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A condo with no backyard, a dog who missed the grass, and a soon-to-be new parent looking for a fix—sometimes a company starts with a very real, very personal need. We sit down with Andrew and Karina, the founders of Fresh Patch, to unpack how a simple idea—delivering real, hydroponically grown grass to pet parents—became a nationally recognized brand and a staple for training, convenience, and enrichment.

You’ll hear the full origin story, from that first Prius loaded with 20 patches to the early goal of 100 subscribers. We get into the Shark Tank saga: three seasons of auditions, a relentless prep bootcamp led by family, and the curveball of a broken foot just before filming. The pitch aired, momentum exploded, and the reruns kept the flywheel spinning—but the real backbone was years of hands-on work, honest customer conversations, and a product that solved accidents, stress, and schedule gaps for urban pet owners.

We also dig into impact. Fresh Patch now supports shelters and rescues with donated grass to help dogs succeed in new homes, tackling the number one reason for returns: potty accidents. The team has grown the vision beyond dogs, with cat condos, cat grass, and enrichment for bunnies and even raptors—because scent, texture, and drainage matter across species. Inside the company, we talk culture, resilience, and the costly mistakes that taught them to test, iterate, and keep moving. The aim is clear: become the trusted name people think of when they want to bring the outdoors in for their pets, while staying good to customers, employees, suppliers, and the planet.

If you care about pet training, startup grit, or how mission and product meet real-world outcomes, this conversation delivers practical insight and heart. Subscribe, share with a fellow pet parent, and leave a review to tell us what part of the journey inspired you most.

Thanks for listening to the potty talk podcast brought to you by Fresh Patch. We hope you enjoyed the show. Give us a like or a follow, or shop all of our real grass supplies at freshpatch.com. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Youtube, Reddit