From Birds to Breakthroughs: 50 Years of Pet Nutrition with Purpose

Welcome to Marketing Tails—the show where host Mark Bevington talks with founders and execs who are excelling at growth and changing the way we do business. Mark sat down with Nadine Lafeber, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at a multi-generational company that's been pioneering high-quality, specialized pet nutrition since 1973. What began as her grandfather's veterinary pursuit of balanced bird diets has since expanded into a trusted family-owned brand known for integrity, innovation, and a unique presence in the bird and exotic pet nutrition space. In this episode The family legacy behind a 50-year-old brand in avian health How a veterinarian's vision grew into a trusted name in critical care nutrition Expanding beyond birds: new small pet products and why hay bales matter Why boutique manufacturing is a moat (and how it beats big competitors) Marketing + sales as one team: how Nadine runs it lean and aligned Thought leadership and educational content as a growth engine What it means to lead with values, faith, and purpose in a competitive market Guest Nadine Lafeber — VP of Marketing & Sales Website: https://lafeber.com/ Check out the Emeraid line and new small pet innovations for 2025. Sponsor This episode is brought to you by Ninedot—the digital marketing team that turns underperforming websites into your best sales tool. Get your free website grade: ninedot.com Chapters 00:00 Intro & sponsor 02:30 A family mission since 1973 05:45 How Emeraid became a leader in critical care nutrition 10:38 The hay bale innovation for small pets 13:12 Educating pet parents and veterinarians 19:20 Merging marketing and sales into one agile team 22:59 Building awareness for small pet SKUs on TikTok 25:53 Competing against big brands with trust and transparency 29:28 Leadership lessons from a family business 33:15 Wildlife hospital partnerships across 3 continents 41:00 Why mission-driven marketing works 48:00 Nadine's advice to young women in the pet industry 52:00 Where to find more about the company