Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Zonram Liao, Founder and CEO of Wellnergy Pets, located in Santa Fe Springs, CA, USA.

Tell us about yourself. What's your business, and who are your customers?

Hi, I'm Dr. Zonram Liao, Veterinarian and Founder of Wellnergy Pets! I started Wellnergy Pets when the pandemic hit, and if you're a pet parent, you'll know this, and veterinary appointments were backed up for weeks at a time. Working in my hometown, I knew I needed to provide help and relief for the people with pets in my community while they wait weeks for their veterinary appointments. So I started Wellnergy Pets to provide relief and home care via supplements to my patients while they wait for veterinary appointments, and we are happy to say that our efforts worked! So well that in some cases, my patients were able to avoid veterinary visits altogether! Seeing our success inspired us to start selling our products online to help more people and their pets, and after a couple of years of success, we're excited to say we're going into retail now!

We're proud to say that as a pet supplements business that started out of the back of a veterinary clinic, we're the only pet supplements company where our entire office staff is run by actively practicing veterinarians and veterinary nurses. I still work in the clinic 3-4 days a week, seeing 30-35 patients a day. So we have a pretty unique ear to the ground, you could say when it comes to formulating supplements for issues that we see in the clinic that not only work but also make life easier for pet parents.

Throughout this process, our mission at Wellnergy Pets, which started during the pandemic in the back of a veterinary clinic, has always been the same, to help as many people and pets as possible, and we're proud and happy to continue to do so.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

On a small scale, every time I hear that I have helped improve a pet's life with our supplements, I feel like we have accomplished our goal. It is what we want to do for as many pets and pet parents as possible. In a much larger sense, we're proud to have come so far as a company where a team with no background in sales, marketing, business, or finance, just animal health, has been able to successfully grow a company to the point where we're at today, and we're ready to grow even more in the future! That's exciting! I'm very proud of my veterinary nurses, that work so hard every day, in and out of the veterinary clinic.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing so far has been creating brand awareness. There are just so many different pet supplements and pet health-related companies out there. Almost all of them have been around longer than ours, and it's been quite tough (especially in the beginning) to create a customer base with a product they're unfamiliar with outside of our hometown. It's still the hardest part of our business, but you just got to put your head down, grind every day, and know that you have something special here, and people are going to see that.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Persistence and determination are key. You have to be able to be persistent and hold on to the rope longer than anyone else, it will set you apart, and it has to be driven by your determination to NOT fail. It will drive you to work harder than anyone else, and you'll see that it is a special trait when you look around at your peers.
  2. Surround yourself with smart, positive people. Get out of your comfort zone, even if you are an introvert, and network. You can learn a lot just by being around and listening to people who have had the same struggles that you are facing now or will face in the future.
  3. Preparation and Composure. Be the most prepared person in the room, so when people ask questions or when an unforeseen circumstance arises, you are prepared and ready to adapt. Because that is life, things do not go to plan, so be the most prepared during those opportunities to succeed when things don't go as planned. So work hard and grind out there, plan and prepare for whatever may come your way, and surround yourself with good, smart people.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Honestly, I just want to let everyone know that if they need help with their pets, that's very normal, every pet is different, and I know there have been a lot of pets adopted during the pandemic, so if you need help, don't hesitate to reach out, ask us questions, we're here to help! We're veterinary professionals here first, and we want your pets to be healthy, happy, and living their best life.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.wellnergypets.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WellnergyPets/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.zonramliao/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zonram-liao-22bba5107/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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