We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nathan Vu and Mariness Didulo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Nathan and Mariness, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
Fueled by our love for animals, Seven Paws was built to provide a way for better connections within the pet community.
Seven Paws, a boutique agency nestled in the heart of San Diego, stands as a beacon of passion within the booming landscape of the pet industry. Born from a deep-rooted love for animals, our business emerged with a clear vision: to foster stronger connections within the pet community.
Our journey began from a realization fueled by personal experience with our two rescue dogs. During the pandemic, we joined various online pet groups that we found organically, giving us a sense of community when the rest of the world seemed astray. It was then we realized the potential to share this experience with other pet parents with the use of marketing. As pet owners, navigating the world of pet products and services also exposed a gap in effective communication between businesses and their audience. Drawing from over a decade of experience in marketing and technology, we recognized an opportunity to bridge this divide.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hello, I’m Nathan — a San Diego State University graduate who’s managed to merge business savvy with software engineering in a way that’s completely transformed my career. With a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and over a decade of experience in sales and business development — from scrappy startups to massive corporate players — I built a strong foundation in understanding how businesses grow.
How I Got Into Tech
My journey into tech started while I was working in advertising sales. I became fascinated with beacon technology—those small Bluetooth transmitters that enable location-based services. That curiosity pulled me into the world of software, and I quickly found myself wanting to learn more about what happens behind the scenes.
I had a gut feeling: if I could pair my sales background with a solid understanding of how technology works under the hood, I’d bring something uniquely valuable to the table—especially in the world of enterprise tech sales.
Let’s face it — in tech, salespeople often don’t get the credit they deserve, especially when they’re not fluent in the technical side of the products they’re selling. I didn’t want to be seen as just “the sales guy.” I wanted to be someone who could speak both languages: the one who truly understood the value proposition and the code that made it all possible.
At that point, I was torn between two paths: going back to school for an MBA or taking a leap and enrolling in a coding bootcamp. For me, the return on investment was clear—why take on a $100K loan when I could gain practical, in-demand skills in a fraction of the time? The tech industry is evolving rapidly, demanding both talent and innovation. I chose a coding bootcamp in downtown San Diego, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.
Challenges In A Career Change
Coming from a business background, I was used to thinking strategically—maximizing profits, meeting sales quotas, and driving results. But I quickly realized that engineering required an entirely different mindset. Shifting into software development wasn’t just a career change—it was a mental shift.
The journey was lonely at times. My friends and family didn’t fully understand the challenges I was facing or why I had chosen such an unconventional path. There were plenty of sleepless nights, and moments when I disappeared into my own world just to stay focused. But through it all, I stayed committed.
The hardest part? Making sense of the overwhelming number of tools and technologies—and figuring out how to piece them together into a clear roadmap for my software development journey.
Once I got comfortable with the MEAN Stack—a collection of open-source technologies—everything started to click. I began diving into other frameworks, APIs, and backend languages, becoming obsessed with figuring out how to replicate real applications and enhance them with added functionality. What excited me most was realizing that I could actually bring ideas to life and build real-world solutions. That’s when it hit me: I could not only break into tech—but also make a meaningful impact.
How It All Started
Over time, I landed various engineering roles — from freelancing projects to contract work — and eventually, I launched a full-stack marketing agency with Mariness. Now, we run a business that blends my love for development with our passion for marketing.
What sets me apart is my unconventional background. You don’t often see someone transition from sales and marketing into full-stack software development. Usually, folks from business backgrounds pursue MBAs or climb the corporate ladder. I chose to master both — and I truly believe this dual perspective helps me spot business pain points and build solutions that are both creative and scalable.
Today, I co-run Seven Paws, a marketing and web development agency that specializes in the pet industry. We figured that if we were going to start a business and create a path toward financial freedom, entrepreneurship was the way. With skills in both tech and marketing, we knew we had to focus on one niche — and what better industry than pets?
We’re passionate about animals, and with the pet industry on the rise, it was perfect timing to be part of this billion-dollar industry and make a difference in the space. In our first year, the toughest challenge has been finding clients and scaling. But once we landed our first deal, everything changed. Watching a client understand the value of marketing — and seeing how we can take their brand from ideation to execution — has been incredibly rewarding.
There’s nothing better than seeing a client light up when their vision comes to life. It reminds me why I took this path in the first place: to make an impact, bring ideas to reality, and help businesses grow with the perfect blend of business sense and technical firepower.
As Michelangelo once said, “The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” That quote has always stuck with me — and it’s the mindset I bring into every project I touch.
Hello, I’m Mariness, a product marketer and the co-founder of Seven Paws, a pet marketing agency dedicated to connecting pet brands with pet parents. I blend creativity with technology, bringing 17+ years of marketing experience across video games, telecommunications, and software companies in healthcare, human resources, and higher education. With a focus on SaaS product launches, I bring strategic vision to every project.
How I Got Into the Pet Industry
My journey into marketing started in the gaming industry, where I learned the power of storytelling and community. From there, I expanded into various tech sectors, always drawn to roles where I could combine creativity and technology with strategy. Meanwhile, my love for animals and my natural instinct for understanding what makes people (and their pets!) tick inspired me to start Seven Paws alongside my business partner, Nathan. We saw a gap in the pet industry—so many incredible pet businesses struggled to effectively communicate their value to pet parents. I wanted to change that.
What I Do The Problems I Solve
At Seven Paws, we help pet brands amplify their voice, reach their ideal audience, and create meaningful connections with pet parents. We offer a comprehensive suite of services tailored for every phase of your pet business’s growth journey – attracting new audiences and elevating brand recognition, nurture leads and fostering genuine connections that last, and converting prospects into loyal customers. I bring an intuitive understanding of what resonates emotionally with audiences, allowing brands to connect in a way that feels natural and compelling.
With Seven Paws, I merge my marketing expertise and passion for dogs to help pet businesses level up their brand by uncovering their “why” and focusing on the details that drive success.
My Background Leadership
I was born in the Philippines and grew up in Orange County from the age of 7. Staying close to where I grew up, I got both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Southern California. I hold a Bachelor’s in Business Marketing from Cal State Long Beach and a Master’s in Business Management and Leadership from Pepperdine University, where I graduated with high honors and became a member of The International Business Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma.
Committed to the society’s mission of recognizing the “best in business,” I took the initiative to reignite the inactive San Diego alumni chapter shortly after moving to San Diego. Now, as the BGS San Diego Alumni President, my goal is to help members connect, learn, and engage with like-minded professionals who are striving for success—while having fun doing so.
This is what makes Beta Gamma Sigma so great, it provides the resources and sense of community that we all need. It’s the world’s largest organization supporting business school alumni with 900,000+ members, represented in all 50 states, in more than 190 countries, and in over 600 colleges and universities. The goal of Beta Gamma Sigma is to not only recognize outstanding academic achievement, but to provide networking and professional development opportunities for members throughout their careers.
Our chapter’s mission is to provide a sense of community where members meet new people from networking mixers in the many great places that San Diego has to offer, learn something new from educational events with keynote speakers, give back through volunteer opportunities with non-profit organizations, and engage with the community through collaborations and partnerships with local businesses – fundraisers like Walk for the Animals, which raises money for the San Diego Humane Society. Most recently, our BGS San Diego Alumni chapter was honored as the Most Outstanding Alumni Chapter of the Year in 2024.
This sense of community, collaboration, and purpose is also at the heart of Seven Paws. Just as I help bring professionals together through BGS, our business is focused on building strong connections—between pet brands and pet parents, between businesses and their customers, and within the pet industry as a whole. I believe that success is built on relationships, and that’s the foundation of everything I do.
What I’m Most Proud Of
I take immense pride in helping businesses grow—whether it’s seeing a pet brand expand its reach, helping a veterinary practice educate pet parents, or driving engagement for a brand that’s passionate about improving pets’ lives. I thrive on building relationships, not just transactions, and I love fostering collaborations—especially between brands that align with shared values.
What I Want Clients Followers to Know
At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to building meaningful connections—whether that’s between a brand and its customers, a pet parent and a trusted business, or a company and its community. I bring passion, curiosity, and an intuitive sense of what will resonate with the right audience. If you’re a pet brand looking to strengthen your digital presence or a business seeking strategic marketing expertise, I’d love to collaborate and help bring your vision to life!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Nathan: People are often surprised when we tell them how we met — it all started on a dating app.
I met Mariness shortly after she moved down from Orange County. What started as casual conversation quickly turned into something deeper — we connected over our shared love for entrepreneurship, personal growth, and building something meaningful. But what really stood out to me was her passion for her pets. She’s incredibly sharp when it comes to business, but the way she lit up when talking about her dog? That’s what really stuck with me.
She later told me that the reason she said yes to our first date was because I suggested we go out later in the evening so she could head home after work and tend to her dog first. The fact that I considered her dog’s well-being left an impression on her — and that small gesture turned into something meaningful. Our second date? A dog event in the Gaslamp Quarter. Naturally.
Even though we have similar backgrounds in business and marketing, our strengths and weaknesses balance each other out in a way that just works. I’m the visionary — constantly coming up with new ideas and strategies — while she’s the execution. Mariness is the one who makes things happen, turning concepts into action with precision and follow-through. More importantly, our communication has always been solid. We’re always on the same page, which made going into business together feel natural.
What brought us even closer to each other — and to the pet community — was rescuing a second dog together during the pandemic. Both of our dogs were adopted from ARF – Angels Rowley Foundation, and that experience made our bond with each other, with our pets, and with the larger dog community even stronger. While the world felt distant and disconnected, we found ourselves bonding more deeply through our dogs and their Instagram page. We connected with a community of dog lovers called Norman’s Gang, and what started with simple likes and comments evolved — a true sense of community. This was something that we knew we could expand to pet businesses and pet parents.
That’s how Seven Paws was born.
Of course, running a business with your partner isn’t always easy. But through all of it’s challenges, we have each other’s backs and the respect we have for each other as both partners and cofounders is what keeps everything moving forward.
At the end of the day, we’re just two people who love pets, love business, and believed we could build something special together.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Mariness: After earning my master’s degree, I moved to San Diego to join a tech company as their first product marketer. I’ve always been someone who throws myself wholeheartedly into my work. Several years later, I set out on a new adventure in a different company to help with their series B funding. With growth, also comes change and when layoffs hit—marketing being one of the first departments impacted—I felt the weight of uncertainty. However, instead of letting it discourage me, I saw it as a rare opportunity for a reset, a moment to pause and truly ask myself: What do I want next?
That’s when I turned to SCORE, a Small Business Mentorship and Resources program that I had first learned about in grad school. I’ve always been curious and drawn to new opportunities, so when I saw that San Diego had a local chapter, I knew I had to explore the idea of building something of my own.
At first, I started consulting for businesses on marketing projects. But I’m not someone who thrives on randomness—I wanted a clear vision, something I could build with intention. As I reflected on my passions, the answer became obvious. As a devoted pet mom, I’ve always had a deep emotional connection to animals, and I saw a missing piece in the pet industry: many incredible pet brands were struggling to genuinely connect with pet parents. I knew I could bridge that gap, using both strategy and creativity. So, Nathan and I started talking business.
True to my nature, once the idea was planted, I wasted no time getting to work. With the extra time I had, I threw myself into building our website, refining our branding, and crafting our messaging—making sure every detail was aligned with the bigger picture. My partner, Nathan, and I set out to bring Seven Paws to life. But I also knew that success isn’t just about working hard; it’s about seeking out the right people and opportunities. That’s where SCORE became a game-changer.
I was fortunate to be mentored by Ed Andrew, a passionate, seasoned entrepreneur with 28 years of C-level experience managing and growing start-ups and turning around underperforming small-to-medium-sized companies. His insight and strategic approach helped shape Seven Paws. Ed saw our drive and introduced us to another entrepreneur in the pet industry—Animals Only, who was just starting out as well. They became our very first client, marking the moment Seven Paws truly stepped into the world.
Looking back, what started as an unexpected career pivot turned into something far more fulfilling than I could have imagined. I’ve always been someone who leads with both instinct and strategy, balancing intuition with action. Seven Paws isn’t just a business—it’s a reflection of who I am. It’s a space where I can help pet brands thrive, fostering real connections and making an impact in an industry I deeply care about – and with a partner who shares the same dream.
What initially felt like a setback was actually the push I needed to carve my own path—one that aligns with my passion, my vision, and my relentless drive to build something meaningful.
Contact Info:
- Website: sevenpawsdigital.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sevenpawsdigital/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seven-paws-digital/
- Other: Mariness’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinessdidulo/ Nathan’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanvu1/
Image Credits
Nathan Vu and Mariness Didulo