The pet category is evolving in response to new consumer demands and innovative approaches to pet care. But with this growth comes a significant challenge — recruiting and developing talent that can keep pace with the industry’s transformation.
To shed light on this topic, we sat down with Nomit Shah, a seasoned consumer brand expert and Pet Honesty CFO for a candid Q&A session. We discussed his pivot into the pet sector and how the willingness to challenge traditional approaches to talent management can drive growth.
From Human Wellness to Pet Health: Why CFO Made the Pivot
ForceBrands: You’ve had a career mainly in the human consumer goods sector as a team member and investor. What led you to pivot into the pet category?
Nomit Shah: The decision to transition into the pet space was driven by several factors. First, if we look back at the broader consumer landscape over the past 5 to 10 years, categories like nutrition, beauty, and pet have experienced the most significant growth. I wanted to align myself with a rapidly growing category, and pet stood out as an area with double-digit growth and immense potential.
Another significant influence was my exposure to approaches in long-term investment strategies. When my previous company was acquired in 2021, I observed how the company that bought us approached M&A, particularly in the health and wellness space. They saw pet health as an extension of household health, emphasizing the growing recognition of pets as integral family members. This realization was a turning point for me — I saw pet health as a natural progression of the wellness movement.
More specifically, the pet supplement market intrigued me because of its striking similarities to human health categories. From ensuring joint mobility and gut health to solving anxiety and allergy issues, the parallels were unmistakable. Pet parents, like human wellness enthusiasts, are looking to proactively enhance the quality of life for their furry family members. With pet supplements remaining largely e-commerce-driven (70 percent of the market), the growth strategies felt familiar, making it an exciting opportunity to leverage my experience.
Today, I’m thrilled to be part of a company that’s grown exponentially, with Pet Honesty now available at 9,000 retail doors — including Target and neighborhood pet stores. Pet wellness is an emerging category that continues to evolve, presenting fresh challenges and exciting opportunities.
Hiring Outside the Pet Industry Has Been a Pet Brand Growth Hack
ForceBrands: What advice would you give to founders or CEOs in the pet space who are hesitant to hire talent from outside the category?
Nomit Shah: This is such an important topic, and I’m passionate about it. While having industry-specific experience on your team is valuable, the brands that genuinely disrupt and achieve breakout success are those willing to challenge the status quo. This starts with hiring people who bring fresh perspectives.
Pets are a highly competitive category, and the barriers to entry are lower than ever — anyone can start a brand tomorrow. You need a team capable of thinking beyond traditional approaches to stand out. That means welcoming talent from adjacent industries like beauty, wellness, and even sectors entirely outside consumer goods. Diversity of thought fosters innovation.
At Pet Honesty, we’ve benefited immensely from bringing in individuals with varied backgrounds. For example, we have team members from the beauty, food, and beverage, and even non-consumer industries. When you put these people in a room with those who have deep pet-sector experience, you get healthy debates and diverse perspectives. This combination pushes the brand beyond its comfort zone and encourages creative solutions that might not have been considered otherwise.
Rethinking Talent Strategies Can Transform Pet Brands
ForceBrands: Can you share specific examples of how hiring outside talent might have a transformational impact?
Nomit Shah: There are great learning opportunities in the beauty industry. The focus on branding, shelf presentation, and customer engagement in beauty can be directly applicable to pet supplements. Similarly, operational insights from food and beverage help us optimize manufacturing and supply chain management, areas critical to scaling efficiently.
Founders and CEOs must move away from the mindset of “this is how we’ve always done it.” The rate of innovation and competition in the pet category demands a different mentality. Hiring people with new ideas and approaches allows your business to adapt quickly and thrive.
Culture Fit vs. Culture Add: Fresh Perspectives Drive Brand Innovation
ForceBrands: The idea of “culture fit” is often emphasized in hiring, but your comments underscore the importance of “culture adds.” Can you elaborate on why this matters?
Nomit Shah: The concept of “culture add” is essential in today’s business environment. While hiring for culture fit ensures team cohesion, it can sometimes lead to homogeny, stifling innovation and preventing a company from adapting to change. “Culture add,” on the other hand, is about bringing in individuals whose unique experiences, skills, and perspectives enhance the organization’s overall culture.
At Pet Honesty, we intentionally look for people who challenge traditional thinking. For example, when we were acquired by a private equity firm in 2021, there was initially a tendency to go the traditional route and hire only those with experience from other pet companies. While this had its merits, we quickly realized that the pet category is evolving so rapidly that this approach wasn’t enough. We needed people who could bring fresh ideas and push boundaries.
The pet space has historically operated with a “that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality, but that’s changing. New consumers view their pets as family members and expect brands to meet their needs in innovative, modern ways. To capture their wallets, both retailers and brands must up their game.
Building Pet Brand Teams That Thrive
ForceBrands: How do company leaders balance culture fit and culture adds in hiring?
Nomit Shah: By hiring talent with diverse experiences, you foster an environment where creativity thrives, and the company is better equipped to meet the challenges of today’s market. That said, balancing culture fit and culture add isn’t easy. Leadership teams must prioritize the organization’s mission and be open to different approaches. If everyone believes in the mission, the path to getting there can—and should—include a variety of perspectives.
Agile Brands in the Pet Industry: Lessons from Startups and Corporations
ForceBrands: You’ve worked in startups and large corporations. How has this shaped your approach to building teams in the pet space?
Nomit Shah: My career has taught me the importance of adaptability and intellectual curiosity. Early on, I worked for very traditional CFOs who followed established processes for scaling finance and back-office functions. However, when transitioning to startup environments, I learned the value of questioning conventional wisdom and exploring new tools and technologies.
For instance, there’s often a temptation to rely on legacy systems and processes in the pet space. However, with the rise of digital tools, there’s no reason to default to outdated methods. Whether leveraging AI-powered analytics, offshoring to access global talent, or adopting modern software solutions, there are countless ways to operate more efficiently and effectively.
Building teams in this rapidly changing environment requires a willingness to experiment and pivot. Even in my current role, I’ve had to reevaluate strategies multiple times and remain open to new approaches. This mindset is critical for leaders in the pet sector, where the pace of innovation and competition is only accelerating.
Brands Flourish by Embracing Fresh Ideas & Outsider Experience
The pet category is transforming, driven by new consumer expectations and innovation. To keep up, brands need to rethink traditional playbooks and build teams that bring fresh perspectives.
Whether you’re a job seeker looking to enter the pet industry or a hiring manager hoping to strengthen your team, now is the time to embrace change and diversity of experience. By fostering a mindset of curiosity and adaptability, you’ll meet today’s challenges and unlock new growth opportunities.
If this content is helpful, download our Pet Sector Salary and Market Trends Report as another relevant resource.
