Get to know Adrian Archie, the first African-American franchisor in the $21 billion pet industry

Meet Adrian Archie, he is the founder of petNmind Natural Nutrition, Supplies, & Hygiene, a one-stop-shop for complete pet nutrition and care. He is also the first African American to launch and sell a franchise in the $21 billion pet industry.

His journey in the pet nutrition industry started when he was introduced to natural nutrition for dogs and cats in 2007. He became a pet parent to an Abyssinian male cat named Rocko after college. Rocko reportedly had several bad allergic reactions to dog foods purchased from local shops, setting Archie on a path in search of healthier pet foods. He switched to nutritious and natural options which were accepted by Rocko.

This increased his satisfaction with natural pet products as well as his knowledge about how they work within the animal’s anatomy. He subsequently became an advocate for natural products and a source of information relating to pet feeds from his family and friends.

In 2014, he decided to follow his passion and ventured into the production of pet nutrition by starting petNmind Natural Nutrition, Supplies, & Hygiene. The startup “offers natural food, treats, supplements, supplies and accessories that meet the highest quality and processing standards,” Archie notes.

“We also offer an automatic self-serve dog wash machines in-store that are low cost and convenient for pet parents. The self-service dog wash is great for parents who wash their dog often, hate the hassle of home bathing and do not like the expensive full-service grooming options,” his website states.

Before starting a career in corporate America, he spent some time in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Montreal Alouettes and the National Football League (NFL) with the Atlanta Falcons after college.

Archie’s career in corporate America started as a health care sales and marketing agent which lasted a decade. He later decided to pursue his passion project of launching his own store providing holistic nutrition, all-natural treats and pet supplies.

According to him, he decided to franchise his business because he wanted to support those who aspire to do more and take bigger calculated risks, particularly those who do not know where to start or build a solid team around them.

Archie’s road to success has been daunting. Right from the start, the odds were against him because he grew up in a single-mother household, he tells voyagemia.

“I also struggled to achieve my dream of playing pro football. I was fortunate enough to play in the CFL and NFL for three years combined but I never really got a real chance to play to my potential so looking back on that the dream was incomplete,” he adds.

Despite his challenges, Archie says the sky is his limit.