How Jess Berger Became the First Latina to Raise $1M in the Pet Products Industry

If your pups are the kings and queens of the house, Jess Berger’s experience will sound all too familiar. After spending years going from store to store looking for the products her sensitive rescued Great Dane pups needed, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

This Latina entrepreneur combined what she learned in the pet industry for 15 years and created the brand she always dreamed of.

Thus, Bundle x Joy was born. It is a brand that bundles nutrition with the purpose of unleashing a happier gut for our beloved furry ones.

“We are proud to be one of the only Latina-founded pet companies passionate about representing real pet people today,” Jess told FIERCE. “We believe everyone deserves access to premium nutrition and to be part of an authentic community of real dog people.”

Bundle x Joy and a collective success story

Bundle x Joy is more than a dream. For Jess Berger, it transformed into a community experience. The pet food startup just raised more than $1 million publicly. This made Jess the first Latina to do so in the pet products industry.

This first-gen American Latina was named a Pet Age Influential Woman in 2021, proving that one woman’s success is everyone’s.

Especially when the first thing you share with others is the tools that got you to the top.

“We’re passionate about giving back,” Jess says, explaining that 3% of sales go to fund women entrepreneurs and local communities.

However, the road wasn’t always easy for Jess Berger

It’s no secret that although Latinas start businesses at a higher rate than other Americans, access to startup financing is limited. As Jess explained, today, women of color receive less than 1% of traditional venture capital funding.

But that didn’t stop her.

“I realized right away how difficult it was going to be to fund my business and had to find creative ways to learn everything I could about funding options from organizations like IFundWomen and other female founders who were ahead of me,” she explains.

Another of her tools for success has been networking with others. “It’s very important to find other people who can advise you when things get tough and make meaningful introductions,” she adds.

Amazon as a secret weapon for Latina entrepreneurs

For many of us, side hustles are part of our Latina culture. Today, a key resource is Amazon’s store. For Jess, Amazon’s support and collaboration have been critical to the growth of her Latina-founded small business.

“We worked directly with their support teams to help us launch our online store, which was very helpful when we were first starting out,” she explains. “We are able to use resources like Fulfillment by Amazon to grow our business while juggling the other areas of my life outside of work, including motherhood and being a doctoral student.”

Jess explained that the store’s broad customer base, promotional tools, and resources help entrepreneurs tremendously.

“Resources like Fulfillment by Amazon have helped us increase our sales and grow our business much faster than we could have done on our own,” she says. “People with dogs are busier than ever, and being able to offer Prime shipping and the convenience and savings of Subscribe & Save to our customers means even more time to enjoy with our pups.”

Similarly, Jess explained the benefits of Amazon’s Spanish-language options, which allow customers to shop in whatever language they prefer. “As someone who is bilingual and has Spanish-speaking family members, I love that Amazon is accessible for all, no matter how you choose to shop for your pup,” she explained.

As Latinas often do, Bundle x Joy is a brand that gives back to the community

Jess Berger’s passion for animals led her to create a successful brand, and she knows this is a big responsibility. That’s why she decided that part of her proceeds would go to fund other women’s entrepreneurship.

Bundle x Joy not only launched a 3% giveback but also offers mentorship opportunities within their community, working alongside other small and diverse businesses to help them grow.

“As a 100% women-founded company, it’s vital that we have opportunities to share our brand story beyond our local community,” she says.

They also collaborate with local organizations such as The Arizona Pet Project and Besty BnB to help people and pets in times of crisis. Donations include funding safe overnight stays for people and pets who are victims of domestic violence, as well as food and supplies for times of crisis when they are unable to care for their pets.

Finally, Jess Berger has a few pearls of wisdom for Latinas who want to start their own businesses

“My best advice is usually to just get started,” she says. “For too long, I hesitated to launch my business simply because I didn’t see anyone else who looked like me in that space. The reality is that you can be exactly what others have been waiting for, and you’ll never know if you don’t try!”

As a Latina entrepreneur, Jess is inspired by the hard work of the women who have come before her. This entrepreneur is convinced that Latinas “bring a special amount of courage, strength, and passion behind their dreams – it’s within our culture!”

She advises, “Connect with other Latinas who have already started their entrepreneurial journey, get feedback support, and build your network as fast as you can.”

And for Latinas, who are also the CEOs of the household, balancing personal and business responsibilities is key.

“I’m working hard to build a legacy that my family can be proud of, reminding myself that they are what really matters in the end,” Jess said. “Surrounding myself with our incredible community of strong women helps me remember that others are cheering me on and looking up to me to help pave the way forward for others.”

Now, Jess expects Bundle x Joy to grow at the pace of her entrepreneurial spirit. In addition, this entrepreneur shares her entrepreneurial journey on social media to help others get a glimpse into the ins and outs of pursuing a dream.

She hopes that more people with dogs will see themselves represented in our community and that she can help mentor more small businesses and women founders in 2024.

“I believe this is our year to help inspire other Latina founders to dream big and pursue joy with everything they have,” she concludes.