Today, we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Zick.
Hi Brittany, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
First of all, thank you so much for having me back again. I always enjoy sharing about my life and business.
As far as how I got to where I am, it’s quite simple: I’ve just been obsessed with creepy crawlies my entire life. Some of my earliest memories in childhood are of me digging under logs and rocks, looking for anything I could get my hands on. I was constantly building small habitats inside empty pickle jars with holes in the lids.
My fascination with insects continued to develop, and I would just keep going back to it at various points in my life in different ways. I learned to pin insects, I would go to the butterfly exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, I would go on frequent walks at the Armand Bayou Nature Center and worked at a couple pet stores.
As I grew older, I realized I really wanted to work with insects to make art, but I was finding it hard to locate specimens that were ethically collected and affordable. Everywhere I looked, there were either cheap specimens from shady backgrounds or ethnically sourced specimens that were extremely expensive.
I saw this as a niche that needed to be filled with ethical and affordable insect specimens. So I set about locating insect breeders overseas that didn’t collect specimens from wild spaces… And here I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ve definitely had my share of obstacles along the way.
Finding ethical breeders, getting an import license, dealing with importing itself, and getting specimens sent back to their original country and then coming back again have all been something I’ve learned to overcome.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The main goal of my business is to supply ethically sourced insects and some other oddities to customers in the US looking for affordable options. I also go to markets pretty often with ready-made items like insects in frames or domes.
I think what sets me apart is the fact that I’m open about my practices, willing to mentor to the best of my ability, and I’m great at communicating with my clients.
I absolutely love working with people to fulfill their needs, and I enjoy having conversations with them outside of business-related things.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Finding a mentor in the insect world is extremely hard and the best advice I have for that is to talk to other people doing the things you want to do.
Some of my best connections are people that I have randomly spoken to at markets who are interested in the things that I’m doing. You have to be open to conversations and connecting with others; otherwise, you will remain stagnant.
Pricing:
- Prepared Framed Specimen ($40+)
- Unspread Specimens ($3+)
- Commissions ($50+)
- Classes (Contact For Pricing)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.deadstuffclub.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/deadstuffclub
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deadstuffclub
