Your customers are animals

Photography, cremation, social media, airline travel, play dates, hairdressing and food are all businesses ripe for disruption if you open yourself up to a new customer base .................

We're about two things here at SmartCompany HQ: growth industries and pets. Which makes our latest Smarts Spotlight so exciting, because in case you didn't know, Australia's pet-related industries are seriously booming. There are more pets in Australia than children, and as a growing number of people substitute one for the other, they're also spending much more on their furry companions. Those in the biz call it the "humanisation" of pets, and it's fueling a commercial explosion that's brought everything from dog photography to pet cremation services into existence during the last decade. What's that mean for you? Well, if you sell a product or service for humans, it's probably worth thinking about whether it might work for dogs, cats, or even tortoises too. After all, with more than $12 billion now spent on Aussie pets every year, there's entrepreneurial opportunities galore.   So, read all about it below, and don't forget to let us know what you think! Cheers, Matthew Elmas  |  SmartCompany news editor

Humanisation is driving a boom in the business of our furry friends Australians spent more than $12 billion on pet products and services in 2016.

TripAdvisor for pets: How Lumi the groodle caused these founders to leave their corporate jobs for startupland "We do believe that we can take this way beyond Australia."

Furrst class: Meet the Aussie startup partnering with Delta Airlines to revolutionise pet travel "Those crates were designed in the 1970s, and they haven't changed since."

How Mad Paws attracted 370,000 customers by talking about their dogs "I didn't think a business like this would pull off under my reign."

Cannabis for dogs: This Aussie company is making hemp products for your pets "We've seen people with anxious pets have results within days."

"I've certainly had worse jobs": Businesses are cashing in on Australia's demand for dog photography "It's really taken hold."

Should your business have an office pup? "That little bit of distraction is often enough to spark a new idea or a different way to solve a problem."

"Heartbreaking": The renters missing out on Australia's pet boom "People who are literally sleeping in cars because they're not willing to give up their dog."

Swapping crypto for canines, this founder wants to eradicate puppy farms through high-tech pet classifieds "The end goal is to create an international pet purchase and transfer network."

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