Meet Boris Chung | Founder of A Better Treat

We had the good fortune of connecting with Boris Chung and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Boris, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson I learned from my career is that the decision makers in most businesses don’t have it all figured out. Despite how big or successful a company may look on the outside, there is a lot of educated guesses involved. I have been one of the first 5 employees at a company that went from 0 to 150 million in 3 years, a less successful startup, a fortune 500 company and my own company: A Better Treat. Throughout starting my company, I ran into so many situations where I didn’t know what to do and I was forced to use the best information I had to make an educated guess. The upside is I saw companies of all sizes (even ones that ended up successful) constantly navigating through uncertainty and making guesses, some ended up being correct others incorrect. However, it was critical to learn that no one has all the answers and not to let not knowing what to do stop me from taking action.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At A Better Treat, we set ourselves apart by making healthy natural products that consumers can recognize. In most of the pet industry, ingredients are used to create the cheapest possible products and altered so they are unrecognizable. We stand out by using well sourced ingredients (wild caught salmon, grass fed beef, free range chicken) left in their recognizable form. A consumer can pick up our product and see the muscle fibers in our chicken breast and the salmon skin and marbling on the salmon. Natural ingredients that are the same as what me and you eat. We are recognizably different than our competitors and help our customers see the quality of foods they are buying for their fur children.

We had many challenges in finding suppliers, retailers, and even vendors we could trust to get to where we are today. It was difficult to start a business with expiration dates breathing down our necks when starting our first treats or dog food. Most suppliers and retailers don’t want to work with small companies. We had to come to understand that the first email, 10th phone call, or 30th contact us submission may not work. It was often our 31st attempt that would result in a supplier, or retailer, willing to give us a chance.

I would encourage all the other entrepreneurs in the world to find something they are passionate about, work through the kinks, and remember what it is like to be the customer. Emi is my gold standard for product creation and decision making. When looking for suppliers, I found products that were made in China often for half the price of my made in the USA products. While it would have allowed me to sell products for cheaper, I know I wouldn’t feel comfortable feeding Emi that food. The reason why all A Better Treat’s products are made in the USA is because I know I can trust in the high manufacturing and sourcing standards we have here in the states and therefore all of our customers can as well. Having Emi’s health as my North Star and being passionate about my products are the main reasons for my success. The same principle can greatly help guide other entrepreneurs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would want to take my friend on a bit of an adventure: hikes such as Eaton Canyon and Los Loenas, rock climbing at Sender One LAX, surfing, if they were up for it, Santa Monica Farmer Market, and Rosie’s Dog Beach with our pups. The food scene in LA is great and I would take them to: Sushi Tsujita, AB Steak, Fritto Misto, and Nobu (Malibu for the view). If they want to check out the tourist areas, Hollywood Sign Hike, Rodeo Drive, and Walk of Fame. There is a lot to see in LA and the food is some of the best of the cities I have traveled to.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Emi, my goldendoodle, is a huge inspiration for A Better Treat. She has the most loving puppy eyes, and I want her to always be by my side. I grew up in a traditional, frugal Asian household and didn’t have a lot of money growing up, so I was never much of a consumer. Growing up around manager specials and trying to find the best deal, made me not into any major products or brands. However, as a child I really wanted the “American Dream” of owning my own business and making it (I remember making lemonade stands and selling candy from Costco to my classmates growing up). Seeing Emi’s excited tail wags and tappy feet whenever I bought her new toys or treats finally helped me understand the joy of shopping by seeing the joy it brought her. Combining the joy of buying for Emi and wanting her to live for as long as possible I finally discovered my passion to make A Better Treat, which is dedicated to making the healthiest, nutrient packed food possible.

Website: https://www.abettertreat.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abettertreat/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-better-treat