DogCo Secrets

Michelle Kline
  • 5.0 (4)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Ready to scale your pet care business? Practical advice you can implement easily and quickly to 10x the growth of your business, musings on the current state of the pet care industry, and all the tips and tricks I've learned from coaching over 200 companies in the last two years.

  1. 2H AGO

    Learning Resiliency & Confidence with Rebecca Thompson | Ep. 87

    This is one of those episodes that reminds me exactly why I do this work. In today’s episode, I’m joined by my friend, colleague, and now team member Rebecca Thompson from Skyline Pet Care - https://www.skylinepetcarehtx.com/ -  Rebecca shares her real, unfiltered growth journey over the last year, including what it looked like to stay emotionally resilient, lean into community, and keep showing up even when things felt overwhelming. If you’ve ever wondered what’s actually possible in a single year when you stay engaged, invest early, and don’t give up on yourself, this conversation will give you a very honest look behind the scenes. 🧠 Key Takeaways • Why emotional resilience matters more than perfect strategy • How community creates safety during hard seasons • Why investing early can dramatically shorten the growth curve • What happens when you stay leaned in during discomfort • How confidence compounds through proximity and environment • Why being the smallest company in the room is an advantage • How showing up consistently rewires how you see yourself • Why growth accelerates when you stop doing it alone ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Why this episode is so special 0:49 – How Rebecca and I first crossed paths 2:28 – Joining DogCo as a small, early-stage business 3:05 – Nearly doubling revenue in one year 4:31 – What the last year really felt like emotionally 5:40 – How community changed everything 7:31 – Investing early and choosing acceleration 9:03 – Being the smallest company in the room 11:10 – Confidence, rewiring your mindset, and growth 14:53 – Showing up even when it’s uncomfortable 16:01 – The moment that defined Rebecca’s resilience 19:27 – “How hard do you want to be pushed?” 22:00 – Responsibility, ownership, and doing the work 23:12 – Final encouragement and why you shouldn’t do this alone This episode is a reminder that business growth isn’t just about tactics or timing. It’s about who you surround yourself with, how willing you are to keep going, and how much you’re willing to let the process shape you.

    24 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Delaying Tough Decisions Is Your Bottleneck | Ep. 86

    Growth rarely stalls because you don’t want it badly enough. It stalls because there’s a bottleneck you don’t want to face. In today’s Hot Take episode, I talk about why businesses get stuck at the same revenue level, the same problems, and the same frustrations, and how the theory of constraints offers a much more useful way to think about growth. Instead of constantly pushing toward the next shiny goal, I explain why real progress comes from identifying and dismantling the single biggest problem directly in front of you. If your business feels gridlocked, or if you keep sensing there’s one hard decision you’ve been avoiding, this episode is meant to help you sit with that discomfort and recognize it for what it is, an invitation to grow. 🧠 Key Takeaways • Why businesses grow only as fast as their biggest constraint • How focusing on bottlenecks creates more control than chasing goals • Why avoidance is often the real thing holding growth back • How discomfort is a signal, not a stop sign • Why the hardest decision is usually the most important one • How solving the next problem matters more than perfect planning • What it actually takes to move your business to the next level 🚀 Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible? If you want to see how facing constraints and making intentional decisions can transform a business, I’ve put together a case study showing how one pet care company grew monthly revenue from $19,000 to over $73,000 in a single year. It breaks down the decisions, mindset shifts, and leadership choices behind that growth, not just the outcome. 👉 You can access the case study at dogcolaunch.com/case-study and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who are ready to confront the right problems and grow with intention. This episode is a reminder that the thing you’re most tempted to avoid is often the exact thing standing between where you are and where you want to go.

    4 min

  3. FEB 2

    If 2026 Had a Rough Start, This One's For You | Ep. 85

    If 2026 has had a rough start for you, this episode is your permission to slow down, reset, and change the trajectory before the year gets any further away from you. In today’s episode, I talk honestly about why the start of February can feel like one of the hardest inflection points of the year, especially if January didn’t go the way you hoped. Whether it’s weather-related revenue hits, unexpected cancellations, team challenges, or simply feeling behind on your goals, I share three high-level principles that can help you regain clarity and momentum. If you’re feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or questioning whether this will really be your year, this episode is meant to help you step out of panic mode, identify what’s actually holding you back, and make the decisions that will move you forward. ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Why February can feel like a make-or-break moment 0:44 – Taking a breath when the year starts rough 1:39 – Three principles for resetting momentum 2:25 – Principle #1: Slow down and exit panic mode 4:39 – Facing the real barrier beneath the surface problem 6:33 – What’s actually within your control to change 8:20 – Principle #3: Making the hard decision 8:46 – A real DogCo bottleneck and what I missed 10:47 – Hiring before capacity breaks 12:55 – Recap and encouragement moving forward 🧠 Key Takeaways • Why panic-driven decisions almost always make things worse • How slowing down improves the quality of your decisions • Why surface problems often hide deeper constraints • How to identify what is actually within your control • Why unaddressed bottlenecks only grow over time • How avoiding hard decisions compounds pressure • Why honest reflection creates faster course correction 🚀 Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible? If you want to see how clarity, leadership, and intentional decision-making can change the direction of a business, I’ve put together a case study showing how one pet care company grew monthly revenue from $19,000 to over $73,000 in a single year. 👉 You can access the case study at https://www.dogcolaunch.com/casestudy and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who are ready to grow with intention and resilience. This episode is a reminder that a hard start does not define your year. What matters is how quickly you slow down, face the real barrier, and make the decision that allows you to move forward. -M

    14 min

  4. JAN 30

    First 30 Days of 2026 Check In | Ep. 84

    Thirty days into a new year is one of my favorite moments to pause, reflect, and get honest about how things are actually going. In today’s episode, I walk through a 30-day check-in for 2026 and share the questions I ask myself at this point in the year to make sure I’m moving in the direction I intended. Whether your year has started exactly how you hoped or already taken a few unexpected turns, this episode is meant to create space for reflection, clarity, and course correction. If you’ve set big goals for this year but feel slightly off-track, overwhelmed, or unsure what to focus on next, this episode will help you slow down just enough to realign your time, attention, and decisions with what actually matters. 🧠 Key Takeaways • Why a 30-day check-in can prevent an entire year from drifting • How to identify what’s going well before jumping into self-criticism • Why unexpected information should shape, not derail, your goals • How tracking where your time goes reveals what you’re really prioritizing • Why clarity often comes from better questions, not more effort • How data can guide your next move when motivation fades • Why accountability is often the missing link between goals and results 🚀 Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible? If you want to see how reflection, data, and accountability can translate into meaningful growth, I’ve put together a case study showing how one pet care business grew monthly revenue from $17,000 to over $73,000 in a single year. It breaks down the decisions, structure, and mindset shifts behind that growth, not just the outcome. 👉 You can access the case study at dogcolaunch.com/case-study and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who want to build with intention and clarity. This episode is a reminder that progress doesn’t come from pushing harder without direction. It comes from pausing long enough to see where you are, adjusting with honesty, and putting the right accountability in place to move forward.

    12 min

  5. JAN 26

    Why Employees Quit (And How to Keep Them Longer) | Ep. 83

    Employee retention is one of the most important and most misunderstood levers in a pet care business, and it’s often the hidden reason growth feels harder than it should. In today’s episode, I break down why employees quit and what you can realistically do to keep them longer. I share the three most common reasons I see staff leave pet care companies and the specific areas I recommend focusing on if retention has become a bottleneck in your business. If you’re frustrated by turnover, constantly rehiring, or feeling like you can’t move forward because your team won’t stick, this episode will help you identify where things are breaking down and how to course-correct without trying to fix everything at once. ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Why retention is the name of the game for real growth 1:24 – The difference between one-off work and recurring value 2:09 – A resource that changed how I think about retention 4:06 – The true cost of losing and replacing an employee 5:48 – Reason #1 employees quit: no pathway for growth 10:12 – Reason #2 employees quit: lack of clarity 14:31 – Reason #3 employees quit: culture and people 17:53 – Why culture standards must be enforced 18:46 – A pro tip that reveals the real problem 19:23 – Final thoughts on retention and leadership 🧠 Key Takeaways • Why retention matters more than hiring volume • The real financial cost of employee turnover • How growth pathways improve retention even for non-career staff • Why clarity in onboarding reduces early exits • How cognitive overload leads to employee frustration • Why culture tolerance directly impacts churn • How exit interviews reveal the truth about retention issues 🚀 Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible? If you want to see how clarity, leadership, and intentional systems can transform a pet care business, I’ve put together a case study showing how one company grew monthly revenue from $19,000 to over $73,000 in a single year. It breaks down the decisions, structure, and leadership shifts behind that growth, not just the outcome. 👉 You can access the case study at dogcolaunch.com/case-study and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who are ready to grow sustainably. This episode is a reminder that people don’t leave businesses randomly. They leave systems, environments, and experiences that aren’t supporting them, and those are things you can change.

    20 min

  6. JAN 23

    5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Became an Entrepreneur | Ep. 82

    When I first became an entrepreneur, there were a lot of things I didn’t understand yet, things that only come into focus after you’ve carried the weight of the business for a while. In today’s episode, I share five lessons I wish I had known earlier in my entrepreneurial journey. These are not tactical shortcuts or growth hacks, but hard-earned truths that have shaped how I lead, make decisions, and care for myself as a business owner. If you’re early in your journey, I hope this gives you language for things you may already be feeling. And if you’ve been in business for a while, I hope it helps you reflect on how far you’ve come and what you want to carry forward differently. 🧠 Key Takeaways • Why leadership can feel lonely, and why that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong • How delaying hard decisions only makes them heavier over time • Why people take you as seriously as you take yourself • The one skill that quietly strengthens every other skill in your business • Why understanding your numbers creates better decisions and less stress • How urgency can serve you, but also burn you out if left unchecked • Why the work will always be there, and why learning to step away matters 🚀 Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible? If you want to see how clarity, ownership, and intentional decision-making can transform a business, I’ve put together a case study showing how one pet care company grew monthly revenue from $19,000 to over $73,000 in a single year. It breaks down the decisions, structure, and leadership shifts behind that growth, not just the outcome. 👉 You can access the case study at dogcolaunch.com/case-study and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who are building something meaningful and sustainable. This episode is a reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t about doing everything perfectly or knowing everything ahead of time. It’s about learning, adapting, and giving yourself permission to grow into the role over time.

    9 min

  7. JAN 19

    Understanding Key Bottlenecks: Hiring & Retention with Doug Keeling | Ep. 81

    Hiring and retention are the biggest bottlenecks I see in pet care businesses today, and they’re also the areas where small changes can unlock massive growth. In today’s episode, I’m joined by my good friend Doug Keeling, and we dig deep into what actually breaks down when companies struggle to grow their teams. Doug shares his personal journey from solo pet sitter to leading a 30-person team, and the hard-earned lessons that eventually led him to specialize in hiring and retention. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by staffing, unsure where to start with hiring, or frustrated by turnover that keeps slowing your momentum, this conversation will help you understand why these challenges exist and how to approach them more intentionally. 🐶 Check out Doug 👉 DougTheDogGuy youtube.com/DougTheDogGuy Instagram (Personal / Main Account) 👉 @DougTheDogGuyOfficial Facebook (Pawsitive Hiring Course) 👉 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583169482484 Website 👉 https://dougthedogguy.co/pawsitive-hiring-course ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Why hiring and retention are the biggest bottlenecks in pet care 0:30 – How Doug accidentally grew his first team 2:08 – Making every hiring mistake and learning the hard way 4:49 – Why Doug shifted fully to W-2 employees 6:05 – From YouTube videos to the Positive Hiring Course 8:02 – Why hiring is mystifying for so many owners 10:02 – Who the Positive Hiring Course is really for 13:02 – Why foundations matter before scaling 15:43 – How hiring and retention changed post-pandemic 27:00 – Looking ahead to 2026 and supporting teams long-term 🧠 Key Takeaways • Why hiring and retention are long-term systems, not quick fixes • How most owners skip foundational steps when building teams • Why culture and alignment now matter more than wages alone • How post-pandemic shifts changed employee expectations • Why proactive culture-building prevents burnout and turnover • How slowing down to build foundations leads to faster growth later • Why staffing issues are solvable with the right framework 🚀 Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible? If you want to see how clarity, systems, and intentional leadership can transform a business, I’ve put together a case study showing how one pet care company grew monthly revenue from $17,000 to over $73,000 in a single year. It breaks down the decisions, structure, and leadership shifts that made that growth possible, not just the numbers. 👉 You can access the case study at dogcolaunch.com/case-study and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who are ready to scale sustainably. This episode is a reminder that growing a team isn’t about finding perfect people, it’s about building the right foundation so good people can succeed and stay.

    29 min

  8. JAN 16

    I Want You to Win This Year | Ep. 80

    In this Hot Take episode of the DogCo Secrets Podcast, I’m getting very honest and very direct, because I genuinely want to see you win this year. I walk through three core mindsets that I believe must shift if you want to see real growth in your business. These are patterns I see over and over again with smart, hardworking pet care owners who care deeply about what they’re building, but feel stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated by a lack of momentum. Everything I share in this episode comes from a place of support, not judgment. If something here feels confronting, it’s because I believe you’re capable of more and I want to help you get there. 🧠 Key Takeaways Why no one is coming to do the hard things for you, and why that’s actually empoweringHow avoiding difficult decisions compounds problems over timeWhy deciding something is “out of your control” guarantees that it always will beHow reframing control changes what’s possible in your businessWhy working harder is rarely the real solutionHow slowing down strategically can unlock faster, more sustainable growthWhy these mindset shifts matter if you want this year to be different I want to send you a case study showing how one of my clients grew monthly revenue from $19,000 to over $73,000 in just one year. 👉 Visit dogcolaunch.com/case-study to get the case study and learn more.

    7 min
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5
out of 5
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About

Ready to scale your pet care business? Practical advice you can implement easily and quickly to 10x the growth of your business, musings on the current state of the pet care industry, and all the tips and tricks I've learned from coaching over 200 companies in the last two years.

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Kline
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    87
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Michelle Kline
  • Show Website
    DogCo Secrets

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