Pet Boss® Podcast with Candace

Candace D'Agnolo of Pet Boss Nation®
  • 5.0 (75)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

This is a podcast for the local pet business owner. Get foundational business tips mixed with the latest secrets of what’s working now, especially in this challenging world. Hear honest conversations from industry peers working the streets of Main Street, where dog business is BIG business. So, if you’re a pet supply store, grooming salon, dog daycare, boarding facility, pet sitter or dog trainer - we welcome you! What really sets this show apart from others in this space is that your show host, Candace D’Agnolo, the CEO & Founder of Pet Boss Nation® - has started, scaled and sold successful pet businesses in almost every niche of the pet industry. Not only that, but her business had multiple locations, a team of 30 people, and annual revenue hitting multiple 7 figures. What this means for you is that you’ll get a holistic approach from someone who’s been on your biz journey from start to finish. Intrigued? Press play.

  1. 3D AGO

    Q2 Is Your Biggest Marketing Opportunity: Get The Strategy Here

    Be honest: when was the last time you looked at your calendar and knew exactly what you were promoting, posting, and doing in your business three months from now? Do you even know what you're doing next week? Or do you wake up on Tuesday and think: Wait, did anyone post today? What am I supposed to post? If this hits a little close to home, this episode is going to change how you run your marketing - starting right now. Spring is here. The clocks just sprang forward. Q2 is days away. And this is your biggest marketing opportunity of the year!  She shares: ✅ The difference between reacting and executing (and why it's not about talent, budget, or time) ✅ Why Q2 is genuinely the most opportunity-rich season in the pet industry ✅ What a real marketing plan actually looks like  ✅ The monthly themes, key dates, promotions, content plan, and team alignment you need 🙌 PLUS A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Pet Boss Nation's Monthly Marketing Planner is now available as a standalone subscription for $59/month! For the first time ever, you can get the exact monthly marketing roadmap that Pet Boss coaching clients have used for 4+ years - without joining the full program. This is the tool that clients say is one of the best reasons they stay. Transcript Show Notes Join Us Online Find us on Facebook Join our Free Pet Industry Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram Read our Blog

    33 min

  2. FEB 28

    Donation Requests: Burden or Business Strategy?

    How many donation requests have landed in your inbox lately? Today? This week? This month? Silent auctions, raffles, gift baskets, event sponsorships - can you donate a gift card? And if you're honest, how many of those people ACTUALLY buy from you? It's easy to feel frustrated. One-sided. Used. Like people only remember you when they need something. Because what if donation requests aren't charity decisions? What if they're marketing decisions? In this episode, Candace shares how to stop resenting them and start leveraging them. Listen to hear: ✅ Why donation requests feel SO draining ✅ How to attach lead generation to every donation  ✅ The exact system Dante and Dory's built to track donations  ✅ How to create an intentional donation strategy (not an emotional reaction to every request) You know those businesses in your community that are everywhere? That's not an accident. That's a strategy. And you get to decide if you want to play that game - and how. Transcript Show Notes Join Us Online Find us on Facebook Join our Free Pet Industry Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram Read our Blog

    29 min

  3. FEB 22

    2,000 emails: Zero Campaigns. Here’s What I’m Doing About It

    Is email marketing dead? Well, Candace sure hopes not - because she's been sitting on over 2,000 customer emails from Dante and Dory's for the last 5 months and has done absolutely nothing with them. And as a business coach who sends emails like a well-oiled machine at Pet Boss Nation, that admission is a little uncomfortable to make. But here's the truth: email marketing still delivers an average ROI of $36-$42 for every $1 invested. And 60% of consumers say email influences their purchasing decisions. So it's time to stop treating it like it's dead. In this episode, Candace shares the exact 5-email framework she's implementing at Dante and Dory's - so you can take action too! She shares: 🙌 Why email marketing is NOT dead (it's just neglected and underutilized) 🙌 The 2025 stats that prove email is still the #1 customer retention tool 🙌 Why you OWN your email list (but you don't own Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok) 🙌 The KPIs she'll be tracking  Plus the reframe you need: If you're already collecting emails, already paying for software, and already working hard to get traffic - NOT using email consistently is leaving money on the table. This is a slow season. There's no risk. Candace is taking it. Will you? Join Us Online Find us on Facebook Join our Free Pet Industry Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram Read our Blog

    33 min

  4. FEB 14

    What Slow Sales Are Really Telling You & How to Fix It

    It's cold. People are sick. Business feels quiet. Sound familiar? Candace is coming to you fresh off 10+ days sick with the flu - three of them completely in bed - and using this slower winter stretch at Dante and Dory's to get honest about what the numbers are really saying. This episode is about what actually happens when sales dip, and what smart pet business owners do instead of waiting it out. She shares: 🙌 Why slow sales aren't a story - they're feedback (and what to do with them) 🙌 The real numbers from Dante and Dory's and what that difference means over a month 🙌 The self-wash room investment decision she is making this month 🙌 Three questions to ask yourself when you're frozen or in a slow period Plus an honest conversation about communication - with your team, your partner, and yourself - and why clarity is what turns fear into action. Transcript Show Notes Join Us Online Find us on Facebook Join our Free Pet Industry Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram

    34 min

  5. FEB 7

    When Your Toddler Wakes You at 3am and You Record a Podcast Anyway

    It's 4am and Candace's toddler just woke her up. So instead of lying in bed hoping to fall back asleep, she's recording this episode. Because sometimes leadership shows up tired. Sometimes it's messy. Sometimes you just get it done anyway. In this quick episode, Candace shares: ⭐ Why sometimes responsibility shows up at inconvenient times ⭐ Global Pet Expo announcements - where you can find (and celebrate!) with PBN ⭐ New keynote booking - she's speaking at the ODD Ball (Owners of Dog Daycares Conference) in January 2027 in Albuquerque, New Mexico ⭐ SuperZoo talks and in-person events at Dante and Dory's in Galesburg The real message: Your brain doesn't clock out as a small business owner, and that's okay. Don't feel guilty if it's not perfect - just get it done. Whether you're listening to this early in the morning or late at night or in between everything else you're carrying, you're not behind. You can get ahead whenever you can. Sometimes building a business starts before the coffee even kicks in. And P.S. She was able to go back to sleep after this recording and a few Slack responses to the team, lol. Transcript Show NotesJoin Us Online Find us on Facebook Join our Free Pet Industry Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram

    10 min

  6. FEB 1

    When Sales Feel Uncertain, Margin Matters More: Real Money Leadership from Dante and Dory's

    Right now, some pet businesses are booming. Some are holding steady. And many are feeling like sales have slowed down and they need to make a change. But here's the truth: When revenue feels uncertain, that's exactly when how you manage your money matters MORE than how much money is coming in. In this episode, Candace shares real money decisions she's making at Dante and Dory's - and why being more aggressive with money doesn't mean being reckless!  She shares: 🔥 Why passive money management (not reckless spending) is the real problem  🔥 How to be more aggressive with money the right way  🔥 Real examples from Dante and Dory's including negotiating billboard advertising, managing slow-moving inventory, and deciding where to invest vs where to cut 🔥 Why businesses don't fail because sales dip (and what they actually do fail from)  Plus, hear the REAL-TIME update at the end where Candace shares her negotiation win right after recording - you just never know until you ask!Transcript Show Notes

    36 min

  7. JAN 24

    Feedback Is A Gift: Mastering Communication in Your Pet Business

    How many times have you corrected the same mistake this month? What if a 3-minute coaching conversation could stop it from happening again and actually make your team stronger? Amy Castro, communication and leadership expert who's been training pet business owners at Global Pet Expo and beyond, shares why communication skills matter just as much as knowing pet nutrition and behavior - and how the right words can cut the drama, stop the misunderstandings, and make your standards stick. She shares: ⭐ How a 3-minute conversation now prevents the same mistake from happening 12 more times this month ⭐ You can't coach what isn't clear - and how to limit misunderstandings with your team ⭐ How the correct feedback is a gift, not a punishment   ⭐ The way coaching helps you keep good people   Plus, hear Amy's personal journey from Air Force public relations officer to discovering her love for coaching communication and teams!  Whether you've employed 300+ people like Candace or you're managing your first team member, this episode proves that becoming a better communicator transforms EVERYTHING in your pet business. ABOUT AMY CASTRO President, Triad Communication, LLC Amy Castro is a communication and leadership expert who helps pet business owners lead teams that actually listen, communicate with customers without the constant back-and-forth, and run calmer, more profitable operations. She's a regular education presenter at Global Pet Expo, and she's all about practical tools that cut the drama, stop the misunderstandings, and make your standards stick, without burning out the people doing the work. Amy is also the host of The Pet Parent Hotline and a longtime rescue leader, so she brings a real pet industry lens and a zero-fluff approach to everything she teaches. Her background includes serving as an Air Force officer in public relations and earning a master's degree in human communication theory, where she had a lightbulb moment realizing that communication skills are like a toolbox full of tools - the more tools you have, the more choices you have in the moment. A carpenter can't build a house with just a hammer, and you can't handle every conversation with the same default style either. She took that lesson forward into everything she did next, leading as an Air Force officer, then spending 20+ years training leaders and teams, and working in the pet world where emotions run high and conversations can go sideways fast. The more tools you have, the calmer you stay, the clearer you get, and the better your outcomes are, at work and in every relationship. Transcript Show Notes Join Us Online Find us on Facebook Join our Free Pet Industry Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram

    35 min

  8. JAN 18

    From Wearing All The Hats to Staying In Her Zone of Genius: Morgan Weber’s Journey to Building Teams that Thrive

    Why does hiring feel impossibly broken right now? And why are some pet businesses thriving with amazing teams while others can't keep anyone for more than a few months? Meet Pet Boss client Morgan Weber - a recovering Chief Everything Officer who runs both a 13-year pet sitting company AND a growing pet supply store. She went from burned out and constantly hiring to building teams that actually stay - with a thriving culture where people want to work. In this episode, she shares exactly how she made that turnaround and helps you navigate the shrinking workforce, culture over compensation, and what smart businesses are doing differently. She shares: ⭐️ Her "recovering Chief Everything Officer" mindset shift ⭐️ How to identify what you're good at vs. what your business needs ⭐️ How to hire for personality traits that match your business reality Plus the truth you need to hear: Hard work doesn't equal success. If it did, we'd all be bajillionaires. You don't need to work harder - you need to work differently and shift where your effort is happening. ABOUT MORGAN WEBER Owner of Lucky Pup Adventures & Woofs and Waves Pet Supplies Morgan Weber is a serial entrepreneur, business coach, and recovering Chief Everything Officer. She helps business owners step out of the weeds to think, plan, and lead like a CEO, building businesses that thrive while supporting their own full and happy life. With over 13 years running Lucky Pup Adventures (a pet sitting company) and now also scaling Woofs and Waves Pet Supplies (a 10-year-old pet supply store in Sioux Falls, South Dakota), Morgan loves to blend real-world experience and actionable frameworks to help pet business owners define success on their own terms. She also runs Memory Flame Candle Company (a passion project honoring pet loss) and coaches pet business owners through the challenges of hiring, leadership, and building businesses they actually enjoy. Transcript Show Notes Join Us Online Find us on Facebook Join our Free Pet Industry Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram

    41 min
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75 Ratings

About

This is a podcast for the local pet business owner. Get foundational business tips mixed with the latest secrets of what’s working now, especially in this challenging world. Hear honest conversations from industry peers working the streets of Main Street, where dog business is BIG business. So, if you’re a pet supply store, grooming salon, dog daycare, boarding facility, pet sitter or dog trainer - we welcome you! What really sets this show apart from others in this space is that your show host, Candace D’Agnolo, the CEO & Founder of Pet Boss Nation® - has started, scaled and sold successful pet businesses in almost every niche of the pet industry. Not only that, but her business had multiple locations, a team of 30 people, and annual revenue hitting multiple 7 figures. What this means for you is that you’ll get a holistic approach from someone who’s been on your biz journey from start to finish. Intrigued? Press play.

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