Wednesday Programs

Building a strong, reliable team is one of the greatest challenges (and greatest opportunities) facing pet industry leaders today. In this seminar designed for owners and managers who struggle with hiring the right people, maintaining accountability, and retaining top talent, Rich will guide attendees through a practical, proven framework for building a high-performing team that operates with consistency, confidence, and minimal day-to-day oversight. Some key topics that will be covered include: interviewing techniques, effective training systems, structured employee development, performance coaching, retention strategies, and best practices for professional, compliant, and decisive termination. Attendees will leave with clear tools and processes to build a team that supports long-term growth and allows them to focus on leading the business—not constantly managing it.

Bathing is often viewed as just another step in the grooming process, but in reality, it is one of the most critical services performed in the salon. The products you choose, the techniques you use, and your understanding of skin and coat function have a direct impact on the quality of every groom. This two-part, four-hour seminar explores the science behind effective bathing, including product selection, proper application techniques, and the role healthy skin plays in achieving exceptional grooming results. Participants will gain practical knowledge that improves coat quality, enhances pet comfort, and helps prevent common skin and coat problems. Beyond the pet, proper bathing protocols significantly influence salon efficiency, profitability, and workplace safety. Whether you are a facility owner, salon manager, or grooming professional, this seminar will provide practical strategies to improve grooming outcomes, increase operational efficiency, and create a safer, healthier environment for both pets and the professionals who care for them.

Every pet resort owner wants more customers. But the most profitable businesses in this industry aren't just focused on getting new clients through the door—they're obsessed with what happens after. In this session, Fern breaks down the customer experience strategies that turn one-time boarders into long-term regulars, casual daycare clients into high-value members, and happy pet parents into your most powerful referral source. You'll learn how to identify the moments in your customer journey that build loyalty or silently break it, what the highest-retention pet resorts do differently from the first phone call to the hundredth visit, and how to create an experience so consistent and memorable that your clients genuinely can't imagine taking their dog anywhere else.

Google Ads still drive the most new business to pet resorts, but Google is no longer the only gatekeeper. Pet parents are increasingly turning to AI assistants—and those assistants rely on a different set of signals than traditional search engines. This session breaks down how AI models choose which businesses to recommend, which trust signals matter most, and how facilities can improve their “AI visibility score.” Attendees will learn the fundamentals of AEO/GEO, the role of structured data, what AI models consider “trustworthy,” and five steps pet care businesses must take to get surfaced more often when someone asks, “What’s the best boarding or training facility near me?” You will walk away with actionable steps and the optimal mix of 1) Google, both organic and paid, and 2) AI efforts to ensure that you get the lead!

Owners invest in hiring systems, training programs, accountability measures, safety protocols, and operational processes with the best intentions, yet many facilities continue to experience turnover, communication breakdowns, inconsistent standards, and manager frustration. The problem often isn't the system itself—it's the gap between leadership vision and frontline reality. In this engaging session, Kelli explores the hidden disconnects that cause even well-run pet care businesses to stall. Through real-world pet care examples and practical leadership insights, attendees will discover the five leadership breakdowns that quietly undermine trust, accountability, communication, and operational consistency, and leave with practical strategies to create greater clarity, consistency, and trust throughout your organization.

What if you knew how to capture the ideal client that would be with you for a lifetime? A client you can shape, monitor their growth and behavior, and know is a balanced puppy through adulthood. A client, both two- and four-legged, you can build a lasting, trusting relationship with. During this seminar you will learn about one of the most commonly missed revenue streams—puppies! We all overlook them or steer away from this area in our industry for various reasons. Laura will cover some of the key points as to why we should embrace them and how we can support them as a lifetime client.

Join Rising Star Super Lawyer Shahrina to learn how to safeguard your boarding or daycare business’s unique identity by navigating the critical intersection of trademark and copyright law. She will focus on securing your brand assets—business name, logo, and slogan—while providing actionable strategies to protect your original social media content from being misappropriated by competitors. From understanding the trademark and copyright registration process to identifying how to handle “copycat” accounts and unauthorized use of your pet photography or videos, this session delivers the essential legal tools needed to safeguard and defend your brand and ensure it remains exclusively yours.

The most successful businesses don't scale because of one great owner; they scale because they create teams that think differently—teams that understand the "why" behind the numbers, solve problems before they become crises, and take pride in the success of the business. In this interactive workshop, attendees will learn how to create an ownership mindset at every level—from frontline team members to senior leaders—and how business acumen, accountability, and culture work together to drive profitability, guest loyalty, and long-term growth. Whether you lead one location or many, you'll walk away with a new perspective on leadership and practical ways to create people who act like owners, not employees. Because when people understand how the business wins, they begin making decisions that help everyone succeed.

Our job as boarding and daycare professionals is to provide a safe space for dogs to socialize. And as a business, success and growth require retaining the dogs that walk through our doors. From new-dog evaluations to group management skills, this session will equip you with the tools to run safer play groups, build dogs’ skills, and ensure long-term success for the dogs under your care, and for your business.

Rising wages, shrinking margins, increasing competition, and more demanding clients have exposed a hard truth: the old volume-based model isn't working like it used to. In this practical and eye-opening session, Dom reveals the premium pricing strategies he has used to help pet business owners increase profits, improve cash flow, attract better clients, and create the financial freedom to invest in staff, facilities, marketing, and growth. You'll discover how to raise prices without panic, position your services so clients happily pay more, create irresistible premium experiences, overcome the fear of losing customers, and escape the race to the bottom that is crippling so many businesses. If you've ever wondered whether your market will support higher prices, this presentation could be worth thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—of dollars to your business.

Join industry experts—featuring design-build construction professionals, SBA lenders, an accountant, a realtor, an attorney, and a pet care facility owner—as they walk you through the ins and outs of creating the perfect pet boarding or daycare facility. Whether you're renovating, building from scratch, or tackling a leasehold build-out, you’ll gain practical insights on financing, budgeting, site selection, and construction strategies. Bring your questions and leave with a roadmap to success!

The panel includes:

• Brandy Keck: Managing Director at Live Oak Bank (Moderator)
• Jeff Adney: Business Development, Terwisscha Construction
• Shawnte Marquez: Business Development Specialist, Terwisscha Construction
• Jacqueline Pait: Loan Officer, Pet Care Facility Financing
• Claire Cronin: Loan Officer, Pet Care Facility Financing
• Peter Tannela: Partner, Co-Chair, Corporate Law Practice Group, Mandelbaum Barrett PC
• Jerry Joshua: Director, Lodging & Ledgers, Granite Peak Veterinary Advisors, LLC
• Peter McCann, Esq.: Commercial Real Estate Agent, Veterinary & Pet Care Facility Specialist, CARR Realty
• Allison Jacobs: Owner, Scouts Honor