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Byline: DOUG TSURUOKA
At first, Lars Wulff didn't expect much joy running Mud Bay Granary. His mother had started the one-store business with his sister Yolanka in the 1980s to sell natural foods for dogs, cats and wild birds.
He left his job as a political consultant in 1993 with the idea of getting the Olympia, Wash., business in shape so it could be sold.
But after joining the business with his MBA grad sister Marisa, Wulff found it could be profitable and fun.
The first thing the family did was bone up on the fine points of pet nutrition. They read books, clipped articles and talked with customers until their folders bulged with data on animal nutrition, food preparation and packaging. As their products became more fine-tuned, pet owners sang their praises throughout the Puget Sound area.
Business was soon booming.
Mud Bay then faced the challenge of all growing businesses. It needed to get a clearer picture of its finances while securing more capital to expand its reach with customers.