Pet Boarding and Daycare Podcast with Dominic Hodgson

Hosted by Barkleigh Productions

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136

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Welcome to the Pet Boarding and Daycare Podcast, the show that shares the secrets to unleashing the next phase of your pet business growth.

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60 recent

September 2, 202637 min

Ep. 136 – Climbing the Pet Business Premium Pricing Ladder: How To Attract Affluent Clients Who Spend More Money on Their Pets

Are you still setting your prices by looking at what every other daycare and pet resort in town is charging? Do you worry that increasing your prices will drive clients away, even though your costs, wages and overheads keep going up? And what if the reason you’re working harder, looking after more dogs and dealing with more stress… but still not making enough money is because you’re sitting in the wrong place on the pricing ladder? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom shares highlights from his popular The Price is Right presentation and explains why copying competitors is one of the worst ways to price your services. Every market has cheap, middle and premium providers, and where you sit on that pricing ladder isn’t predetermined by your location, your competition or how long you’ve been in business. It’s a choice. Dom explains why pet businesses should be constantly looking for opportunities to move upstream, attract more affluent clients and increase margin rather than relying on cramming more dogs through the door. He also reveals the warning signs that suggest you’re undercharging, why premium pricing can actually help you attract better clients, and why the biggest thing standing between most owners and higher prices isn’t their customers at all… it’s themselves. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why You Need a Pricing Strategy – How your pricing influences the clients you attract, the marketing you do and ultimately the business you build. The Danger of Copying Your Competitors – Why basing your prices on businesses whose finances you know nothing about is a terrible strategy. The Pet Business Pricing Ladder – Why every market has cheap, middle and premium providers, and how you can deliberately move towards the top. Why You Need to Swim Upstream – How premium positioning helps you attract more affluent dog owners instead of competing in the crowded middle. Margin Beats Volume – Why simply putting more dogs through your facility creates more staff, more costs and more stress. The Signs You’re Undercharging – From overflowing enquiries to zero client resistance on price, the clues that tell you it’s time to charge more. Huge thanks to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support: focustele.com Remember, registration is now open for the biggest Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo on the planet, which is happening at the famous Hershey Lodge. Click here to grab your ticket now! Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – September promotional opportunities, from Scooby-Doo Day and Talk Like a Pirate Day to turning clients’ dogs into comic book superheroes.[04:29] – What luxury pet-friendly hotels can teach daycare and resort owners about premium upsells.[08:29] – Dom previews his new Pet Business Pricing Power Index and introduces highlights from The Price is Right.[10:11] – Do you actually have a pricing strategy? Why making pricing deliberate makes the rest of your business easier.[13:35] – The expensive chicken feeder and the danger of having a “sales prevention department” inside your business.[16:22] – Why you should never copy your competitors’ prices when you have no idea if they’re actually making money.[20:00] – The pet business pricing ladder and why there’s no predetermined pecking order in your market.[23:00] – Why business is a game of margin, not volume, and the importance of continually swimming upstream.[26:00] – The clients spending $800 and $1,500 on dog enrichment and birthday experiences, plus real examples of major price increases.[31:02] – The real business bottleneck, the fear that stops owners raising prices and the warning signs that you’re undercharging.

August 26, 202641 min

Ep. 135 – Why It’s Time to Rethink All-Day Group Play in Your Dog Daycare

What if some of the dogs causing the biggest problems in your daycare aren’t actually difficult dogs at all? What if they’re simply in the wrong programme? And what if changing the way you deliver daycare could reduce staff burnout, lower labour pressure, improve the experience for the dogs AND create entirely new revenue streams for your business? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom is joined by Kristen Perrus from the award-winning Scouts Honour Pet Retreat to talk about how their approach to daycare has evolved, why they moved away from relying entirely on all-day group play, and how their hybrid model has helped reduce staff burnout, manage labour costs and provide a better experience for dogs who simply don’t thrive in traditional daycare. Kristen also takes Dom behind the scenes of Scouts Honour’s rapidly growing training department and explains how their Play & Train programme has developed from Kristen training dogs by herself into a team of six trainers and a department that now accounts for around 20% of the business. By focusing on puppies and family dogs, solving the everyday problems owners actually care about and combining practical training with play and enrichment, they’ve achieved an incredible 85% continued training rate and created an entirely new profit centre alongside daycare and boarding. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Every Dog Isn’t a Daycare Dog – How trying to say yes to everyone can increase labour costs, create staff burnout and lead to a worse experience for the dogs. The Hybrid Daycare Model – How Scouts Honour combines group play with one-to-one enrichment to better serve dogs that don’t thrive in all-day play. How to Sell Change to Your Clients – Why education helped owners understand that different doesn’t mean worse, and how showing them the benefits created buy-in. The Play & Train Opportunity – How combining training, play and enrichment developed into one of Scouts Honour’s most successful services. Why Niching Made Training More Profitable – How focusing on puppies and family dogs rather than severe behavioural cases helped Scouts Honour create a more sustainable training department. The Secret Behind 85% Client Retention – Why selling a better life and relationship with their dog keeps training clients coming back for more. Huge thanks to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support: focustele.com Remember, registration is now open for the biggest Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo on the planet, which is happening at the famous Hershey Lodge. Click here to grab your ticket now! Huge thanks to Kristen Perrus and Allison Jacobs from Scouts Honor Bloomington, Indianna. Find out more about Scouts Honor by clicking here now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – Dom introduces Kristen Paris and the story behind Scouts Honour’s move from all-day group play towards a hybrid daycare model.[04:52] – Kristen shares how her own reactive dog inspired her to become a trainer and eventually create a different kind of training programme.[07:19] – The lesson Scouts Honour learned the hard way: not every dog is a good candidate for daycare, and that’s okay.[11:14] – Why Scouts Honour created Hybrid Camp to combine socialisation, group play and individual enrichment.[12:11] – How educating clients about dog behaviour helped Scouts Honour successfully introduce a completely different daycare experience.[16:17] – Kristen explains how the Play & Train programme grew from one trainer into a rapidly expanding departmen[19:33] – Allison Jacobs joins the conversation and explains why identifying their ideal training client helped the programme finally take off.[22:23] – Why Scouts Honour focuses on creating the “perfect family dog” instead of teaching impressive but impractical obedience skills.[29:36] – The incredible 85% continued training rate and why repeat clients have allowed Scouts Honour to grow the department so quickly.[34:04] – Six trainers, multiple services and approximately 20% of the entire business: how big the training department has become.

August 19, 202635 min

Ep. 134 – The Easiest Way to Add a Profitable Grooming Department to Your Pet Resort

What if there was another revenue stream sitting inside your pet resort that could generate thousands of dollars every month? What if you already have the space, the customers and even the potential staff members to make it happen? And what if the answer to the groomer shortage isn’t finding the perfect experienced groomer… but creating your own? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom is joined by Brandy Reese from Paragon School of Pet Grooming to explore the huge opportunity grooming represents for dog daycare and pet resort owners, and how businesses can overcome one of the biggest obstacles standing in their way: finding reliable, qualified groomers. Brandy has more than 30 years of experience in the grooming industry as a Certified Master Groomer, salon owner and educator. She explains why the current shortage of skilled groomers is causing many pet businesses to leave serious money on the table, with each grooming table potentially worth $12,000–$15,000 a month in revenue. Rather than endlessly advertising for experienced groomers, Brandy shares a different approach: hire for culture and fit, then develop the technical skills. She explains how daycare and resort owners can identify reliable employees already inside their business, upskill them through structured grooming education and create their own pipeline of talent instead of becoming dependent on one difficult-to-replace employee. Dom and Brandy also explore why grooming is such a powerful addition to an existing daycare or boarding operation. Not only can it increase average customer spend and create regular recurring revenue, but grooming clients can become daycare and boarding clients too, creating a service ecosystem where every department feeds the others. In this episode, you’ll discover: The Hidden Grooming Opportunity – Why every unused grooming table could represent thousands of dollars in lost monthly revenue. Why Finding Groomers Is So Difficult – The staffing and management problems that cause many otherwise successful pet resorts to give up on grooming altogether. Hire for Culture, Train for Skill – Why your next great groomer could already be working in your daycare, kennels or bathing department. How to Build Your Own Grooming Pipeline – Why continually developing talent protects your business from becoming dependent on one key employee. The Power of Recurring Grooming Revenue – How grooming creates customers who return every four, five or six weeks for years. How Grooming Grows the Rest of Your Business – Why grooming clients become boarding and daycare clients, and vice versa. Huge thanks to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support: focustele.com Remember, registration is now open for the biggest Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo on the planet, which is happening at the famous Hershey Lodge. Click here to grab your ticket now! Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:52] – Dom introduces Brandy Reese and explains why the shortage of qualified groomers represents a major lost-profit opportunity for pet resorts.[02:04] – Dom shares some of the huge wins from his latest DDSA Immersion, including one member who has built an entire grooming department across six facilities.[08:08] – Brandy introduces Paragon Pet School and its evolution from a traditional brick-and-mortar grooming school into online education.[11:07] – Why there’s a shortage of good groomers and the huge amount of demand many pet businesses are unable to serve.[15:02] – The unique challenge of managing groomers and why some business owners end up feeling held hostage by their grooming department.[16:46] – Brandy explains why businesses should hire for culture and fit, then train the grooming skills afterwards.[19:43] – Why grooming creates incredibly valuable repeat customers who can stay with the same groomer for 15 years or more.[23:03] – Brandy breaks down Paragon’s different training levels and how someone can progress from basic bathing skills to full-service grooming.[30:32] – How businesses can calculate the return on investment from training their own groomers.[32:23] – Why grooming doesn’t just generate grooming revenue—it can drive more daycare and boarding business too.

August 12, 202646 min

Ep. 133 – The Enrichment Economy: Why Enrichment Is the Golden Key to a More Profitable Pet Business

What if enrichment wasn’t just something that made dogs happier but the very thing that could transform your pricing, your staff culture and the value of your business? Why do some daycare owners seem able to charge premium prices while others are still competing on who can offer the cheapest place for a dog to spend the day? And what if the future of pet care isn’t about supervising more dogs but creating better experiences for every dog? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom shares an edited version of one of his most popular presentations from the Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo: The Enrichment Economy. Drawing on lessons from the world’s most innovative businesses, leading zoos and his own journey from dog walker to international pet business coach, Dom explains why enrichment isn’t simply another service to bolt onto your daycare. It’s a philosophy that changes the way you think about dogs, staff, marketing and profit. Along the way, you’ll hear how a chance encounter with legendary trainer John Rogerson completely transformed Dom’s approach to working with dogs, why the world’s leading zoos have moved towards outcome-based enrichment, and how businesses across the globe—from Disney to Apple and Amazon—have stayed successful by constantly innovating rather than clinging to the way things have always been done. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Innovation Drives Growth – The lesson every pet business can learn from companies like Apple, Amazon and Disney. The Story That Changed Everything – How Dom’s early struggles as a dog walker led him to discover the true power of engagement and enrichment. What Zoos Can Teach Daycare Owners – Why outcome-based enrichment is shaping the future of animal welfare. The Five Pillars of Enrichment – How to create experiences that improve welfare while increasing the perceived value of your services. Why Enrichment Makes Better Businesses – How it improves staff retention, client satisfaction and profitability at the same time. How to Charge More for Enrichment – Why personalised experiences deserve premium prices and how to position them successfully. Thanks also to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support. focustele.com Remember, registration is now open for the biggest Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo on the planet, which is happening at the famous Hershey Lodge. Click here to grab your ticket now! Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – Dom introduces one of his most popular Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo presentations and explains why enrichment is the “golden key” to business growth.[04:05] – Why innovation drives long-term success and what pet businesses can learn from companies like Apple and Amazon.[08:24] – Dom shares the story of Barry, his Dogue de Bordeaux, and how his enrichment journey first began.[11:27] – The John Rogerson lesson that completely changed Dom’s approach to dogs and dog training.[13:52] – The “Dog Audit” and why building individual relationships changes everything.[17:11] – The hidden problems with traditional daycare and why enrichment creates happier dogs and happier teams.[20:37] – Lessons from the world’s leading zoos and the move towards outcome-based enrichment.[27:44] – Practical ways to restructure your daycare around personalised enrichment experiences.[31:25] – Real-world examples of enrichment programmes from successful daycare facilities.[35:06] – Why enrichment improves staff motivation, reduces burnout and creates career progression.[39:00] – Premium enrichment services, E-ticket experiences and why clients are happy to pay more for better outcomes.

August 5, 202644 min

Ep. 132 – Are You Undercharging in Your Pet Business? Why Low Prices Create Expensive Problems

What if the biggest problem in your pet business isn’t your marketing, or your staffing, or the economy? What if it’s your pricing? How do some pet businesses command premium prices, attract better clients and continue to grow while everyone else is caught in a race to the bottom? And why is it that almost every successful business owner eventually admits the same thing… “We were undercharging”? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom tackles one of the most important – and misunderstood – subjects in business: pricing! Drawing on more than a decade of coaching over 3,000 pet business owners, Dom explains why almost every daycare and pet resort owner is charging less than they should be, the hidden beliefs that keep prices artificially low, and why those beliefs are costing businesses far more than they realise. Along the way, Dom explores the psychology behind premium pricing, the famous Chivas Regal effect, why affluent clients actively seek higher-priced services, and why competing with the daycare down the road is one of the fastest ways to build a stressful, low-margin business. The episode concludes with practical advice on how premium businesses justify higher prices through authority, positioning, customer experience and better marketing, along with a preview of Dom’s upcoming Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo presentation on escaping the race to the bottom. In this episode, you’ll discover: The Real Reason You’re Undercharging – Why fear, not economics, is driving most pricing decisions. The Chivas Regal Effect – How simply increasing the price transformed an ordinary whisky into a luxury brand, and what that means for your pet business. Why Premium Prices Attract Better Clients – The psychology behind affluent buyers and why higher prices often improve customer quality. The Seven Pricing Mistakes Pet Businesses Make – The beliefs and habits that quietly destroy profitability. How Premium Businesses Justify Higher Prices – Why authority, positioning and client experience matter far more than being the cheapest. Escaping the Race to the Bottom – How to build a business that grows through margin rather than volume. Thanks also to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support. focustele.com Remember, is now open for the biggest Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo on the planet, which is happening at the famous Hershey Lodge. Click here to grab your ticket now! Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – Dom introduces one of the most important business topics of the year: pricing, and explains why nearly every pet business owner is undercharging.[03:50] – Dog News: A Tufts University study reveals how much owners truly value their dogs—and the marketing lesson hidden inside the research.[09:34] – Why pricing affects almost every decision you make in your business.[12:38] – The Chivas Regal story and the surprising psychology behind premium pricing.[15:50] – Reason #1: Why believing everyone buys on price is costing you customers.[19:15] – Why listening to your cheapest customers is one of the biggest pricing mistakes you can make.[22:30] – Why benchmarking against competitors keeps businesses trapped in the middle of the market.[24:12] – The emotional reasons pet business owners struggle to charge what they’re worth.[30:14] – Why adding “more stuff” isn’t the answer to premium pricing.[37:10] – The marketing assets every premium pet business needs to justify higher prices.

July 29, 20261 hr 3 min

Ep. 131 – Client Retention Secrets: How to Keep Your Dog Daycare Full Without Constantly Chasing New Customers

Why do some pet businesses seem to grow effortlessly year after year while others are constantly spending money trying to replace the clients they’ve just lost? What if the biggest opportunity to increase your profits wasn’t finding more customers but keeping the ones you already have? And what if the secret to building a more valuable business wasn’t better advertising at all but better systems? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom continues his conversation with customer experience expert Vance Morris, this time focusing on one of the most overlooked drivers of long-term business success: customer retention. Vance explains why most business owners dramatically underestimate the cost of constantly chasing new clients, why customer retention deserves a much bigger slice of your marketing budget, and how businesses like Disney create loyal customers who return again and again. From newsletters and customer appreciation events to memorable experiences that keep your business front of mind, he shares practical ideas any pet business can implement. After the interview, Dom builds on those lessons by explaining why great marketing alone isn’t enough. He shares how successful daycare owners engineer retention directly into their business model through memberships, structured induction programmes and recurring attendance, creating businesses with more predictable income, stronger client relationships and significantly higher profitability. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Retention Beats Acquisition – The surprising financial difference between winning a new client and keeping an existing one. How Disney Creates Lifetime Customers – What every pet business can learn from one of the world’s greatest customer experience brands. The Six-Touch Retention System – Why newsletters, postcards and email work together to keep your business top of mind. Why Experiences Create Loyalty – How memorable moments generate referrals, repeat visits and premium pricing. The Membership Advantage – Why recurring revenue creates a more stable, profitable and predictable business. How An Induction Program Locks In-Clients – Why onboarding is one of the most powerful retention tools available to pet businesses. Huge thanks to this week special guest Vance Morris. Find out more about Vance by going to by going to Deliverservicenow.com Thanks also to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support. focustele.com Remember, registration opens soon for the biggest Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo on the planet, which is happening at the famous Hershey Lodge. Click here to add your name to the waitlist so you are first to here when registration opens! Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – Dom shares a lesson from singer CMAT about criticism, personality-led marketing and why standing out inevitably attracts attention.[08:30] – Dog News: What a rescued Labrador and research into tennis ball addiction teach us about enrichment and balanced dog care.[14:48] – Vance Morris explains why customer retention is dramatically more profitable than constantly chasing new clients.[20:20] – The six-touch customer retention system that keeps businesses front of mind all year round.[26:00] – Customer appreciation events, memorable experiences and why businesses should invest in existing clients first.[29:35] – Why Disney’s 80% repeat visitor rate should inspire every pet business owner.[33:26] – Using premium pricing to fund better customer experiences and stronger retention.[52:18] – Dom explains why memberships transform unpredictable daycare businesses into recurring revenue machines.[56:30] – How a structured induction programme improves retention, increases client commitment and creates premium positioning.[59:30] – Why the goal isn’t simply filling tomorrow’s daycare… it’s becoming part of every client’s weekly routine.

July 22, 202645 min

Ep.130 – Authenticity in the Age of AI: Why Business That Feel Human Will Always Win

AI can write your emails. It can create your social media posts. It can even answer your phone. But what happens when every pet business starts sounding exactly the same? How do you stand out when everyone has access to the same technology? And why might your greatest competitive advantage over the next decade have nothing to do with AI at all… and everything to do with being more human? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom is joined by two special guests to explore what premium pet businesses should be focusing on as AI becomes more powerful. First, customer experience expert Vance Morris returns to the show to explain why authenticity is becoming one of the most valuable assets any business can possess. Drawing on lessons from Disney, Chick-fil-A and his own customer experience philosophy, Vance explains why technology should support great service, not replace it, and why those first few seconds of interaction with a prospective client matter more than ever. Later in the episode, Dom catches up with 2026 Pet Business Marketer of the Year, Kim Buchanan. Kim shares how she transformed her 4,000-square-foot daycare into an enrichment-led, members-only business, increased revenue by more than $125,000, hired a General Manager and Enrichment Manager, and built a premium client experience that allows her to charge significantly more than the competition. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Authenticity Matters More Than Ever – How AI is making genuine personality and human connection your biggest competitive advantage. The Power of Moment Zero – Why the first few seconds of a customer’s experience determine whether they’ll trust your business for years to come. Customer Experience That Commands Premium Prices – The simple changes that separate remarkable businesses from forgettable ones. How Enrichment Builds Better Businesses – Why Kim Buchanan’s enrichment-first approach transformed both profitability and client loyalty. The Marketing Power of Hospitality – How thoughtful gifts, onboarding and communication create lifelong customers. Why Standing Still Is the Biggest Risk – The mindset successful daycare owners adopt to keep innovating year after year. Huge thanks to this week special guest Vance Morris. Find out more about Vance by going to by going to Deliverservicenow.com And thanks to ‘Pet Business Marketer of the Year’ Kim Buchanan for sharing her business story. Find out more about Kims incredible facility by clicking here Thanks also to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support. focustele.com Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – Dom introduces two special guests and explains why authenticity has become one of the biggest business challenges in the age of AI.[02:59] – Dog News: What New York’s Bastille Day Dog Parade teaches us about promotional marketing and borrowing ideas from the world around us.[07:00] – Vance Morris explains why businesses shouldn’t allow AI to replace genuine human connection.[16:07] – The Rock ‘n’ Roll Insurance Agent and the simple phone greeting that transformed an ordinary business into a category of one.[18:35] – Understanding “Moment Zero” and why the first few seconds of every customer interaction matter so much.[23:00] – Pet Business Marketer of the Year Kim Buchanan shares how enrichment transformed her business.[32:04] – How Kim increased annual revenue by $125,000 without increasing daycare capacity.[33:00] – Client appreciation gifts, hospitality and creating marketing that lives inside your clients’ homes.[37:47] – Why newsletters, onboarding and origin stories build stronger customer relationships.[42:04] – Kim explains why great businesses never stop experimenting, measuring and improving.

July 15, 202644 min

Ep. 129 – EBITDA Explained: Six Crucial Letters That Will Transform The Profitability of Your Pet Resort

Are you measuring the success of your business by how many dogs you can squeeze into daycare next week when you should really be asking how valuable your business is becoming? Have you ever wondered why some pet businesses are worth millions of dollars while others, despite generating similar revenue, struggle to make any real profit? And what if the biggest opportunity in your business isn’t finding more customers but building the assets that make every customer more valuable? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom is joined by business valuation expert Teija Heikkilä from Pet Vet M&A to unpack one of the most important numbers in business: EBITDA – Which stands for Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization. It might not be the most exciting acronym you’ll ever hear, but as Teija explains, it’s the figure that determines how profitable, bankable and ultimately valuable your business really is. Whether you’re planning to sell in five years or never intend to sell at all, understanding EBITDA changes the way you make decisions. After the interview, Dom takes the conversation one step further by explaining why you don’t improve EBITDA directly. Instead, you improve the assets that create it. From premium pricing and memberships to marketing systems, automation, client experience and recurring revenue, Dom shares the practical ways daycare owners can build businesses that are more profitable today and significantly more valuable tomorrow. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why EBITDA Is the Number That Really Matters – Teija explains why buyers, lenders and investors focus on EBITDA rather than revenue. The Funnel That Drives Business Value – How every decision you make, from pricing to staffing, eventually shows up in your bottom line. Why Assets Beat Sales – Dom explains why building marketing, pricing and system assets creates long-term growth. The Hidden Cost of Underpricing – Why raising prices isn’t just about making more money today, but building a more valuable business. How Memberships Create Predictability – Why recurring revenue makes your business easier to run and far more attractive to future buyers. Thinking Like a CEO – The mindset shift from chasing more dogs to creating a business that grows in value year after year. Huge thanks to this week special guest Teija Heikkilä. Find out more about Pet Vet MA by going to PetVetSales.com Thanks also to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support. focustele.com Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [01:16] – Dom previews a value-packed episode focused on EBITDA and building a more valuable business.[04:26] – Dog News: The weirdest things dogs have eaten… and how to turn the story into valuable marketing.[09:51] – A dog survives being swept 800 metres out to sea, and the enrichment lesson hidden inside the story.[11:48] – Dom shares what he’s planning for the second half of the year, including new presentations and DDSA events.[14:35] – Teija Heikkilä explains what EBITDA is and why it affects every aspect of your business.[16:38] – Why every business decision should be filtered through one simple question: “Will this improve EBITDA?”[20:28] – How EBITDA is calculated and why owner-operated businesses require careful adjustments.[30:00] – The authority-building assets every premium pet business should be creating.[33:15] – Memberships, recurring revenue and why predictable income increases business value.[34:44] – Automation, CRM systems and building a business that works even when you’re not.

July 8, 202638 min

Ep. 128 – The Power of the Pet Business Pause: Why Taking Time Off Makes You a Better Business Owner

Do you ever feel guilty stepping away from your business because you’re convinced everything will fall apart without you? Have you been so busy firefighting that you haven’t stopped to think about where your business is actually heading? And what if the biggest breakthrough in your business this year doesn’t come from working harder but from not working? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom returns from a week away in Menorca with an important reminder for every pet business owner. After completely switching off for seven days — no emails, no social media and not even a laptop in sight — Dom reflects on why recovery shouldn’t be treated as a luxury, but as an essential part of running a successful business. Along the way, he shares a couple of fascinating stories from UK zoos that used creative enrichment to help animals cope with the recent heatwave, before explaining how smart daycare owners can use those same stories to educate clients and reinforce their position as enrichment experts. Drawing inspiration from some of the world’s greatest sports coaches, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Phil Jackson and Carlo Ancelotti, Dom explores the importance of creating regular opportunities to stop, review, adjust and move forward with greater clarity. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Recovery Is Business Maintenance – Why holidays, downtime and switching off should be planned into your business, not squeezed in when you’re exhausted. How Trust Protects Your Business – The powerful lesson Dom learned from returning to the same hotel in Menorca, and what it teaches us about client loyalty. What Zoos Can Teach Us About Summer Enrichment – Creative ideas for helping dogs stay cool while positioning yourself as the local enrichment expert. The Halftime Reset – Why the world’s best sports teams stop to review, refocus and adjust before the second half begins. Why 90-Day Planning Works – The psychology behind quarterly planning and why it creates more momentum than annual goals. The Questions Every Business Owner Should Ask Right Now – A practical framework for reviewing the first half of the year and planning a stronger second half. Huge thanks to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support. focustele.com Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – Dom returns from holiday and introduces the idea of the “Pet Business Pause.”[02:54] – Dog News: How UK zoos used enrichment to help animals stay cool during the heatwave.[08:13] – Why Dom and Beth keep returning to the same hotel in Menorca, and the business lesson hidden within it.[11:22] – What happened when Dom completely switched off from work for a week.[14:18] – Why recovery should be treated as business maintenance, not an optional treat.[16:34] – Momentum is powerful… unless you’re heading in the wrong direction.[17:53] – Lessons from Sir Alex Ferguson, Phil Jackson and the art of the halftime team talk.[24:04] – Why business owners need space to think like visionaries and not .[26:53] – Carlo Ancelotti, collaboration and making better decisions together.[28:26] – Why the DDSA Immersion Events happen every 90 days, and the psychology behind quarterly planning.[33:00] – The questions Dom asks himself after every quarter to improve his business.[36:45] – Why next year’s holiday is already booked… and why your reset deserves a place in the diary too.

July 1, 202647 min

Ep. 127 – The ACED Framework: How to Automate More Profit, More Clients and More Freedom in Your Dog Daycare

Do you feel like your marketing only works when you’re actively pushing it? Are you spending too much time chasing leads, following up with prospects and trying to remember who needs what? And what if you could build a system that attracts clients, converts them, keeps them engaged and generates referrals… even while you’re on holiday? In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, Dom checks in from the beaches of Spain (well, technically he recorded this before he left) and shares a fascinating story from the Oklahoma City Zoo about how enrichment is helping animals stay cool, comfortable and mentally stimulated during the summer months. Then, Dom is joined by PetBizSuite co-founder Josh Hightower to break down the ACED Framework — a simple but powerful system for creating more predictable growth in your pet business. Together they explore how automation can help you attract more leads, convert more prospects, engage clients for longer and turn happy customers into referral-generating advocates. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Planning Ahead Creates Momentum – Dom explains why mapping out events and promotions months (or even years) in advance makes growth easier. The ACED Framework Explained – Josh breaks down the four pillars: Attract, Convert, Engage and Delight. Why Most Businesses Struggle with Follow-Up – The simple automation that dramatically increases conversion rates. How to Create a Marketing Flywheel – Building systems that generate leads, referrals and repeat business automatically. How to Build Better Hiring Systems – Why the same framework used for customers can also be applied to attracting and retaining great employees. Thanks to Josh Hightower from from PetBizSuite for sharing more about the amazing ACED automation framework Find out more about PetBizSuite by clicking here now. Huge thanks to this week’s amazing show sponsors, Playcore and Focus. Big thanks to our sponsor, Focus Answering Service. Remember, every missed call is a missed revenue opportunity; protect your reputation and scale your business with 24/7 live call support. focustele.com Playcore help communities create healthier, happier places through play, recreation, and outdoor spaces. To learn more about their innovative products and mission, visit PlayCore Want to plug the Enrichment University program into your facility? Click here to enroll now Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Add your name to the waitlist for Dom’s Exclusive coaching program The Dog Daycare Success Academy now by clicking here . Episode Highlights [00:51] – Dom explains why he’s recording from “the past” while enjoying a well-earned holiday in Spain.[02:00] – The importance of planning your events, promotions and key dates well in advance.[05:30] – Dog News: How the Oklahoma City Zoo uses enrichment to keep animals cool and stimulated during summer.[07:42] – Why enrichment should be viewed as a welfare necessity rather than a luxury add-on.[10:36] – Meet Josh Hightower and hear the story behind PetBizSuite.[15:52] – The implementation problem facing most pet business owners.[24:12] – Why lead magnets and irresistible offers remain essential marketing tools.[31:04] – Why booking the next appointment immediately increases conversion and retention.[40:25] – How PetBizSuite diagnoses bottlenecks and identifies the fastest route to growth.[43:13] – Why making more money from fewer customers is often the smartest growth strategy.[45:23] – How the ACED framework can also be applied to recruiting, onboarding and retaining employees.