Your pet business, Your way

• Gemma Glover from The Pet Carpenter on creating furniture pets and humans love

  Gemma Glover is the co-founder of The Pet Carpenter, a family business creating beautiful, bespoke pet furniture that looks good in your home and supports your pet’s wellbeing.The brand began during the pandemic when her brother Harry, a carpenter, was asked to make a pet bedroom - and from that first piece, the idea quickly grew.In this episode, Gemma shares how they turned a chance request into a thriving business, the impact of going viral on Instagram, and how they’ve dealt with trolls, copycats, and even a devastating fire in their first year.She also talks about their campaigns around crate confidence, the collaborations that have strengthened their message, and the lessons she’s learned about marketing, customer service, and staying true to your values.If you’ve ever wondered how to grow a product-based business with heart, this conversation is packed with inspiration.Key topics and timings in this episode: 0.20 - What to expect from this episode.2.27 - How The Pet Carpenter started as an accident in the pandemic.5.15 - Gemma shares how the business grew from that first pet bedroom to a workshop and running a team and the different things they did to reach people about the new products.8.02 - How they coped with a devastating fire at their workshop and starting all over again.10.39 - What life is like behind the scenes at The Pet Carpenter.12.51 - What it’s like to have rapid growth and go viral plus coping with trolls.15.05 - The Pet Carpenter campaigns and how Gemma plans and implements them. 17.51 - How to make meaningful collaborations happen.21.05 - Instagram and how Gemma has worked on the platform.23.08 - Using campaigns and conversations to stand out. 26.04 - Strategies for reaching different types of audiences.29.12 - Trying different platforms for marketing.32.53 - What it was like presenting at the PIF Business of Pets Innovation Prize 2025.34.36 - Making the decision to be a lead generation website rather than buy off the shelf.39.31 - The non-negotiable tasks Gemma does to keep her business moving forward.45.22 - How Gemma navigates working with influencers and dealing with cheeky requests.47.39 - How pet professionals and other brands can work with Gemma.51.27 - Coping with challenges, from copycats to mean influencers.57.57 - Trademarking and how Gemma has protected her brand. 59.53 - Gemma’s self-care go-tos.1.01.39 - What’s next for The Pet Carpenter and how to get in touch.Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.thepetcarpenter.co.ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepetcarpenter/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepetcarpenterYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepetcarpenterTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepetcarpenterPinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/thepetcarpenter/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemglover

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• Victor Carpio - Taking the stress out of teeth cleaning for cats with the Dental Wand

  When Victor Carpio rescued a tiny kitten from a sewer in Peru, he had no idea it would lead to him inventing a product that would help thousands of cats all over the world live healthier lives.Victor is the founder of Inventorcat and the creator of the Dental Wand - which is a toothbrush and fun play toy for cats.The inspiration came from his own cat, Lilo, who he’d adopted after rescuing him that night in Peru.Victor wanted to be the best cat dad, and it was when he learned that he should have been brushing Lilo’s teeth and hadn’t that he decided he wanted to change.And when he tried to find something so he could brush his cat’s teeth and struggled, he decided he’d try to find a solution himself. What came next was years of research, prototypes, testing, and feedback - and ultimately to the product he pitched to the Dragons on BBC’s Dragon’s Den.In this episode, Victor talks about that eureka moment to launching his business, facing resistance in the industry, navigating burnout and personal challenges, and growing Inventorcat into a brand that will improve the lives of cats all over the world.We also chat about what it’s like to go against the grain, build something new in an industry that doesn’t always welcome change, and why he’s so passionate about making life better for cats - and the people who love them.Topics and timings in this episode: 0.20 - What to expect from this episode.2.01 - Victor on his role in the pet industry.4.35 - The story of rescuing Lilo in Peru.8.24 - Discovering the challenges of brushing cats’ teeth.11.55 - Victor’s background in business and innovation.15.02 - Turning an idea into a real product.20.30 - From bristle glove to Dental Wand. 24.40 - Market research and the reality of cat dental care.28.51 - Educating cat owners and working with other people in the pet industry.30.25 - What it was like to be on Dragon’s Den and how he thought he was going to faint before they opened the ‘lift doors.’35.02 - How speaking about the why and values behind his product meant that Deborah and Peter became his cheerleaders live on the show.38.04 - What it’s meant for Victor, moving from DTC to B2B thanks to the exposure from being on TV.41.43 - Shifting to working with large retailers, shows and exporters.43.10 - Being taken seriously with industry experts and bodies like the British Veterinary Dental Association. 44.05 - How awards help with credibility.46.14 - Why 2025 is the year of the cat and how the industry is now seeing that cats have different needs and products.49.03 - How pet professionals can support change. 53.07 - How pet pros can use their own community when they want to carry out research as well as local community groups.55.13 - The things Victor has done which have been against the grain, and how it worked for him. 59.16 - What’s next for Inventorcat and how to connect with Victor.Links mentioned in this episode: Find out more about Inventorcat on their website: https://www.inventorcat.co.uk/Connect with Victor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorcarpio/Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inventorcatcareFind Inventorcat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inventor_catOn TikTok:

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• Kate Hart - The Sniffer Shop and creating nose joy for dogs

  Just two years ago Kate Hart was making scentwork kits as a treat for her dog training clients and now she's sending them out to dogs all over the world.Kate's gadgets and goodies went down so well that she decided to make them as a 'side hustle,' with her engineer husband Marcus and created a workshop at their home in Bristol. In this episode, Kate talks about how she became a dog trainer after a terrifying accident where she broke both her legs, and then specialising in scentwork.She talked about what it's like to follow a bit of a hunch when you might be onto something which is exactly what happened with her scentwork kits.We talk about lots of the tough stuff that happens as you try to build something new, and how Kate has coped with rapid growth and success.Plus awards, visibility, the kind of support that has helped her, and why it is ok to get excited about what you do, because people will pick up on that and get excited for you, and when that happens, good things come.I LOVED this conversation so much and I hope you do too. All the links to learn more about Kate are at the bottom of this post. Key topics and timings in this episode: 0.20 - Episode overview.1.23 - How Kate found herself working as a dog trainer. 3.50 - How a life changing industry led her to have a career change from her old life as a nurse and researcher in the NHS.6.46 - What it was like to start again with a new career as a dog trainer.7.45 - Using her experience in the NHS to build relationships and using her transferable skills.9.23 - What helped Kate when it came to growing her dog training business.13.36 - Kate’s lightbulb moment and why she decided to niche into scent work and making her own products which she tested on her own clients.18.20 - Behind the scenes in Kate and Marcus’ Sniffer Shop warehouse.23.19 - Testing out her products with her six Labradors and how the Sniffer Shop has grown.25.04 - What it was like going from making products as a side hustle to having an actual brand and bringing ‘Nose Joy for Dogs’ to life.27.07 - Exhibiting at Edition Dog Live and meeting her customers.32.18 - What Kate has learned from growing very quickly and the importance of goal setting and forward planning. 35.50 - The importance of trusting your gut.37.20 - What’s helped during the challenging times.38.35 - Pets Get Visible review from Heather Stevens.39.55 - Kate’s highlights from the last two years.42.24 - The volume of products Kate is now sending out!43.55 - The joys of getting videos of dogs enjoying her products.45.12 - Why sharing your passion is important.48.41 - How Kate feels about being visible now.51.50 - What’s next for Kate. Links mentioned in this episode:Find out more about The Sniffer Shop: https://thesniffershop.co.uk/Follow Kate on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesniffershopConnect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesniffershopVisit her dog training website: https://www.myhartdog.co.uk/Kate trained with UK Sniffer Dogs - learn more here: https://www.uksnifferdogs.com/Kate used Finbo Studio for her branding - check them out here: https://finbostudio.co.uk/Further...

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• Jo Scott - The dog portrait that changed my life and launched my art business

  Jo Scott is a dog artist, illustrator and creative business owner whose work now reaches people all over the world.Yet just over a decade ago, Jo was working in corporate and dreaming of creating her own greetings cards, something that had been at the back of her mind since Uni.Her business began with a single portrait, drawn as a birthday gift for her mother-in-law where just wanted to see if she could capture the likeness of a dog she loved. That one drawing led to another… and eventually to a full career change in her 40s with Jo following the first career path she’d ever considered.Jo talks about moving on from a high-pressure office job, building a creative business she loves and where she can work from anywhere, including while she's off on adventures in her motorhome.She shares how she found her people through Substack and email, how she shows up online in a way that feels right to her, and van life with husband Dean and dog Tomasina.We talk about creative burnout, comparison, and why it’s OK not to chase massive income numbers or shiny objects.Jo's cards are on sale on prestigious sites like Thortful and Moonpig, meaning she gets portrait orders from all over the world, and she works with small retailers, sells from her own site and at events.If you’ve ever had a niggling idea that won’t go away - or wondered if it’s too late to do something completely different and follow your dreams, you’ll love Jo’s story.Key quotes from this episode“I drew my mother-in-law’s dog for her birthday - just to see if I could—and that one drawing changed everything.”“I didn’t need a business that made me feel stressed or boxed in. I wanted one that gave me space to breathe.”“With Substack, I’ve found a way to communicate that I love. I started writing emails and people were replying saying, ‘This feels like you’re inside my head.’”“Being in the motorhome showed me I could live slower, work differently—and not miss the old version of success.”“You get to be the kind of artist - or business owner - you want to be. It doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.”“It’s never too late to do something different. You can absolutely start again, and do it your way.”Key takeawaysJo’s first dog portrait was drawn for her mother-in-law’s birthday - and sparked a total career change.She built her pet-themed art business slowly, alongside other work, without pressure to scale quickly.She connects with her audience and builds relationships through email and Substack, not social media trends and values working with other artists.Choosing to live and work from a motorhome gave her clarity on how she wanted her life to feel like and what ‘enough’ is for her.Jo’s story is proof that it’s never too late to do something you love, and you don’t need to be everywhere and running yourself ragged to make an impact.Topics and timings in this episode1.30 - Jo’s first dog portrait and how it all began4.10 - Why art was always her thing (and what took her away from it)7.30 - Moving from a creative agency career to working for herself10.15 - Starting over in her 40s and building a pet-themed business14.20 - Creating her first greeting cards and finding her niche17.40 - Building confidence and showing up online in her own voice21.00 - Finding her people through email and Substack26.10 - What helped her stop comparing herself to other creatives30.00 - Choosing slow growth and redefining success35.15 - Jo’s motorhome life and how she’s experiencing a different pace of business41.00 - Creating from joy instead of pressure45.20 - Selling at events like Crufts and what Jo has learned from in person shows and learning as she went49.10 - Creative burnout and how she protects...

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• Clayton Payne - What I've learned from 30 years in the Pet Industry

  Clayton Payne is a pet industry expert who’s been in the trade for over three decades – and who’s built one of the UK’s most well-known and well-respected wholesale businesses from scratch.He shares what it was like starting out as a young lad knocking on doors trying to get products into shops, how he built a business that turned over millions, and why staying real and relatable has been such a big part of his success.Clayton also talks about what it’s like to be hated and not taken seriously, and how he pushed forward and learned not to care what people thought about him, to the point where he says he ‘loved’ being disliked.We talk about the highs and lows of running a business in the pet industry, being consistent and reliable, and how the sector has changed since he started out in the 90s, especially when it comes to social media, brand building, and visibility.Clayton also speaks about his own challenges, including overcoming alcohol addiction in his early twenties, how he still experiences imposter syndrome, and the toll success can take behind the scenes.If you want to know what it’s like growing a pet business that stands the test of time - and what it means to be a disruptor - you will love this conversation.All the links to connect and learn more from Clayton, plus how to tune into his brilliant Pet Business Disruptors podcast are at the bottom of this post.Topics and timings in this episode:1.00 - Introduction to Clayton and his background. 3.00 - Growing up in the pet industry and early career. 6.45 - Creating and scaling a successful wholesale business. 9.30 - Disrupting the natural treat industry in the UK. 12.00 - How the industry has evolved since the 90s. 15.10 - Why it’s harder (and easier) for brands today. 18.00 - Supporting challenger brands and working with agility. 21.30 - Breaking through and being taken seriously in the early years. 24.20 - The impact of a major competitor going under – and how it led to huge growth. 27.15 - Why service and reliability matter more than price. 29.00 - Showing up for your customers and staying consistent. 31.00 - Dealing with rejection and staying resilient. 33.10 - How tailoring your approach to each pet shop can improve your chances. 35.20 - Is your product truly viable for retail? A reality check for small brands. 39.15 - How challenger brands can approach route to market and minimum orders. 41.45 - Why the Pet Business Disruptors podcast was created. 43.00 - Imposter syndrome and showing up as yourself. 45.00 - How authenticity and personality became a strength. 48.30 - Being disliked by the industry – and why that’s not always a bad thing. 52.00 - The importance of staying focused on the right people. 54.15 - How travel helped with perspective and resilience. 56.30 - Life now – consultancy, the podcast and new opportunities. 58.45 - The impact of long-term sobriety and recovery. 62.30 - How being sober supercharged business success. 65.00 - The myth of perfect timing – why it's never too late to do what you want. 67.00 - Market shifts in 2025 – the rise of premium cat products. 68.30 - What’s changing with AI, SEO and e-commerce. 69.30 - What it takes to be a true disrupter.Links mentioned in this episode: Download the new content calendar: http://rachelspencer.co.uk/calendarConnect with Clayton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/On Apple Podcasts:

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