Women in the Pet Industry: Meet Nana Pfeifer of Homescape Pets

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Pet nutritional supplements are high priced and, yet, increasing more and more well-known among today’s pet mom and dad. Nana Pfeifer, co-founder of Homescape Pets, is leveraging her passion for animals and advertising history to faucet into the pattern toward pet wellness though keeping affordability at the forefront. But for Pfeifer, keeping her enterprise and her customers’ furry companions healthier and flourishing is only a single part of her system for achievement. As the first Black woman-owned pet health supplement brand, she also hopes to encourage and advocate for other rising minority- and BIPOC-led corporations.

“Having far more representation and variety in the pet market is sorely necessary,” she mentioned. “I’m enthusiastic to be capable to be a source for up-and-coming minorities in the pet market who are just obtaining commenced or who want to connect.”

In the adhering to Q&A, Pfeifer aspects her entrance to the pet marketplace, the benefit of constructing transparency and group, and why “less is more” when it will come to her brand’s complement formulations.

PFP: Inform us about your company or profession in the pet field.

Pfeifer: Launched on Amazon in 2018 and on our internet site in 2019, Homescape Pets generates health supplements and chews that aid wellness and therapeutic from some of the most frequent health and fitness difficulties dogs and cats encounter: anxiousness, swelling, mobility, and dental illness. We are deeply rooted in holistic pet wellness — caring for the complete animal and acknowledging not only their bodily health wants but their psychological and social needs as nicely.

We released with just one natural tincture formulated to aid alleviate discomfort and inflammation. We have since expanded our choices to 5 supplement SKUs serving a wide variety of wellness demands, such as a CBD oil and a exceptional joint powder with CBDA [cannabidiolic acid]. We also give a extensive selection of useful chews and treats.

The pandemic noticed a sizeable enhance in pet possession and, with it, a lot more awareness on purely natural dietary supplements and more healthy foods. As a final result, we’ve skilled thrilling advancement and a push for our items to be sold in stores. Which is coming this year.

We think in the adage “Less is More” and, with that in thoughts, we use a few or fewer ingredients in our health supplements and we only use the highest quality natural and organic total herbs and oils. Our line of Merely Purely natural Chews is one-component, genuine meat, and gradual- and lower-temperature dried to keep the highest vitamins and minerals. You will not see preservatives, artificial flavors, or unrecognizable components in any of our solutions. Animals and their moms and dads should have better.

By developing uncomplicated-to-have an understanding of and simple-to-administer nutritional supplements, we intention to assist prevent some of the most common pet illnesses before they begin. Our intention at Homescape Pets is to supply harmless and powerful nutritional supplements and supply relatable schooling that empowers pet mom and dad to boost the lives of their pets. Every pet mum or dad deserves to be the hero of their pet’s existence and wellbeing.

PFP: How did you get your start off in the pet sector, and how did that experience guide you to the place you are now?

Pfeifer: Prior to setting up Homescape Pets, I used extra than 20 decades in equally hospitality internet marketing and the beauty marketplace, each of which are rather far eradicated from the pet room.

I entered the pet business soon after my very own puppy, Beau, became unwell and I commenced searching for very simple, clear items to enable her get pleasure from her remaining time. What was most crucial was acquiring powerful supplements and foodstuff with really couple elements. I required diet and wellness alternatives that would not negatively interact with her healthcare protocol. But extra than that, I necessary options that would support her prosper.

Most of the foods and nutritional supplements I identified had preservatives, nebulous “natural” flavorings, and carb-significant fillers. Even worse however, the solutions I located that have been suitable had been also inordinately expensive. So, when I in the end could not discover the better, healthier, a lot more very affordable selections I was wanting for, I commenced to produce them.

Doing work with an integrative veterinarian and diving deep into canine nourishment led me to develop a line of nutritional supplements with three or much less components and to a short while ago introduce a line of solitary-ingredient chews. Homescape Animals is Beau’s legacy.

PFP: What has been your largest problem — private or specialist — linked to your operate in the pet sector?

Pfeifer: The major problem has been receiving the sector to take and have an understanding of pet health supplements. Several of us are just barely understanding them for our personal health and fitness. Pets are even farther taken out. We are conditioned to think of health supplements as “hippie-like” or snake oil, when almost nothing could be further from the reality. They are effective, protected and reasonably priced. Finding that message out has been a problem.

For that, we have to thank our amazing buyers for their support and rely on. They’ve shared their own stories of how Homescape health supplements have enhanced the life of their pets. They’ve also attained out to retailers to check with for our goods. Our shoppers have been our finest advocates and cheerleaders.

PFP: Inform me about a skilled accomplishment in the pet business that you are very pleased of.

Pfeifer: An interesting minute was successful the “Most Ground breaking Organic Pet Supplement” for our Mussel Mobility joint powder in the 2021 Lux Everyday living Awards. We had been nominated by both equally our peers and prospects. This allows us know that pet parents are trying to get far more holistic and novel alternatives for their fur households, and we are thrilled to be a component of this shift.

An additional factor that is not automatically an accomplishment but that I’m exceptionally proud of is that Homescape Animals is the 1st Black girl-owned pet complement manufacturer. Acquiring additional representation and diversity in the pet field is sorely needed. I’m enthusiastic to be capable to be a source for up-and-coming minorities in the pet business who are just acquiring started out or who want to join.

PFP: What is major of intellect for you and/or your organization in the business appropriate now?

Pfeifer: Getting a tiny brand with a pretty small group of two, practically everything is major of brain for us. Proper now, our major target is growing Homescape into nearby retailers right here in Austin, Texas. From there, we seem ahead to escalating into larger sized retail marketplaces.

PFP: If you could pick three trends influencing the marketplace these days, which are the most significant and why?

Pfeifer: Purely natural elements, brand name transparency and local community.

Pet parents are increasingly searching for out more natural and clean well being selections. Not all pets have the same wellness demands, so the conventional a person-sizing-matches-all kibble is executing pets a disservice. Pet house owners have develop into more knowledgeable about their specific pet’s nutritional and life-style needs and are opting for far more constrained-component, human-grade, raw, and carefully cooked options than at any time just before. Our hope is that the increased desire in natural goods is not just a trend but in its place will become the norm.

The motivation for far more purely natural items also needs brand names to be much more clear and truthful about their sourcing, processing and testing. Pet mothers and fathers now count on to be ready to head to a web page or social media website page and uncover out what’s happening driving the scenes of their favored pet brand names. And we must be content to provide that info.

“Our hope is that the elevated curiosity in natural products and solutions isn’t just a craze but in its place gets the norm,” mentioned Nana Pfeifer, Homescape Animals.

Animals are our family members. We’re observing an maximize in their humanization, from birthday and “gotcha-day” functions to pet clothes strains to human-grade foods. With that arrives a wish to connect with the makes that you’re entrusting with your pet, in addition to connecting with like-minded pet mother and father. I hope that we’ll see a lot of extra makes developing pet communities developed all around their products. These forms of pet communities have energy, remaining energy, and guide the cost when it arrives to referrals and manufacturer expansion.

PFP: What is some thing about the pet sector that people outdoors of the marketplace may well not notice?

Pfeifer: Individuals outside the pet field generally undervalue how essential pets are to our life. There have been a lot of reports exhibiting how petting a pet dog or cat can lessen tension inside minutes or how possessing a canine can enable take care of depression. They are our operating partners, keepers of our insider secrets, and they like us unconditionally. Holding them wholesome and happy is very important to our very own joy.

PFP: What tips would you give to youthful folks beginning their occupations in this industry?

Pfeifer: Locate your single path and stroll straight in advance. It is quick to get sidetracked by new traits or offerings. Continue to be your training course, not any one else’s. Also, discover your group even if it’s not within just the pet market. Owning a group of supporters goes a very long way towards trying to keep you inspired and thriving.

PFP: Just for exciting, do you contemplate on your own a pet human being or a cat individual? Or, if you have pets of your possess, explain to us a tiny little bit about them. 

Pfeifer: I’m a pet mom by and by. Beau was our very first dog, and we now have two other puppies, Quinn (a hound) and Minnie (a miniature schnauzer). Cats are fantastic, but I like the exercise and engagement of dogs.

Pleasurable actuality: In addition to setting up Homescape Pets in memory of Beau, she’s also the schnauzer highlighted in our emblem. She’s constantly a element of the landscape, or homescape, of our lives no issue exactly where we are.

PFP: Any last advice for other women in the pet sector?

Pfeifer: Make connections. From connecting with fellow ladies in the pet room to connecting with your die-really hard customers, it is very important that we have a supportive neighborhood. Make space for yourself. Be part of the male-dominated arenas and be listened to. The pet business is rather modest and the quantity of girls in the industry is even scaled-down. We have to force to be witnessed and read.

Nana Pfeifer is the co-founder of Homescape Pets, a normal pet nutritional supplement company having a restricted-component technique to very affordable, supplementary nutrition. Pfeifer begun Homescape Pets in 2017 next stints in the hospitality and natural beauty industries. She acquired her bachelor’s degree in company administration with a aim on marketing and advertising from Ga Condition College.

Continue on looking at about other feminine leaders featured in our Women in the Pet Industry series.