Founder Friday! Ryan speaks with us about K-10+
I like to refer to it as Gatorade for dogs, but I know there is much more too it than that :) We spoke with Ryan, the CEO and founder of K-10+ about what got him amped to create these easy to administer and effective all-natural supplements for our pups!
BarkBox: When did you decide to start K-10+?
Ryan: I came up with the original idea of K-10+ over five years ago. Years of planning and doing my research, I finally decided 2012 was the right time to roll out K-10+ into the market. Like humans when your dog is done with exercise they are thirsty and naturally prefer a refreshing drink than a pill so it was the perfect solution.
BB: You’re a new company just like BarkBox, right?
R: Yes . We just officially launched our product at this years 2012 Global Pet Expo in Orlando and are overwhelmed by the response we received.
BB: Congrats on the launch! What inspired you to start the company?
R: I wanted to create a more affordable and effective way to give your dogs their vitamins. Everyone knows how hard it can be to get their pets to take a pill. I was also upset by the growing number of bottled vitamin waters that are not effective and a terrible option for the environment!
BB: Are you crazy for dogs?
R: 100% Big or small I love them all! Grew up my entire life with them.
BB: Do you have a dog of your own?
R: Yes I do. 1 Spinone and 2 miniature schnauzers they are like brothers to me.
BB: How many people are on your team at K-10+?
R: Currently I have a team of 5.
BB: Do you require them to be dog lovers when you hire them?
R: If you dont love what you do than don’t do it! That being said if they aren’t dog lovers they would be wasting their time and mine.
BB: What are some of the benefits of considering daily health solutions for your pup?
R: A healthy pet is a happy pet. Proper diet and nutrition are key to a long and productive life. Investing in your dogs health now will save you time and money at the Vets office in the future! The direct benefits of our different products are:
- Boosts over all health, immunity, vitality and strength.
- Helps build strong bones and teeth, supports hydration and aids in muscle function.
- Supports joints strength and flexibility, prevents osteoarthritis and increases mobility in older dogs.
- Increased cardiovascular health, helps prevent heart disease, stimulates circulation and is essential to proper growth.
BB: Which of the 4 solutions are you most excited about and why?
R: I am really excited about all of them to be honest but if I had to pick one right this moment I would have to say that our K-10+ Glucosamine product is amazing and really becoming the biggest hit so far for us.
BB: What has been your favorite part about starting a company in NYC?
R: It’s where I grew up.
Check out their products here: k10plus.com
Himalayan Dog Chews
The Product: Dog chews
Unique: How many of your other dog chews can you say come from ancient Himalayan recipes? These are truly one of a kind. We spoke to the founders at Global Pet Expo and learned that these hard cheeses are what hikers used to take with them to eat on long journeys.
Here’s How: Himalayan Dog Chews are incredibly hard and great for super chewers. After a little work and some slobber, the chew will soften up so that your pup can enjoy it. When the chew gets too small to be safe, pop it in the microwave for 40 seconds and see the magic that happens! Out comes a yak puff, another great snack for your dog!
Read more about their story and unique product on their website: www.himalayandogchew.com
Petprojekt
The Product: Holobal
Innovative: The Petprojekt company is wildly innovative. They’re so creative, they can even make a traditional ball interesting by making it hollow… and that’s exactly what they did!
How it works: For small dogs, stuff treats inside of the Holobal and watch your pet go nuts trying to get to it. For large dogs, you can do the same! You can even fit a tennis ball inside the Holobal.
Other great products: We love all of their products and you can bet we’ll feature another one in the future! Aside from their creative and fun toys, they’ve also created cool leashes, bowls and even a collar charm that will help you’re your pup smellin’ fresh! Check out all of these and more at petprojekt.com
Bing’s Barkin’ Bakery
The Product: Jumpin’ Ginger Snap Cookies
Local: We didn’t have to leave the five boroughs for these delicious treats! Here at BarkBox, we don’t like our treats to have more frequent flyer miles than us, so we’re all about choosing the best local spots!
Yums: These cookies smelled so good, we could hardly resist eating them ourselves… mmm ginger snaps! They’re made with all natural ingredients and our dogs gobbled them up in record time!
Check them out: Bing’s has great treats for all occasions. Check them out online at www.bingsbarkinbakery.com and use “BARK” on checkout for 10% off your first order!
Nature’s Miracle - Pet Bath Wipes
The Product: Pet Bath Wipes
Utility: It’s raining and your dog must go out! The mud on Fido’s underbelly and paws is inevitable, but you’ve got no choice. Don’t fret, Nature’s Miracle is here with a solution! These wipes are perfect for between baths or after a messy run outside.
Trusted: In my household, like many others, Nature’s Miracle has been the go-to product for pet messes. I knew when they came out with new products, they’d be just as great as the tried and true Stain & Odor Removers.
Other great products: Like I said, Nature’s Miracle is a staple in my household. Check out their other products at your local retailer or online at ilovenaturesmiracle.com
Founder Friday! Introducing Sam of SimplyFido
We featured SimplyFido in our very first BarkBox, and it was such a hit! Remember those adorable plush toys? SimplyFido HQ is just a borough away in Brooklyn and we wanted to hear from Sam, a founder of the company, just how these snuggly and eco-conscious toys came about.
BarkBox: How long has SimplyFido been around?
Sam: Since 2004
BB: What inspired you to start the company?
S: With my wife’s mother’s liver cancer in mid 2000, we have decided to look for better and healthier ways to live. At this time, we also decided to look at our business and what type of products we are offering to families around the world. With commitment to offer less toxic and eco-friendly products, we have started SimplyFido.
BB: Why did you choose to have your office in Brooklyn? Is it the good food and craft beer you were after?
S: We have decided to live near our office to spend more time with family and also met many companies who were doing eco-friendly products and other creative businesses. Yes, we do love great food and drinks but also many of my daughter’s friends are in same neighborhood.
BB: Tell us a little bit about why you chose have your products be eco-conscious and the importance of it.
S: With many illnesses caused by toxic materials and waste that we leave behind from products, we wanted to make safer products for families and the environment. With our insight into toxic materials that are used in toys, we made our mission to make less toxic and safer toys but still offer great designed toys.
BB: Who designs your animal characters? They’re so cute!
S: We design our own toys and design is led by my wife, Jean.
BB: What’s one thing we should know about your company that we might not find out your website?
S: We made a lot of mistakes and went through many trial and errors to bring natural pet toys to market but we love the challenge to bringing innovative products.
Spoken like a true founder! SimplyFido is cranking out some amazing and innovative products that our dogs love. You can bet you’ll see them again in a BarkBox :)
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(Source: corgiaddict)
Puppystream.me - Founder Friday Edition!
We L-O-V-E Puppystream! Like most proud dog owners, I’ve been taking pictures of my dog Cooper since he was just a puppy. Now I get to document everything I do with him and keep a whole set of photos from his life as he grows up! You can check out Cooper’s Puppystream here!
Not only that, but I get to follow the lives of my friends dogs and other cute pups on the web!
The best part, it’s as easy as creating an account on Puppystream, snapping a high quality picture with Instagram and tagging it with #puppystream. It automatically uploads the picture and time stamp to your stream!
Our friend Elliott, the creator of Puppystream, works just around the corner from the BarkBox office, so we wanted to sit down with him and find out why, when and how he came up with this awesome idea!
BarkBox: Hey Elliott! We’re so excited that Puppystream is up and running! When did you start building the website?
Elliott: About 3 months ago. Or approx 2.6 dog years, if you prefer.
BB: And how did you come up with the idea? We’re kicking ourselves because it wasn’t us!
E: Us humans love us some dogs, and the web is awash with their photos. However, there was nothing online that gave dog owners a simple non-diluted platform to share their best friend’s story with the world.
BB: You’re the brains behind Puppystream. Without getting too nerdy, tell us a little bit about how you built the site!
E: It took a lot of work, the hardest part was training the puppies to program.
BB: I LOVE how you’ve linked it up with Instagram, the photos come out so nice! Was that on purpose?
E: For sure. A core principle of Puppystream was to build something that would meet dog lovers where they already are. Puppystream’s Facebook and Pinterest integration speak to this principle as well.
BB: I notice you’re following a bunch of dogs on Puppystream. Do you have a dog of your own?
E: Not in the real world actually (don’t hate, my NYC landlord ain’t down). But on Puppystream, I keep track of more amazing pooches than I know what to do with.
BB: You’re following my dog, Cooper… what do you think? Is he the cutest dog on Puppystream?
E: Well… uh, yeah!
BB: Anything else we should know about this awesome new site?
E: We’re just now getting the ball rolling. We have some great features headed your way over the next few months. In short order, there will be an elegant breed search page and there after, a way to tell the entire Puppystream community if your dog is lost or if a pooch is up for adoption. We’ll add smart, simple features as needed. We don’t want to turn it into a cluttered “Facebook for dogs”.
And there you have it!! Check out Puppystream.me and upload all of your doggies photos!
The Yellow Dog Bakery
The product: Minty Fresh Organic Treats (heart-shaped for Valentine’s day!)
Where they’re from: Another New Jersey neighbor… these treats are awesome AND local!
Why we love them: Custom made, just for BarkBox! We made sure we hit two important points this month, Valentine’s Day and Dental Health Month. The Yellow Dog Bakery made these heart-shaped treats with love in mind and made them mint flavored for fresh breath!
The highest quality: Organic, organic, organic! When we read the list of ingredients in these tasty treats, we were blown away… we wanted to try them for ourselves. Our dogs deserve the highest quality treats, so that’s what we’ll give them.
Check out their other offerings at www.theyellowdogbakery.com. They won’t let you down!
