Barking Mad Podcast

The workplace is evolving, and with it, the challenges of recruiting and retaining top talent have become a critical focus for businesses across industries. Dr. Frank Niles, Principal Business Psychologist at BSM Partners and a seasoned expert in business transformation and leader development, explores the intersection of workplace culture, generational differences, and leadership strategies in this episode. With compelling data on the high costs of turnover, Dr. Niles explains how prioritizing autonomy, competence, and connection can transform tenuous working environments into high-performing, collaborative teams.

Helpful Links

Gen Z and the Future of Work: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/gen-z-future-work-bsm-partners-hr3pc/

When Leadership Fails: Identifying and Fixing Team Dysfunction: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-leadership-fails-identifying-fixing-team-dysfunction-pphbc/

When Leadership Fails: Identifying and Fixing Team Dysfunction: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-leadership-fails-identifying-fixing-team-dysfunction-9brvc/

Navigating Uncertain Times: Leadership Lessons from TV Meteorologists: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-uncertain-times-leadership-lessons-from-tv-meteorologists-nmttf/

One Rule Every Leader Should Follow (And The Rest of Us, Too): https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/one-rule-every-leader-should-follow-rest-us-too-bsm-partners-iwnmc/

BSM Partners’ Core Values And Why Identifying Core Values is Crucial for Any Company’s Success: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bsm-partners-core-values-why-identifying-crucial-any-companys-1w1ic/

4 Ways Gen Z is Influencing the Pet Food Industry: https://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/petfoodindustry/library/item/october_2024/4225994/

Why Companies Are Firing Gen Z Employees—And What Both Can Do About It: https://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/petfoodindustry/library/item/december_2024/4241564/

Learn more about Dr. Frank Niles’ work with BSM Partners: https://bsmpartners.net/team/frank-niles

Connect with Frank on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankniles/

Show Notes

00:00 - Welcome and Introduction

02:45 - Business Meets Psychology: Meet Dr. Frank Niles

05:25 - The Power of Culture

09:39 - The Surprising Costs of High Turnover

12:01 - Why This Matters in Manufacturing

14:01 - Retail & Veterinary Insights

17:25 - The Cascading Effects of Not Investing in Your People

19:51 - Generational Shifts Pose Challenges... and Opportunities

23:44 - Changing the Way We Work

25:13 - Strategies for Finding and Keeping Top Talent

27:20 - Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

30:32 - Advice for Business Leaders

32:42 - Our Three Fundamental Needs

37:39 - Advice for Job-Seeking Professionals

42:40 - How Dr. Niles Keeps Up with Trends

45:29 - Where Dr. Niles Gets His Inspiration

50:40 - Final Thoughts

51:30 - Conclusion and Farewell

There’s a heated debate happening in the pet food space around copper in dog food. This essential trace mineral is critical for canine health, yet veterinarians have recently begun to speculate on excessive dietary copper causing liver disease in dogs—but there’s much more to this story. Join us as we unravel the copper controversy with experts from BSM Partners, Zinpro Corporation, and Trouw Nutrition.

Helpful Links

Is Copper-Associated Hepatopathy the new DCM? https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/17850-is-copper-associated-hepatopathy-the-new-dcm

Unraveling the Copper Controversy: https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/18426-unraveling-the-copper-controversy

Empowering Listeners to Separate Good Research from the Bad:

• Pawing Through the Research: Uncovering the Fatal Flaws of DCM: https://bsmpartners.net/barking-mad-podcast/pawing-through-the-research-uncovering-the-fatal-flaws-of-dcm
• Think Twice: Even Bad Science Can Get Published! https://bsmpartners.net/barking-mad-podcast/think-twice-even-bad-science-can-get-published

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome and Introduction

01:31 – Is CAH the New DCM?

04:00 – Understanding Copper

09:22 – Breaking Down CAH: Copper-Associated Hepatopathy

11:40 – Insights on Incidence

13:36 – Historical Copper Recommendations

16:50 – The Controlled Copper Claim Debate

20:42 – The Importance of Source

24:02 – How Pets Handle Copper

28:12 – Less About Level, More About Source

30:01 – A Historic Retraction

31:30 – Correlation vs Causation

33:23 – A Lack of Research, and Opportunities for More

42:15 – The Speed of Information (And Misinformation)

44:59 – Conclusion and Farewell

Buckle up for the fifth and final episode of our Trends to Watch in 2025 mini-series! This fascinating episode is all about personalized pet nutrition, from breed-specific formulations and custom kibbles to high-tech wearables that can track all kinds of health and wellness metrics in real-time. Join us as we explore how the future of pet nutrition is set to become increasingly tailored to each individual pet’s needs.

Helpful Links

Tailored Tastes: How Custom Pet Food is Shaping Tomorrow: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tailored-tastes-how-custom-pet-food-shaping-tomorrow-bsm-partners-zm25f/

Brushing Up: Pet Dental Health as a Market Opportunity: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/brushing-up-pet-dental-health-market-opportunity-bsm-partners-gml1c/

Wearable Tech—A New Era for Pet Care: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wearable-tech-pets-new-era-pet-care-bsm-partners-d9trc/

Getting on the Scale for National Pet Wellness Month: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/getting-scale-national-pet-wellness-month-bsm-partners-2rwtc/ 

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome Back!

01:57 – Microbiome Testing

02:54 – The Many Shapes and Sizes of Personalized Diets

05:08 – Breed-Specific Formulations

06:05 – The Rise of Preventive Care

07:36 – Tracking Health Trends with Wearable Tech

08:36 – Addressing the Pet Obesity Epidemic

11:18 – Final Thoughts from BSM Partners’ Experts

15:30 – Conclusion and Farewell

As the pet industry grapples with the 300 million pounds of flexible plastic packaging it generates annually—99% of which is currently unrecyclable—innovative solutions and consumer education are becoming more crucial than ever to the achieving a more circular economy for pet food and treat packaging. This episode highlights the progress being made toward this goal, while also addressing the barriers that remain along the supply chain and within the recycling sector.

Helpful Links

Packaging Sustainability is the Future! https://bsmpartners.net/insights/packaging-sustainability-is-the-future/

2025 sustainability targets loom for pet industry: https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/18048-2025-sustainability-targets-loom-for-pet-industry

Mars doubts it can achieve 2025 sustainable packaging targets, in Packaging Dive: https://www.packagingdive.com/news/mars-recyclable-packaging-sustainability-report-2023/722578/

Deciphering Sustainability Claims on Pet Food Packaging: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/deciphering-sustainability-claims-on-pet-food-packaging/  

Chasing Arrows: What Does It Mean For Recycling? https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/chasing-arrows-what-does-mean-recycling-bsm-partners-tm80c/

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome Back!

01:53 – The Plastic Packaging Problem

03:53 – Innovative Solutions in the Pet Product Space

05:31 – Persisting Challenges

07:05 – Big Brands Make Big Commitments—But Can They Keep Them?

10:55 – Unpacking Limitations in Recycling

12:58 – Driving Change Through Technology

15:09 – The How2Recycle Label & Consumer Education

17:10 – Final Thoughts

In this third installment of our Trends to Watch in 2025 mini-series, we’re delving into the microscopic world of biotic ingredients and their transformative impact on pet health and wellness. Tune in to learn how prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics work together to positively influence not just digestive health, but also mood, cognition, skin health, and overall wellbeing. Plus, learn about the science behind careful strain selection and why pet parents are increasingly turning to biotics to extend their pets’ healthspans.

Helpful Links

Understanding the Role of Prebiotics in Pet Food: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/prebiotics-in-pet-food/

Getting to Know the Gut—Prebiotics, More Than Just Fiber: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/getting-to-know-the-gut-part-1-prebiotics-more-than-just-fiber/

Taking Care of Your Pets’ Microbiome—The Gut to Mouth Connection: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/taking-care-of-your-pets-microbiome-the-gut-to-mouth-connection/

Pawsitively Powerful: The Multi-Functional Health Benefits of Probiotics for Pets: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pawsitively-powerful-multi-functional-health-benefits-probiotics-vtqic/

Recent Research on Pro- and Postbiotic Benefits for Pets: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-pro-postbiotics-have-similar-health-benefits-dogs-bsm-partners-e8osc/

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome Back!

01:18 – Sustainability, But Make It Longevity

02:31 – Understanding Pre-, Pro-, and Postbiotics

04:46 – Bacteria: A 3.2 Billion-Year Legacy

06:04 – The Importance of Selecting the Right Bacterial Strain

10:45 – Gut Health and Preventive Care

13:09 – Biotics for Me, Biotics for Fido & Fluffy

14:25 – Room for Consumer Education

15:04 – Final Thoughts

Would you feed your pet bugs? What about lab-grown meat? How about a vegan diet? From insect protein to cultivated meats and beyond, we’re exploring the landscape of alternative protein sources poised to transform the way we feed our pets, and even ourselves. In this episode, the second installment of our Trends to Watch in 2025 mini-series, we address cultural barriers like the "ick factor" surrounding insect protein and delve into cutting-edge technologies like lab-grown meat and bacteria that eat methane to become fermented proteins.

Helpful Links

Insect-Based Pet Food: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Product Development: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/insect-based-pet-food-navigating-challenges-opportunities-xqkgc/

Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) as an Alternative Pet Food Protein: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/black-soldier-fly-larvae-as-an-alternative-protein-source-in-pet-diets/

Learn more about Bond Pet Foods’ precision fermentation process: https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/17131-food-is-science-and-science-is-food-at-bond-pet-foods

From Meat to Microbes: Eco-Conscious Evolution of Pet Food Proteins: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-meat-microbes-eco-conscious-evolution-pet-food-proteins-x0yyc/

Cultured Meat in Pet Food: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cultured-meat-pet-food-bsm-partners-v7wrc/

Plant-Based Proteins for Pets: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/plant-based-proteins-for-pets/

Could invasive marine species pose another alternative protein opportunity for pets? https://bsmpartners.net/insights/riding-the-wave-how-alternative-marine-proteins-are-revolutionizing-pet-food/

Riding the Wave: How Alternative Marine Proteins Are Revolutionizing Pet Food: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/riding-the-wave-how-alternative-marine-proteins-are-revolutionizing-pet-food/

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome Back!

02:24 – Will Insect Protein Fly or Fail in the US Market?

06:23 – Getting Educated on Cultured Proteins

08:02 – What Are Cultivated Meats?

11:35 – What Is Precision Fermentation?

13:41 – Methane-Eating Bacteria and Custom Capabilities

16:53 – What About Plant-Based Proteins and Invasive Species?

17:48 – The Big Picture of Sustainability

18:57 – Final Thoughts

Happy New Year! As we ring in 2025 together, we’re bringing you the top five pet care trends to watch in the coming year, from sustainable initiatives and alternative proteins to biotic ingredients and personalized nutrition. In this first episode of the series, we’ll explain greenwashing, explore the potential of upcycled ingredients and the legacy of rendered ingredients, debunk misleading data, and discuss other barriers and opportunities for more sustainable ingredient sourcing across the pet nutrition market.

Helpful Links

Pet Food Ingredients and Environmental Sustainability: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/pet-food-ingredients-and-environmental-sustainability/

BBC on VW greenwashing: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-34324772

More examples of greenwashing: https://earth.org/greenwashing-companies-corporations/

Turning Grocery Waste into Nutritious Ingredient by Dr. Bradley Quest, DVM: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/turning-grocery-waste-nutritious-ingredients-bsm-partners-f1tbc/

Learn more about California Safe Soil (CSS): https://www.calsafesoil.com/

Read more about Emilie Mesnier’s personal sustainability journey: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/a-journey-to-compassionate-consumption/

Top Trends of 2025: How Consumer Evolution Lends Itself to the Pet Care Revolution: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-trends-2025-how-consumer-evolution-lends-itself-pet-care-q5isc/ 

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome and Introduction

02:36 – Why is Sustainability So Complex?

05:22 – The Impact of Greenwashing

09:32 – Strategies for Sustainable Sourcing

12:23 – Exploring the Upcycling Movement

14:42 – Rendering: The OG Upcycler for Pets

16:34 – The Real Environmental Impact of Pets

21:16 – Back to Upcycling: CSS on Enzymatic Digestion

23:49 – Pet Treat Brands Using Upcycled Ingredients

25:31 – A Quick Word on Regenerative Agriculture

27:35 – Stay Tuned for Our Sustainability Series!

28:09 – Final Thoughts

Ever wondered how startups turn bold ideas into industry-shaping innovations? In this episode, we team up with Plug and Play, a global accelerator powerhouse, to uncover the secrets behind their success in driving breakthroughs across agricultural technology, animal health, and beyond. Hear from visionary founder Saeed Amidi, the Plug and Play Topeka team, and trailblazing entrepreneur Rich Kelleman as they share how Plug and Play transforms ambitious dreams into thriving businesses. Plus, stick around for an exciting announcement about how this collaboration will continue in 2025! 

Helpful Links

Learn more about Plug and Play: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

Embroker’s 106 Must-Know Startup Statistics for 2024: https://www.embroker.com/blog/startup-statistics/

Understanding the Stages of Venture Capital from Silicon Valley Bank: https://www.svb.com/startup-insights/vc-relations/stages-of-venture-capital/

Learn more about Bond Pet Foods: https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/17131-food-is-science-and-science-is-food-at-bond-pet-foods

Follow BSM Partners on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up to date about future episodes, including our co-branded podcast collaboration with Plug and Play. 

Show Notes

00:00 – Inside the Episode

02:45 – Meet Saeed Amidi, Serial Entrepreneur and Visionary Founder of Plug and Play

08:18 – What is a Unicorn?

10:48 – Building a Solution-Minded Community

15:38 – Meet the Plug and Play Topeka Team

17:01 – Breaking Down the Jargon

22:05 – Supporting Long-Term Innovation

24:00 – How Plug and Play Selects Startups for its Programs

27:02 – The Value Proposition

30:12 – Behind the Scenes of a Plug and Play Program

35:35 – Meet Rich Kelleman, Founder of Bond Pet Foods

36:56 – Rich’s Plug and Play Experience

46:43 – A Message for Fellow Founders

47:30 – When Impact Trumps Profit

49:55 – An Exciting Announcement!

50:45 – Conclusion and Farewell

Pet health isn’t always an inside job—genetic makeup matters, but so do environmental factors like lifestyle and diet. In this episode of Barking Mad, we’re cracking the genetic code to explore how dogs’ DNA influences their heath—sometimes in unexpected ways. Join us as we discuss groundbreaking insights from veterinary experts and researchers who shed light on the genetic complexity of mixed-breed dogs and how genetic testing could revolutionize preventive pet care.

Helpful Links

BSM Partners’ Incidence paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/animal-science/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.846227/full

Genetic testing for dogs can help identify diseases and enable preventive care (from the Waltham Pet Care Institute): https://www.waltham.com/news-events/human-animal-interaction/genetic-testing-for-dogs-can-help-identify-diseases-and-enable-preventive-care

Learn more about EpiPaws: https://epipaws.com/

Tune in to our Pawing Through the Research episode here: https://bsmpartners.net/the-pet-industry-podcast/pawing-through-the-research-uncovering-the-fatal-flaws-of-dcm

Watch the full NBC News report on Flint, Michigan, 10 years after the community’s lead poisoning crisis first began: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8LaMa7ZLIQ

Show Notes

00:00 – Inside the Episode

01:49 – How Genes Influence Health

05:27 – DNA, Diet, and DCM

07:20 – A One Health Approach

09:00 – Decoding DNA for Mixed Breeds

10:53 – The Vast Genetic Variance in the Canine Genome

12:15 – The Truth About Mixed Breeds’ Genes

15:40 – Genetic Testing: A Key Opportunity

17:19 – Genetics and Breeding Practices

20:09 – Understanding Epigenetics

20:47 – Where Do Our Genes Come From?

22:08 – What Other Factors Affect our Genes?

24:40 – Environmental Factors Impacting Gene Expression

28:38 – Using This Knowledge to Advance Pet Health

29:44 – Conclusion and Farewell

Loud noises like fireworks, thunderstorms, and even construction can turn celebrations into nightmares for pets that suffer from noise phobias. Luckily, there are a range of products aimed at helping pet owners mitigate these stressful situations. In this episode of Barking Mad, we explore calming techniques, training methods, and innovative products in an effort to provide pet parents with a range of resources to help keep their pets cool, calm, and collected during times of stress.

Helpful Links

Learn more about dog anxiety and stress from Dr. Sydney McCauley and Dr. Allison Andrukonis: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/dog-anxiety-and-stress-symptoms-causes-and-ways-to-help-them-cope-part-1-common-forms-symptoms-and-causes/

And find more insights on how pet parents can help their canine companions cope with anxiety and stress: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/dog-anxiety-and-stress-signs-causes-and-ways-to-help-them-cope-part-2-ways-to-help-them-cope 

Learn more from Dr. Katy Miller about operant conditioning as an effective method for animal training: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/unleashing-potential-a-guide-to-training-animals-with-operant-conditioning/

Find more information about Black River Dog Training: https://brdogtraining.com/

How to Stand Out in The Wild West of Pet Supplements by Dr. Katy Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/standing-out-wild-west-pet-supplements-bsm-partners-32ixc/?trackingId=K6PgXhZPzBLgLDccTYzvgQ%3D%3D

Learn more about:

• Pawnix Noise-Canceling Headset for dogs: https://pawnix.com/
• ThunderShirt and other ThunderWorks products: https://thundershirt.com/
• Pet Honesty’s Calming Supplements for dogs: https://www.pethonesty.com/collections/dog-calming

Show Notes

00:00 – Inside the Episode

01:53 – So, What Is a Noise Phobia?

03:02 – What Situations Might Induce a Noise Phobia?

04:46 – How Common are Noise Phobias in Dogs?

06:10 – Dr. Katy Miller on “Fight or Flight”

07:43 – Stress Behaviors to Look For in Dogs

10:31 – The Fiery Phobia Hamster Wheel (And How to Get Off!)

12:27 – Training as a Tool for Phobia Management

15:42 – But Don’t Worry—There Are Other Methods!

16:30 – How to Prepare Your Pet & Your Home

18:21 – What To Do During a Noise Phobia-Inducing Event

19:45 – Lessons Learned the Hard Way

22:46 – What To Do After The Event

23:57 – Are Pharmaceuticals An Option?

25:46 – Wearables, Pheromones, Supplements—Oh My!

26:13 – Introducing Kirsten Brand of Pawnix, A Noise-Canceling Headset for Dogs

27:20 – The Science Behind the Pawnix Headset

32:29 – Introducing Dominic DeDominicis of ThunderWorks, Maker of the ThunderShirt

35:13 – What Are Pheromones, and How Do They Work?

37:24 – Combining the Powers of Calm

38:39 – The Scoop on Calming Supplements

40:17 – Introducing Dr. Greg Reinhart of Pet Honesty, A Supplement Brand

41:06 – Favorable Results from an In-Home Use Test (IHUT)

43:21 – Supplements Can Be Effective, But They’re Not Instantaneous

44:48 – Melatonin, L-tryptophan, Gingko, and Other Calming Ingredients

47:18 – “Just Because It’s Natural Doesn’t Mean It’s Safe!”

48:09 – Exploring CBD: Use With Caution

51:13 – Key Takeaways from the Episode

52:16 – Conclusion and Farewell