It's Kismet

My goodest boy is the gift that keeps giving.

I wasn’t always a “dog person”. Back when I was still courting Mrs. Ventura in the early aughts she would sometimes point to a space at the corner of bed where she wouldn’t put her legs. It was a not-insignificant amount of bed real estate to demarcate as hers without using. I let it go because she was (and remains) very charming. But one day I asked her about why she did that. She jokingly said, “Because that’s where the dog is going to go someday.”

Sure enough, before long we were hitched and talk of bringing a dog into our lives became more commonplace. Now look, while I wasn’t opposed to this idea, I didn’t grow up with dogs. My family had nothing against them but both of my parents had varying degrees of allergies to most four legged beings and so when I eventually asked for a pet to take care of, weird little Michael Ventura ended up with the most 1990s tropical fish tank you could ever imagine. It was glorious, but it wasn’t a dog.

Fast forward to our 2012 selves, Darryl Ventura entered the picture. I was immediately in love. And also completely at a loss for how to raise a puppy. Caroline grew up with dogs so she certainly had more familiarity, but for me, it was all very new. When his little razor-like puppy teeth popped the inner tubes of my bike, I laughed it off as cute. When we came home from dinner one night to find the armrest of the couch half eaten, that was a harder pill to swallow. But the second that little goober would wag his tail and look at you with his deep, soulful eyes, everything was forgiven. 

Darryl wasn’t just the dog I wanted, he was the dog I needed.

He had a charmed life that left an imprint on so many people. A few anecdotes…

He was once stopped on the street by a Tibetan monk who paused to kneel down next to him, holding his head in his hands and staring at his eyes. The monk then stood up and said, “It is nice to see my old friend has returned as a dog,” as he walked away. 

Not because we sought it out, but simply because we both work in creative fields, and people knew how sweet Darryl was, he got constant phone calls and emails to star in campaigns and commercials for brands like Everlane, J. Crew, Club Monaco and others. He even ended up in a weird German telecom commercial because the casting agent saw him on the street and asked if he was “available” for a shoot the next day.

Back when we owned Calliope (a interiors shop in the West Village) people would literally call the store to ask if Darryl was “working” before they decided to pay the shop a visit. 

He was written about in multiple books, featured in a Australian dog magazine, was part of the inspiration for one of the dogs in Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, and generally lived a star-studded life in the West Village. 

All of this really doesn’t matter except for the fact that it’s A) hilarious, and B) indicative of the sort of spirit this dog had. He made you just want to hang out and slow down and forget all of the human stuff that was getting you down.

When Darryl was seven we found a tumor in his mouth. We got it just in time before it spread to his lymph nodes and thankfully that led to a regular cancer screening every six months for the rest of his life. He had a few really good cancer-free years and then he started to slow down. When he was around 10, at one of his routine screenings, the veterinarian told us they’d found some small spots on his heart and his lungs. 

What happened after that was a two year long effort to give him the best life we could, coupled with cancer treatment, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and lots of extra treats and belly rubs. It was clear we weren’t going to have him for anywhere near as long as we’d hoped but we wanted him to be around, and comfortable, for as long as he could.

About six months before Darryl passed, I was on the phone with a medical medium I’ve consulted a few times over the years. I wasn’t really calling her to chat about Darryl but amidst the call she interrupted our conversation to bring Darryl into focus. She said, “There’s a dog. You have a sick dog?” I told her a bit about Darryl and she immediately said, “Those lumps he has. Those are because he just wants to heal everyone. He takes on other people’s pain so they don’t need to carry it. He’s like an angel.”

I cried for hours. 

He really was special. Maybe not to everyone, but to Caroline and me and those who loved him, he really was. For us, it felt like kismet that he was in our lives, and we remain so grateful for the time we had with him.

A few months later all the cancer became too much and we lost Darryl, on his own terms, at home with his family. And while this might seem like a sad story to tell, there is so much good news coming. Bear with me.

Around the time Darryl got his second cancer diagnosis I had received a phone call from my friend, Asad. Asad is a finance executive and from time to time we’d meet for long walks to talk about our very different jobs and trade notes on life. He is a deep and thoughtful friend I’ve come to greatly appreciate having in my life. On one of our walks, Asad began to tell me about his early life as a consultant at BCG. He and his very good friend, John Stephens, were first year analysts together. They lived in the same apartment, and even now, 20+ years later, they remain the best of friends. But while Asad’s career stayed in the world of starched collars and earnings calls, John’s took a different turn. After a short stint as a management consultant, through his sheer talent and tenacity, John Stephens became John Legend. Yes, EGOT winning John Legend.

Asad told me that on a recent vacation with their families, John and his wife Chrissy (Teigen) were talking about how they were excited to create a business together. They both have their separate professional lives but they really wanted to build something hand in hand. In talking about what would be authentic to them and their interests, and also a smart business category, they all soon arrived on pursuing a business in the world of dogs. 

And this was why Asad wanted to take a walk and talk.

He knew I’d finished my time at Sub Rosa and was working as a public speaker and writer on the topics of empathy and leadership. But he also knew that in my bones, I’m an entrepreneur, a brand guy, and an ardent dog dad. So he took a shot in the dark and asked if I’d be up for joining this journey and help to bring it into the world.

With Darryl’s well-being shifting, our new puppy Mary already wreaking havoc in our lives (we love you, Mary), and a sense that doing something in the dog space could help me channel the love I have for these sweet companions into something bigger and better for pets and their people, I said yes.

Parallel to the work most of you know me for, I’ve been quietly helping to build this business as the company’s President and Chief Brand Officer. And when the time came to arrive at a name, there was really only one sentiment that felt right. Today, we welcome Kismet into the world. 

The brand’s tagline is “Made for each other” because that’s what having a dog in your life really feels like. There’s this special connection, this uniqueness that you cannot really explain to people who don’t get it, but if you’re one of the ones who do, this brand is for you too.

The team I’ve had the privilege to work alongside has been exceptional at every turn. We’ve all been united by our shared love of dogs to make the highest quality food that’s every bit as nutritious as the “fresh” competitors, unboring merch, exceptional content, IRL events, and more. And thanks to the star power of our co-founders, you can catch more about us May 2nd on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, May 3rd on The TODAY Show, in our recent Fast Company and People Magazine coverage, and in loads of other places during the days and months ahead.

Amidst this news, I remain steadfast in my commitments to sharing Applied Empathy, advising teams via my board seats and consulting clients, and working on a new book. But I’d have been crazy not to take the time to  pour my heart into building this company. And I like to think it’s all possible because of Darryl. 

I hope you’ll follow along (IG: @kismet), spread the word, and generally enjoy connecting with a dog brand that understands your dog-obsession. 

Please feel free to use discount code MV15 for your purchases on our site, and perhaps most importantly, tell your dog I said hi.

Arf,

MV