Jess Hauff: Scaling PrettyLitter From Its DTC Roots Into a Household Name
From High Stakes Growth by Jetset
May 26, 2026 · 45 min · Episode 43
About this episode
Jess Hauff discusses her journey with PrettyLitter, its acquisition by Mars, and strategies for scaling the brand.
Jess Hauff is the General Manager of PrettyLitter, a cat litter brand acquired by Mars in 2021 that uses silica crystals that change color to flag early signs of health issues in cats. Expect to hear about: – A Decade in Madrid: Why Jess spent 10 years in Spain before returning to the U.S., and the work culture differences she noticed. – Leading the Merger: How Jess steered PrettyLitter's integration with Mars, and how she got the "soft tissue" of culture right. – Becoming a Household Name: How PrettyLitter is expanding into retail and why being on physical shelves builds trust that DTC alone could not. – Building the Leadership Team: The key hires Jess has made – CMO, head of retail sales, R&D leader – to take PrettyLitter to the next level. – There's No Playbook: What Jess changed her mind on after 20 years in ecom, and why she's learning to trust her instincts more. Find Jess on: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicahauff/
People in this episode
Guest: Jess Hauff
Topics covered
- scaling business
- mergers and acquisitions
- retail expansion
- leadership
- ecommerce insights
Keywords
- PrettyLitter
- Jess Hauff
- Mars acquisition
- cat litter
- DTC
- retail
- leadership team
- ecommerce
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: PrettyLitter, Mars
Places: Madrid, U.S.
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