Ken Ehrman is the founder and CEO of Halo Collar, the leading GPS dog containment system that’s revolutionizing pet safety. With a background in IoT and a history of building tech companies—including taking one public in 1999—Ken teamed up with celebrity dog behaviorist Cesar Millan to create a next-generation “invisible fence.” Since launching in 2018, Halo has quadrupled sales, surpassed $100 million in annual revenue, and sold over 200,000 collars, all while giving pet owners the freedom to create a “backyard everywhere they go.”

On this episode we talk about:

Ken’s entrepreneurial journey from yearbook ad sales to founding and scaling multiple tech companies

The early days of IoT, RFID, and what it was like to take a company public with just $3 million in annual revenue

How the idea for Halo Collar was sparked by a real family tragedy—and why the market was ready for a better solution

The power of partnerships: how Ken connected with Cesar Millan to bring dog expertise and credibility to the product

Why Halo’s GPS-powered, AI-enabled collar is more than a tracker—it’s a portable, wireless fence you can set up anywhere

The business lessons behind Halo’s exponential growth: leveraging existing demand, innovating on proven products, and solving real pain points for pet owners

Smart scaling: how Halo used a direct-to-consumer model, negative inventory, and global fulfillment to fuel rapid expansion

The importance of product-market fit, recurring revenue, and building a brand that dog owners trust

Ken’s framework for evaluating new business ideas and the difference between “nice-to-have” and “need-to-have” products

Top 3 Takeaways

Innovate Where Demand Exists: Halo succeeded by improving an existing solution (the invisible fence) in a massive, established market, rather than trying to create demand from scratch.

Solve Real Problems, Not Just Sell Features: The best products address urgent needs—like keeping pets safe—rather than relying on “nice-to-have” technology.

Smart Partnerships and Operations Win: Strategic alliances (like with Cesar Millan), creative fulfillment, and a focus on customer experience enabled Halo to scale quickly and efficiently.

Notable Quotes

“What’s the best solution that there could be? That’s always my mindset, whether I’m selling yearbook ads or building a tech company.”

“People are already buying fences for their dogs. We just made it portable, smarter, and safer.”

“If you can find things people are already buying, you’re not pushing a boulder uphill—you’re meeting a real need.”

Connect with Ken Ehrman:

Website: halocollar.com

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