SodaPup Founder Adam Baker Receives the 2026 Ladybird Excellence Award at Global Pet Expo

Zurich, Switzerland Apr 25, 2026 (EMWNews.com) – Adam Baker, Founder and CEO of SodaPup / True Dogs, LLC, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Ladybird Excellence Award 2026, presented at the Pet Industry Rising Summit during Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida. The award was conferred by Peggy I. Pleines, Founder and CEO of My Ladybird Enterprise AG (Zurich) and creator of the award, under the 2026 theme “When AI Makes Pets Priceless.”

Baker’s journey is one of conviction translated into category leadership. From senior roles at Nike, Under Armour, and Crocs, he stepped into a basement in 2012 with a vision that few could see at the time: that food-based enrichment tools for dogs could become a globally recognized product category. Today, SodaPup operates across 48 countries, launches more than 20 new products per year, and stands as the undisputed leader in the space it created.

At the Pet Industry Rising 2026 Summit, Baker delivered a session titled “Design the Experience, Let AI Do the Rest: A New Playbook for Pet Enrichment”,  and he came with more than ideas. He came with results. AI-optimized product descriptions outperforming traditional copy across every key search metric. Vibe coding enables custom business tools without conventional infrastructure. AI-powered search strategies redefining how pet brands connect with consumers. Each insight was real, operational, and already generating returns.

“Adam Baker does not react. He designs, he launches, and then he documents the playbook so the rest of us can keep up.”

— Peggy I. Pleines, Founder, Decide with Grace | CEO, My Ladybird Enterprise AG

What distinguishes Baker is not just what he has built, but how fast he moves and how rigorously he documents the path. In an industry where many leaders are still forming committees to study AI, SodaPup is already deploying it, across product development, search strategy, and business operations, with a brand philosophy that treats pet enrichment the way fashion treats seasonal design collections: with pace, intention, and an unwavering point of view.

The Ladybird Excellence Award measures one thing: the courage to define the future instead of reacting to it. In a summit full of exceptional minds, Adam Baker stood out not for what he plans to do,  but for what he has already done.

About the Ladybird Excellence Award

The Ladybird Excellence Award is not given for tenure or market share. It is earned through the quality of thinking and the integrity of leadership. Named for the ladybird,  a universal symbol of resilience and quiet fortitude, the award identifies the clearest voices in the room, not the loudest. It recognizes pet industry leaders who act on a vision before the market confirms it, build what others are still debating, and lead from values, not just data. In 2026, four exceptional leaders were honored at Global Pet Expo under the award’s unifying theme: When AI Makes Pets Priceless.

About Peggy I. Pleines and My Ladybird Enterprise AG

Peggy I. Pleines is the Founder and CEO of My Ladybird Enterprise AG (Zurich) and founder of Decide with Grace, a proprietary executive decision-making methodology. With more than 20 years of direct experience in animal health and pet care, Peggy has founded and scaled three companies, growing one to $144MM in revenue, and held senior executive roles at Elizabeth Arden and Procter & Gamble. She is a Global Growth Strategist, M&A Partner, and International Keynote Speaker whose clients consistently achieve 20 to 30 percent revenue growth within 12 to 24 months.

The Ladybird Excellence Award was created by Pleines as an expression of that mission: to elevate the leaders who define the future of the pet industry rather than simply react to it.

“The pet industry is not just evolving. It is being redefined. And the leaders doing the defining? They look a lot like Adam.”

 Peggy I. Pleines, Founder, Decide with Grace | CEO, My Ladybird Enterprise AG, Zurich

MEDIA CONTACT

Peggy I. Pleines  |  My Ladybird Enterprise AG, Zurich, Switzerland

Decide with Grace  |  Strategic Advisory and Executive Decision-Making

[email protected]  |  www.mypeggyleines.com

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