SCORE Client Stories: Meet Kristi King of Climb-It Cat

Kristi & Cats

At Asheville SCORE we are humbled and honored to work with many different kinds of clients, business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs in Asheville and throughout WNC. Our clientele are action-oriented, driven, and inspiring. Many of them have successfully owned companies in the past and they are looking for new ways to grow their businesses and organizations. Some of them have had an incredibly lucrative career and are now interested in using their skills and passions to move in a new professional direction.

Kristi King of Climb-It Cat is one of these clients and she was willing to share part of her journey with us. Here is her story told during our interview:

Kristi & DoraWhat is your name?

Kristi King

What is your business name?

Climb-It Cat

What do you do?

Climb-it Cat makes eco-friendly products for cats and their guardians to make their lives easier and healthier.

Where did you grow up?

Marin County, California

When did you start the business?

April 2014

How have SCORE services helped you?

Initially when I came to Asheville SCORE we discussed a possible patent for our first product. They also helped counsel us on marketing and pricing.

What was your greatest business success?

A successful Kickstarter campaign where we raised over $10,000. This was extremely exciting.

What one thing do you wish you had done differently with your business?

I wish we had run the Kickstarter campaign after selling some of our products in order to build a larger fan base.

What one piece of advice would you give to new entrepreneurs?

Make sure you are passionate about your business and don’t be afraid of making mistakes, because the first few years are lots and lots of hard work, usually at very low pay. There will be many obstacles to overcome along the way and your passion and courage will give you the strength to keep moving forward.

What do you like to do when you are not working?

Gardening, reading, binging on Netflix, and, of course, spending time with my cats!