Today we’d like to introduce you to Chance and Lydia Robertson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Our personal friend and founder, Michelle Hobbs, has a dog Jackson that suffered from severe allergies. They made several visits to the veterinarian and spent several thousands of dollars to discover that Jackson wasn’t getting enough nutrients from his food to have a healthy lifestyle. We were shocked to learn that the nationally recognized premium brand pet food we trusted for our pets lost most of its nutritional value from sitting too long in warehouses, and on store shelves….so we decided there had to be a better way to get fresh, healthy, and nutrient dense dog & cat food to pet parents.
Over the years, we carefully developed our all-natural proprietary pet food that we make in small batches, with improved processes to ensure our customers receive the freshest pet food kibble in Texas! Our pet food uses only the highest quality ingredients, and will never include unhealthy fillers like corn, wheat, soy, or animal by-products. In 2016, I quit my engineering job and my wife, Lydia, and I accomplished one of our dreams by opening up Pet Wants Houston SE – an online pet store that conveniently delivers freshly made pet food, pet care products, and treats directly to our customers’ door, for the same price as most premium commercial pet foods.
We’ve been open for over a year now, and are continuing to expand our online store with new treats and other products, so check out our website at www.PetWantsHoustonSE.com! We love owning our business, and have most enjoyed meeting some of the most interesting & amazing people, and their even more incredible fur-babies.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road is never quite smooth when starting a business. In our first year, the delivery vehicle was involved in a hit and run, a flash flood, and even struck by lightning while I was driving! Most importantly, everyone was safe, and we were able to get the car repaired in time, Other than all of our car problems, managing our business has been fairly smooth. While we are continuing to grow, our biggest struggle is getting our name out there, and finding new ways to reach customers.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pet Wants Houston SE – what should we know?
Our pet food making process is one of kind slow-cooking ingredients to lock in nutrients and making frequent, small batches. We spray our kibble with a vitamin/mineral solution with added probiotics, then we deliver the fresh and highly nutritional food to our customers within weeks of being made. Lydia specializes in social media, printing and designs, and making our all natural, homemade pet care products in her spare time, while working as an electrical engineer at Johnson Space Center for NASA. As the “Dog Food Dude” I specialize in animal nutrition, customer relations, delivery schedules, and inventory.
The most rewarding part of running my own business is educating pet owners and helping pets live a happier and healthier life. There’s so much smoke and mirrors in the commercial pet food industry that consumers think they are buying a quality food until they read the ingredient panel on the back. Even prescription pet foods prescribed by your veterinarian can be full of nutrition-less fillers that should have no place in your pet’s food bowl.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Our product, work ethic, and sense of community. We have a healthy and fresh food that has helped thousands of pets with allergies, itchy skin, digestive issues and even behavioral problems. We provide a quick and unique delivery service to the entire Houston area inside of Beltway 8 and the Nasa/Clear Lake area, and we regularly volunteer and donate food to multiple shelters and rescues across Houston.
Contact Info:
- Address: 16715 Frigate Dr.
Friendswood, TX 77546 - Website: www.PetWantsHoustonSE.com
- Phone: 281-954-1041
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/petwantshoustonse/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetWantsHoustonSE
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pet-wants-houston-se-friendswood
Image Credit:
John Pace
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
