The BarkBox CEO: How Turning Obsession Into a Business Built a Pet Empire

This episode was recorded September 3rd, 2025

How do you turn a love for dogs into a publicly traded powerhouse?

Matt Meeker, CEO and co-founder of Bark & Co (NYSE: BARK), reveals how a simple idea for monthly dog toys became a global pet-care empire—and why passion, patience, and brand purpose are the real competitive advantages in business.

From co-founding Meetup to launching BarkBox in a Brooklyn apartment, Matt shares the hard truths of scaling consumer brands, navigating public markets, and building a company that truly understands its customers—dogs and humans alike.

He explains:

• Why obsession (not opportunity) built Bark’s billion-dollar brand
• How BarkBox became a subscription-economy case study
• The emotional psychology behind pet ownership and consumer loyalty
• How to balance mission-driven storytelling with investor accountability
• Why the pet economy keeps outperforming every recession
• What retail investors can learn from founder-led brands in consumer markets