The Cecchini family’s entrepreneurship story began with an extraordinary love for their English Bulldog, Tank.
Unlike his two canine brothers, Tank suffered from unrelenting food allergies and painful ear infections. The South Windsor family developed a healthy, all-natural, grain-free dog biscuit just for him. When friends and family kept asking for samples, they recognized they were onto something big. They created their business, The Dog Bone LLC, in 2016.
The company is based out of the Cecchini family home, with the garage turned into a dog-treat kitchen and the basement serving as the packaging department, shipping center, and business office. The Dog Bone products – which include sweet potato, peanut butter-banana and apple-cinnamon-pumpkin treats and more – are sold online and in specialty stores throughout the Northeast.
Sean is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and former Bloomfield police officer. Jackie is a cooking enthusiast and a former real estate agent. They have three adult children, including son, Nick, an artist, whose dedication to the business is unwavering.
When they started their company, the Cecchini family had little formal business background, but they excelled because of their passion for their work, their knowledge of cooking and nutrition, and a team approach to overcoming each obstacle.
“It’s difficult, it’s frightening, and it’s challenging to have to navigate the complexity of the retail environment,’’ Sean says. “But we have a great product and a great customer base. We’re organized, we’re regimented, we have follow-through. Now we want to grow.’’
Although they’ve become very successful, the Cecchinis are debating their next chapter. Should they develop new kinds of dog treats, or expand into the cat treat market? Should they focus on creating a solar-powered kitchen? Should they expand sales beyond New England? Should they hire a marketing expert?
EBV Begins 15th Year with High Expectations
This week, Sean and Jackie join a team of military veterans and their spouses at UConn’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV), a program within the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The successful and highly competitive program, now celebrating its 15th anniversary, is welcoming 15 participants. The in-residence portion of the bootcamp began Saturday, after months of intensive, at-home preparation and online classes.
This year’s cohort is invested in a variety of businesses. Other participants include Brian Lance, of Wolcott, a U.S. Navy veteran who plans to open his own doughnut shop; Chris Connelly, a U.S. Marine veteran, of Quaker Hill, who owns CMB Circuits, launched in 2023 with the goal of providing high-quality circuit board manufacturing and repairs; Vincent Knowles, of Orlando, Florida, a U.S. Army veteran who owns Lights, Camera, Action Barbershop & Salon; and David Zapet-Castillo, of Shorewood, Illinois, a U.S. Marine veteran whose company, Castle Compliance, provides environmental health and safety services.
Nicholas Martinelli, the EBV program manager and a U.S. Army veteran, says he is enthusiastic about this year’s entrepreneurs. Some 55 applicants vied for fewer than 20 seats.
“This year our age range is a little higher, so our cohort will be a little different. Many of these folks seem to have a firm idea of their business foundation, have already gone through the ideation phase, and are looking to grow, expand and address their publicity needs,’’ he says. The program continues to evolve, gaining more of an understanding about the veterans’ needs, expanding online training for program graduates, and offering continuity with quarterly newsletters.
This week’s event will feature guest alumni from previous cohorts showcasing their accomplishments. At the completion of the program, cash awards will be presented to three startups. Judges will include Paul Carrier, owner of The Warmer Upper, an American-made lap throw, and a U.S Air Force veteran; and Carrie Wulf, the owner of Wulfden Professional Solutions, a business consultant and strategist, and a retired military spouse.
‘We’re Here to Learn’
Sean says he is enthusiastic about the quality of the program, which includes everything from accounting classes to training on how to present a business pitch. But he’s equally excited to meet the other veterans.
“One thing that alleviates the stress is that you’re among military people,’’ Sean says. “They’re not going to mislead you. There won’t be any integrity issues.’’
For the Cecchinis, the military lifestyle is still part of their fabric. When The Dog Bone had a storefront in Vernon a few years ago, they even started the workday with 10 a.m. roll call.
Although they are serious about the business, the Cecchinis run The Dog Bone with a sense of humor, and clearly enjoy each other’s company.
“The key is you gotta have fun with it,’’ says Sean, who enjoys working from home after many work shifts away from his family. He and Jackie like to tease Nick about the time he made the peanut butter-banana cookies and forgot to add the peanut butter. That batch didn’t sell.
Nick listens intently to his parents talk, while simultaneously crafting dozens of dog treats.
“There’s the brains, the brawn, and the diligent,’’ Nick quipped.
Jackie is the company’s chief researcher, and she is dedicated to nutrition, quality ingredients, and good health—for humans and pets. Their pet kitchen is filled with cookie molds, custom equipment, and even a device to brand designs into treats.
“Our competitive advantage is our wholesome ingredients. Having learned as much as I have, I’m even happier I chose the ingredients we use. I did a lot of research, a lot of brainstorming ingredients,’’ she says. The extended family misses her cooking, particularly her grandmother’s amazing coffee cakes. “They ask me, ‘Are you ever going to cook anything for people again?’ ‘’ she says, laughing.
“We have a great product, and we have many customers,’’ Sean says. “We need guidance and access to systems from EBV. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel when we have so many experts who can guide us.’’
“I believe our lives will change because of EBV. Jackie got our business off the ground, but EBV will just blast us into space!,’’ he says. “We’re here to learn. We love being together, and we love having a thriving family business.’’
If you would like to learn more about the EBV, please contact Nicholas Martinelli, Program Manager, at nicholas.martinelli@uconn.edu
