What happens when a pet care business owner decides the industry doesn’t need another scheduling tool, it needs better growth tools?

In this episode, I sit down with Jordy McNamara, founder of Critter, to talk about where pet care technology is headed, why marketing remains one of the biggest untapped opportunities in our industry, and how business owners can use automation without sacrificing the relationships that make this work so meaningful.

Jordy brings a unique perspective. He entered the pet care industry through technology, started a pet care company to better understand the challenges operators face, and ultimately built Critter after seeing a gap between operational software and true business growth tools.

🐾 Learn More About Critter. Jordy and the Critter team will be joining us as the Premium Sponsor of the DogCo Business Summit. If you’d like to learn more about Critter, schedule a demo, or connect directly with Jordy: 🌐 critter.pet - 📧 [email protected]

We discuss everything from CRM systems and marketing automation to AI, client retention, referral programs, and the evolving role technology will play as pet care businesses continue to grow and mature.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is the shared belief that technology should strengthen relationships, not replace them. As our industry grows, finding that balance may be one of the most important challenges we face.

If you’re curious about the future of pet care, marketing, automation, and scaling a service-based business, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 – Introducing Jordy McNamara and Critter

1:21 – How technology led Jordy into pet care

5:57 – Why Critter shifted from scheduling to growth tools

8:21 – Relationship-driven marketing in pet care

12:01 – The state of technology in the pet care industry

15:00 – AI, automation, and the future of software

18:18 – Why growing businesses need better technology

20:21 – Can pet care become over-automated?

28:16 – The biggest marketing opportunities for pet care companies

33:36 – Critter joins the DogCo Business Summit

🚀 Join Us at the DogCo Business Summit

If you’re serious about growing your pet care business, building stronger systems, and connecting with some of the most ambitious operators in the industry, I’d love to have you join us at the DogCo Business Summit. October 2nd–4th 📍 Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In-person and digital tickets available 👉 dogcosummit.com

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Technology should support relationships, not replace them

• Pet care remains early in the technology adoption curve

• Marketing and client engagement represent major growth opportunities

• Good automation depends on good data

• Referral systems remain one of the highest-leverage growth channels

• Software should be viewed as a growth investment, not just an expense

• AI will likely evolve differently inside pet care than in other industries

• Business owners need better visibility into marketing ROI

• Scaling businesses requires different tools than solo operators

• The future belongs to companies that combine operational excellence with intentional growth

My conversation with Jordy left me feeling optimistic about where our industry is headed. While technology continues to evolve rapidly, the businesses that will thrive are still the ones that build trust, create great experiences, and invest in meaningful relationships. If you’re curious about what the next chapter of pet care could look like, I think you’ll enjoy this discussion.

-M

Most business owners assume employee turnover comes down to compensation. If people leave, they must have found a better-paying opportunity somewhere else.

In this episode, I challenge that assumption.

Drawing on insights from Joey Coleman’s research on employee retention, as well as my own experience building and leading a pet care company, I explore why pay is often a much smaller factor in retention than we think.

The good news? If compensation is only one piece of the puzzle, that means there are many other levers available to us as leaders.

I break down four of the most common reasons great employees choose to move on, even when they genuinely like the work and knew exactly what the pay would be when they accepted the position. We talk about growth paths, workplace relationships, unresolved leadership friction, and what happens when a role no longer fits the realities of someone’s life.

This episode is ultimately about creating an environment where people can see a future, feel connected, and understand what’s expected of them. Because retention isn’t just about getting people to stay longer. It’s about building a company that the right people genuinely want to be part of.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Pay is rarely the primary reason employees leave

• Employees need a clear path for growth and development

• Workplace relationships are a major driver of retention

• Unresolved friction with leadership creates turnover risk

• Clear expectations reduce stress and confusion

• Flexibility can significantly improve retention outcomes

• Great employees often leave when the role no longer fits their life

• Strong communication systems support healthier teams

• Retention is built intentionally, not accidentally

• The best retention strategies start with understanding people

🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit

If you’re serious about improving retention, building stronger leaders, and creating a pet care company people want to stay with, I want you in the room at the DogCo Business Summit - October 2nd–4th 📍 Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In-person and digital tickets available 👉 https://dogcosummit.com

-M

In this episode, I’m reflecting on five beliefs that have fundamentally changed for me over the last five years as a business owner.  

When I look back at who I was coming out of the pandemic, I see someone who was working hard, growing quickly, and learning constantly, but I also see someone who held very different assumptions about leadership, feedback, success, time, and personal growth.

This conversation is less about tactics and more about perspective. The beliefs we carry shape the decisions we make, the risks we take, the opportunities we see, and ultimately the results we create.

I talk about why I no longer believe business success is primarily driven by luck, how my relationship with feedback has completely changed, why I’ve come to view myself through the lens of inputs and outputs, and the mindset shift that has helped me stop labeling myself as “bad” at certain parts of business.

If you’ve been in business for a while, I think you’ll recognize some of your own evolution in this conversation. And if you’re earlier in the journey, hopefully some of these lessons help shorten the learning curve.

And if you’re looking to accelerate your growth alongside other ambitious pet care business owners, I’d love to have you at the DogCo Business Summit this October. 👉 https://dogcosummit.com

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 – Looking back at who I was five years ago

1:35 – Belief #1: Success is not primarily luck

3:39 – How data changed the way I lead a business

5:55 – Belief #2: Feedback is a kindness, not a burden

7:01 – From reactive leadership to proactive coaching

8:17 – Belief #3: Thinking in inputs and outputs

10:12 – Belief #4: Time is more valuable than money

11:43 – Belief #5: I’m not bad at it, I’m just unpracticed

13:03 – Reflection and listener challenge

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Data creates clarity when circumstances feel uncertain

• Business outcomes are influenced more by decisions than luck

• Feedback is one of the most valuable gifts a leader can provide

• Proactive coaching outperforms reactive correction

• Inputs drive outputs, both in business and in life

• Personal performance can be improved through intentional inputs

• Time is often a business owner’s highest-leverage resource

• Resource allocation matters more than resource accumulation

• Most skill gaps are practice gaps, not talent gaps

• Growth often begins with changing the stories we tell ourselves

🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit

If you’re serious about becoming a stronger leader, building a more resilient business, and learning from some of the best minds in the pet care industry, I want you in the room at the DogCo Business Summit.

October 2nd–4th in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In-person and digital tickets available here: https://dogcosummit.com

-M

In this episode, I’m talking through one of the more difficult leadership situations that almost every growing business owner eventually faces - what to do when you have a genuinely good manager or team member whose performance starts slipping.  

This is not a conversation about bad hires or obvious culture mismatches. This is about the harder and more nuanced situation where someone has already demonstrated that they can succeed in the role, but something has shifted, and now leadership has to decide how to respond.

I walk through how to approach these conversations with both empathy and directness, why avoiding early intervention usually makes situations worse, and how leaders can unintentionally create bigger relational fractures by waiting too long to address problems.

We also get into one of the most important leadership frameworks I’ve personally used for years: SBI, Situation, Behavior, Impact. Instead of making assumptions about intent or character, I explain why effective leaders stay focused on observable behaviors, the impact those behaviors have on the organization, and what needs to change moving forward.

This episode is really about leadership maturity. How do you care about people deeply while still protecting standards, culture, accountability, and the health of the business?

Because ultimately, avoiding hard conversations does not create kindness, it usually creates confusion, resentment, and larger problems later.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Good employees can still require course correction

• Early intervention prevents deeper relational fractures

• Directness and empathy are not opposites in leadership

• Avoiding difficult conversations usually compounds problems

• Leaders should address behaviors, not assume motives

• SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) creates clearer communication

• Feedback conversations should focus on clarity, not shame

• Accountability strengthens healthy cultures when handled well

• Team culture is shaped by what leadership tolerates

• The ability to receive feedback is critical for long-term growth

🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit

If you’re serious about becoming a stronger leader, building healthier systems, and scaling your pet care business with intentionality, I want you in the room at the DogCo Business Summit.

📍 October 2nd–4th

📍 Winston-Salem, North Carolina

🎟️ In-person and digital tickets available

👉 https://dogcosummit.com

-M

In this episode, I’m getting very direct about three mindset patterns that I believe quietly keep business owners stuck: avoidance, learned helplessness, and the belief that working harder is always the answer.

I recorded this conversation because I genuinely want to see people win this year, and sometimes the most important shifts are not tactical, they’re mental. The way we think about difficult conversations, control, responsibility, growth, and effort shapes the outcomes we create in our businesses far more than most people realize.

We talk about why delaying hard decisions usually compounds problems, how limiting beliefs influence leadership behavior, and why sustainable growth often comes from slowing down long enough to build more strategically, not just pushing harder.

This episode is honest, practical, and probably a little uncomfortable in spots, but it’s meant to encourage you toward the version of your business and leadership that you actually want to build.

And if you’re serious about growing your pet care business alongside other ambitious operators, I’d love to have you at the DogCo Business Summit this October 2-4: www.dogcosummit.com

⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – Why I’m being more direct in this episode
0:48 – Mindset #1: No one is coming to do the hard things for you
1:47 – Avoidance compounds business problems over time
2:34 – Mindset #2: If you believe it’s outside your control, it will be
3:25 – Examples of limiting beliefs inside pet care businesses
4:24 – What we CAN control during difficult external events
4:40 – Mindset #3: Working harder is usually not the solution
5:28 – Why slowing down strategically creates better growth
6:08 – Final encouragement for business owners this year

Key Takeaways
• Avoidance tends to make business problems harder over time
• Owners have more influence than they often believe they do
• Mindsets shape leadership behaviors and business outcomes
• Learned helplessness limits growth and adaptability
• Hard work alone is rarely the true bottleneck
• Strategic thinking creates more leverage than constant effort
• Slowing down can improve clarity and decision-making
• Sustainable growth requires intentional leadership shifts

Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit - 

If you’re serious about building a stronger, more scalable pet care business, I want you in the room at the DogCo Business Summit. October 2nd–4th in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Get your in-person and digital tickets: https://dogcosummit.com

In this episode, I’m talking about something I’ve been thinking about a lot this year, my identity as a business owner and the role my company actually needs me to play right now.  

One of the biggest mistakes I see entrepreneurs make is assuming their role should stay static as the business grows. But different stages of business require different versions of leadership, and part of growth is learning how to reassess where your highest leverage actually is.

Sometimes your business needs you to focus on marketing and growth. Sometimes it needs you to solve operational bottlenecks. Sometimes it needs you to build systems, cultivate leaders, or develop infrastructure that allows the company to scale beyond your direct involvement.

I also talk about the difference between being a participant in the business versus becoming an architect of the business, and why that transition can feel uncomfortable for owners who genuinely enjoy the day-to-day work.

This is a short episode, but an important one, especially if you feel stretched thin, stuck in the weeds, or uncertain about where your energy should actually be going as your company evolves.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Your role as an owner should evolve as the business grows

• Different business stages require different leadership approaches

• The highest leverage opportunities deserve the most owner attention

• Bottlenecks reveal where leadership focus is needed most

• Owners often avoid the hardest but most important problems

• Businesses need architects, not just participants

• System-building creates long-term scalability

• Staffing and retention systems are growth infrastructure

• Many owners stay in the field because it feels more immediately valuable

• Sustainable growth requires reassessing your identity regularly

🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit

If you’re serious about scaling your pet care business and becoming a stronger operator, leader, and strategist, I’d love to have you at the DogCo Business Summit this October.

October 2nd–4th 📍 Winston-Salem, North Carolina

In-person and digital tickets available 👉 https://dogcosummit.com

In this episode, I sit down with Rachel Bowers for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on the podcast about the realities of scaling a pet care business.  

Rachel built Brooklyn Bark from a solo dog walking business into a large-scale New York City operation handling hundreds of visits per day, and this conversation goes far beyond growth tactics. We talk about what scaling actually feels like when you’re managing people, risk, emergencies, safety systems, client expectations, insurance, training, and the emotional weight that comes with caring for live animals inside other people’s homes.

This episode also dives into the overlap between entrepreneurship and emergency response. Rachel now works in pet first aid, consulting, and volunteer firefighting, and the way she thinks about preparedness, SOPs, leadership, and crisis management has completely reframed parts of how I think about pet care businesses.

If you own a pet care company and want to scale responsibly, this is one of the most important conversations we’ve released this year.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Pet care complexity increases dramatically with scale

• Managing people is fundamentally different from providing service directly

• Emergency preparedness must be proactive, not reactive

• SOPs reduce panic during crisis situations

• Teams need structured communication during emergencies

• Fight, flight, freeze responses affect decision-making

• Insurance gaps can create massive business risk

• Safety protocols vary depending on geography and service model

• Great leadership requires thinking several moves ahead

• Preparedness builds confidence, trust, and operational stability

🚀 Join Us at the DogCo Business Summit

Rachel Bowers will be speaking live at the DogCo Business Summit this October, diving deeper into safety systems, preparedness, crisis planning, and operational leadership for scaling pet care companies. October 2nd–4th 📍 Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In-person and digital tickets available 👉 https://dogcosummit.com

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 – Introducing Rachel Bowers & the DogCo Summit

1:19 – Building Brooklyn Bark into a large NYC pet care company

3:18 – Why pet care businesses are more complex than outsiders realize

7:25 – Scaling from solo operator to managing large teams

13:33 – Rachel’s transition into consulting, CPR & firefighting

22:28 – Safety systems & “oh sh*t” planning for pet care companies

24:02 – Michelle’s story about training a GM for crisis management

27:38 – Why emergency SOPs matter more than most owners realize

33:00 – The liability realities of scaling a pet care company

40:10 – “Safety is a system, not a vibe”

-M

In this episode, I’m breaking down three very practical reasons why potential clients may be choosing another pet care company instead of yours, and more importantly, what you can do about it.  

Most business owners immediately assume the issue is pricing, competition, or market saturation. But in many cases, the problem is much simpler and much more fixable.

I walk through the three areas I would audit first:

• Speed

• Ease

• Messaging

We talk about why response time matters so much in today’s market, how friction inside your process quietly kills conversions, and why businesses that communicate client pain points more clearly will almost always outperform businesses that don’t.

I also share practical examples of where companies accidentally create unnecessary barriers, from overcomplicated intake forms to requiring too much information too early in the process.

If you feel like leads are slipping through the cracks, or you’re getting traffic but not enough conversions, this episode will help you identify where the breakdown may actually be happening.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Speed-to-response directly impacts lead conversion

• Consumers lose focus quickly in modern buying environments

• Ease and simplicity create competitive advantages

• Friction inside your process reduces conversions

• Overcomplicated intake systems push leads away

• Website analytics can reveal hidden conversion problems

• Qualified leads often want clarity faster than businesses provide it

• Strong messaging helps clients feel understood

• Businesses that communicate pain points clearly build trust faster

• Small improvements in process can create major growth opportunities

🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit

If you’re serious about growing your pet care business and improving your marketing, systems, and leadership, I want you in the room at the DogCo Business Summit, October 2nd–4th in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

🎟️ In-person and digital tickets available 👉 https://dogcosummit.com

-M

What if the biggest growth opportunity in your business this year isn’t more leads, but keeping the people you already have, both your clients and your team?

In this conversation with bestselling author Joey Coleman, we dive deep into client retention, employee retention, customer experience, AI, automation, relationship-building, and what actually creates loyalty in 2026. This episode originally aired earlier in the DogCo Secrets podcast, but honestly? It may be even MORE relevant now.

As more businesses race toward automation, AI systems, and scale-at-all-costs growth models, Joey brings the conversation back to something timeless: humans want to feel seen, valued, remembered, and connected.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Why this conversation matters even more in 2026

01:20 – Meet Joey Coleman & his background

05:20 – Why humans are “beautiful and messy”

07:40 – Curiosity before criticism

11:30 – Transactional vs relational businesses

16:50 – AI, automation & the danger of losing connection

19:00 – Why businesses obsess over acquisition instead of retention

27:00 – Building loyalty through identity & belonging

35:20 – The easiest retention strategy almost everyone ignores

40:20 – Why the basics still outperform “fancy” strategies

We also talk about:

🐾 Why pet care businesses are uniquely positioned for retention

📈 The dangerous obsession with customer acquisition

🤖 AI vs real relationship-building

🧠 Curiosity vs assumptions in leadership

💡 Why remarkable businesses obsess over small moments

📸 The retention power of simple client touchpoints

🔥 Why most “advanced” strategies fail without basics

Joey is officially returning for the 2026 DogCo Summit. Want to get in on the action? Get your in-person or virtual tickets:

https://dogcosummit.com

If you’ve ever struggled with churn, team culture, scaling relationships, or building a business people genuinely want to stay with, this one is packed. This conversation with Joey Coleman is a powerful reminder that sustainable growth is built through relationships, not just acquisition. The businesses that win in 2026 will be the ones that make people feel valued long after the initial transaction or hiring date. If you want to build a business people genuinely want to stay connected to, this episode is packed with insight.

-M

In this episode, I’m breaking down the three pieces of software I would use if I had to run a pet care business as simply and effectively as possible.

There are a lot of tools out there, and it’s easy to overcomplicate your tech stack. But if your goal is to grow and scale, you don’t need everything, you need the right things working together.  

I walk through the three core systems I believe are non-negotiable, a pet care software to run your operations, a dedicated team communication platform to replace text messaging, and a scheduling or CRM tool to streamline how clients book with you.

We also get into why delaying these decisions can cost you growth, how the right systems improve both team experience and client experience, and where you can start simple versus where it might make sense to build something more advanced over time.

If you’re trying to clean up your operations or feel like things are more complicated than they need to be, this episode will help you refocus on what actually matters.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• You don’t need a large tech stack to scale effectively

• A pet care software is a non-negotiable for growth

• The right system can directly increase revenue

• Text messaging is not a sustainable team communication tool

• Centralized communication improves clarity and culture

• Scheduling tools reduce friction in the sales process

• Letting clients book directly increases efficiency and conversions

• CRMs can add power, but simplicity wins early on

• Systems should support both your team and your clients

• Start simple, then layer complexity as needed

🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit

If you’re serious about building a more efficient, scalable pet care business, I want you in the room at the DogCo Business Summit.

📍 October 2nd–4th 📍Winston-Salem, North Carolina 👉 https://dogcosummit.com

–M