In this ongoing series, we're sharing tips, advice, and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.)

Please give us your business elevator pitch.
I'm Sue Delegan, co-founder and CEO of Brutus Bone Brotha woman-owned and operated family business committed to nurturing pets and giving back to the community. My sister, Kim Hehir, and I were inspired to share our family's recipe for bone broth credited with extending the life of my elderly rescue dog, Brutus. We wanted to make dog-friendly nutritional bone broth accessible to all pet parents.

What inspired you to create this business?
Our business started with our beloved Brutus, who we adopted as a 6-month-old puppy. When I first saw him, he started slowly wagging his tail with his head down. It made me stop in my tracks. I went to him and started petting him. He had no fur on his face or chest (he had mange) and was bigger than the other dogs – about 6 months and 40kg. I knew we had to take him home because no one else would. Despite a very challenging start to his life, we were able to nurse him back to health using our family recipe for bone broth. Brutus lived a long and healthy life until he was 14 years old, which is well beyond the typical lifespan for a dog of his size. We decided to share our family recipe with other pet owners who, like us, wanted a way to help their dogs live longer and happier lives. After receiving countless compliments and stories of improved dog well-being, we wanted to make our delicious and nutritious recipe accessible to all pet owners and founded the business in 2017.

Related: The 12 Best Pet Franchises You Can Buy Right Now

Please show us a “holy @#$!” moment in your entrepreneurial journey.
When we first launched, I was overseeing 200,000 units of packaging from Sweden—the gold standard of sterilized packaging—to New York. Then we discovered we were missing a word in our packaging. It said “with glucosamine” (which is the cartilage-building supplement for joint health), but New York state regulations required it to say “with added glucosamine.” We faced the loss of $125,000 worth of materials and product. But then our holy @#$! moment became our a-ha moment. We came up with a solution to a sticky problem: stickers. We printed stickers covering the words “with glucosamine” with the Project K-9 Hero logo promoting our philanthropic partnership Although our launch was delayed by a month, we ended up saving a tremendous amount of time and money if we had removed it and had started from scratch.

What is your advice for entrepreneurs looking for funding?
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to evaluate all of your financing options. So many fellow entrepreneurs think they need to raise capital, but there are many other forms of capital. We got an SBA loan, a line of credit with our bank and we also got a grant. This has allowed us to preserve our capital and grow. So many other founders give away their companies and end up on bad terms because they didn't know they had options.

What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?
To me, “entrepreneur” is synonymous with “collaborator”. Starting a business is not a solo endeavor, and it really does take a village. While I had the privilege of working with my sister, and earlier in the process with our dad, I've learned when to ask for support and how to tap into a larger network. Especially as female founders, it's so important to hear from others what led to their success and share our expertise with the next wave of entrepreneurs. Growing a team you believe in goes beyond a hiring process and requires an incredible amount of trust and vulnerability. The company you keep affects your current company, and these dynamics ultimately lead to productivity and profitability.

Related: How to Manage Cash Flow for Your Pet Business

What is something that many aspiring business owners think they need that they really don't?
While other people's input can provide helpful perspectives, all you need to do is trust your gut. We got a lot of advice about selling only to pet stores because it would be “crazy” to try to launch a national brand. But we wanted to help as many pet owners as possible. Advice can often be so helpful, but sometimes you have to take it with a grain of salt. I would encourage aspiring business owners to stick to their guns in making key decisions that affect their business and target consumers.

Is there a particular quote or saying that you use as personal motivation? Explain how it inspires you.
Our father used to say: “If it was easy, everyone would do it.” It sounds weird, but it's 100 percent true. Although entrepreneurship is not always easy, you must fully believe in your product and be passionate about it. When you have your doubts, that passion will keep you going.

Related: 5 Ways to Expand Your Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Business