while grabbing a beer or a bite to eat. There are bars that allow dogs, but we are a dog park that serves beer.

What have been the high and low points of being a business owner?

High: This has been the most fulfilling experience in our lives. Our customers have sought us out to let us know they appreciate us starting such a fun and practical concept. Many customers have even thanked us for starting the business!
Low: Dealing with many unforeseen issues like the pandemic, red tape within the city causing us delays/money, and difficulty finding reliable and high-quality employees. This has been especially difficult as of late due to the spike in pay rates. 

What is your relationship with SCORE? SCORE client How SCORE helped.

Mark Krosse and Chris Anna Lazar have been an absolute wealth of knowledge. They helped us not get too high or too low when we've had challenging or successful weeks and helped us keep our eye on the prize and focus on the long-term strategy.

What's great about my mentor?

Our mentors have been extremely versatile! Mark has been excellent in terms of social media, software knowledge, dealing with construction/contractor challenges, and cash flow. Chris-Anna has been very helpful in marketing, human resources, and creative operational strategies. 

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting a small business?

Don't be afraid of failure. Learn from it and reflect, and you'll make progress.

What have you learned from your experiences as a business owner?

There's no playbook- most of what we've encountered has been calculated by trial and error. We don't know what will work until we try it.

My mentors

Mark A Krosse

I help aspiring entrepreneurs get started with all key elements of planning a start-up.

If you...

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Chris-Anna Lazar

If you are just getting started, I can help you evaluate your business idea and provide resources...

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