By Carly Wheeler | Contributor
Taylor alumni Brody ('11) and Bethany ('12) Rathman love their dogs, but they never expected a homemade dog kennel to change the course of their entire careers. The couple moved to Colorado soon after completing college and are co-founders of their business, B&B Kustom Kennels.
Their story began last October. "My husband and I were looking for a kennel for our labradoodles," Bethany said. "When we couldn't find anything we liked, we decided to make our own." The couple then bought supplies and began the project. "We wanted it to look modern, like furniture, because wired kennels are so ugly," Bethany said.
The project took around a month, and after a post on social media, someone noticed their creativity. A woman got in touch and asked if they would make one for her, becoming their first customer. She also posted a photo, which was then shared 66,000 times, reaching over 7 million people.
As the picture was shared and word of their customized kennels spread, the Rathmans were presented with a possible business opportunity as they received global inquires about the kennels. When the photograph went viral during Christmas, they had nothing more than a Facebook page and an email address, until they were contacted by Derek Kinzer ('13). Derek, another Taylor alumnus, played baseball with Brody while at Taylor.
As one of Brody's old friends and someone who worked in marketing, Derek reached out to the Rathmans about creating a website to market their kennels.
"He asked if we needed any help, as he worked in advertising in Arizona," Bethany recalled, "(and) . . . he and his company ended up making the website for us in 10 days."
By August, they had sold 250 kennels, and realized they needed more help. Bethany prayed about who to hire. As prior Taylor athletes, it is coincidental their first four employees were also Taylor student-athlete alumni. Although this was a coincidence at first, the Rathmans began to consciously continue this trend.
"We look for and want to hire Taylor graduates because we know where they're coming from, and they know the culture," Bethany said. "It's cool to have that connection with any Taylor alum, even if you are just running into a stranger (who) has Taylor gear on."
Since January, B&B Kustom Kennels has sold 650 kennels and is on track for around one million dollars in sales for their first year, and these numbers continue to grow. "We are averaging about two orders per day, causing our orders to back up," Bethany said. "The current wait to receive a kennel is about eight months."
"Over 300 families are now proud owners of their very own 'Doggie Den,'" Derek Kinzer said. Kustom Kennels currently has 600,000 likes on Facebook.
In addition, the Rathmans have a feature lined up on HGTV in November, and have prayerfully considered potential partners as they have been presented with opportunities-one with Daymond John, a businessman known for his role on the television show "Shark Tank." As Brody and Bethany continue to expand their business, they plan to sell their house and move Kustom Kennels into a 2,000-square foot warehouse on Bethany's parents' property.
"My friends and family have been so supportive through the whole process," Bethany said. "In the beginning, my mom would bring dinner over and my dad would help my husband, and now they're letting us build on their property because they believe we are going to be successful."
For those currently pursuing a degree in college, Bethany acknowledges she began as a public relations major, switched to physical education and ended up co-founding a business she never dreamed of having.
She also recognizes the value of being a collegiate athlete. "The experience . . . teaches time management, responsibility, good habits and communication skills, and this is what will carry you in life," she encouraged. "You never know what God has planned for you."
