From Pet Food Entrepreneur to Tech Startup: Spotlight on Emily Lagasse

In the dynamic world of SaaS, one name has been garnering attention lately – Emily Lagasse. 

Emily is currently the Vice President of Marketing at Blustream, a leading-edge SaaS company that offers personalized after-sale product experiences for customers. While Emily has been pioneering cutting-edge marketing initiatives at Blustream since joining the team full-time in 2022, her journey as a marketing professional is far from typical. 

As our partnership with Blustream has grown, so has our relationship with its team -- and Emily’s story is certainly a standout. This marketing guru is finding her footing in the tech world by leading with strategy.

Emily, could you please share your early career experiences, particularly with your pet food business?

Emily: Sure, my journey began in West Africa, during my time in the Peace Corps, where I adopted a dog, Fenway. When we moved back to the U.S., I struggled with traditional pet food options and ended up learning to cook for him. That's how FedWell Pet Foods was born in 2013. I offered baked kibble made with real food ingredients for dogs. After four years, I opened Petwell Supply, a retail store in Somerville, and ran it successfully until 2022.

Are you still running this business in tandem with your job at Blustream?

Emily: While running my pet retail business, I started shifting from my vision of supplying holistic pet remedies to fit customer requests, such as building a team to provide dog grooming and other pet services, which isn’t something I really loved. I realized my business was moving in a different direction than I’d planned and though I still have an online presence, I ended up closing my brick and mortar in 2022. It was an invaluable learning experience that really catapulted me into my current role. 

What spurred your shift to the tech industry, and how did you become a part of Blustream?

Emily: While I was still running Petwell, I was introduced to Blustream's CEO, Ken Rapp. The conversation was super organic and I think I brought a really unique perspective to the table. I started working with the team on a consulting basis, helping them think through how the technology could be applied within the pet space. Later, I was their first hire in marketing and it was really exciting to apply my experience in such a new field. I realized my attention to customer feedback and problem solving in the pet industry was also a valuable asset as a marketer in the tech industry.

You've managed to navigate between two vastly different industries. How does your experience in the pet industry translate into the tech world?

Emily: The best brands and products come from solving real problems that people experience. Even though the products and customers have changed, this principle remains the same and my approach of simplifying messaging and focusing on creating unique customer experiences works whether I’m operating in the pet industry or the tech world.

"Whether it’s our software or a bag of dog food, the best brands and products are built from understanding the problems people experience."

In terms of Blustream's marketing strategy, can you share any recent developments or trends you're pioneering or seeing in the SaaS space?

Emily: We're currently working on a 'brand anthem' video with the team at Beacon Digital, which I’m so excited about! We’ve had a video in the past, but this one will be all about establishing an emotional connection by inspiring businesses to think about the possibilities that open up when you connect with your customers in a meaningful way about the products you sell them. It’s a huge project, but at the end of the day, this video will help potential customers understand what is so unique about Blustream and how our technology can help them build lifetime relationships with their customers.

Could you tell us about your partnership with Beacon Digital? Why did you choose us and how has this relationship benefited Blustream?

Emily: I found Beacon through the HubSpot Partner directory, actually. I interviewed a ton of potential agencies, but the thing that really struck me about Beacon was the well-rounded, process-driven approach your team has. You’ve helped us align all the components of our business and marketing strategies to make everything cohesive. I think of it like a holistic flywheel and Beacon Digital’s expertise has been instrumental in creating and executing our strategy!

What's a piece of advice you wish you could give your younger self, starting her career in tech and/or the pet industry?

Emily: I would say, if you have a curiosity about starting your own business, follow it! Even working at a startup, you can always adjust. I made a huge pivot from pet food to tech, so I would say, always be open to evolution.

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Emily's unique journey from pet food entrepreneur to tech industry leader is a testament to the power of passion, problem-solving, and embracing change. At Beacon Digital, we look forward to our continued partnership with Emily and the team at Blustream.

For those interested in Blustream's services, you can find out more on their website, connect with them on LinkedIn and Twitter and sign up for their newsletter. They also provide demos of their services.