Often, it is all too easy to forget that we, human beings, share the planet’s resources with other living beings. So engrossed are we with our day to day lives; irrespective of where we stand in the socio-economic scale, that it is easy to forget. Not so much for pet owners. They are recipients of unconditional love and company. Pets are an extension of one’s own self and one’s emotions and care are wrapped up in their well-being. A sense of joy is apparent and permeates the atmosphere around; as one’s pet frolics around waiting for attention or is aware of one’s real emotions in the present moment.

Being a pet parent is on the list of everyone who thinks and believes they would be able to provide and care for a living being that would be dependent on their actions for food and care. It is the sense of responsibility that one begets, whether before or after getting the pet in question; that matters the most. When times are not that great (which is bound to be often; just like one’s own baby), it is prudent to reason that one’s pet deserves the highest amount of care that is possible, irrespective of the issue being minor or major or in between minor and major. 

Today, at Bangalore Insider we spoke to Mr. Varun Sadana, the co-founder of Supertails. The company is doing many interesting things. Let’s just say that they’re organizing the entire pet care market under a single roof so that pet moms and pet dads obtain the best care possible for their children. Below are the excerpts from our interaction.  

Give a brief info about your startup?

Supertails.com is a first-of-its-kind platform that supports the ever-increasing pet parent community by providing trustworthy veterinary care and a one-stop solution for pet food and supplies.

Supertails.com is differentiated by its unique proposition of being a fully digital tele-health consultation services made available through a team of highly experienced in-house veterinarians. With doorstep delivery service available across the country, the brand aims to bring the pet parents closer to the largest assortment of pet supplies from India and across the globe.

What made you start your startup and what problem does it solve?

The market growth rate in India has accelerated since 2019 from 16-17% to upwards of 20% in 2020. As the population of pet parents increases in the country, so does the need for empathetic and agile service providers especially around nutrition and healthcare. 

We know that our pets are a part of our families, and they deserve nothing but the best. As experienced pet parents ourselves, we understand the anxieties and concerns one has to face in the journey of caring for a pet. With that in mind, we set up Supertails to make pet parenthood enjoyable and stress-free. We will continue to add more products and services designed to empower pet parents through expertise and convenience

Tell us about yourself, your previous jobs/ventures? What were you doing before this startup?

Varun- I am a Co-Founder at Supertails.com, the first-of-its-kind platform that supports the ever-increasing pet parent community with trustworthy veterinary care and a one-stop solution for pet food and supplies.

An MBA from IIM Lucknow and is armed with a decade-long experience in the FMCG and retail spaces. I have worked with brands such as Hindustan Unilever, Snapdeal, and IBM to name a few. My previous stint was as the Co-Founder and COO of India’s largest fresh meat brand, Licious. 

I have a rich experience of building and leading teams across strategy, procurement, production, and sales. 

With Supertails, my aim is to reimagine pet care in India. Along with the team, aims to bridge the accessibility gap in pet healthcare and create an ecosystem of products and services that make pet parenting smooth and enriching. 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vsadana/

Where is your startup based out of? Why do you think that is the best place for you?

We are based in Bangalore.

As a startup founder, what are you paranoid about? What keeps you awake at night?

Varun – Paranoid about customer experience. We’re in the business of working for a pet kid and whatever we do impacts the life of so many of the pet companions. Our foremost responsibility is to take care of the pets and we constantly need to evolve and better the customer and consumer experience

Who are your competitors and how are you better than them?

Varun – At this nascent stage, the biggest competition is the mindset of the Indian customer. An average age of a golden retriever in Europe is 30% more in Europe than in India. As pet parents, we need to get educated to think more around the wellness of the pet, be it consulting a vet or giving a balanced diet to the pet. That’s what we’re competing against

How hard is it to have a work-life balance as a startup founder and how do you manage it?

Varun – My grandfather used to say – A busy woman/man has time for everyone. Work life balance is a mindset. One needs to be fresh at work to ensure clutter breaking ideas are generated and executed. This requires the right mental and physical health. Building these health regimes in your daily routines is critical. For me, daily running, reading and spending time with family are part of the calendar and I follow them religiously

Have you raised funding? If yes, then we would like to know the details. If not then please tell us if you are looking to raise.

Led by founders Vineet Khanna (SVP – Licious, AVP – Snapdeal), Varun Sadana (co-founder Licious, VP – Snapdeal) and Aman Tekriwal (CFO – Licious), the Supertails team comprises multiple entrepreneurs who have been contributing to the pet care space for many years. As part of the stellar founding team are Dr. Shantanu Kalambi, the Chief Veterinarian at Supertails (founder Dial-a-vet) who established a tele-health service for pets besides working on a variety of animal welfare and conservation projects with ReefWatch Marine conservation, Wildlife Trust of India and CUPA; Unnati Hunjan (founder Therapeutic Paws) who launched an Animal Assisted Therapy venture in Bangalore and Sagar Sheth (founder of Animapp) who built a veterinary clinic management software company in Chennai.

What gets you excited about this company?

Varun – The whole thought of making India a more pet friendly country excites and unites all of us as a team

Tell us how a day in your life looks like? Your schedule for a day right from the time you get up till you hit the bed at night.

Varun – I start my day with playing with my 2 kids (my cat – Nifty and my son – Reuben). Workout, the office. Come back to the 2 kids again, spend time with family – we always have dinner together. Before sleeping, plan your next day, and read for 30 minutes before I sleep

Tell us about your team and how did you meet each other?

Varun – Known Vineet for 12 years and worked with him for 8 of them. Met Aman 4 years ago. We’re building a team of entrepreneurs, who over time want to start their own ventures.

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