In this episode of Street to Suite, Simon Zelman sits down with Ethan Haber, CEO and Founder of Happy Habitats, to explore how a simple observation about his pet hamster, Moxie, became a growing business. While attending Wake Forest University, Ethan noticed that small-pet products had not evolved much and asked a simple question: why can't you walk a hamster?

Ethan shares how that idea developed into a business through prototypes, trade shows, an entrepreneurial incubator, manufacturing partnerships, and bootstrapping. He discusses the challenges of COVID, rising manufacturing costs, supply chain issues, and the lessons he learned about designing products that balance quality with cost.

The conversation also covers entrepreneurship at a young age, working with his father and P9 Design, managing a business while wearing multiple hats, finding better returns through retail marketplaces, and Happy Habitats' plans to expand through distributors and retail partnerships.

• How a simple observation can become a business opportunity
• Lessons from starting a company at 19
• How an incubator program helped turn an idea into a business
• Building a company through partnerships and sweat equity
• Navigating COVID, manufacturing costs, and supply chain challenges
• Why product design needs to consider manufacturing costs from the beginning
• Finding better returns through marketplaces and retail partners
• The challenges of being a hands-on CEO and knowing what to delegate
• How relationships, cash flow, and product quality contribute to business growth
• Plans for expanding Happy Habitats through distributors and retail stores

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ethan-haber-124040168
• Company: haberplushproductions.com
• Happy Habitats: happyhabitats.net

Street to Suite explores the real stories behind successful careers, businesses, and leadership, sharing the lessons you don't always learn in school.

Listen to this episode for an inside look at entrepreneurship, product development, bootstrapping, and how one college student's idea grew into a small-pet products business reaching retailers across the United States and beyond.