The Original Cat Backpack | Marketing Tails

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

• [01:23] Emily Miethner shares the origin story of Travel Cat and how it became a global brand
• [04:38] Challenges of marketing cat products in an industry dominated by dog brands
• [07:02] How to navigate international e-commerce challenges and logistics
• [09:09] Best-selling Travel Cat products and how customer feedback drives product development
• [13:41] The value of community building in brand success
• [15:52] Travel Cat’s blueprint for virtual and in-person events to engage pet owners
• [22:05] How Travel Cat stays ahead of industry trends and innovation
• [27:45] Surprising insights about cat owners and their travel habits
• [31:06] What’s next for Travel Cat in 2025 and beyond?

In this episode…

Expanding a niche business in a competitive industry can be daunting, especially when traditional retail and consumer expectations favor more established markets. For entrepreneurs in the pet industry, breaking through misconceptions — such as the belief that cat owners don’t spend money on high-quality products — presents a significant challenge. How can you overcome these barriers, build a loyal customer base, and scale to a global brand?

Serial entrepreneur Emily Miethner tackled these challenges by recognizing a gap in the market: high-quality travel products built specifically for cats. With a focus on community building and innovation, Emily and her husband developed products like the "Fat Cat" backpack, designed to meet the unique needs of cat owners seeking more than the typical pet carrier. Emily emphasizes the value of understanding consumer behavior, using data to drive product development, and leveraging direct engagement with customers to create high-demand products. By hosting virtual events, building strong retail partnerships, and fostering an engaged community, she demonstrates how you can develop trust and long-term loyalty with your audience.

In this episode of Marketing Tails, Mark Bevington interviews Emily Miethner, Co-founder of Travel Cat, formerly known as Your Cat Backpack, to discuss scaling in a competitive market through community building. Emily shares the story behind her company’s growth, the impact of customer engagement on product development, and how niche brands can challenge industry norms. She also delves into international expansion, overcoming supply chain hurdles, and the role of influencer partnerships in driving brand awareness.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• • • • Ninedot
      • Mark Bevington on LinkedIn
      • Emily Miethner: LinkedIn | Instagram | Website
      • Travel Cat: Website | Instagram 
      • Travel Cat Wholesale
      • The Pet Summit
      • Global Pet Expo
        

Quotable Moments:

• "We've always had a great connection with people who love our products, people who are willing to tell us, you know — the good, the bad, and everything."
• "If you're a founder of a brand and you're not on a text-message level with some of your customers, I think you're missing the boat."
• "A lot of cat owners are curious and want to be supported in how they can do more with their cat."
• "We feel that we've actually gotten to a place where we are getting copycatted by brands that are bigger than us."
• "We hope to really be trend leaders and influence other areas where cat people could be more accepted.”

Action Steps:

1. Engage directly with your customers: Build relationships through direct communication to gain insights, improve products, and foster customer loyalty.
2. Create a strong community around your brand: Host events and engage online to encourage brand advocacy and organic marketing.
3. Leverage customer feedback for product development: Use surveys and real-world testing to refine products based on user needs.
4. Expand your retail and distribution network strategically: Partner with retailers to increase accessibility and strengthen brand presence.
5. Differentiate your brand with niche expertise: Focus on a specific market to position yourself as an industry leader and attract loyal customers.
   
   

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by Ninedot.

Ninedot is a digital marketing agency specializing in UI/UX and web design to grow your business. 

Our growth-centered team provides web design, web development, user experience development, graphic design, and SEO to maximize scaling. 

We are humbled to call Pet Food Experts, Animal Care Centers of NYC and Potter League – some of the world’s growing and most-established brands – our clients. 

We’re excited to build a relationship with you.

If you’re ready to turn your underperforming website into your best sales tool, go to Ninedot.com or email us at hello@ninedot.com to learn more today!