Pet Boss® Podcast with Candace

Are you trying to build momentum, growth, and sales without a solid foundation underneath you? If hiring feels scary or too expensive, if training lives in your head instead of being documented, if growth feels stressful instead of exciting - it's not because you're doing anything wrong. It's because your foundation is wobbly. In this episode, Candace breaks down the exact framework Pet Boss Natio...

Welcome to 2026 and a brand new season of the Pet Boss Podcast! After four solid years and 216 episodes, Season 5 is here with a brand new intro and a clear mission: build what lasts. Because if you've been in the pet industry for any amount of time, you know last year felt HARD. There was a lot of retracting, pulling back, and retreating. Costs got higher. Hiring felt heavier. Customers became mo...

Happy New Year, Pet Boss! This episode isn't about strategies, checklists, or empire-building. It's about pausing long enough to notice what this year actually asked of you - and what you became in the process. Before we rush into 2026, Candace is raising a glass to honor what was. Behind every pet business is a human who showed up when it would've been easier to coast, quit, or stay quiet. And th...

There's a promotion that happens around the holidays that's hit or miss for most businesses: the 12 Days of Deals. Candace tried this years ago in Chicago and it NEVER worked. But after learning from thousands of successful retailers, she decided to give it another shot at Dante and Dory's - with a few strategic spins. In this real-time episode, she's sharing on how it's going so far, what she's l...

It's been a month of momentum, mayhem, and massive visibility at Dante and Dory's. Have you ever had a month where you're marching confidently toward progress while also dragging chaos behind you like a determined toddler on a leash? Welcome to small business life. In this Behind Closed Doors episode, Candace takes you through November's slow sales anxiety, December's sudden surge, and all the vis...

It’s officially prime selling season! 🎄 The next few weeks are when pet businesses see their biggest boom so what if increasing your revenue has nothing to do with fancy marketing, new customers, or spending another dollar - and everything to do with simple conversations you're already having? This week on the podcast, Candace is sharing:  💰 The Show, Tell, Ask method that engages all senses and...

In this brutally honest episode, Candace calls herself (and probably you) out for being the bottleneck in your own business.  Whether you're drowning in holiday chaos, forgetting things because your brain is full, or catching yourself saying "I'll just do it myself" one more time, this episode will help you get your time, energy, and brain back. She shares: 🙌 The "holiday pressure cooker" reality...

Before sprinting into the holiday rush, Candace is pausing to share a different kind of episode: a love letter to the people, moments, and lessons that have shaped this incredible year.  From the Pet Boss Nation team to her family, clients, and YOU—this gratitude episode is an invitation to reflect on what truly matters. She shares: ❤️ Why gratitude is a form of leadership that keeps you grounded...

In this special Q&A episode, Candace shares real conversations from a recent Pet Boss Nation coaching session- tackling the topics keeping pet business owners up at night. From the literal end of U.S. penny production to navigating employee raise requests when budgets are tight, to creating lead magnets that actually grow your business, this episode delivers practical solutions you can implement i...

What do you do when you're over 50, comfortable in your career, and suddenly the world turns upside down? Meet Stacy Maly-Rodgers, who spent 20+ years in nonprofit management in St. Louis until COVID gave her the push she needed to tackle her bucket list - and on that list was becoming a pet groomer. Now she's found her calling as the go-to groomer for the dogs others won't touch at Three Tails Pa...

Six weeks into opening Dante and Dory's, and we have realized something unexpected: it's not the products, prices, or location driving success - it's how we are teaching!  In this Behind Closed Doors episode, Candace shares what's really happening on the floor and how building a culture of education has transformed both customer behavior and sales results. Listen to hear:  🙌 Why customers in Gale...

What happens when you're tired of following someone else's playbook and decide to create your own? Meet McKenna Burzimati, who went from being the frustrated employee with great ideas that weren't valued to building the Berkshires' first and only barkery and boutique - Roxie’s - a business so beloved by the community that it's been voted best pet store multiple times!   In this episode, we're divi...

What happens when a real estate professional spots a gap in the market and decides to fill it herself? Meet Anita Freund, who transformed an abandoned Shell gas station into Portage County's award-winning pet boutique in just two years.  From self-funding her startup to achieving 67% sales growth and recently purchasing her building, Anita's grassroots marketing mastery proves that community conne...

We are back this week with Part 2 of our Unwrapping Holiday Profits masterclass! 🙌🏻 This is the continuation of Candace's SUPERZOO presentation that dives deep into execution, avoiding critical mistakes, and your complete action plan for Q4 success. While Part 1 covered inventory strategy and display magic, Part 2 focuses on the customer experience that keeps them coming back, the biggest pitfal...

Can you believe it? Christmas is less than 100 days away! 😅😅 55% of pet owners buy holiday gifts for their pets - that's a MASSIVE opportunity. And with millennials and Gen Z as the largest pet-owning demographics, the spending potential is huge!  This extra special episode features part 1 of Candace's SUPERZOO presentation on holiday merchandising - a paid education session that most pet profes...

Today is an extra special treat! We're sharing the behind-the-scenes process of getting on local radio to announce the grand opening of Dante and Dory's Pet Emporium, plus the complete radio interview from WGIL in Galesburg, Illinois. This episode is perfect timing as we officially opened our doors during Neighborhood Pet Store Day weekend, and you'll hear exactly how we leveraged local media to c...

What if the secret to building a thriving pet business isn't about having the most locations, but creating the most welcoming experience? Sheila Spitza of Wet Nose in Geneva, Illinois, proved exactly that when she transformed her business from three locations into one award-winning 8,650 square foot destination generating nearly $3 million in revenue!  Tune in this week to hear what makes Wet Nose...

With Neighborhood Pet Store Day around the corner and Q4 event season in full swing, this episode couldn't come at a better time! Maddie Shutts from the Pet Boss Team and Modern Companion shares her first-ever trade show presentation from SUPERZOO, packed with real-world strategies for creating events that actually drive foot traffic and sales. She shares:  🙌 Why her Taylor Swift party worked (hi...

What better way to celebrate 200 episodes than with the man who revolutionized pet health education?!Rodney Habib, founder of Planet Paws and co-author of The Forever Dog series, shares his incredible journey from a household where pets were forbidden to a global pet health influencer. He shares his game-changing strategies:  🙌🏻 Meet customers where they are - carry mainstream brands alongside p...

As Dante & Dory's approaches their grand opening, Candace is sharing the behind-the-scenes decisions that are shaping her new pet destination. This episode dives deep into the practical side of building a modern pet business - you'll get an inside look at the technology stack powering the store, real stories about vendor partnerships, and honest insights about the emotional side of opening a new b...

Ever wondered what happens when you put three pet business owners on stage with rapid-fire business scenarios and let a live audience judge their answers? Pure magic! 🎯 This special episode was recorded LIVE at SUPERZOO in Las Vegas - one of the largest pet industry trade shows with over 22,000 pet professionals and 1,100+ exhibitors. We created the first-ever "Pet Boss Showdown" - a game show fo...

What happens when an 8-year partnership suddenly explodes and threatens your biggest community event just months before it's supposed to happen?! Meet Kim Loper, owner of Harbor Pet and creator of Life is Gruff sustainable dog treats, who faced exactly this nightmare scenario with her beloved North Fork Dock Diving Weekend - now in its 10th year. She chose to fight back - and the results were incr...

Tired of watching customers scan your products and find them cheaper online? This episode is your game-changer! We're sharing a special recording from one of our exclusive Pet Boss Nation Lunch & Learn sessions featuring Art Nakagawa from Artvark Pet Products, who's revolutionizing private labeling for independent pet businesses. In this power-packed session, you'll discover: 🎯 Why private labeli...

Have you ever wondered what pet business managers really need to succeed? 🧐 In this unprecedented live recording from Pet Boss Nation's first-ever manager retreat, 12 incredible pet business managers from across the country share their stories, challenges, and breakthrough moments in real time. From a conference room in Galesburg, Illinois, these brave leaders stepped WAY outside their comfort zo...

Ever feel like your business projects are taking FOREVER? 🕐 You're not alone! In this candid Behind Closed Doors update, Candace shares the 5 game-changing lessons that have emerged from 7 months of building Dante & Dory's Pet Emporium. The 5 T's you need to know: 🎯 Time - Why everything takes 3x longer than expected (and how to stay sane anyway) 🎯 Technology - How modern business tools make st...