Why Small Businesses Matter
Shop small, do big things for your community
Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!
You're IT LUVOURPETSLONGER!
Three questions with Lisa Costello, founder of LUVOURPETSLONGER.
Why did you start your business?
I started my online pet health & wellness business 14 years ago. It was the perfect fit for me because it allowed me to follow my passion which is helping people and the pets they love live longer happier healthier lives. I work with a small employee-owned company that has been making health and wellness products for dogs & cats for the last 25 years without a recall. I’m proud to be able to share these veterinarian-formulated products which are comprehensive, balanced and safe.
What is your best-selling product/service?
We offer an entire line of uniquely formulated products focused on ingredients that help your pets live to their full potential which includes:
- Dog & Cat food
- Treats
- Supplements
- Pet care products
Our best-selling product would be our custom dog & cat foods which are a great alternative to mass-produced products because they are NOT SOLD IN STORES but are made often in small batches and delivered right to your door with 1-2 days.
Creating custom formulas for pets is an art form. Down to the last micronutrient, each selected ingredient was chosen for more than just its overall benefit, but also for the way it interacts with other ingredients to nourish the body and all its complex systems. Made right these truly healthful foods address every part of the body, inside and out. With an emphasis on gut health, including species-specific probiotics as well as our proprietary fiber blend appropriately named Firmtastic creates stools that are firmer and less stinky because it helps your pets develop a healthier gut. And the health of their gut ultimately determines your satisfaction, as you’re left to pick up after them. Their stomach is where their overall wellness starts and home to the bacteria that play an important role in their digestion, immune health, mood, and overall well-being.
Here’s what we leave out of these recipes:
- No artificial flavors or colors
- No corn or corn gluten
- No wheat or wheat gluten.
And with our strict inventory controls and quality assurance tests, we can guarantee the safety of each tasty bite. Our employee-owners watch over every product until it begins its journey to you from one of our facilities. Made in frequent batches, you can trust that our rigorously developed and thoroughly tested foods will give your pets the bountiful nutrition you’ve been seeking
Have you "reimagined" your small business?
Covid has changed a lot of things - with the lockdown in place, we were unable to promote our products by doing local events. Therefore, we had to pivot and start using social media more (ie Facebook). Using my personal page I began to brand myself by sharing relevant pet-related topics and using my boy Jake as my brand ambassador ( btw - he’s better known than me LOL)! This allowed me to establish relationships with fellow pet moms which opened up discussions regarding their own pets. This enabled me to share my nutritional resources, and offer them free samples and wellness assessments. I then developed a Facebook group called PAWsome Pet Moms where pet moms could interact, have fun and meet fellow pet moms & I could share more pet-related content and my nutritional resources. A win-win for everyone!
Lastly, the supply chain issues impacted the pet food industry as well. Pet Moms were having difficulty finding food for their pets – because of our direct-to-consumer model of distribution, we were able to keep a steady supply of food and offer pet moms a very desirable alternative for their pets during a very anxious time!
Lisa would like to nominate Dr. ANDREW MARSH, DVM from Greenfield Animal Hospital to be featured next!
Visit LUVOURPETSLONGER online HERE and visit them on Facebook @luvourpetslonger
HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!
