The Pawfect Business Does Exist
Raman van Meer is the founder and CEO of Alpha Paw & PetCanva, a corporation that specializes in breed-specific pet products. Two and a half years ago, he bought a dog ramp business for $300,000. Since then, he’s sold $35 million worth of those ramps.
Raman saw that the business had relatively little traction online—no Facebook ads, no email marketing, and an outdated website. Yet, it had a huge social media following.
He saw an opportunity. As he outlined in a Twitter thread, he moved the business to Shopify. He invested in Google and social media ads. He solicited videos from customers, showing real-world experiences with the product. He also used more traditional methods, such as email chains and campaigns to directly reach his audience.
Instead of starting from scratch, he took a pre-existing business and used his expertise to reimagine its entire digital marketing strategy. It took off.
But beyond the possibility of digital expansion, why a dog ramp business?
In the U.S. alone, pet companies earned $99 billion in 2020. This number continues to grow annually as Millennials and Gen Z now make up 62% of pet owners.
Owners were also spending more on their pets than ever before. The average Canadian budgets an estimated $2,400 on their pet, per year. For dogs specifically, the yearly spend is $2,912. Raman’s bet was that owners would view the ramp as an essential expense, given the fact that it helps prevent arthritis and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), to which smaller dogs are prone to.
According to Raman, pet ramps targeted a niche market with a problem in need of a solution. That solution already existed; it just wasn’t reaching everyone who was experiencing the problem. As he tweeted, “for me, it is easier and faster to go from 1 to 10 vs. 0 to 1.”
Raman’s success is the reason why BuyAndSellABusiness.com created its marketplace. Entrepreneurship through acquisition is a viable way to reach your goals. Remember, you don’t need to start a business to own one. Join today if you’re interested in buying or selling a business – SaaS, eCommerce or traditional brick-and-mortar. We also have a variety of resources to help you navigate your next big move.
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