WeGro

Hull, Massachusetts e-Commerce

$0
of target $50,000 - $500,000

0% funded

to go

Welcome to WeGro Co, Inc.

WeGro Co, Inc. was founded by Heidi and Randy Williams, the creators of Zen Habitats, a leading reptile enclosure brand with over $22 million in sales. Together with social media creator Em Lock (Emzotic), who engages over 1 million followers, we are redefining the way reptile-centric brands grow and connect with their customers.

We specialize in managing eCommerce, affiliate programs, and social media for reptile and exotic pet brands, leveraging our expertise to expand portfolios and drive profitability. Passion fuels our work, and our goal is simple: to empower pet owners and brands while growing our community.

How We Started
The Zen Habitats Story

The Problem: Our journey began with Chi, our beloved bearded dragon, who was showing signs of stress in his standard glass “bearded dragon enclosure”. Chi’s small, reflective glass, top-opening enclosure failed to retain heat properly, made him territorial and anxious, and prevented him from having freedom of movement. Additionally, the top-opening design stressed Chi further, as it triggered his instinct to fear aerial predators.

Baby Chi in his glass enclosure

The Solution: Desperate to find a solution, we, Heidi and Randy, searched local and national pet stores for a proper enclosure but found nothing suitable. So, we decided to build our own 4’x2’x2’ enclosure, a spacious, wooden, front-opening habitat that met Chi’s needs perfectly. The transformation in Chi’s behavior was immediate and profound. Chi became instantly calm and peaceful and dare we say…zen.

Chi’s homemade enclosure where he became “zen”

The Creation of Zen Habitats: We shared Chi's story and enclosure photos on Facebook, receiving an overwhelming response. Reptile owners asked us to build enclosures for their pets. Seeing a widespread need, we launched Zen Habitats with three principles: species-appropriate, easy to set up and maintain, and furniture-quality to go "from the reptile room to the living room." While balancing full-time jobs, Heidi a 4th grade teacher and Randy a business professional at a Fortune 500 company, we built enclosures on weekends in our home. As demand grew, we focused on Zen Habitats full-time. Since 2019, we've sold over 65,000 enclosures, generating nearly $22 million in sales in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Customer Photos

Product Innovation

In addition to creating species-appropriate enclosures, Zen Habitats has been a leader in product innovation. We developed the Zen Mat, a solid substrate designed to maintain enclosure cleanliness; the Zen Cave, which provides infrared-C heat for natural belly warmth; and the Zen Den, a versatile hide that serves both terrestrial and arboreal species and doubles as a convenient transportation solution. At WeGro Co, we are committed to continuing this legacy of innovation by developing or investing in products that address critical needs within the reptile hobby.

Covid’s Impact on Zen Habitats: In 2020 and 2021, Zen Habitats saw significant growth as our brand strengthened and the pet industry boomed. Riding this wave of success, we expanded our team to manage international and wholesale sales, securing accounts like Chewy.com and PetSmart.com. However, 2022 brought unforeseen challenges: factory shutdowns, shipping delays, and soaring costs. These issues led to a five-month stock shortage and a 36% increase in delivered costs, forcing us into debt to cover losses. By 2023, reduced cash flow hindered our inventory, causing further financial strain, with daily sales dropping dramatically when core products were out of stock.

Adapting to Challenges

In 2020-2021, Zen Habitats thrived during the pet industry boom, growing sales significantly. However, unforeseen global challenges in 2022, including factory shutdowns, shipping delays, and rising costs, impacted our ability to maintain inventory.

Rather than let these challenges define us, we took decisive action to pivot:

Refocused Strategy: We prioritized direct-to-consumer sales and leveraged our expertise in SEO and social media to recover lost ground and increase profitability.
Reduced Overhead: Eliminated low-margin wholesale and international units and significantly reduced operational costs.
Streamlined Product Line: In 2024, we launched Zen 3.0, reducing manufacturing complexity while offering customers enhanced features at a lower price point.

These steps resulted in a 10.5% increase in conversion rates, a 21.8% reduction in delivered costs, and positioned us for sustainable growth. The lessons learned during this time continue to inform our strategies today.

New Zen Habitats 3.0 in “Timeless Oak”

The WeGro Co Story

Building on Success

Building on Zen Habitats’ success, we launched WeGro Co, Inc. in 2024 as its parent company. WeGro Co is designed to replicate our proven strategies which utilize SEO, social media, and influencer marketing to build brand recognition and reduce customer acquisition costs, maximizing net profitability.

While continuing to grow Zen Habitats, we began managing social media marketing, affiliate campaigns, and became the U.S. distributor for Blue River Diets (a UK-based gecko food.) In addition to Blue River Diets, WeGro Co has agreements in place to manage and distribute both Essential Reptile Enclosures and EcoZoo.

The Power of Social Media and SEO

Our strength lies in creating brands with a dominant digital presence. Here’s how we outperform the competition:

Social Media Impact:

Zen Habitats: Over 73,000 followers, over 5x the average of our competitors.
Zen Habitats: Over 21 million views and a 10.8% engagement rate in 2023, 4x higher than industry benchmarks.
Blue River Diets: 1,000% follower growth and 660,000 post views within eight months, achieving a 14.8% engagement rate.

SEO Excellence:

Keyword Dominance: Hundreds of keywords rank in Google’s top three positions.
Visibility Advantage: According to SEMrush Zen Habitats has significantly higher Google visibility score than competitors on over 300 keywords.

Impact on Marketing Costs

These achievements have a direct impact on our bottom line:

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Just $26 for Zen Habitats with a lifetime Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) of 19x.
High Returns on Investment:

Average Order Value (AOV): $305 for Zen Habitats.
Lifetime Value (LTV): $499 for Zen Habitats.

By building strong brands with compelling social media and SEO strategies, we significantly reduce marketing costs while maximizing margins.

Early Success:

Blue River Diets: A 1,000% increase in social media followers and a 14.8% engagement rate in just eight months.
US Market Launch: Blue River Diets achieved a 7.1% conversion rate and an average order value of $77 within weeks of launch.
Zen Habitats 3.0: Streamlined manufacturing cut delivered costs by 21.8% while increasing conversion rates by 10.5%.

WeGro Co was built to elevate brands like these, creating sustainable, scalable growth in the booming reptile industry.

Blue River Diets Marketing Campaign

Why Invest in WeGro Co?

The Opportunity

The reptile industry is the fastest-growing segment of the pet market, with ownership up 33% over the past five years. Meanwhile, eCommerce in the pet sector is projected to grow at an annual rate of 20.72% over the next five years. This perfect storm of trends positions WeGro Co as a leader in a rapidly expanding niche.

What’s in It for You?

We are seeking $500,000 in funding to:

Meet Inventory Demands: Sales are 300% higher when core products are in stock. Ensuring availability is critical.
Expand Our Portfolio: Launch new brands and introduce innovative products to serve untapped needs.
Enhance Efficiency: Implement advanced CRM systems and streamline inventory management.

Investor Benefits:

Gain equity in a proven business model.
Be part of an industry-leading team driving the next phase of growth in a $100 billion pet industry.
Support a company poised for 25%-50% sales growth in 2025 and projected revenue of $20-$25 million within five years.

Our Strengths

Hyper-Specialized Expertise

Unlike generic marketing agencies, WeGro Co focuses exclusively on reptile-centric brands. This specialization ensures we deliver measurable results with unparalleled efficiency.

Proven Results

Zen Habitats: A significantly higher Google visibility score than competitors and a 10.8% engagement rate on social media.
Blue River Diets: 1,000% follower growth and 660,000+ post views in just eight months.
Influencer Partnerships: Collaborated with over 100 influencers, driving millions of views and significant revenue growth.

Milestones and Timeline

2024-2025

Replace existing lines of Zen Habitats enclosures with Zen 3.0 enclosures.
Introduce Blue River Diets to the US market and manage eCommerce store.
Increase in total sales in 2025 between 25%-50%.

2026-2028

Expand brand partnerships and influencer networks.

Manage two new $1,000,000 brand e-commerce stores per year.

Continuously improve operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Growth projections of $20,000,000 to $25,000,000 in five years.
Target an EBITDA margin of over 20%.

Let’s Get Gro-ing Together!

WeGro Co is more than a business—it’s a movement to transform the reptile industry and empower brands to thrive. With your investment, we can scale faster, innovate further, and make a lasting impact on the pet community.

Don’t miss this chance to join a high-growth, niche-focused venture. Be part of the team redefining what it means to care for reptiles and grow successful brands. Invest now and together, let’s create a thriving ecosystem for reptiles, their owners, and the brands that serve them. Join us in transforming the reptile industry—one enclosure, one product, one story at a time.

Passion-Driven Leadership

Our team isn’t just experienced; we live and breathe our mission. As reptile owners ourselves, we understand the needs of this market deeply, bringing authenticity to everything we do.

Randy Williams
Founder & CEO

Randy has spent 20+ years as a sales leader and an intrapreneur working for mid-size and Fortune 500 companies such as the University of Phoenix and Staples. During this time, Randy has been responsible for helping build programs that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. He led sales teams, rebuilt struggling sales organizations, and created new sales channels, all with great success.

In 2017 Randy decided to move from an intrapreneur to an entrepreneur, designing and building Zen Habitats reptile enclosures from home. Since then, the enclosures have been redesigned for scalability and mass market production, all with the focus on creating enclosures that are functional, affordable, and aesthetically pleasing. Through innovative design and marketing, Zen Habitats has sold over 65,000 enclosures.

Randy's strategic vision and operational expertise uniquely position him to drive the company forward in the pet industry landscape. His experience in sales leadership and entrepreneurship equips him to empower pet-centric brands through effective eCommerce strategies and creative marketing, utilizing SEO, social media, and affiliate marketing.

Heidi Williams
Chief Operating Officer

Heidi Williams is an innovative entrepreneur with a strong foundation in education and leadership. Heidi's journey into entrepreneurship began in 2017 with co-founding Zen Habitats Inc. Her dedication to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction has been instrumental in establishing the company as a leader in the reptile enclosure industry. In addition, Heidi co-founded WeGro Co. in 2024 and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer.

Leveraging her 15 years of experience as an Elementary School Teacher, Heidi brings a unique perspective and structured approach to managing operations at WeGro Co. Since dedicating herself fulltime in June 2022, Heidi has played a pivotal role in enhancing organizational efficiency and driving the company's mission to empower pet-centric brands through innovative eCommerce strategies and impactful social media campaigns.

Em Lock
Director of Partnerships

Em Lock is an Animal Educator, and the content creator behind the award-winning YouTube channel “Emzotic”. Her background as a zoological specialist, along with her “edutaining” presentation style has amassed her a following of over a million animal lovers and pet keepers across her social media platforms.

Her influence as Emzotic has allowed her the opportunity to rewrite animal welfare laws, fund multiple charitable initiatives, and connect and collaborate with the world’s best-known and most trusted pet brands and influencers.

Em's appointment as the Director of Partnerships for WeGro Co. brings her the exciting opportunity to combine all of her experiences and industry connections, and to explore the possibilities of combining the power of the digital influencer, with the unique marketing strategies necessary for pet brands to thrive.