"We waited until we perfected the dog food, and then we worked on the cat food. Even though it's not going through the roof the way the dog food is, I think it will catch on eventually"
About this Quote
A showbiz lifer talking like a patient product guy is the joke and the charm. Dick Van Patten, forever coded in the public imagination as America’s genial dad, frames his pet-food venture with the same cozy confidence his TV persona traded on: we’re careful, we’re decent, we’ll get there. That mismatch between celebrity aura and mundane manufacturing is doing quiet cultural work. It lowers the temperature around commerce. He’s not “building a brand”; he’s perfecting dog food.
The line also smuggles in a shrewd hierarchy of audiences. Dogs come first because dogs are the safer bet: more owners, more spending, more emotional projection. “Going through the roof” is an almost embarrassed nod to market reality, but he quickly pivots to reassurance about cat food. That’s classic actor’s timing: acknowledge the disappointing numbers, then restore faith with optimism that sounds earned rather than pitched.
Subtextually, it’s a case study in post-fame entrepreneurship before influencer-speak hardened into cliché. Van Patten isn’t selling hustle; he’s selling stewardship. “We waited” signals restraint in a culture that rewards speed. “Perfected” flatters the consumer’s desire to believe their purchase is a moral choice, not just kibble. The context - a celebrity crossing into lifestyle commerce - could feel cynical, yet his tone insists on sincerity. The pitch is basically: trust me, I’m not rushing this. That’s the brand.
The line also smuggles in a shrewd hierarchy of audiences. Dogs come first because dogs are the safer bet: more owners, more spending, more emotional projection. “Going through the roof” is an almost embarrassed nod to market reality, but he quickly pivots to reassurance about cat food. That’s classic actor’s timing: acknowledge the disappointing numbers, then restore faith with optimism that sounds earned rather than pitched.
Subtextually, it’s a case study in post-fame entrepreneurship before influencer-speak hardened into cliché. Van Patten isn’t selling hustle; he’s selling stewardship. “We waited” signals restraint in a culture that rewards speed. “Perfected” flatters the consumer’s desire to believe their purchase is a moral choice, not just kibble. The context - a celebrity crossing into lifestyle commerce - could feel cynical, yet his tone insists on sincerity. The pitch is basically: trust me, I’m not rushing this. That’s the brand.
Quote Details
| Topic | Entrepreneur |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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