Q&A with Min Lee from Honest Paws

What encouraged you to join the pet industry?

As cliché as it sounds, I have always loved animals. There is an innocence about them that offers something that is hard to duplicate with people. Combined with the fact that our pets don’t judge us due to their unconditional love, being in the pet industry was simply a no-brainer.

How does the overall pet industry compare today to when you joined? 

Humanization, or the theory that products that are popular with humans have potential in the pet space, has certainly become more apparent. Additionally, from ingredients to packaging to typically human services, there are higher expectations from consumers with pets. This is a good thing as it pushes us to higher standards and to consistently improve our offerings.

Which pet industry trends have caught your attention and how is Honest Paws addressing them?

Following the humanization trend, many of the qualities people expect for themselves are now expected of companies like ours. Specifically, in the CBD category, organic products that are lab-tested have now become standard. Packaging has now become more important than ever.

How is Honest Paws setting itself apart from competitors within the pet industry?

Products focused on specific use cases is something that we have pioneered in our category although we’re starting to see more brands emulate this. We continue to actively pursue other effectively known ingredients that can possibly have a synergistic effect with CBD resulting in an even more effective product.

Who has been your biggest advocate and supporter?

Our biggest advocates and supporters have been others within the pet industry. The circles within this industry are smaller than one can imagine, and we’ve had the pleasure of making great friends and supporters of our brand. I have always been as open as possible to meeting other operators to share knowledge, experiences and best practices. It’s so rewarding to hear from a retailer that was referred to us by another vendor. That really means a lot to me. In addition, the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) has been an extremely valuable and supportive organization to which we are very grateful for.