David Hogan Proves That Pursuing Your Passion Ultimately Has It’s Rewards
– By Dayna Roselli
In February of 2020, David Hogan of Las Vegas launched his company “Original Paw Supply.” He created trendy sneakers for dogs. They have weather resistant soles to protect their paws, and they also look good in pictures! Hogan is proud of his product, but he never imagined an established company would want to buy his business, just a few months later. Especially in the middle of a pandemic.
But, that’s exactly what happened.
Hogan’s dog sneaker product conceptualized back in 2018. The shoes look like sneakers we would wear, but they are for your dog. Hogan worked hard at marketing his brand and getting the word out nationally. He figured out his ad spending and targeted specific demographics. It was his first go at e-commerce.
As the coronavirus started closing down the country in March, Hogan wasn’t sure what would happen, but to his surprise, he started seeing an increase in sales. The business became profitable.
That’s when Fresh Pawz found him on Instagram.
Hogan says, “I thought it was a little premature but my intention with the concept was to sell to a dog company at some point because I knew it was such an intriguing product and so unique that it would fit perfectly somewhere. I just wanted to get the platform ready for market and make it profitable before I ever thought about seeking that, so having a company approach me was astonishing.”
Hogan says it’s gratifying and humbling to be able to close the deal during a time like this. He says, “more important to see the product I had a vision for long before it materialized, that so many countless hours went into… development, design, and all the trials and tribulations that come with building a brand… acquired by another company that saw value in it and now seeing it on such a large scale, that alone is satisfying for me.”
You may wonder, what now? What does an entrepreneur do after a life-changing moment like that? Hogan says he is taking time to sit back and observe the world around him, but at the same time he’s brainstorming. He says “I like to keep an open mind, that’s when the best ideas can come about, so it’s in the back of my mind, but for the time being I’m enjoying myself as well. The goal was to create the first sneaker for puppies, and that’s what I did, never take no for an answer.”