Born and raised in nearby Dunlap, Susan Vandergriff is the passionate birdwatcher behind The Happy Birdwatcher Co., a custom birdseed subscription business.
She’s been on quite the journey since launching her company in 2021, leading her to appear on ABC’s “Shark Tank” on Friday, March 7 at 8 p.m. We recently caught up with Vandergriff to ask her all about how she turned birdwatching in to a business.
Can you tell us about how you first got into birdwatching?
I first discovered birdwatching in 2019 — and long story short, I was doing an anxiety-reducing exercise where you utilize all of your senses, and when I got to the part where you name things that you can hear, I heard a bird sing. Then I heard a different bird sing, and I was really curious to see if there was an app that could tell me what birds were singing — and I was immediately hooked.
I became totally obsessed, and the next thing I knew, my family members were gifting me bird feeders and binoculars, and I was all in, a total bird watcher. So, I went to the store to buy a bag of bird seed for the first time, and I was so excited, but I was completely overwhelmed. I grabbed a bag and filled my feeders, but nothing really happened, and I didn’t have a lot of birds.
So, I started doing my own research on birds in my area and what they like to eat. I bought a lot of single, premium ingredients and started mixing up some blends on my kitchen table. This time when I filled my bird feeder, the activity exploded, I was seeing beautiful birds that I had never seen or noticed before.
Was it this success that led you to start The Happy Birdwatcher Co.?
I was at a point in my career where I didn’t know what I wanted to do next, and my husband is a data scientist and he said, “You know what you’re doing, you could do this for anywhere in the country.” I was like, “Yeah I could.” That’s when I decided to go all in and launched The Happy Birdwatcher Co.
Can you speak to the meaning behind the name The Happy Birdwatcher Co.?
I realized how much happier I was feeling with this new hobby around the same time I started seeing several news articles about the connection between birdwatching and happiness. So, that’s where the meaning behind our name comes from, we want people to attract more birds with our blends so that they will feel happier.
It seems that mental health is something that you are passionate about, can you share how your company gives back in that area?
This has been a core part of our business, and I wanted to make sure we had a giving-back component. Since day one, for every 10 pounds of bird seed that we sell, we give back $1 to a variety of charities that help people dealing with mental health issues or addiction.
Can you speak to how your passion for the environment also impacts your business?
We do paper-only packaging because it makes sense — products for nature lovers should be eco-friendly. It still surprises me that we’re the only birdseed company in the US that I’m aware of that is using paper-only, eco-friendly packaging. It’s not always easy to source, and it takes a lot of work and effort on our part, but to me it just makes sense.
Fast forwarding to now, you’re about to make your “Shark Tank” debut. What was the process like?
I think every entrepreneur, especially when you have a product-based business, dreams of getting in the Shark Tank. I always knew in the back of my mind that I would love to do that one day. Soon after we launched the business, I started exploring their website on what you have to do to get on the show. I was just periodically checking the website to see if there were going to be any open call auditions in the area.
Last January, they released their open-date auditions for 2024, and there was one coming up in April in Norfolk, VA. I decided I would make plans to go, but I almost backed out a couple of days before I was supposed to go. The business was busy, I have two teenagers and a toddler at home, and I just thought it was crazy since the chances of making it are so slim. Between 30,000 and 40,000 apply to go on the show every year — and less than 100 actually make it on the show. My husband cheered me on to go, so I went and stood in line for hours for the audition and came back and waited to see if I got called for the next step.
What did it feel like when you received the call that you were moving forward on the show?
I felt really good when I left the audition, and it was so surprising to see the number pop up on my phone. I was very optimistic when I left the audition, I felt like I had a shot at this.
Without any spoilers can you share what it was like to pitch your business and receive feedback from the Sharks?
It was surreal, you see it on television, but when you walk in the tank, it’s like, “Wow, I’m actually here.” I was very prepared and comfortable speaking in front of people, but standing there with all eyes on me was intense, and my heart was racing. It was much more emotional than I think I was expecting.
Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs on pitching their businesses?
Prepare and be authentic. I think that people are going to spot if you’re not true to who you are and what your business is all about. It’s hard to fake, I think a genuine passion and love for what you’re doing — if you stay true to yourself and true to your business, people will see that and respond well.
To see the results of Vandergriff’s pitch, you’ll have to tune into “Shark Tank” on Friday, March 7. Pro tip: Now is a good time to place an order with The Happy Birdwatcher Co. as the “Shark Tank” effect, where a high influx of orders after the show, is expected to take place.
