How local startups aim to conquer the industry…

By Rachael Markovic

To be a successful entrepreneur in this world, it is often believed that you must aim high or “reach for the stars,” as some may say. But setting the goal and executing a plan to accomplish it are two separate things.

In Dania Beach, a team of 700 people work to accomplish one thing, being “the largest pet retailer in the world,” says Ryan Cohen, the 31-year old CEO of Chewy.com, a fast-growing e-commerce company offering nearly 30,000 pet products to 3 million customers nationwide.

Cohen and Michael Day, the company’s chief technology officer, founded the company in 2011. Chewy fuels its own growth by investing in value propositions aimed at attracting and retaining customers. According to South Florida’s Business Journal, “Chewy illustrates that it’s possible to prioritize long-term market presence over short-term earnings.”