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CEO of Cosmos Corporation
For Landon Hobson, CEO of Cosmos Corporation, change management is important for transforming any organization. Knowing that a growing company must constantly be adapting, it is essential for leaders to facilitate change, build new processes, make sure employees understand what is expected of them, communicate with clarity, and give the team the tools to accomplish what is needed. “We have five core values as a company: Honest and Humble Evaluation, Clarity and Communication, Pet and Pet Parent Approved, Be a Creator, and Willing to Make the Coffee,” says Hobson. “That last core value is the one that really sets Cosmos apart –that employees take time out of their day to serve their coworker.”
Founded in 1980 by Don Kassebaum Sr., the company started as Winslow Distributing and sold beauty supplies to salons. In 1984, the company began selling similar grooming products for pets. Cosmos was founded for the express purpose of giving to those in need around the globe. Proceeds from the company fund a nonprofit organization called Gifts of Love International, which has built a children’s home and school, feeds thousands around the world, and provides homes for many in countries such as Guatemala, Haiti, the Congo and beyond. “Cosmos Corporation is rooted in a foundation to give to those in need and to make products for pets and their people. This is our mission; it’s why we do what we do,” says Hobson.
In the early 1990s, the owners recognized a need: there were
products made with great ingredients for people, but not for pets. So, they set out to fill that void in the market and began producing natural grooming products to address those needs. Today, Cosmos Corporation is a market leader in natural products for pets, guided by a clear mission: to perpetually innovate the finest products, packaging, marketing, and management in the pet industry; for the enrichment of pets and their people, provision of its employees, and the poor around the globe, all to the glory of God.
Cosmos Corporation offers an extensive portfolio of health and wellness products in the dental, grooming, flea & tick, and stain & odor categories among three leading brands: TropiClean® Pet Products, Naturél Promise® Pet Products, and Urine Off® Pet Products. TropiClean® offers a full range of naturally derived pet products that can be found in most pet specialty stores around the world, while the Naturél Promise line can be found at many grocery stores, drugstores and mass-market retailers. In
November 2019, Cosmos Corporation acquired a portfolio of bio-enzymatic pet urine odor and stain removal products under the Urine Off, Zorb-it-Up™ and Yard Clean Green™ brands, expanding Cosmos’ reach in that category.
“We are able to provide these solutions by remaining current on what the consumer wants and needs, then developing innovative products to meet these needs,” says Hobson. Cosmos turns the latest technology trends into advantages by knowing the consumer well. The team strives to know their consumers’ preferences, know why they are shopping the categories they are in, then use technology to offer solutions that meet those consumer needs. “Right now, we are focused on personalization of the pet and pet parent –making sure that we are offering a solution that matches their need or concern, then building the solution specifically for their dog or cat breed,” says Hobson. “A great example is our new TropiClean PerfectFur™ grooming line launching in October, which is personalized for the dog’s coat type.”
The driving force that propels the company forward is business alignment. Their departments and company of more than200 people are constantly collaborating to make sure they are all operating on the same page. “This starts with our new product development process, from our product and brand managers all the way through our production team who makes the product,” adds Hobson. “This collaborative approach speeds up our time to market and helps ensure we are delivering the products that the consumer needs to take care of their pets.” In the days to come, Cosmos will be moving into their new state-of-the-art, 190,000-square-feet headquarters, allowing them to serve customers better by continuing to produce quality products and address the growing demand for those products. Cosmos will continue introducing meaningful innovation and new products to the market in the coming years that will help provide solutions for pet parents.
Hobson, addressing the present COVID-19 pandemic, says that leadership is more alert and concerned about the health of the team and making sure everyone remains safe. “We are getting very creative in our supply chain to meet the demands of our customers and the consumer,” adds Hobson. “The consumer’s behavior has adjusted during this time; people are not shopping in the same way, so it is Cosmos’ responsibility to meet them where and how they want to shop.” Being agile, nimble, and quick to respond is key, and having a team of people who can move quickly, work together, and deliver what the market needs at a time of rapid change is crucial. This is what ultimately wins the day – a team who sees the shift and can meet the challenge by acting quickly together.
“The core value that really sets Cosmos apart – that employees take time out of their day to serve their coworker.”
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