Your Favorite Social Media Pet Is Rolling In It (Cash, Not Mud) 💰

If you want to impress your pets with the latest happenings in their world, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re not already a subscriber, sign up and join the growing movement of people who receive our info-packed newsletter directly in their inboxes weekly. Why did we decide to cover the pet industry? Well, it’s no secret that in recent years, our pets (especially dogs) have become more than just an extension of our family, but part of our actual family.

This growing bond has brought innovation and a boom in products and services catered to our four-legged family members, and we wanted to tell the stories of not only our best friends but of the people driving this industry forward.

There’s never been a better time to enter the pet market!

Our Main Story

It’s no surprise that dogs and cats have taken the internet by storm. They’re cute and adorable and funny and have absolutely no say in what gets uploaded to social media.

However, all this newfound stardom, virality, and popularity come with some unexpected “problems” for some pet owners. How do you manage a “celebrity” pet?

When we discuss new industries that have popped up in recent years due to social media, one of the more obvious ones has to be pet influencers.

It’s not only cats & dogs that are taking center stage, it’s pigs, squirrels, foxes, hedgehogs, ferrets, mice, bunnies, etc. Animals, especially the cute ones (but not exclusively), are creating a fan base of followers who are not only enjoying their content but buying their merch, supporting their causes, and subscribing to their exclusive content.

With fame comes opportunities that lead to money - a lot of money.

I recently came across this tweet by @lilgatess as she pondered what one charges for your CAAS (cat as a business, yes we just made that up but we’re hoping it sticks).

Jac Asked:

In Reply, Alex Friedman said:

As you can see from this fantastic breakdown by Alex, if you have the numbers to back it up, pets can be BIG business. And just like any business it warrants business acumen in order for you and your pet to succeed. Being cute on TikTok is one thing; knowing how to converse with large brands in order to best monetize and capitalize on it is a whole other ballgame.

Brands want in! Brands are trend hoppers, if it’s hot, they want to be a part of the wave and ride that puppy (not literally) till the wheels fall off and the next trend hits. However, it’s not only animal-related brands or dog food companies that want to partner with some of social media’s cutest. it’s big brands that are reaching out to pet celebs in order to collaborate. Massive brands like Target, Hulu, Ralph Lauren, Dyson, Toyota, Banana Republic, and Southwest Airlines - to name a few.

Chris Equale, whose corgis Hammy & Olivia have over 5.8 million TikTok Followers said this recently in a The Free Press article:

“We say yes to about three percent of brand pitches,” said Equale, who posts about 1,500 videos a year and has been offered first-class tickets to Europe and a five-figure fee for his corgis to show up at an event. “We turn down five figures all the time if it doesn’t feel right for the brand.”

As we said - big business.

In the same article, Cliff Brush who runs the popular account BroodieDatDood with over 6.2 million followers said:

“That first year they brought in $70K in revenue, matching Brush’s salary as an accountant. In 2021, that figure rose to $120K and Brush quit his job; last year, revenue surged to $800K.”

And it’s not only brand deals - affiliate marketing, calendars, public appearance fees, books, merch, pet products and/or services, Patreon or other subscription services, Cameo appearances, and on and on…

The opportunity to monetize popularity has never been more abundant. Once these creators build enough of a following they can start monetizing directly via products they create themselves. Creator-led brands are becoming more popular and will continue to grow in the coming years. Once trust is developed the sales will follow.

Finding market fit - when creators leverage their personal stories, expertise & unique vision - they have the ability to align their products or services with the specific needs and desires of their target market. The authenticity, relatability, and trust established through the creator's genuine connection with their audience create a fertile ground for opportunity.

Here are some of the most popular and followed pet accounts on Instagram & TIKTok.

How much these pelebrities (pet celebrities, yes another term we just made up) exactly make is somewhat unclear but these numbers are a good estimate.

1. Jiffpom - A Pomeranian with over 10 million followers on Instagram and over 33 million followers on TikTok. This pup holds 3 Guinness world records. They charge an estimated 45k per post.

2. Nala Cat - A Siamese-Tabby mix with over 4.5 million followers on Instagram and over 5 million followers on TikTok. Back in 2019, she received a Guinness World Record. They charge an estimated 20k per post.

3. Doug the Pug - A pug with over 4 million followers on Instagram and over 3 million followers on TikTok. They charge an estimated 20k per post.

4. Marutaro - A Shiba Inu with over 2 million followers on Instagram and over 1 million followers on TikTok. They charge an estimated 15k per post.

5. Juniper - A Red Fox that lives in a home full of rescued animals. With close to 3 million followers on Instagram, they charge an estimated $15 a post.

6. The Little Puff - With 33 million followers on TikTok and over 2 million on Instagram, this little cat is one popular influencer. They charge an estimated 25k per post.

With so much cash flowing around it’s only natural, that agencies such as The Dog Agency, Amra & Elma, and The Pets Agency have popped up. Just like any talent out there, your pet needs representation and a professional that can create those brand partnerships and collaborative relationships for you (or not). If you have enough drive, creativity, a willingness to learn, and a natural hustle mentality you could probably cut out any middleman and keep the bag.

Unfortunately, your pet isn’t immortal (yet) and the period of time that they have with us in the grand scheme of things is relatively short. Most self-aware pet parents are aware of this, which makes their window of opportunity short.

If you are considering making your pet the next viral sensation please take into consideration the needs of the pet. Not every pet has the mental endurance or patience for it, and not every pet takes commands well or is interested in partaking in social media shenanigans.

Meme of the Week

This week’s meme of the week is courtesy of Chief Tweet himself:

Business Roundup

• Good dog food raises - A cultivated meat company looking to change how dog food is produced just raised $4.5M

• Private jet for your dog - K9 Jets is offering air travel solutions for pet owners who require private flights. However, a flight from New Jersey to London is gonna cost you around 9k.

• PetPlate gets an upgrade - PetPlate the gently cooked, human-grade dog food has been listening to pet parents and has taken their dog food to the next level. 

• It’s a good time to start a grooming business - Goldendoodles, one of the most popular dog breeds have some pet parents paying up to $400 a month on grooming. Hey, you gotta look fresh.

• Five pet start-ups announced by Purina - Five pet care startups from across the U.S. and Canada have been selected as the 2023 winners of the seventh annual Pet Care Innovation Prize powered by Purina:

  Artie - the only countertop appliance system in the U.S. to prepare artisan-inspired, home-cooked meals for dogs at the touch of a button

  EpiPaws.com - a pet age test kit that can help determine a pet's estimated birthday with a quick oral swab.

  Happy Bond - preservative-free dog food with no fillers and no additives.

  PDX Biotech - the creator of OraStripdx, a first-in-class, rapid screening test for veterinarians to detect periodontal disease in dogs and cats early in the disease

  Sylvester.ai - predictive visual healthcare products using artificial intelligence.

Biz 101

Welcome back to Week 4, pack!

We got some feedback about our Biz 101 section not being too pet specific at this point. We hear you. In future posts, we will try and tailor some of the advice here to be more specific (legal considerations for pet business, insurance, etc).

Here is the context as to why the section is more general in nature - we see a lot of people around us who are passionate about pets and are considering setting up a business in the industry. We love it! We do find that sometimes passion exceeds the business/commercial sense, and, This is where Biz 101 comes in: Our purpose is to support our community and offer some input / raise some questions as you launch your business. This won't always be pet specific, rather more around good practices to build a sustainable operation. Hence why you may find this section slightly more general in nature.

Today's section will focus on business planning. You may be doing your pet business as a side hustle or perhaps considering leaving the corporate life behind to groom turkeys. Either way, have you sat down and tried to forecast how much money you'll need or how much money you'll make? If not, open Excel (or any other spreadsheet software) and let's get to it:

1. First, set up your categories - revenues, costs, tax, and profit in a couple of rows under each other. Separately, set up, in different columns the different periods you want to consider. You could use Month 1, Month 2, or perhaps Jan, Feb, March, etc. Very much up to you. We would recommend you look at a minimum of 6 months ahead and if possible, even 12 months. It takes business time to scale and there is almost always something unexpected.

2. Revenues – How are you making money? Start by setting up two fields, price and quantity. These will drive your monthly revenue. What are your assumptions here? How many units of your product/service will you sell and at what price? How will you “ramp” this up over time? Be conservative. Perhaps even assume that it will take you 1 – 2 months to make your first sale. Building a sustainable source of revenue can be incredibly difficult, so be honest with yourself here.

3. Costs – What are the costs to run your business? There will be some easy ones like marketing, or perhaps buying stock, but what about hidden ones? For example, if you plan to offer dog boarding, will you need to go and pick up dogs? If so, fuel might be a big chunk to account for. Do you need to take on insurance? That can be a fairly big cost item. Don’t underestimate this category, it may also be directly relevant to how much taxes you pay.

4. Tax – ok, so disclaimer, guess what, we are not tax advisors, this is not formal advice and hence, the usual caveat here. We are pet people! Different countries will have different rules, so make sure to get the relevant input here. In general, you are going to have some income from this business and so you may need to pay taxes (how much and when will depend on the country you are in). So, make sure you put a portion of your earnings to the side to pay any tax obligations. The last thing you want is to find out you owe a big amount at year-end and you spent all that money!

We will cover some more details next week, but for now, go forth and build!

Trending

• What is your pet dreaming about? Well, researchers think they may have some insight into that mystery, and its as cute as you think it is

• Dog obesity is growing - 59% of dogs and 61% of cats were classified as overweight or obese in 2022 according to The Association for the Prevention of Pet Obesity.

• How well do dogs see? - Well, luckily someone created a program that can give you an idea. Just upload a picture, run any combination of filters that simulate a dog’s pov, and voila.

• Your dog is smarter than its ancestors, according to science - In a first-of-its-kind comprehensive study led by Hungarian and Swedish researchers. Scientists have concluded that urbanization and more complex social settings have likely been the catalyst for the modern doh having a larger brain than its ancestors. When you call your pup a genius - you’re not lying!

• Hamsters can be BFFs - While dogs and cats make up the majority of our attention. Hamsters can also steal our hearts and be amazing pets. Just like cats and dogs, hamsters can offer companionship, alleviate anxiety and/or loneliness and give us a tiny cuddly friend to look after.

• This dog dad is Pawsome!!! - Once this dog dad realized how sad his dog was that he couldn’t swim in the outside pool during winter, came up with a great idea.

• Pet Cryonics - Would you freeze your pet after it’s gone in the hopes that one-day science will be able to revive it? Well, this new startup might just be what you’re looking for.

• Water Bowl 2.0 - Not only is this viral TikTok cat bowl beautiful, but it’s also Wi-Fi-enabled in order to track your cat’s water intake.

Community Pic

If you want your pet (dogs, cats, hamsters, baby dragons, etc) featured, send us a picture with their name, age, breed, and a 1-2 sentence story to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to feature your pet.

Meet Whitey: A 9 year old Bichon Frisé. When he is not barking at every neighbor that passes by the front door, he loves to eat, sleep, chase away pigeons, and go on long car rides along the shoreline. Some of his favorite foods include carrots, cucumbers, eggs, rice, and chicken, but really anything that falls off the dinner table.

You reached the end, you deserve a treat 🍖

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Finally, Why don't ants ever get sick?

Because they have little anty-bodies!

That’s just solid science!

See you next week!

The Woof is a weekly newsletter dedicated to covering the pet industry.