In June 2025, the Pet Industry Federation hosted its third Business of Pets conference – a two-day event that brought together founders, retailers, marketers, investors, and innovators from across the pet industry. Held at Cranfield University, the programme was full of insight and inspiration. Across expert-led panels, hands-on workshops, and the ever-popular Innovation Award pitches, we explored what’s next for the pet sector – and how small businesses can not just keep up, but lead the way. I...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 236
After nearly five years and 250 episodes, I’m taking a break from my weekly podcast, Your Pet Business Your Way . In this final episode, I reflect on how the podcast started, how it’s evolved, and why now feels like the right time to pause. I also share my plans for the future and how you can stay connected while I take this break. Key topics and timings in this episode: 0.20 – What to expect from this episode – look back at nearly five years of the podcast. 2.30 – How the podcast began and evol...
Jan 31, 2025•19 min•Ep. 235
Want to know how to create a loyal, engaged community around your pet business? In this episode, Laura Hebberd, founder of Pure Dog Adventure Training, shares how she went from running small classes in her local village hall to building a thriving tribe of dog owners who absolutely love everything she does. Laura is based in Darlington in the North East of England and works with all kinds of dogs - the key thing is that they and their owners love an adventure. Her business is about so much more ...
Jan 28, 2025•41 min•Ep. 234
Want to make sure your pet business website content is helping your pet business stand out? I'm chatting to Roz Healey for the second part in a series on websites - this time looking at the content you create on yours. Roz is a website expert who has worked in digital media since the 1990s and carried out research into how people behave online in the pet industry as part of her Masters in Digital Marketing. She’s helped countless businesses create websites that work hard for them. In this episod...
Jan 23, 2025•39 min•Ep. 233
Are you looking to create a connection with pet owners when then land on your website? This podcast episode with Roz Healey, a website expert who has carried out research into the psychology of how pet parents make decisions online is here to help. Roz has been working in digital media since the 1990s, and she’s the brains behind countless WordPress websites for businesses across a range of industries. She recently carried out a fascinating research project into the psychology of how people make...
Jan 21, 2025•48 min•Ep. 232
Are you thinking of starting a blog, a podcast or a YouTube channel and regularly publishing content around your pet business? If so this podcast episode is for you, as it will help you decide which style of content is right for you. And if you choose the one that’s most suited to your skills and taps into what you actually enjoy doing, then it’s more likely that you’ll find creating it enjoyable and remain consistent. In this episode, I’m going to talk about why you should invest time and resou...
Jan 17, 2025•27 min•Ep. 177
When Lucie Culley saw dog owners struggling to find trusted pet care professionals, she set out to create a solution to making finding support easy. And when she connected with pet professionals as her idea started to take shape, she realised they were frazzled with trying to keep up with the demands of endless platforms. So she created Wooflinks, a platform that connects dog owners with ethical and professional services, including groomers, trainers, walkers, pet sitters, and dog-friendly holid...
Jan 14, 2025•52 min•Ep. 231
Are you ready to make 2025 your most visible year yet? In this episode, I’m sharing how you can create a visibility plan for your pet business using my Pets Get Visible for 2025 Workshop and the Pet Business Content Planner and Companion . You’ll discover why visibility is key, how to plan ahead for key dates and awareness days, and how a structured approach can help you feel less overwhelmed and more in control. Whether you’re tired of scrambling for content ideas or want to take your marketing...
Jan 02, 2025•19 min•Ep. 230
Are you thinking of buying the Your Pet Business Content Planner and Companion? In this episode, I’m talking all about why I created it, who it’s for, and how it can help you. This planner is designed specifically for pet business owners to make marketing easier, build confidence, and help you stay organised. I’ll walk you through its features, like monthly content prompts, goal-setting tools, and practical resources that can help grow your visibility and connect with your audience. If you’ve ev...
Dec 26, 2024•24 min•Ep. 229
This episode is a little different from the usual podcasts about putting your pet business out there and feeling ok with self-promotion. I’m joined by the brilliant Lucy Culley, founder of Wooflinks and a member of my coaching community, for an honest and open chat about our personal journeys with alcohol. This is not a podcast about giving advice - it’s simply a conversation about why we each chose to take breaks from drinking, what we’ve learned along the way, and how it’s impacted our lives a...
Dec 19, 2024•51 min•Ep. 228
This week on the Your Pet Business, Your Way podcast, I'm looking at 12 things that will help you create a pet business that's right for you. As it's Christmas, they all begin with the letter C and whether you're a product maker or service provider, these 12 Cs are designed to help you feel more calm, confident, and in control while navigating the many hats you wear as a business owner. This episode looks at how to structure your business, communicate effectively, and stay consistent while align...
Dec 10, 2024•29 min•Ep. 227
Have you ever considered doing something special around an awareness day to grow your pet business? From pitching to the press to running events and sales on relevant products, there is so much more to awareness days than a simple social media post. Used in the right way, they can help you connect with your audience, build relationships, and grow your business in creative ways. And help you make sales. Niki French, creator of Don't Walk Your Dog Day, made thousands of sales of her book, Stop Wal...
Dec 03, 2024•23 min•Ep. 226
Introducing - Your Pet Business Content Planner and Companion, designed for people in the pet industry to help with visibility. It has everything you’d look for in a content planner, like monthly themes, awareness days, and space to capture your ideas, goals, and reflections. The Companion part is a guided journal, with exercises created for pet business owners to help you navigate the common challenges that come along. I’m so excited to share this planner with you because it brings together eve...
Nov 28, 2024•21 min•Ep. 225
When Katie Gwilt decided to leave her corporate career in science, she didn’t know it would lead to becoming a leading advocate for cats and their care across the UK. Katie’s journey into the cat care industry began by accident as she recovered from being seriously ill and realised she wanted to do something that brought her joy - working with cats. Like many pet professionals, growing up, she thought the only way this could be a career was to be a vet, but after leaving her old career, decided ...
Nov 19, 2024•53 min•Ep. 224
Have you ever tried to start something new in your pet business, like a newsletter or a weekly piece of content? At first, it feels easy, but then life gets in the way, and it falls to the bottom of the to-do list. After a while, it has stopped altogether. First, don’t beat yourself up. Running a business is a slog, and there are only so many plates you can spin, especially if you’re on your own. When I have conversations about things people want to be doing, they often talk about willpower and ...
Nov 12, 2024•39 min•Ep. 223
When Jessica Morris forgot to pack a treat for her dog Rudy on a day out to the pub, she didn’t realise it would spark the idea for a business that would soon have tails wagging across the UK. Jess wanted something to occupy Rudy as she had a drink with friends at the end of a long walk, and it was getting a 'no' from the barperson that sparked a lightbulb moment. Now, four years on, Jess is co-founder of The Canine Menu, a business supplying hospitality venues with everything they need to keep ...
Nov 05, 2024•55 min•Ep. 222
Running a pet business is incredibly rewarding, but it can also feel isolating. Whether you’re a product maker or service provider, you’re juggling everything - creating products or delivering services, marketing yourself, managing social media, connecting with clients, and handling the day-to-day. If you’re doing it on your own, it can sometimes feel like you’re shouting into the void. But you don’t have to go it alone. Being part of a supportive community can transform your experience, giving ...
Oct 29, 2024•36 min•Ep. 221
Have you ever wondered what you’d do if you were kicked off Facebook and couldn’t use Instagram or WhatsApp anymore? Or what it would be like to move your pet business to a completely new area where nobody knows you? That’s exactly what happened to Gill Gallagher, and in this episode, I’m chatting with her about how she handled both of these challenges. Gill is the founder of Speaking Spaniel and has been working as a dog trainer since 2016. After losing access to Meta platforms and relocating h...
Oct 22, 2024•35 min•Ep. 220
Do you have tasks in your business that you keep putting off, and you can't quite figure out why? Maybe it’s your accounts, social media, or even sending invoices that would really help your business. In this episode of the Your Pet Business, Your Way podcast, I’m diving into the topic of procrastination—why we do it, how it impacts our work, and practical strategies to overcome it. I explore the common reasons behind procrastination among pet business owners, including fear of failure, overwhel...
Oct 15, 2024•24 min•Ep. 219
Do you feel resilient as a pet professional? Are you able to recover from setbacks and keep moving forward? It can be tough managing your energy and navigating challenges while meeting the demands of caring for animals and their humans. In the second of a two-part podcast on taking care of your mental health as a pet professional, I’m chatting to Andy Hale on the topic of resilience. Andy is a dog behaviourist with a background in psychology, and we cover why resilience is crucial for personal a...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 218
Taking care of your emotional wellbeing is essential for anyone in the pet care industry, where the demands of supporting animals and humans can take their toll. Andy Hale is a dog behaviourist, behaviour consultant for Pet Remedy and expert advisor for Canine Arthritis Management and combines his expertise in training with an understanding of mental health. With a background in human psychology, Andy is passionate about supporting pet professionals like you in balancing client care with your em...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 217
Do you ever take a moment to stop, look back and see how far you've come in your pet business? We can be so busy trying to figure out the many things we need to do as business owners, and spinning so many plates, we forget to acknowledge our successes. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing experiences from my time as a journalist - where success was quickly forgotten - to now, where I’ve learned the importance of pausing to reflect on achievements through my coaching and mentoring. You’ll also hea...
Sep 24, 2024•33 min•Ep. 216
Rachel Down is the founder of Boil and Broth and The British Broth Company , and she began making bone broth after experiencing her own health challenges. Rachel suffered from chronic health problems and discovered that bone broth could help her body heal itself. When she found that there wasn’t a product on the market that didn’t contain ingredients she was intolerant to, she decided to make her own. What started out as a trip to the butcher and an experiment in her kitchen led to a total healt...
Sep 17, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 215
Are you looking for a coach to support you in growing your pet business? Working for yourself can be hard, and having a coach means that you have someone in your corner to support and guide you. Like dog training, the coaching industry is unregulated, and there are lots of different kinds of coaches you can turn to. In this podcast episode and blog, I'm exploring three different approaches to coaching you can choose from, so you can figure out which best suits you. Key topics and timings in this...
Aug 27, 2024•17 min•Ep. 214
Are you looking to grow your pet business by using Instagram? Charlotte Perrott is a social media manager and coach for pet businesses, and she stays on top of the latest Instagram features and trends. It’s a platform that can sometimes feel overwhelming, and mastering how to use it can put you in front of pet parents who need what you have to offer. Charlotte, who runs Canine Marketing Support and Pet Business Support, loves Instagram, and in this podcast episode, she explains how you can too, ...
Aug 20, 2024•45 min•Ep. 213
What do you want to be known for in your pet business? And what would you like people to say about you when someone asks about your business or what you offer? That’s the topic of this week’s podcast, as it’s a common theme that comes up in my coaching and membership calls. In this episode, I’m exploring how to figure out what you want to be known for, and how to bring that to life. There’s a simple four-step process to follow, with examples from two pet business owners, Kim O’Donnell from Leo, ...
Aug 13, 2024•37 min•Ep. 212
You've heard of microbiome tests for humans, and this week on the podcast, I have an interview with Dr. Joe Inglis from Biome9, who creates the same for dogs. Your dog's gut health offers a window into their overall well-being. Their gut microbiome can reveal valuable insights into their digestive health, nutrient absorption, and general health. This test provides a 'gut health score' and personalised dietary recommendations to support your dog's long-term health. The results can help identify i...
Jul 30, 2024•30 min•Ep. 211
As a pet business owner, showing up regularly and having a social media strategy is key for reaching and engaging with your target audience. One of the best ways to ensure you’re consistent and can make the sales you hope for is by creating a social media calendar. In this podcast, I'm chatting about the key reasons why you should create a social media calendar for your pet business, as well as the step-by-step process to make it happen. Key topics and timings in this episode: 0.02 - Episode out...
Jul 23, 2024•21 min•Ep. 210
Fiona Pedley is known as The Canine VA, a virtual assistant specialising in supporting dog businesses. A former executive assistant working in corporate, Fiona began her self-employed journey in the 2020 lockdown, making the leap to start her own business. As a dog mum and having studied and worked as a dog trainer, she gravitated towards working with dog-related businesses and in 2024 rebranded as The Canine VA. In this episode, we chat about the challenges and lessons she’s learned along the w...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 209
In June 2023, I launched my first pet-related business, a dog-friendly holiday let called Sunnyside Cottage in Robin Hood’s Bay. In the first year, the bookings and takings have doubled compared to the previous year, and I’m sharing how in this podcast episode. It has always been a dream to have a holiday cottage and to make it as dog-welcoming as possible, so this has been an absolute joy. It’s also been an opportunity to try out the tactics I teach my clients when it comes to publicity and vis...
Jul 09, 2024•33 min•Ep. 208
