DogCo Secrets

In this Hot Tip Friday episode, I tackle one of the most common and most misunderstood questions I get from growing pet care business owners: “Should I expand my service area?”

If you have been feeling the pull to grow into a new market or add another location, this episode is for you. I share my own experience of opening and later closing a second territory, and the lessons I learned about the real costs of expansion, including the hidden risks to your focus, team performance, and profit margin.

✨ What You’ll Learn

• The biggest risks of expanding too early

• When expansion makes strategic sense

• How to weigh operational complexity against opportunity

• The financial prep you must do before adding a new area

• Why more is not always better when it comes to growth

If you are considering an expansion, press play before you make the leap. Sometimes, the best next move for your business is not going wider, but going deeper.

- M

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with my client and friend Abby Strong, the owner of Auntie Abby’s Professional Pet Sitting Service in Des Moines, Iowa. Over the past six years, Abby has transformed her business from a solo operation into a thriving, multi-employee pet care company serving hundreds of clients, and she’s done it with incredible intentionality, heart, and leadership, and is scaling rapidly to the 7 Figure mark in her pet care business.

We talk about what it really takes to scale while staying true to your values, the fear and freedom of letting go of old business models, and how to navigate massive change without losing your “why.” Abby shares the pivotal decisions that propelled her forward, from ending overnight services to transitioning her team from contractors to employees, and what that journey has taught her about courage, burnout, leadership, and trust.

✨ Key Takeaways

• How embracing discomfort can spark powerful business transformation

• Why narrowing your focus can actually accelerate growth

• What shifting from contractors to employees taught Abby about leadership

• How to protect yourself and your team from burnout in a high-demand industry

• The importance of community and connection for long-term success

💡 Whether you’re an early-stage pet care business or scaling past six figures, Abby’s story offers wisdom, warmth, and inspiration for the road ahead.

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in.

-M

This episode is a repost from May 9, 2025 - new content will resume again October 13, 2025!

This week’s hot take? Data. Why it matters, how to use it, and the seven essential metrics you should know to make faster, smarter decisions in your business—without drowning in spreadsheets or chasing perfection.

📈 If the phrase “track your KPIs” makes your eyes glaze over, I gets it. But in this bite-sized episode, I'll cut through the noise and shares quick + dirty math strategies that will help you:

 • Protect your profit

 • Diagnose weak spots

 • Focus your energy where it actually matters

From labor cost percentage to client retention and hiring trends, I'll break down the most actionable metrics that support real-time business health.

Key Metrics Covered:

 1. Labor cost percentage

 2. Profit margin percentage

 3. Week-over-week/month-over-month revenue

 4. Average client spend

 5. Average client retention

 6. Employee hiring leads

 7. Employee retention

💡 Takeaway: Protect your net profit. It is the lifeblood of your business.

This episode was originally posted on June 9, 2025. We felt that it was appropriate to resurface after Joey's amazing contribution to the DogCo Business Summit!

Hi everyone! Michelle here. Today’s episode is a big one. I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Joey Coleman, renowned speaker and bestselling author of Never Lose a Customer Again and Never Lose an Employee Again. Joey is not only a master of customer experience—he’s also someone who fundamentally understands how to make people feel seen, valued, and loyal from Day One.

We talk through everything from why so many businesses drop the ball during onboarding, to how pet care brands can scale trust without sacrificing humanity. Whether you’re just starting out or deep in the weeds of growing your team and services, this episode is packed with takeaways that can literally change your business.

📚 Get Joey’s Books (Affiliate Links):
• Never Lose a Customer Again → https://amzn.to/3SQRYdT
• Never Lose an Employee Again → https://amzn.to/4jqVDtp

⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and Intro to Joey Coleman
03:51 Joey’s background and mission
09:32 The cost of bad onboarding
13:10 Why most businesses lose clients early
18:27 Designing a first impression that lasts
24:03 Joey’s six stages of the customer journey
30:45 Turning casual buyers into lifelong fans
37:00 Building team culture that retains talent
43:19 Applying Joey’s principles to pet care
49:44 Joey’s advice on scaling experience with heart
55:02 What most businesses still get wrong
59:40 Behind the scenes of writing his books
1:03:55 Live Q&A with Joey Coleman
1:09:22 Closing thoughts and next steps

💥 Key Takeaways:
• The first 100 days of client or employee experience are the most influential
• Most businesses lose loyalty early due to lack of intentionality
• Great onboarding isn’t about automation, it’s about emotion
• It’s easier to fix broken internal systems than it is to repair broken relationships
• Customer experience is your brand
• Loyal clients and employees become your best marketers

Cheering you on - 

Michelle

If you’ve ever wondered how much you should invest in your own growth, this one’s for you. In today’s short, impactful episode, I'll make a case for putting your money where your mindset is by setting aside a clear percentage of revenue to level up your personal and professional skills. I'll break down what “investing in yourself” really means, why it matters so much for your business’s success, and how to get over the barriers that keep most people from doing it.

💥 Key Takeaways:

• Investing in your skills is the single most impactful way to grow your business
• 10% of your revenue should go toward your education and development
• Budget for it before the opportunity arrives, not after
• If you’re stuck, action beats perfection—just move
• Self-trust is built through action, not hesitation
• Profit First is a helpful system to carve out your investment bucket

I'll also share the exact percentage she uses (hint: it’s higher than you think), along with a powerful mindset shift to help you take action before you’re “ready.” This episode will challenge you to stop waiting, start betting on yourself, and trust that you are the best asset your business has.

🎯 What’s Inside This Episode:

• Why investing in yourself creates the biggest ROI
• The exact percentage I budget for personal growth
• 3 common barriers to investing in your education
• A mindset shift that makes saying “yes” easier
• Why betting on yourself beats betting on someone else

Today is the day! The DogCo Business Summit officially kicks off today, and I am beyond excited. Whether you are already in Winston-Salem or following along from home, I want to help you squeeze every ounce of value out of this event.

In this Hot Take episode, I share exactly how to make the most of your investment. From building meaningful connections to taking advantage of the event social pages, to setting yourself up for success after the Summit wraps, this is your roadmap for leaving the weekend with practical steps, deeper relationships, and renewed energy for your business.

👉 Did you miss attending in person? Want access to the full digital ticket for the DogCo Summit 2025? Grab yours today at http://dogcosummit.com

✨ What’s in this Episode:

• Why meeting just one person can transform your business journey.

• How to use the event Facebook group to connect before and after sessions.

• The secret value of Saturday night’s social event.

• A practical Monday morning plan to turn your notes into action.

This Summit is going to be game-changing, not only for the content but for the community you will build. If you are listening in real time, come find me and say hi. If you missed it, we’ll be announcing dates for 2026!

🎧 Also, listen to this podcast episode on:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube

-M

Scaling from $750,000 to 1 million in annual revenue is one of the most exciting and challenging stages of building a pet care business. At this level, small cracks in your systems, finances, and brand become massive risks, and the wrong move can cost you hard-earned growth. In this episode, I break down what it really takes to cross the seven-figure line without losing profit, clarity, or sanity. 

👉 And don’t forget, the DogCo Business Summit is this week! Check out the online event with our digital ticket at http://dogcosummit.com

✨ Key Takeaways
• How to avoid systems debt as your company grows
• Why profit margins often compress at higher revenue levels
• The power and pitfalls of brand recognition at scale
• When to consider a rebrand and how to avoid losing equity
• Tech challenges facing seven-figure companies and what to do about them

⏰ Timestamps
0:00 – Welcome to the final scaling series episode
0:35 – Why hitting seven figures can look very different depending on structure
2:01 – Overview of scaling from $750K to 1 million in pet care
3:12 – Lessons from the Seven-Figure DogCo mastermind
4:50 – Risks of systems debt at this stage
8:02 – Compressed profit margins and what that means for growth
10:00 – Brand recognition and referral power at scale
11:00 – The dangers of rebranding too late
12:47 – Tech struggles for large pet care businesses
13:41 – Biggest risks for owners at this level
15:20 – Solutions: protecting profit and simplifying systems
20:00 – Final thoughts and invitation to share feedback

🚨 Final Call: DogCo Summit is Almost Here! 🚨
The industry’s most powerful event is happening this week September 26–28 in Winston-Salem, NC. This is the last call for you to join us. While in-person ticket sales are closed, you can still purchase a digital ticket to join in on the fun. You’ll walk away with strategies to grow your pet care business with confidence. Grab yours today at 👉 http://dogcosummit.com

🎧 Listen to this episode on:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

-M

In this Hot Tip Friday episode of the DogCo Secrets Podcast, I am breaking down the two most important metrics for your business: client retention and employee retention. These numbers matter more than any other because they shape the long-term health, profitability, and stability of your company.

I’ll share why focusing on retention is the fastest way to build sustainable revenue, how to calculate the true lifetime value of your clients, and what it really costs when you lose a team member. Plus, I’ll give you three practical strategies to improve retention for both clients and staff, so you can stop spinning in the whirlwind and start compounding your growth.

👉 If you are a pet care business that wants to level up, then the DogCo Business Summit is for you. Join me September 26–28 by grabbing your digital ticket at http://dogcosummit.com.

✨ Key Takeaways
• Client retention multiplies the lifetime value of every customer
• Retaining 100 clients at $100/week equals $520,000 a year
• Employee turnover is one of the most expensive drains on growth
• The first 100 days of employment are critical for staff retention
• Always give your team a path to grow with you, not away from you

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube

- Michelle

In this episode of Scaling Series, we are tackling one of the most pivotal phases in pet care business growth, the $500k to $750k window.

This is where owners face critical inflection points around management teams, systems, retention, and data tracking. I will walk you through the biggest risks that can keep you stuck and the solutions that can unlock long-term growth. If you are ready to push past bottlenecks and set your company up for success, this episode is for you.

📢 And do not forget, the DogCo Business Summit is almost here! Join us September 26--28, 2025. Get your digital ticket now 👉 http://dogcosummit.com (in person ticket sales now closed)

✨ Key Takeaways
• The half-million to three-quarter million stage requires true decision-making managers
• New systems and policies can cause healthy breaking before stronger foundations emerge
• Client retention can suffer if not intentionally protected as owners step back
• Data clarity becomes non-negotiable for decision-making at this stage
• Owners must avoid becoming bottlenecks by stepping away strategically
• Slowing down to build systems correctly here accelerates growth later
• Culture leadership is essential as more managers take on responsibility

⏰ Timestamps
0:00 Welcome to DogCo Secrets with Michelle Kline
0:17 Scaling from $500k to $750k in pet care businesses
1:10 Why management teams become the biggest bottleneck
2:00 The need for true decision-makers
3:01 Domino effect of new policies and systems
4:40 Healthy breaking vs bad breaking in your business
5:45 Protecting client experience and retention as you step back
6:47 Why data and metrics are critical in this phase
7:45 Biggest risks that keep businesses stuck
9:40 Owner bottlenecks and system slowdowns
10:30 Retention decline during restructuring
11:45 Getting stuck in data debt
13:00 Solutions including retention systems, slowing down, and culture leadership
15:12 Closing thoughts and preview of the $750k to 1M episode

🎧 Also Listen On:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube

-Michelle

In this episode, I’m digging into one of the most common priorities I hear from pet care business owners: attracting more dog walking clients. But here’s the kicker, you might be accidentally turning them away with the way your brand is positioned.

I share insights from scaling my own dog walking company to 25 staff and 600 clients before selling it in 2023, plus what I see inside businesses I coach every day. From how your business name communicates what you do, to how your website prioritizes services, to how your client onboarding either welcomes or repels dog walking clients,  these details matter more than you think.

✨ Key Points

• Your business name shapes client perception immediately

• Website service order can influence which clients you attract

• Onboarding forms should support long-term dog walking clients, not just pet sitting

• Convenience and clarity drive new client sign-ups

• Subtle brand tweaks can transform your lead flow

📢 DogCo Business Summit 2025

If you’re a pet care business that wants to level up, then this is for you. The DogCo Business Summit is happening in Winston-Salem, NC, September 26–28, and we still have digital tickets available. Grab your spot today at 👉 http://dogcosummit.com

🐾 Whether you’re trying to balance pet sitting and dog walking, or you’re ready to scale up with a stronger client flow, this Hot Tip will give you tactical strategies you can implement right away.

- Michelle