If you’ve ever tried building a consumer brand from scratch, you know it’s not all sunshine and dog parks.
Just ask Gabriel Huertas del Pino, co-founder and CEO of Arch Pet Food, a sustainable pet food startup that recently celebrated its third anniversary.
While Gabe does occasionally hand out treats at the park, most of his time is spent juggling operational fires, supply chain logistics, sales calls, and a flurry of Slack messages.
In this interview, Gabe opened up about how he organizes his day, deals with overwhelm, and weaves AI (including Hoop) into the very real, very messy world of manufacturing dog treats.
From idea to pet food on shelves
Gabe first got the idea for Arch while fostering dogs during the pandemic. Bolstered by an MBA project that blossomed into a full-fledged brand, he pitched the concept in competitions and quickly picked up traction. Today, Arch is sold in various independent pet stores plus online at Chewy and Amazon. Purina named Arch their “Innovation Award” winner last year, giving them nationwide recognition.
Despite the sparkly accolades, Gabe emphasizes how unglamorous the day-to-day can be. Sure, you might spot him in a dog park from time to time, chatting with owners. But most hours? Spent on a laptop, answering emails, jumping on calls, or checking Slack notifications.
Getting used to the chaos of founder life
Think less “outdoorsy dog whisperer” and more “constant Zoom calls, data spreadsheets, and email blasts.” Gabe used to rely heavily on:
- A physical planner: carrying tasks scrawled in pen
- Slack & Email: the dreaded “red bubble” anxiety
- Google Docs & Sheets: for everything from supply forecasts to marketing budgets
- AirTable: for team collaboration and mini-databases
“I’m a huge red-bubble hater,” Gabe admits. “I’d literally open every message just to clear the notifications.”
Between Slack, WhatsApp, email, and numerous project docs, it was easy to miss tasks or get stuck in “fire-drill mode.”
Enter Hoop (cue the boom box moment)
As a self-professed “caveman” resisting fancy tech, Gabe hadn’t leaned into AI—until he tried Hoop.
“I downloaded it, gave it access to my tools, and suddenly it was emailing me: ‘Hey, you have these tasks from Slack…these to-dos from your email…plus meeting notes.’ It just showed up with a boom box outside my door.”
He’s referencing the iconic John Cusack image from Say Anything, which sums up how Gabe felt about Hoop’s effortless approach.
Key ways Hoop helps:Captures tasks across Slack, email, and meetings automatically
- Sends a daily summary of what needs attention
- Consolidates updates so Gabe doesn’t have to open Slack daily
- Reduces stress around missing important follow-ups
Instead of a thousand micro disruptions (like Slack pings or rummaging through email threads), Hoop’s AI funnels relevant tasks into a single place. Gabe still uses his old-school planner, but Hoop keeps him from losing track of Slack messages or leftover meeting notes. Hoop helps Gabe free up mental space means so he can focus on strategic goals—like making sure Arch hits its quarterly revenue and distribution targets.
“We do a lot of goal-setting,” Gabe explains, “and Hoop keeps me aligned with what I promised to do in all those random Slack convos or emails.”
Skeptical about AI? (Gabe was too)
If you’re in an industry that literally weighs ingredients like fish, pumpkin, and apples, you might wonder: How can AI help me? Gabe was once that skeptic.
“I was like, we’re a dog food brand…this is proteins and produce. How is AI relevant?”
But after using Hoop, he’s rethinking everything. “It’s the first AI tool that truly integrated into my workflow without me jumping through hoops—no pun intended. It’s changed my perspective on what’s possible.” Gabe shares this advice with other founders:
- Just try It: “I downloaded it just to see if it would help. Within days, I saw tasks I’d have 100% missed. That was the ‘aha’ moment.”
- Start lean: No big training or special instructions. Connect your email, calendar, Slack, let Hoop run in the background.
- Embrace automated accountability: We all hate forgetting promises or missing follow-ups. Hoop’s daily nudge ensures your entire team sees what’s pending—and that you don’t drop the ball.
- Don’t overthink: If you’re drowning in chat channels, emails, or project boards, let AI do the heavy lifting. Gabe says, “It’s eliminated at least half my mental overhead.”
The (mostly) bright future
So, is Gabe still a “caveman” about AI? “I guess not,” he jokes.
He’s still a pen-and-paper kind of guy, but now with a digital sidekick that curates tasks from Slack or email into a single “to-do” feed each morning.
Less worry about red bubbles. More time to be face-to-face with customers. And ironically, more time to play fetch with dogs in the park.
“You only control what you can,” Gabe says, reflecting on founder life. “And Hoop helps me see exactly what I can control—and do it.”
Key takeaways
- Stay organized: Even if you love your paper planner, consider an AI tool for capturing tasks from the digital deluge.
- Clear the red bubbles: Don’t let Slack or email notifications ruin your day. A consolidated feed makes a world of difference.
- Build in Accountability: Transparent goal-setting + AI-driven reminders = less stress, more trust.
- Dog Parks vs. Desks: Just because your product is physical doesn’t mean AI can’t streamline the knowledge work behind it.
- Try Hoop: If Gabe’s any example, it’s not about being “techy”—it’s about letting a helpful robot handle your grunt work so you can do what you love.
“It’s like Hoop is outside my door with a boom box, letting me know exactly what I promised and who’s waiting on me. Total game-changer.”
If you want to follow Arch Pet Food’s journey, look for them on Chewy or your local indie pet store: maybe you’ll find your dog’s new favorite treat.
No red bubbles required.