With Global Pet Expo right around the corner, I sat down with Jessica McCarthy, Founder & CEO of Brand Energy, to talk about something that should be on every pet brand's radar: the untapped power of LinkedIn as a marketing and relationship-building platform. Jessica brings serious pet industry credibility to the conversation, having spent nearly seven years at Mars — including a five-year run leading their national customer marketing program.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why 99% of LinkedIn users are "lurkers" — and why that matters more than you think
• How B2B sales and marketing in pet has evolved from boots on the ground to digital relationship building
• The future of independent pet specialty in a convenience-driven, at-home delivery world
• Why brands questioning trade show ROI are often the ones not doing the digital work before, during, and after the show
• The execution gap between knowing the LinkedIn playbook and actually running it
• What Jessica covers in her forthcoming book, Marketing Magic, and her upcoming talk at Global Pet Expo

Jessica is a fractional CMO and CRO who works with pet brands and businesses of all sizes to build marketing strategies that drive real results. Her perspective on why independent pet retailers have been slow to adopt digital marketing — and what that means for the channel's future — is a must-listen for anyone in the pet industry.

About Petworking:Petworking is the podcast for pet care and animal health professionals. Hosted by Peter Kenseth, VP & Partner at Maia Strategy Group, Petworking features interviews with founders, executives, and veterinarians driving innovation across the pet industry.