Paws, Passion and Possibility: Meet ISAZ’s Student Entrepreneur 

Big or small, fluffy or scruffy, all shapes and sizes, dogs are “man’s best friend” for good reason. They give their owners so much loyalty and joy, and in return, they flourish when showered with love and care.

No one knows how to treat a fury family member better than Insight Academy of Arizona (ISAZ) student, Ariah, whose passion for canine companions turned into the inspiration for her small business. 

Ariah founded Chow-Chowz by Ariah T in the fall of 2025 after many years of contemplating starting her own business. The growing business specializes in homemade dog treats and handcrafted pet accessories. 

While she had a dream of opening her own business and a passion that sparked her vision, Ariah wasn’t yet sure where to start. However, upon enrolling in Mike Sanders’ entrepreneurship and small business class in the Business CTE Pathway, Ariah finally had tangible steps to opening her own business. 

Through this and other classes with Mr. Sanders, she learned essential business skills including branding and marketing strategy, cost analysis, product development and sales. Rather than just learning these concepts from her textbook, Ariah directly applied it towards crafting her own business. 

With Mr. Sander’s encouragement and tools gained from the CTE curriculum, Ariah went from just dreaming about her business to actually creating it.

At the heart of Chow-Chowz by Ariah T is delicious, nutritious and fresh dog treats. With a variety of flavors from salmon to peanut butter and even seasonal flavors like pumpkin, there is something for every pet’s palette. All Ariah’s treats prioritize healthy and high-quality ingredients.

In addition to treats, Ariah also creates accessories for pets as well. She handmakes bandanas, leashes, collars, travel potty bags and more. Her products come in a variety of patterns, colors and sizes.  

While Ariah’s business grows, she capitalizes on the flexibility of ISAZ’s learning model to not only have time to focus on schoolwork but continue to focus on her individual goals and passions. Not only can she develop her business, but she can use it as a real-world example in her classes and during extracurricular competition with the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club.

As a junior at ISAZ, she balances her academic responsibilities with running her business, managing assignments and deadlines while baking treats, creating products, and fulfilling customer orders. It’s no small undertaking, but Ariah has found a rhythm that allows her to thrive in both.

As Ariah approaches her senior year, she hopes to expand Chow-Chowz by Ariah T even further. She continues to utilize her learnings from her marketing classes to increase her brand awareness, reach new customers, make informed business decisions and expand her product line. 

Ariah is a stand-out student with an incredible work ethic, creative mind and love for animals. She is an inspirating reminder that even a 17-year-old can turn a passion into a thriving business if you have a willingness to learn and dedication to your craft. 

Ariah says, “The biggest advice I could give to small business owners is to never give up! There will always be challenging times in a business, but it’s important to view ‘failures” as learning opportunities on how to improve your business.”Visit the ISAZ Enrollment Page and learn how your student can take advantage of these opportunities too.