It’s not enough to have a great product—you need a compelling brand and positioning strategy. For Oh Norman!, this meant using humor and authenticity in their branding (think: “Stop F-ing Itching” and “Your Breath F-ing Stinks” for pet wellness products). 

Instead of trying to be a generic pet brand, they leaned into a bold, real, and relatable identity.

Takeaway: Be willing to repel some people in order to deeply connect with your ideal audience. Not everyone is your customer, and that’s okay.

Stop Striving for the Perfect Launch

Validate Your Idea Before You Invest

The best ideas are often born from personal frustrations. Katie and her co-founder, Kaley Cuoco, started Oh Norman! because they couldn’t find high-quality, natural pet products they trusted. 

Instead of assuming they weren’t alone, they validated their idea by surveying their audience before making a single product.

Takeaway: Use surveys, social media polls, and conversations with potential customers to validate your product idea before you invest in development.

Katie emphasizes that entrepreneurs waste too much time and money striving for perfection before launching. The key is to move quickly, create a small batch, and get real customer feedback before scaling. 

The biggest mistake? Investing heavily without testing whether there’s an actual demand.

Takeaway: Don’t wait until everything is “perfect.” Launch small, iterate fast, and listen to feedback.

Customer Service is Your Secret Weapon

Katie’s biggest advice for growing a business in 2025? Partnerships. 

Collaborating with other brands, artists, and influencers has helped Oh Norman! expand its audience and reach new customers in a meaningful way.

Takeaway: Don’t build your brand in a vacuum. Look for creative partnership opportunities that align with your mission and audience.

Partnerships Can Accelerate Growth

Katie’s journey is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t about having all the answers before you start—it’s about listening, adapting, and taking action. 

Whether you’re launching a physical product, a digital service, or a new idea, the best way to grow is by staying close to your audience and iterating based on real feedback.

So, if you’ve been sitting on an idea, waiting for the perfect moment—this is your sign to start testing it now. Your customers will tell you everything you need to know if you’re willing to listen.

If you loved this conversation, connect with Katie on Instagram and learn more about Oh Norman! on their website!

Final Thoughts

Positioning Over Product: What Makes You Different?

It’s not enough to have a great product—you need a compelling brand and positioning strategy. For Oh Norman!, this meant using humor and authenticity in their branding (think: “Stop F-ing Itching” and “Your Breath F-ing Stinks” for pet wellness products). 

Instead of trying to be a generic pet brand, they leaned into a bold, real, and relatable identity.

Takeaway: Be willing to repel some people in order to deeply connect with your ideal audience. Not everyone is your customer, and that’s okay.

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