Grow Your Pet Business with Tori Mistick

On this solo episode, I'm going to be sharing with you some thoughts and brainstorms I've been working on for the past 6 months or so in my own pet business. I've been thinking about starting a new dog walking business. But there are a lot of moving parts to that, so I'm letting you in on my thought process around this potential new venture. I've been a dog blogger for almost 9 years and I like to...

In this episode I'm talking to Zoe Lee, the creator of an Instagram account just for the dog moms of Tampa Bay, Florida. She started the account as a place to share local dog friendly places she was visiting with her dog Kali. When she inquired with local businesses to ask if they allowed dogs, a few started to offer her prizes to give away to her audience and some asked about hosting a meet up. T...

On this episode I'm excited to share a conversation with veterinarian Dr. Monica Tarantino. She's made it her mission to focus on senior dogs and how pet parents can give their seniors the best life possible. She talked to me about the unique challenges and perks of senior dogs and shared 3 things that she wishes every senior pet parent knew. Dr. Tarantino also talked to me about her new online co...

In this episode I'm talking to Liz Williams who has had a dog hiking business in the Bay Area since 2015. In early 2020, sparked by pandemic shut downs, she started selling the biothane leashes she'd been making for herself. Her initial audience was other local pet professionals. In the last year and a half, she's expanded the product business to offer more variety and reach dog lovers across the...

You might know today's guest, Kimberly Freeman, as City Dog Expert. In this interview, Kim told me about how she started out as a dog walker, then professional dog trainer, while at university in Scotland. When she moved to New York City she saw the need for resources for city dogs and started blogging to share her expertise and recommendations. Now she's back in the U.K. and pivoting again while...

In this episode I'm telling you all about the 2022 plans for Wear Wag Repeat Society! This is my monthly membership that helps you grow your pet business online. Members get access to monthly lessons, virtual co-working, mastermind-style hotseats, networking yappy hours, a private Facebook group, content bonuses and more! What we have in common is a love of working with pets! But members of WWR So...

In this episode I'm giving you an inside look at the most recent lesson from Wear Wag Repeat Society, my membership that helps you grow your pet business online. In this lesson, I explain the why and how of doing a year in review audit of your business. As solopreneurs and small businesses, it's hard to audit yourself. But reflecting on what worked and what didn't in the past year will make 2022 a...

On this episode, I'm talking to Katy and Shell. In the last year they took over one of my favorite OG dog blogs, Pretty Fluffy. It was really great to hear about how they got started in the pet world by doing in-home pet family photography, a style that exposed them to Pretty Fluffy several years ago, and when the opportunity came up to take over the site in late 2020, they decided to go for it! I...

On this episode, I'm talking to Dr. Kathy Burnell, a veterinarian who is also the creator of Puplid, a dog gear brand designed to help pups with sun sensitivities. A lot of dogs can be sensitive to the sun. Kathy and her husband Tony were inspired by their dog Buddy's struggles to create this new product. When Buddy's hat got compliments at the beach and around town, Kathy knew Puplid could be a b...

Brittany Brown has been running her dog Rosie's Instagram account since before her puppy was born in early 2020. She quickly got into sponsored posts, and since then has become a go-to resource for people just getting started in the pet influencer world. We talked about how to land paid brand sponsorship deals, what brands are looking for and how to define your goals. Part of our conversation that...

I get so many questions about how to start a pet industry podcast. A lot of pet bloggers, dog trainers, pet sitters, vets, nutritionist and more are interested in learning how to start and run a successful show. If you're one of those people, you're not alone! Over 150,000 new podcasts came out in 2020. But what do you need to do to create a lasting podcast for pet parents or petpreneurs? The firs...

In this episode, I'm sharing a conversation with Amy Lynn, the founder of The Dog Guide San Antonio. She told me how she got the inspiration to start an online resource of dog-friendly activities, places and things in her city. This guide, through the website and social media, has grown to include dog obsessed events, fundraisers and more. Amy talks about some of the different mutually beneficial...

In this episode, I'm welcoming back Jessica Williams who first appeared on my podcast on episode 19 where we talked about how to optimize your pet content to get more people to your website. Today, Jessica and I are discussing how to monetize your pet blog. She's been growing traffic to her main blog You Did What With Your Wiener? for about 10 years, and recently added 2 new blogs to her portfolio...

In this episode, Charlotte Lehman explains how she got started on Instagram with an account for her dog Starsky. Four years into it, she realized that cute photos and simple captions weren't fueling her fire. She started to post more about her own life, mental health struggles and her authentic life with adventure dogs. Charlotte found another sweet spot with Reels. She's gained 15,000 new Instagr...

In today's episode, I'm talking to Wendy Chen and Ersalina Lim, the founders of start-up freeze dried treat brand Luca Pets. Ersalina talked about some of the ways they're making Luca Pets a sustainable brand by partnering with TerraCycle to recycle their packaging and using a compostable alternative to the silica gel packets usually found in most treat bags. They're launching their brand on Kicks...

In this solo episode, I'm talking about how to create merch for your pet brand. You might want to consider screen printing in bulk or print on demand. I'll explain some of the pros and cons of each option for printing branded t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, etc. If you want to learn more about setting up an on-demand shop, check out my Masterclass to Launch an On Demand Online Storehop for Pet Lovers !...

Have you ever used a dating app just for single pet lovers? Sheryl Matthys came up with the idea for what is now an app called FetchaDate when she got her first Greyhound while living in New York City. She discovered the power of having a great WingPet™ to make the introduction to potential new friends. Since then she's hosted events, written a book, launched a website and an app for the Google Pl...

In this episode, I'm talking to a fellow dog blogger! You may know Melanie Demi from her Instagram and TikTok accounts @herboozytails . She shares with me why she added a blog to her content platforms about 2 years ago and why it's a good thing to consider for other petfluencers. Melanie also shares her advice around pivoting content and how she decided to change the name of her name on social med...

Amanda Yu-Nguyen is the creator of Barkuterie Boards, the highly Instagramable charcuterie board creations just for dogs. In under a year, she's gone from door-to-door deliveries in the Atlanta area to local markets and now she ships non-perishable Barkuterie Boards all over the United States. In this interview, Amanda shares advice on how to manage it all while building an engaged community. We a...

Get to know Ilana Karcinski, the co-founder of FairyTail Pet Care. It's more and more popular to include dogs in weddings, but with all your loved ones attending as guests or in the bridal party, who's going to look after the dog? Ilana and Kelly Maronpot started FairyTail Pet Care to be your dog's plus one! In the last few years, they've refined their services to give the best possible experience...

Get to know The Honest Breeder Julie Swan. She's passionate about German Shorthaired Pointers and matching families with dogs that make a positive difference in their lives. After accidentally getting into dog breeding years ago, Julie has since immersed herself in everything she can learn about the health of the dogs and how to be successful in the business of dog breeding. One of the most intere...

Pinterest is always a priority in my pet business. This month Pinterest is a special focus because it's the theme in Wear Wag Repeat Society. I believe that every pet business that has a website should be on Pinterest using their own original pins to drive traffic to their website. It's effective for online businesses, in-person pet services and everything in between. If you've been putting off ge...

In this episode, I'm talking to Krista Karpowich of Wag Out Loud about her career path in canine nutrition and wellness. It's lead her to create a podcast and grow an affiliate marketing revenue stream. Krista is full of creative ideas for ways to partner with pet businesses and she gives several examples that you might want to implement in your own business. The rest of the shownotes can be found...

After years spent working for corporate marketing agencies, Stephanie Dumon called it quits in 2018. She then wandered the streets of Toronto photographing pets and their people, made connections in the rescue community, and came up with the idea for her business, StreetDog Marketing. In this episode, Stephanie and I discuss the emotional connection that sets the pet industry apart from marketing...

In this episode I'm giving you an inside look at one of the most popular monthly lessons from  Wear Wag Repeat Society . Blogging for SEO in your pet business can attract new customers to your website and help grow your business. A strategic approach to your pet business blog will also save you money by bringing organic traffic to your site. You can benefit from the lessons I've learned in 8 years...