Adrian Archie, with customer Sasha, says he created petNmind to cut out the confusion and help pet parents make informed decisions.
Adrian Archie’s cat, Rocco, gets the credit for inspiring him to open petNmind, the natural pet food store he’s now franchising. Rocco “had a ton of nutrition issues, health issues that I realized stemmed from nutrition,” said Archie. “I did a lot of research on my own, I’m a nerd, and what I ultimately learned is there’s been a ton of innovation” in the pet food space “and it confuses pet parents.”
Archie opened petNmind in Coconut Creek, Florida, in 2016, drawing on his 10-year career in medical device sales and an ability to “tell stories and break information down” to help customers make educated decisions. “Pets don’t speak human, so let us translate,” he said, which became the brand’s tagline as he sought to integrate nutrition advice and other pet wellness services into a store experience different from big-box retailers.
Growing up, Archie had “every pet you could think of,” he said, listing fish, iguanas, snakes, geckos, turtles, dogs and cats among his menagerie. A 12-year-old Doberman named Axel and Biggie, a 13-year-old Chihuahua, are his current canine companions. He wanted to become a veterinarian, and began those studies at the University of Richmond before switching to psychology. Also a defensive lineman, he had a short career in the Canadian Football League, followed by a stint in the NFL. It was during his corporate sales tenure that he realized he wanted to get back to his passion.
PetNmind stocks specialty dog and cat foods, supplements and pet supplies, has self-service dog wash stations and a subscription program for hygiene services such as ear cleaning and nail clipping. A monthly non-anesthetic dental clinic completes the hygienic offerings. The brand aims to expand in a pet care industry Archie said “always grows, it’s always healthy,” especially as people humanize their animals—and are willing to spend the money to do it.
The “small-box concept” of petNmind, with store size no more than 2,000 square feet, keeps the investment cost low, around $250,000. That’s in line with Archie’s goal to “democratize the pet industry” by making the franchise opportunity affordable, particularly to people of color, while also creating a community feel within the stores to reach a wider demographic of pet owners.
“I’m tapping into something the pet industry sorely needs to do,” he said of drawing customers and franchisees from Black, Asian and Latino communities. He noted he’s “not your average franchisor,” and sees himself as a bridge to help others realize their dreams, such as when he worked with his franchisee in Orlando to find a financial partner.
“I left a pretty cushy job in medical devices to come out here and get knocked around. I know what it feels like to leave the corporate world, to have that uncertainty,” said Archie. He’s also been “blessed” to receive his own outside support through Leap Venture Studio, created by Mars Petcare, Michelson Found Animals and R/GA Ventures to invest in and assist pet care-specific startups with expansion. Mars is the company behind pet food brands such as Pedigree and Whiskas, along with Banfield Pet Hospitals.
“It’s been monumental and transformative,” said Archie as he noted along with seed funding and help raising capital, he was able to tap into a network of scientists and other industry professionals as he prepares to scale the business.
In addition to the owner in Orlando, petNmind has franchisees signed to open locations in Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles. Archie is in the process of selling his store in Coconut Creek to a franchisee so he can focus on development and support store openings. He’s also building a digital platform called Pet Quotient, or PQ, to connect petNmind customers with pet professionals in their areas and serve as a tool for franchisees.
Archie recognizes his is an emerging brand in a competitive industry, but said he’s “made all the mistakes,” spent six years in the business learning what pet parents want and “I don’t have a quit button.”
“People are getting me. They’re getting my expertise and my passion.”