The Silicon Review ^Asia

“As of today, our current range of offerings includes the Wiggles Box, a D2C monthly subscription box backed by personalised alerts, Vet-on-Call and Grooming services.”

Doctors as healers are the guardians of life. Providing a soothing environment helps in better treatment since pets feel more at peace in their home territory than in the unknown confines of a veterinary clinic.

In light of the foregoing, we’re thrilled to present Wiggles.in

Wiggles is India’s first D2C monthly subscription brand in the preventive pet healthcare space created by Vets For Your Pets backed by Vets On Call service. The in-house veterinary specialists at Wiggles aid pets in distress by providing treatment in the comforts of pet-parents’ home. Pet-parents just need to call the company’s support line or drop an email. Subsequently, the company will schedule an appointment at their convenience.

Wiggles’ Vet-on-Call service has been successfully launched in Mumbai/Pune. The service will launch soon in Delhi NCR and is planned to spread Pan-India.

Wiggles was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Pune.

Anushka Iyer, Wiggles.in Founder, spoke exclusively to The Silicon Review. Below is an excerpt.

Q. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful business/IT leader?

Personally, the top three skills for me in today’s changing times would definitely include empathic leadership, being fearlessly authentic, and, of course, leading through change in times of disruption. A leader who can empathize is considerate and hence able to take decisions with equanimity in response than in reaction. Moreover, in being able to present yourself you are able to uphold your values and have clarity in decision making without fear or favour. That said, enterprises and endeavors must also align with evolving times, and if innovations and disruptions are the need of the hour, a shift in perspective would certainly be a benchmark for success.

Q. Can you brief us about the history of your company?

Our journey has truly been incredible. I used to often notice how pet owners abandoned their pets simply because they did not want to foot health bills on a daily basis. Wiggles was born with the aim to ease healthcare for pets. However, initially, the plan was never to have our own product range but to supply existing products with honest and transparent pricing. Hence, we set out on a journey to disrupt the existing pet care market and dish-out innovative and easy-to-use products which were simple, affordable and convenient. As of today, our current range of offerings includes the Wiggles Box, a D2C monthly subscription box backed by personalised alerts, and Vet-on-Call, and Grooming services.

Q. There is nothing more important for a successful small business than a well-defined mission and vision statements. Can you explain your M&V statements in brief?

Wiggles is all about pet healthcare. We are out on a mission to make pets healthier and happier across India with the aim to be the first and only D2C monthly subscription brand in the preventive pet healthcare space.

Q. What is your greatest fear and how do you manage fear?

We are the first of the kind in the Indian pet healthcare market. While this is a great blue ocean opportunity for us, difficulties were of the same level too. We had to face challenges which no one else had experienced in the market but instead of worrying about these challenges we decided to embrace them and let them guide us, and hence managed to rise above it all. I consider this my greatest fear yet my greatest asset.

Q. What were the biggest initial hurdles to building your business and how did you overcome them?

I think the pet industry is in a very nascent stage in India. One of the biggest initial hurdles to building our brand was the lack of awareness in the market. We initially spent a lot of time educating pet owners and pet parents on the importance of pet healthcare by placing a high emphasis on the same through our communication strategy. We also have a series of workshops, events and fun activities lined up to educate pet parents about the importance of pet healthcare across India this year.

Q. What’s the best thing that happened to you recently? Either at work or outside of it!

Our altruistic deeds are grabbing the attention of everyone from different walks of life. Within a short span of time, we have created a positive image in the minds of people. This is certainly inspiring for us and we will continue to help as many animals as possible.

Q. What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business’ success?

At Wiggles, our motto is to stop selling and start helping and I believe this goes a long way. Our compassionate, loving, and benevolent approach towards animals is something we do straight from our hearts as we take care of your furry buddy as our own.

Q. What other business leaders do you look up to, and why?

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is someone I truly look up to. She indeed defines true leadership, especially in the face of hardship and adversity.

Q. If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Be fierce, be tenacious! It takes all colours to make the rainbow. If you want your brand to be a ‘rainbow’ you must be ready to face all the colours of life.

Q. What do you think is the most memorable moment in your career?

The convergence of my professional and personal goals! I am an ardent animal-lover and founding Wiggles has been an exhilarating experience for me. Wiggles is exactly what was missing in the pet healthcare market and we want to revolutionize and re-define pet healthcare like never before.

Q. If not a business leader what else you wish to be?

Well, I think being an entrepreneur runs in my blood and that is exactly where I’d see myself today, tomorrow and always.

Q. What do you hope to accomplish in the long run?

We started Wiggles with the objective of making every pet healthier and happier in India. With our range of innovative, easy-to-use pet-care products and services, this certainly is achievable. We also do our bit for stray animals each month by conducting vaccination drives. The response has truly been phenomenal and we aim to expand our customer base across all Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities in India. 

Anushka Iyer: An Aspiring Entrepreneur

Anushka Iyer is the founder of Wiggles.in. An ardent animal lover, she is passionate about making a mark in the world of business through social entrepreneurship. Ms. Iyer is a multipotentialite. She is a quick and innovative thinker who is known to come up with totally out-of-the-box ideations backed by superb execution skills.

Ms. Iyer is currently pursuing International Business Management from the Rennes School of Business in France. She is a team player who has tremendous leadership abilities. Besides passion for business management, her arsenal includes determination, perseverance backed by a focused commitment to deliver results.

“We are out on a mission to make pets healthier and happier across India with the aim to be the first and only D2C monthly subscription brand in the preventive pet healthcare space.”