Minali Chatani, the co-founder of Wild One, a pet accessories brand, has made the Forbes List of the top 30 creative entrepreneurs under the age of 30 to watch in 2020. Each year, Forbes Magazine compiles a list of exciting young entrepreneurs working in 20 industries who are having a major impact on the development of business and society.
The 2020 list of “30 Under 30” was culled from over 15,000 nominees, all of whom were then evaluated by the top investors and entrepreneurs in the world to obtain a shorter list of 600 candidates. From these 600, a final determination was made to identify the top 30. Chatani was raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2018 During her childhood in Jamaica, her life experiences were influenced by the natural environment and the many many dogs, cats, birds, fish, and guinea pigs surrounding her. Her decision to start a line of high-end pet food and accessories reflects these early experiences. The products offered by Wild One target pet owners who desire attractive pet gear and are happy to pay $25 for a bowl, $58 for a leash, and $125 for a bed for their companion animals. Products in the Wild One line are distributed by retailers like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and CB2.
When expanding the line to include edible pet products, Wild One stated that the offerings were “single-ingredient, ethically-sourced dog treats.” Co-founder Chatani, who lives in Brooklyn, made the decision to expand into dog treats after talking with her customers at a pop-up location in the NoLita section of New York City. After checking on currently available products in the pet sector, she found that many did not provide information about ingredients or sourcing of ingredients. Chatani looked for recipes that did not include any fillers or stabilizers, so the pet treats she offers are actually “good enough for humans to eat.”
Information and Photo Source: Minali Chatani Youtube, Forbes Magazine