In honor of Father’s
Day, we interviewed dad and KIDS ‘N’ PETS founder, John Latta. Learn more about
him, his family, and how he was inspired to create the KIDS ‘N’ PETS line.
And Happy Father’s Day
to Dads Everywhere!
1.
Tell us a little bit about your background/story
and what inspired you to create KIDS 'N' PETS?
WHEN
MY TWO CHILDREN WERE VERY YOUNG WE GOT TWO KITTENS WHO HAD STARTED URINATING
UNDERNEATH THE DINING ROOM TABLE. WE WERE LIVING IN A VERY SMALL HOUSE AND WHEN
THE MORNING SUN CAME UP AND SHONE ON THE SPOT, THE ENTIRE HOUSE WREAKED OF CAT
URINE. WE TRIED SPRAYING EVERYTHING ON THE SPOT BUT THE KITTENS JUST KEPT GOING
THERE. SO WITH THE HELP OF MY BROTHER (A CHEMICAL ENGINEER) AND SOME OTHERS WE
SET OUT TO INVENT A PRODUCT THAT WOULD ELIMINATE URINE ODORS. AT THE TIME MY
KIDS WERE ALSO MAKING ALL SORTS OF MESSES WITH FOOD, DRINKS, DIAPER BLOWOUTS,
POTTY TRAINING, ETC. SO WE DECIDED THE PRODUCT WOULD BE SORT OF AN ALL PURPOSE
PRODUCT THAT CLEANED UP AFTER ALL THE TYPICAL MESSES THAT CHILDREN AND PETS
MAKE AROUND THE HOME. AND SINCE THE KIDS WERE STILL CRAWLING ON THE FLOOR, WE
WANTED A VERY SAFE, NON-TOXIC PRODUCT. SO WE SET OUT TO INVENT THE FORMULA WITH
THOSE GOALS IN MIND.
2. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I WANTED TO TRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD. I HAD A
REAL SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE – A YOUNG INDIANA JONES – WHO WAS SEARCHING FOR THE
HOLY GRAIL IN…FISHING. THAT’S IT. I JUST WANTED TO GO FISHING ALL OVER THE
WORLD!
3. What's a question you get all the time when you tell people about your products?
DO
KIDS ‘N’ PETS PRODUCTS REALLY WORK? PET URINE ODORS AND URINE ODORS FROM POTTY
TRAINING AND BEDWETTING WITH KIDS IS SOMETHING MOST FOLKS ARE VERY ANXIOUS TO
GET RID OF – PERMANENTLY!
4. Who are the top 3 people that influence you the most?
ABRAHAM
LINCOLN (HONEST ABE WASN’T AFRAID TO BE TRUTHFUL), GANDHI (HE UNDERSTOOD THAT “RIGHT
MAKES MIGHT” AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND) AND ECKHART TOLLE (HE’S NOT FAKING
THE INCREDIBLE PEACE THAT EMANATES FROM HIM).
5. If you could live in any place of the world, where would it be?
RIGHT
HERE. I LOVE THE LUSHNESS HERE IN THE GREATER SEATTLE AREA. OF COURSE, A SECOND
HOME IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS WOULD BE NICE TOO!
6. Describe a typical day in your life.
TAKE
MY STEP DAUGHTERS TO SCHOOL. GO TO WORK. GET EXCITED WHEN SALES ARE UP AND
CUSTOMERS ARE HAPPY. DISMAYED IF A CUSTOMER IS NOT HAPPY. SPEND TIME DREAMING
ABOUT AND INVENTING SAFER, MORE EFFECTIVE NEW PRODUCTS. ANSWER LOTS OF E-MAIL.
PICK UP STEP DAUGHTERS AT SCHOOL. TAKE STEP DAUGHTERS TO SOCCER OR MUSIC
LESSONS. TALK TO MY WIFE AND KIDS ABOUT THEIR DAY. HAVE DINNER. HELP MY
YOUNGEST STEP DAUGHTER WITH HER MATH HOMEWORK. READ A BOOK. GO TO BED.
7. If you had to choose... wine or chocolate?
CHOCOLATE
8. What's the
biggest lesson you learned while making/building your product?
I
DISCOVERED THINGS TOOK CARE OF THEMSELVES IF WE COULD JUST PUT SAMPLES OF OUR KIDS
‘N’ PETS PRODUCTS IN CUSTOMER’S HANDS. IF THEY HAD KIDS OR PETS, THEY HAD
MESSES AND SMELLS! GUARANTEED. SO WE FOUND THE KEY WAS SIMPLY GETTING CUSTOMERS
TO TRY OUR PRODUCTS. THEY WERE OFTEN SO HAPPY AND SURPRISED BY THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR PRODUCTS THAT WE OFTEN HAD CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE!
9. What's a natural/non-toxic product you could never live without?
THERE
ARE SO MANY GREAT NATURAL, NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS NOW THAT IT’S HARD TO CHOOSE JUST
ONE. I WOULD SAY THAT I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT MY LOCAL P.C.C. NATURAL MARKETS – A
SMALL LOCAL GROCERY CHAIN THAT WORKS HARDER THAN ANY OTHER RETAILER TO SUPPLY
ONLY THE SAFEST, MOST NATURAL PRODUCTS AROUND. THEY REALLY MAKE IT EASY FOR
THEIR CUSTOMERS.
10. If there is one thing/thought/idea that you could pass on to the next
generation, what would it be?
TREAT
EVERYONE WITH COMPASSIONATE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING. FROM THIS PLACE THE
WORLD AUTOMATICALLY STARTS TO CHANGE IN WONDROUS AND POSITIVE WAYS. IN OTHER
WORDS, I FEEL THAT HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER IS PRIMARY. EVERYTHING ELSE IS
SECONDARY.
