Success is ‘in the cards’

This (see photo) was the very first card my wife and I received this holiday season. If you can’t make out the signatures, it’s handwritten from Chewy.com co-founders Ryan Cohen and Michael Day.



In fairness, we spend a good amount on Chewy.com; our rapidly growing baby bulldog Spanky goes through a lot of kibble, and who wants to haul 50-pound bags of dog food in Manhattan?



But Chewy is a great example of the kinds of companies we feature in this issue. It was founded a few years ago with the initial goal of selling pet food online and using the proceeds to help fund animal shelters, and it has since exploded, with 2014 sales of about $200 million and a recent influx of venture capital. One of the reasons Chewy is winning is that it continues to stay true to its roots.



This is the second time we have received a handwritten note from Chewy. The first time was about one year ago; they sent us a sympathy card when we lost our 12-year-old bulldog Petey last December. They also credited our last order and told us to donate any of the unused food to an animal shelter or a pet hospital in our area.



Nine-of-10 consumers say it’s important that what a brand stands for aligns with their own values. Companies like Chewy, and the many others featured in this issue, get that.