On today’s episode, I sit down with Alexandra Pauly, founder of Biche, a luxury pet grooming brand bringing beauty-industry standards to dog care.

After working in fashion and beauty media, Alex started Biche out of frustration with the grooming products she was using on her own dog.

She spent roughly a year and a half developing their first two products, and in April, went to market with a gentle shampoo and leave-in conditioning oil designed to be better for a dog’s skin and coat while creating a more enjoyable experience for the owner.

In this conversation, we talk about what translates from human beauty into pet care, the challenge of developing a fragrance that works for both dogs and their owners, how Alex approached pricing without many direct comparisons, the roles of DTC and retail in the earliest stages of building the brand, as well as how she's thinking about customer acquisition, fundraising, and expanding the product line without losing focus.

I learned a lot during my conversation with Alex, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.