This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with James Bascharon, the founder and CEO of Vetnique. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I always begin my story with my parents.
My dad is a veterinarian, and my parents immigrated to the US from Egypt with almost nothing. My father started out cleaning dog cages, and my mother — a trained pharmacist — cleaned hotel rooms.
Eventually, my dad earned his veterinary license and opened two animal hospitals. Watching him build something from the ground up inspired my deep appreciation for both animal care and entrepreneurship.
Growing up in suburban Chicago, I was the kid who always said I wanted to be a vet. But I was also inventing product ideas and brainstorming businesses before I even understood what a startup was. I was equally drawn to the white coat and the balance sheet.
When it came time to choose a path, I decided to follow the family legacy. I studied pre-vet at the University of Illinois, then took a risk and left early for veterinary school in Grenada. After completing my clinical year back in Illinois, I returned home ready to join the family practice.
But reality hit hard.
Working with my father wasn’t what I’d hoped for
I thought I’d be part of growing the family business — scaling our two clinics into a larger network, maybe even becoming a national player. But my dad had other plans: He wanted me to be a vet, not a partner.
It was clear I wasn’t going to get a seat at the table the way I’d imagined. So I took a second risk: I applied to two emergency vet clinics for night and weekend shifts. Despite little ER experience, I got both jobs. I needed space — professionally and emotionally — from my father’s clinic. And I needed the income. At the time, new vets earned less than nurses for humans, and I had loans to pay.
Still, I wasn’t satisfied.
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To reclaim a sense of independence, I launched a house-call veterinary service around Chicago. It was just me and my wife, who helped out with scheduling and support. We provided high-end, in-home care, often euthanasia — helping pets pass peacefully under their favorite tree or on their family’s couch.
It was fulfilling and proved I could build something myself. But it wasn’t scalable, and I was exhausted, juggling three vet jobs and always on call.
That’s when I began to brainstorm product ideas. I didn’t sleep much that year. I thought about everything from franchising the house-call model to launching new pet supplements.
Then one day, a lightbulb went off.
I saw the same problem again and again — and realized no one was solving it
As a vet, I saw countless dogs with anal gland issues. They’d scoot across the carpet, sometimes rupture glands, and end up needing expensive surgery. The only solution we had was adding fiber to their diet — canned pumpkin or prescription food — neither of which was very effective.
One client came in frustrated. He’d been back every three weeks for months. “Is there anything else we can do?” he asked.
I didn’t have a good answer, and I hated that.
So I went home and started researching. No product was on the market tailored specifically for this common condition, so that night, my idea for Glandex was born.
I created the formula myself, mixing soluble and insoluble fiber with other gut-supportive ingredients. I made the first batches in five-gallon Home Depot buckets in my basement. My wife and I packed and labeled everything by hand.
Eventually, I launched Glandex online with a tongue-in-cheek campaign: “Boot the Scoot.”
It wasn’t an overnight success, but early Amazon reviews called it a miracle product. That was my proof of concept. We earned two patents and built the company — Vetnique — on the idea that science-backed, vet-formulated products could fill critical gaps in pet care.
I didn’t have money for major ad campaigns, so I leaned into my network. I knew that if I could get veterinarians to recommend Glandex, it would spread faster — and more credibly — than any influencer campaign.
We sold directly to consumers and through Amazon and Chewy, but I also started building distributor partnerships and exhibiting at vet conferences.
It worked. By 2015, we were in PetSmart and Petco. We expanded into grooming products, probiotics, and joint supplements. Slowly, I stopped practicing clinical vet med and went full-time at Vetnique in 2017.
I sold the company in a multimillion-dollar deal — and stayed on to grow it
In 2023, I sold Vetnique to a private equity firm, Gryphon, in a multimillion-dollar deal. I still own about 10% of the company and remain CEO. We now have over 200 employees globally, including about 55 in the US.
Since the acquisition, we’ve doubled in size by acquiring UK-based pet supplement brand YuMOVE, entered Walmart, and expanded to over 25 countries. Our growth continues at over 30% year over year.
Our mission is to help pets thrive for life by addressing the biggest health needs: digestive issues, joint health, allergies, dental care, and ear care. But more than that, we aim to raise the bar in pet wellness by delivering science-based, vet-developed products that solve real problems.
More than 100,000 veterinarians worldwide recommend our products, and we now support the health of over 5 million pets each year.
I never imagined the path would take me from my father’s clinic to building a global company — but I’m proud of every step.
And yes, my dad is proud, too.
Do you have a unique side hustle, or has your side hustle replaced your full-time job? Email Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert at [email protected].
