Yum! Woof!
We've all heard that the pet food industry leaves a lot to be desired and have reasons to suspect that our dogs deserve better than what most pet food manufacturers sell us as "healthy dog food." But, how do we know for sure when the industry isn't exactly forthcoming and science seems to change daily?
In episode 23, Isabel has the opportunity to ask Jaron Lukas, Co-Founder and CEO of Yumwoof Natural Pet Food what he has found to be the good, the bad, and the ugly of the pet food industry. An industry insider, Jaron opens up about the challenges he's faced in the industry and how his company is doing things differently. Coming from the financial technology industry, Jaron has seen the dark side of companies' sole focus on margins and works tirelessly so that his company is able to succeed in the world of business while also delivering a product that he can proudly feed to his own dog and stand behind as a self-described foodie and health nut.
Isabel and Jaron talk about human food, dog food, and what Jaron hopes is to come for an industry that so many of us depend to sustain our beloved pets.
BIO:
A former investment banker who somehow turned to the light side, Jaron Lukas has been an entrepreneurial executive since 2012 and was recently cited by Fox Business News as a leader they're watching. He's currently the Co-Founder of Yumwoof Natural Pet Food and a strategic advisor to over 15 startup companies. An early innovator in decentralized technologies, Jaron founded blockchain industry leader Coinsetter in 2012, which was acquired by Kraken in 2016. He started his career at J.P. Morgan, went to Rice University, and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Bloomberg, CNBC, TechCrunch and other publications.
His love of a dog named Sherlock and desire to improve the pet food industry from the inside led him and his two close friends to enter the pet food industry and his personal journey to better health, wellness, and nutrition inspires him to make the world a better place for humans and animals alike.
Jaron currently lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Anna, and their dog, Sherlock.