Ahdee Abramson Kicks Off Entrepreneur Lecture Series for the Semester

On September 26, the School of Business organized the first of three entrepreneur lecture series for the fall semester. The visiting entrepreneur, Ahdee Abramson, is the founder and president of Pet Ventures, a manufacturer and distributor of natural dog treats and chews under the Pet n Shape brand. Students from business and non-business majors were in attendance, many of whom could relate very well to Abramson’s story of starting up his company by selling dog treats store-to-store from the trunk of his car, the ups and downs he experienced over the last 13 years and the growth that resulted from his perseverance.

Abramson shared critical business advice such as the importance of authenticity, creativity, ensuring a proper fit of your business venture with your preferred lifestyle, flexibility, a proactive approach, teamwork, trust, transparency  and a large dose of reflection and humility. He discussed the advantages and disadvantages of company size, online versus local sales, and market fluctuations.

Abramson, who is also a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Business, started his organization in 2005.  He has grown it into a nationally-recognized business that continues to be a trendsetter in the pet industry. Pet ͚n Shape products are sold nationally through a network of regional and national retailers and distributors across multiple retail channels including pet specialty, farm & feed, hardware, food, drug and and online outlets.

Abramson holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, has taught English overseas, speaks English, Spanish, and Hebrew, and is a proud husband and father of two children. He cherishes his family time and is passionate about using his entrepreneurial and leadership experience to empower and inspire high school and college-aged students to create and develop their ideas so they can achieve their ultimate life and career goals.