From Guinea Pigs to Merch: Why LivKapsZoo Loves Dashery
Meet Olivia, the creator behind LivKapsZoo, whose TikTok journey began with a single guinea pig care video that unexpectedly went viral. What started as a love for small pets has grown into a full-blown animal haven, and a brand with merch her fans proudly wear.
"I started off with guinea pigs. I was so passionate about guinea pigs, still am. I posted a video talking about how to care for them and it went viral. I felt very lucky in that moment. I was like, oh my gosh, it went viral. And then ever since then, I've just been super passionate about animals and now I have a zoo."
Why Merch? Why Now?
For Olivia, merch is more than a business move. It’s a way to connect deeply with fans.
"I think it's a great way to connect with my audience as well. I feel like it's a great way for them to have a little part of me in my zoo… I think it's great that my audience can, you know, wear a little piece of me in my zoo out there."
When it came to knowing the “right time” to launch her store, Olivia had this to say:
"I don't think there's really a certain amount of like followers or whatever you should have to start…once you, you know, you're confident in your brand and you're like, I want to share this with people."
Promoting Without the Cringe
Promotion doesn't have to feel pushy or out of character. Olivia keeps it light, funny, and true to her personality:
"I like to make it into like a little funny joke… it's not like a serious thing like you know and people find that very funny and they're like oh but that actually is a very cute design and then they add it to the cart."
She also takes a more organic approach sometimes by simply wearing her merch in everyday content:
"I feel like if you have the design, like you're wearing it, people notice it and they ask you…Where can I get that?"
And how often does she post about it?
"I will incorporate it into like my daily content. So it's not like I'm like, oh, I have to make this video about my merch. It's like, I'm wearing the shirt in my video anyways."
Getting Past the Awkwardness
"I mean, I know it can be kind of awkward to put yourself out there and be like, this is my design. Buy it. I understand it's awkward at first. But once you get past that barrier of just saying “this is my design, this is what I've come up with, I want to share it with you guys,” it comes naturally. I mean, once you're just talking about it, something that you're passionate about, it is so easy."
"Don't be afraid to talk about your brand, something that you're passionate about. Don't be afraid to put it out there… If you're passionate about it, talk about it, wear it, be proud of it, and just get past that first barrier… I was like, oh, what are people gonna think about this? They're gonna love it. They're gonna love it! If you love it, they're gonna love it. So just be passionate."
Why She Switched to Dashery
"Hands down the best communication there is. I could not for the life of me get other, you know, people I've worked with to communicate with me… So I thank the Lord for you guys. I don't think I even have a single complaint for anything over here. So that's the difference. I have no complaints over here."
Design Help That Actually Helps
"Thankfully I have you guys, but if I didn't, honestly, I think I would go to like Fiverr, but then that's like so expensive... You know how to put together exactly what I envisioned."
Ready to Launch Your Own Merch?
If you're a creator looking to turn your passion into products without the stress, Dashery has your back. With free design services for eligible creators, responsive support, and an easy-to-use platform, you can start selling confidently and stay focused on what you do best.
