BENTONVILLE, ARK. — BSM Partners named 15-year-old Ava Dorsey the first participant in its new Young Entrepreneur Mentorship Program. Dorsey is the founder and chief pet officer of Ava’s Pet Palace, a pet treat and accessories company.

Founded in 2016, Ava’s Pet Palace began with Dorsey crafting a line of pet treats in her kitchen. Now, the company works with bigger kitchens to meet increasing consumer demand. The company offers natural, premium dog and cat treats certified organic by the USDA, as well as a variety of pet accessories, including leashes, tennis balls, treat dispensers and more. The company’s packaging is developed using sustainable, recycled materials.

Currently, Ava’s Pet Palace serves customers in all 50 states and has a presence in more than 200 retail locations throughout the United States. Following the significant success of her business, Dorsey won WDB’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2020.

“Having already accomplished so much at such a young age, Ava is the perfect first mentee to kickstart our Young Entrepreneur Mentorship program,” said Frank Niles, Ph.D., principal of business transformation practice and startup services group lead at BSM Partners. “Our startup services team has been thrilled to be guiding and assisting Ava through her company's growth, and we look forward to helping other young entrepreneurs break into and flourish in the industry.”

BSM Partners’ Young Entrepreneur Mentorship Program serves as a guide for young, emerging business leaders within the pet food market. The program provides advice and support on product innovation, formulation development, marketing and business, employee and organizational development.

“It's been a great and very productive relationship since meeting everyone on the BSM team,” Dorsey said. “The team members are so caring and provide help and guidance that any startup could benefit from across all areas of business.

“I'm really looking forward to the future of the pet industry that includes the youth this program seeks to help,” Dorsey added. “And I'm so happy they are being active change agents for the future of the industry. Growing and scaling a business can sometimes feel scary, but I now feel very confident and super excited about the future of Ava's Pet Palace.”

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