With an engineering degree and experience in marketing, Noida-resident Chandrakant Yadav transitioned to entrepreneurship in 2019 by launching ThePetNest—an online pet care marketplace that provides pet care services such as grooming and veterinary facilities along with pet products. The decision to foray into the pet care industry stemmed from the demise of his own pet dog that he lost owing to lack of availability of pet emergency services. In this interview, Yadav talks about life beyond work, his love for pets, and more.
Excerpts…
Do you have pets of your own?
I have been a pet lover since childhood. In 2019, I adopted a Labrador named Oliver. A family was shifting from Delhi to Mumbai and they did not want to take Oliver with them, so they had left him alone on the roadside. I was on my way from the office when I saw him alone. I asked around and eventually decided to adopt him but he died two months later.
Right now, I have a cat and another pet dog.
How did you foray into entrepreneurship?
Back in 2019, when I adopted Oliver, I found the pet care market very unorganised. There weren’t many service providers or any platforms where all my requirements could be met. One day, Oliver became ill at around two or three in the morning. I was looking for a veterinarian around my area at that time, but I could not find anyone. I couldn’t avail any sort of online consultation at night either. It was only in the morning that we took Oliver to the vet. It was late for him and he did not survive.
This made me realise that there is a lot of gap [in this industry] since there was no platform that would provide all the amenities a pet owner needs. This is when I decided to start PetNest; the idea was that every pet parent must get good facilities for their pets.
What is it that you like to do when you are not working?
When I am not working with pets, I go around feeding pets! The company has tie-ups with a few organisations that work for strays. On weekends, I usually go around the city such as societies, trying to feed stray cats and dogs.
How do you maintain work-life balance?
It is all about priorities. It is about finding out what you want to do and what changes you want to bring in someone’s life or how you can bring a positive change in the society. If you are working for a good cause, it will keep you going. This thought that I am working for the right thing keeps me going.
What is the biggest learning from working with ThePetNest?
Every pet is unique—a bird, dog, cat, or even a buffalo. For every person, the concept of a pet is different and distinct in their own way. All pets deserve the right care.