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people who were no longer a Merging technology and medicine subscription to Fuzzy, members can Think about what
fit for the future business. Our can be difficult. We’ve seen this chat with veterinary experts on how Take your clients really
need from your
initial model was focused on through the advances in human to best care for their specific pet— Action business. How are
delivering veterinary care in- health care. Still, we are continuing anytime, anywhere. you working to
home. After launching in the to position our company as the clear respond to consumer
demands, and why
San Francisco Bay area and answer to how technology and health What gaps in the pet care market should people
seeing exciting early traction, care can work together to benefit does Fuzzy work to fill? choose you instead
of your competitors?
we expanded into New York. animals in the best way possible.
Customers absolutely loved With the pet boom of the pandemic
the service, but the cost and What was the key to the company’s and the veterinary shortage, Fuzzy love. It lets you keep track of all your
operational complexities of exponential growth? is working to be a “first stop” for pet activities with your pet so that Fuzzy
moving vet teams around parents to speak with veterinarians vets can help to make even more
cities were really challenging. We’ve been fortunate to build in a and understand if in-person care specific recommendations for your
At the beginning of 2020, category that people care deeply is necessary, which in turn helps to dog or cat. It sends fun notifications,
our cofounder, Eric Palm, about, their pets, and lucky with alleviate the strain on the veterinary too, reminding you to take play
and I were evaluating the the timing of some key shifts in industry as pet ownership continues breaks or brush your pet’s teeth!
company’s performance from the market: namely, telemedicine to skyrocket. Because Fuzzy is
the previous year and the adoption as a result of the pandemic. available online and 24/7, pet parents What advice would you give to
future outlook of the business. We’ve also been bold in our can seek advice, get personalized fellow entrepreneurs?
We realized that the in-home experimentation. When we’ve seen recommendations, and place orders
care model was flawed, and early signs of success, we haven’t for products at any hour of the day, Be clear about the mission and
we wanted to build a business hesitated to be aggressive. That’s ensuring they are taking the absolute vision you’re building toward, and
that could quickly grow to yielded positive results for our best care of their pet no matter communicate this often. Be incredibly
serve every one of the ninety- ZUBIN BHETTAY business and the people in it. where they live or what time their selective about how and who you
AND HIS DOG MO
six million households in the local veterinary clinic opens. We see hire. Work with your teams on getting
country with a pet. How has the company grown since What made you decide to make ourselves as a complement to what crystal clear on your strategy; this
its founding? Fuzzy a subscription service? local veterinarians provide, extending is how you’re going to achieve your
We decided to shut down those services around the clock. vision. Communicate it regularly, and
the in-home care business Over the course of the company’s Preventative pet care is one of the have your management teams do
and pivot to building the life span, we’ve put pets and their best ways to cut costs and relieve What is your favorite service that the same. Have a relentless bias to
virtual veterinary clinic with caretakers—both pet parents and the strain on veterinary clinics. Our the company offers? action: execute, ship product, grow,
telehealth and medication veterinarians—at the center of all our goal at Fuzzy is to provide actionable, learn—especially from those people
delivery. We made the efforts to reimagine the care journey. daily advice that keeps your pet We recently launched a journal that are paying for your product—
incredibly difficult choice to We have built our company around healthy in the long term. With a feature in the Fuzzy app that I really and iterate. n
cut 70 percent of our team this, finding top professionals in their
and rebuild from scratch. respective fields.
For more info, visit fuzzy.com.
8 / BUSINESS IN ACTION HEADSHOT: LIPO CHING, SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES businessinaction.com / 9