2010

Hello and Happy New Year!

My last post was December 7th and much has happened since then. Paw Pets recorded our first profitable months (Nov/Dec) and we've had a major increase in online sales (and boutique sales; especially in certain locations where we sold out once or TWICE between December and January 1st).

In addition, we've begun to successfully reach out and develop friendships and partnerships with pet organizations, large and small, local and national, who need donations, are looking for event sponsors, volunteers, participants and supporters. Please contact us with any such organizations that you know of, pet related or not, who could use Paw Pets to raise money for a good cause or make the world a better place for pets and their people. On that note, please contact us and let us know where you do your pet shopping so that we can make sure that Paw Pets are on the shelves.

Special thanks to: The Bark Magazine for their holiday product recommendation, Animal Wellness Magazine for their holiday product recommendation, and to Dogtime Media's secret shopper for trying Paw Pets and telling his/her readers how great he/she thinks they are!

We had our most successful events ever at the end of last year; thanks in part to Paws With A Cause, who set up a present wrapping for donation booth next to ours and whom we donated 10% of proceeds back to in support of their mission to train dogs for the disabled. Other thanks to Bobby of George and Len and Leslie of Nitro Dog for allowing me to set up my booth in front of their stores and talk (and sell) to customers about Paw Pets; it was quite profitable for all parties involved!

There were other wonderful moments for me personally and for Paw Pets but now it's January and it's time to learn from our successes and failures in 2009, focus on the present (today's sales and partnerships), and begin to plan for the future. It is my goal this year to make sure that everyone in the country with a pet has heard of Paw Pets and that every boutique, whether they carry Paw Pets or not, knows that those who have Paw Pets love them! We also expect the launch of the 8th Paw Pet as well as the return of Bamboo Sharkiana (which sold out in 2 months!).

I have other goals related more closely to revenue, brand building, and the future of Paw Pets but right now my head is in the moment and the steps that I must take to reach my lofty goals must be taken one at a time.

On a personal and Napa related note, I would also like to announce that we officially launched the new logo for the Napa Valley Men's Luncheon Club (NVMLC), which I am proud to be a part of and is a group comprised of 250 of the most influential men in Napa. We are bringing the club into the new decade with a snazzy new logo, which I had the honor of designing (below), e-newsletters, and an eye towards bringing more youth and more members into the club without outgrowing the banquet halls in which we meet.

Again, happy new year to everyone and if you have any ideas for Paw Pets, are looking to exchange links, want to make some money by helping us sell toys, or don't have a Paw Pet yet please contact us through our website at http://www.getpawpets.com or ian@getpawpets.com and we'll make it happen!

May 2010 grant you love, health and happiness.
I