Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Patrick Pittaluga, co-founder, and COO of Grubbly Farms, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Grubbly Farms is a sustainable pet food startup on a mission to develop the healthiest, most sustainable pet food under the sun. Rather than using traditional sources of protein like beef or fish, every wholesome, delicious recipe is made with black soldier fly grubs, loaded with benefits and light on the earth. Our grubs are fed a diet of rescued wasted fruits, veggies, and grains to feed our grubs, lightening the load on landfills. By recycling food waste, grubs prevent millions of pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Not only are our grubs and recipes much more sustainable than conventional foods, but they're also loaded with nutritional benefits. Our grubs have 35% more protein than steak and are naturally hypoallergenic and easy on sensitive stomachs.
Our customers today are pet chicken owners who typically have 3-10 chickens in their backyard. Similar to dogs and cats, pet chickens have names, get snacks and toys, are loved endlessly, and live a life of chicken luxury. Chickens instinctually forage for insects and plants, so Grubbly feed is made with farm-fresh grubs, vegetables, and whole grains – fueling our feathered friends with foods they naturally love – and they love it! We're thankful to have over 7,500 amazing reviews highlighting the joy we bring to families and their flocks.
Tell us about yourself
I've always been an entrepreneur. I started several businesses in high school and college and always knew I wanted to start a company after graduating. My cousin Sean and I have always had a passion for sustainability which was the main impetus for starting Grubbly Farms. After becoming fascinated with the insect industry and the positive impact it could have on our environment, we started growing grubs in our college laundry room at Georgia Tech. It was certainly not your typical college endeavor. The more we learned about these insects, the more we realized how much of a powerhouse protein grubs are—for our pets and planet.
Each year, the US landfills a staggering 52 million tons of food where it decomposes into methane gas, a greenhouse gas 20x more harmful than carbon dioxide. Combined with the fact that US pets are the 5th largest meat consumer segment in the world, it became immediately clear that we need to help make a change. These little grubs could be a powerhouse protein to take us to a greener future. That core focus and mission are what motivate me every day. Every decision we make educating consumers, developing our recipes, and growing our product base, is all in service of our mission to create the most sustainable pet foods that are as healthy for our pets as they are for the planet.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The team we've built. There is only so much time in a day and only so many skills that a founder can possess. In order to truly scale a business, you need to surround yourself with top-performing A+ players, and that's exactly what we've done. Each person on our team is crucial to our success, and we are very deliberate about how we hire, onboard, and support our team. As a result, we now have an incredible team of 13 who are exceptionally passionate about our mission.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Focusing. There are always a thousand different things going on with different priorities, timelines, and stakeholders. There's no shortage of ideas here at Grubbly, and the challenge comes when to say no and to what. Very quickly, we can become overwhelmed with new ideas and initiatives that we'd like to implement. Recently, one of our employees noted this and asked us to implement a "parking lot" where ideas can go live until there is time to visit them in greater detail. As the team and company have scaled, it is becoming increasingly important to stay firm and dedicated to the action plan in place and not to become derailed, but also be flexible enough that we can accommodate new ideas and goals as needed.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Focus on product-market fit, listen and improve the customer experience, and build a foundational team and culture. Product market fit is paramount to starting a business. If your business is not solving a real problem or creating new opportunities that consumers are searching for, it will be hard to scale past a few gimmicky sales. Having a great product or service is not enough, though. More and more businesses are investing in catering and customizing experiences to delight customers. Customers not only expect to like your products but to have an easy or enjoyable time purchasing and interacting with your company. If you have harsh return policies, complicated and unfriendly site designs, or lack engaging customer support, it'll be hard to keep customers. Finally, none of this would be possible without a rockstar team behind you. Running a business is hard. There are many moving parts, and as it grows, it isn't feasible for us as founders to run everything ourselves, nor do we have every skill set required. By creating and fostering a culture to attract hungry, humble, and smart talent, we've been able to excel in far more ways than we could have alone or with a subpar team.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
First, Grubbly Farms started in the backyard chicken industry. Just recently, we've made the push into the dog market with the first of its kind grub-based snacks for dogs called Vroomies! If you have a pup or two, be sure to give our Vroomies a try! Unlike other dog treats, Vroomies are made with grub protein which is easy to digest and perfect for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://grubblyfarms.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrubblyFarms
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grubblyfarms/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrubblyFarms
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grubbly-farms-inc-/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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