Kanchan Singh, Founder and CEO of Crumbs & Whiskers, joins Melissa on the mic for our Everyday Woman series. In 2014, Kanchan visited an elephant sanctuary in Thailand that helped reignite her lifelong passion of animal welfare. Upon returning to the states, Kanchan Singh quit her corporate job and opened a kitten and cat cafe called Crumbs & Whiskers, to help reduce euthanasia in shelters. Much to her surprise, Crumbs & Whiskers was a massive hit that attracted an overwhelming amount of public interest, including celebrities and news stations. The more successful her business became, the more her mental health suffered and the impact of her childhood trauma came to the surface.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Growing up in India and discovering a passion for animal welfare at a very young age
- Volunteering at animal shelters and discovering the dark side of non-profits
- Dreams of becoming a social entrepreneur with a business model that helped the community
- Traveling to Thailand and visiting an elephant sanctuary and a cat cafe
- Returning to the states and opening a cat cafe business at 24 years old
- The trial and error of being a young solopreneur with minimal support from friends, family, and the general public
- Managing an increase of success alongside a decrease in mental health
- Seeking support through therapy and uncovering severe memories of childhood trauma
- Reconnecting with artistry and discovering healing through poetry
- Launching a book, Dear Me, I Love You!
- The meaning of Sisterhood
RESOURCES:
- Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts
- Listen to this episode on Spotify
- Follow Kanchan on Instagram
- Follow Crumbs & Whiskers on Instagram
- Check out the Crumbs & Whiskers website
- Pre-order Kanchan’s book Dear Me, I Love You! on her website
- Read about Kanchan’s hero, Lek Chailert, the founder of Elephant Nature Park in Thailand
