597: Building Community, One Pet Store at a Time with Teresa Miller
Time to Pet. Go to timetopet.com/confessional for 50% off your first 3 months.
Pet Perennials- Visit: https://petperennials.com/pages/register-for-a-business-account.
How important are independent pet stores to our community? In this episode, Teresa Miller, president of IndiePet and owner of Treats Unleashed, discusses the vital role of local pet retailers in building community connections. She shares insights into the challenges these stores face, including e-commerce competition and inflation, while highlighting how they can remain competitive through innovation and customer service. Teresa explains how IndiePet acts as a bridge between retailers and manufacturers to create sustainable industry growth. She also touches on the growing trend of cat ownership and the importance of fostering partnerships between independent pet businesses.
Main Topics:
The Role of IndiePet – Supporting independent pet stores and their impact on the pet industry.
Challenges in the Pet Industry – Inflation, e-commerce competition, and shifting consumer trends.
Community Engagement – How local pet stores foster relationships and support pet parents.
Retail Trends & Innovations – Exclusive products, pet product rotations, and service expansions.
Partnerships with Pet Businesses – How pet sitters, trainers, and groomers can collaborate with retailers.
Main takeaway: “Neighborhood pet stores are more than just retailers; they’re gathering places where pet owners connect, learn, and support each other.”
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel disconnected, but independent pet stores, pet sitters, and dog walkers play a vital role in bringing pet lovers together. These businesses aren’t just about products and services—they help foster relationships, educate pet parents, and create a support system for those who want the best for their pets.
As pet sitters and dog walkers, we have a unique opportunity to be connectors in our communities. We’re the trusted professionals who see pet parents daily, hear their concerns, and can introduce them to local pet stores, trainers, and groomers who align with their needs. We can help pet owners find the best products, discover community events, and connect with like-minded pet lovers who share their values.
From breed meet-ups and pet adoption events to sharing tips on the best local pet-friendly spots, we have the power to shape a thriving pet community. By partnering with independent pet stores, we strengthen these essential small businesses and create a network that benefits pets and their families.
Tag your favorite local pet store, pet sitter, or dog walker who helps make your community a better place! Let’s celebrate the independent businesses and professionals that bring us together!
About our guest:
Teresa Miller is the owner of Treats Unleashed, a chain of independent pet stores with 19 locations between St. Louis and Kansas City, with more on the way. She began her career in the banking industry before transitioning to a tech startup in New York City. In 2002, she founded Treats Unleashed, which has grown organically into a trusted resource for high-quality pet products, customer education, and community partnerships.
Beyond building her business, Teresa is deeply involved in her local community, volunteering with the Bi-State Pet Food Pantry to help provide pet food to owners in need. She is also a strong advocate for women-led businesses, actively supporting Mastermind programming for early-stage women entrepreneurs.
On a national level, Teresa collaborates with the National Retail Federation (NRF) as an advocate for small retail businesses. Most recently, she worked with NRF to support the Credit Card Competition Act, introduced by Senators Roger Marshall and Dick Durbin in 2022, aimed at increasing competition and reducing swipe fees for businesses. As the president of IndiePet, a trade association dedicated to supporting independent pet retailers, she continues to champion small pet businesses, fostering connections between retailers and manufacturers to ensure industry growth and sustainability.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/IndiePetAssociation
https://www.instagram.com/indiepetassociation/
https://www.neighborhoodpetstoreday.com
ProTrainings: For 10% off any of their courses, use CPR-petsitterconfessional
Give us a call! (636) 364-8260
Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, & TuneIn
Email us at: feedback@petsitterconfessional.com
A VERY ROUGH TRANSCRIPT OF THE EPISODE
Provided by otter.ai
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Indie Pet, pet stores, community support, independent retailers, customer service, e-commerce challenges, inflation impact, pet industry trends, neighborhood pet store day, pet grooming, pet care, local partnerships, pet owner education, product innovation, retailer mentorship
SPEAKERS
Teresa M., Collin
Collin 00:00
Announcer, welcome to pet sitter confessional, an open and honest discussion about life as a pet sitter. Today, we're brought to you by our friends at time to pet and pet perennials. Supporting local communities is more important than ever, and the corner of those are small businesses. And how much more important are our small and independently owned pet stores and pet suppliers in our hometowns. How can we best partner with them, support them and develop an economy that works for everybody and supports our clients lives as best as possible? To cover these topics, we are super excited to have Theresa Miller, president of indie pet on the show, to talk about this the purpose of indie pets their history, kind of some challenges that independent stores are facing, and everything in between that Teresa, I'm super excited and honored to have you on the show. For those who aren't familiar with indie pet or you and your background, please tell us a little bit more about who you are and what you
Teresa M. 00:56
do. Yeah, absolutely. So my name is Teresa Miller, and I actually own a independent pet store called treats unleashed. We've got stores in St Louis to Kansas City, and I'm lucky enough to be on the board of indie pet so I've been doing that. This is my second year now, and I'm the board president, so it gives me the opportunity to work with retailers across the country and really be that advocate for those neighborhood pet stores.
Collin 01:22
So how did you get started in the pet store, market and industry? Kind of, what's your background with
Teresa M. 01:28
that? Sure. So we started about 20 years ago, maybe a little bit more than that. I work with my husband, and we basically would move back to the St Louis area, which is my hometown, and we weren't able to find what we've been feeding. So we took a look around, had a little bit of an entrepreneurial bug, and opened our first store. So from there, it was really just a matter of kind of listening to your customers, and we added in different services and a bakery and all different kinds of fun things to keep it interesting over the years and but yeah, the pet community is a really fun one. The pet industry, as you know, is a very fun one. So we just kind of learned to grow from there. It's
Collin 02:06
always something new and different, isn't it, especially, you know, 2020, years ago, what was that like getting a brick and mortar store Off, off the ground? Have you recovered your sleep yet? Since then? I
Teresa M. 02:17
mean, it's changed a lot, right? So we were very tied into kind of the all natural side of pet foods and things. So when we first got started, there were actually only four brands of your truly natural premium foods. And if you look around today, then you've got stores full. So it's changed a lot. But our customers have changed a lot over the years too. They're really probably a little bit more educated about, like, what they're feeding and what they're giving their pets, and how they're taking care of their pets. Everyone's just a little bit more dialed in now, which is, which is a
Collin 02:50
lot of fun. It is, I often talk a lot about how having a well educated client and customer is one of, like, it's an It's immense blessing, right, to have those people who come in and they know the lingo, they kind of know what they're asking for. And and you kind of feel like, oh, wow, this is somebody that you can tell those people who are really going to take recommendations or, you know, kind of run with your what you need to talk about. Absolutely.
Teresa M. 03:14
Yeah. It's really interesting too, to see kind of how far that evolution has come. You know, there was a point where I was like, Oh, why? You know, no one's going to need us in our expertise anymore, and now you've got the internet, and it's come of what done a 180 where now people need us even more because of the internet. And they come in and they ask us, you know, I read this, does this make sense? Or I was researching these two foods, and I'm getting, you know, I hear good and bad about both of them. I just need to talk to somebody about my pet and what they really need. So having that experience and that kind of community, the tag and being able to be present to talk to your customers is more important
Collin 03:51
than ever. Yeah, people really looking for that help. And I think as the internet has devolved in a lot of different ways, especially with all the you know, there's just, it's so hard to parse through so that having that one expert, that one person who you can go to, especially year after year and pet after pet, and it really do build that close relationship and but that takes a lot of work, right for the business owner to stay on top of all the latest and greatest.
Teresa M. 04:18
It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of work to train our teams, because we I can't be in the store every minute, so, you know, making sure that my team is also able to give those really good recommendations. But it's always about the people, right? It's about your team. It's about your customers. And then how can we do what's best for their pet? So, so, yeah, it's a it's a challenge, but, but you see it make a big difference in the lives and the pets that you're working with. So it's completely worthwhile. So you
Collin 04:46
mentioned that this is your second year in your position with indie Pat. What? What is the history of indie Pat? And kind of, what are its you know? Why did it get started? So indie
Teresa M. 04:56
pet was founded in 2021 as a trade. Is. Association to promote neighborhood and independent pet stores. So it's really that, that really the liaison between your manufacturers. We've got manufacturer members, we've got retailer members. Kind of the whole group comes together to really promote the independent pet market and the communities that they build. So it is a trade association. We provide programs and mentorships and peer to peer networking and things like that for retailers. The goal is really to help independent retailers be as successful as possible, because we all need each other. It's a wonderful network the independent pet industry. So so many of us can work together in a town it's really nice to see so kind of retailers helping other retailers, and then the manufacturers definitely make a big difference too. So the products that we're carrying, the more that you work with those manufacturers, the better off your customers would be. So you mentioned
Collin 06:00
that one of the roles you play is as that liaison between the stores and manufacturers. Why was that an important aspect or problem that needed to
Teresa M. 06:08
be solved? I think, I mean, I think everyone's stronger together. So, so while you might have relationships with like local sales people, which is wonderful, I think that we're we're all stronger together. So perhaps we can introduce you to manufacturers that you didn't know as a retailer, especially those that really support the independent pet channel. Or maybe we can work together to take a look at new products or help manufacturers with trends that we're seeing in the stores. Manufacturers need more customer input and feedback, so we're able to give that to them as well. So, so it goes both ways. It's an it's a nice combination between both of those, the manufacturers and also the retailers, kind of gives your customer the best of everything,
Collin 06:50
and kind of speaking with one voice too, right? If a manufacturer can kind of hear from a larger audience instead of just a onesie, twosie kind of hears this kind of thing, and we're going, Oh no, here's a one cohesive maybe it's a disgruntled thing, or maybe it's a we're excited that you're doing this, right? I'm sure they don't. They want that kind of feedback, and it's kind of maybe hard for them to get that on a reliable basis. Absolutely.
Teresa M. 07:14
Yeah. So very much. An advocacy so as an advocate for those independent pet retailers, but also an advocate to those manufacturers as well. So a great way to bring them together. You know, we've got trade shows and things like that, but you can bring everybody together. When one room, you can get a lot done. You can really, kind of see what's important to both and and then, how do we help our customers and their pets? And what are those products that are really making a difference, and what trends are out there, and how can independent pet stores stay kind of ahead of the curve? We've always been known for kind of being the ones who kind of lay the path for a brand new brand, or something like that. We're willing to take some of those risks and, like, learn really intensively about those products that we carry, and then what, how they would help our customers. So, so there's a definite need for the independent pet store and its community.
Collin 08:05
Well, you mentioned the manufacturers that are more amenable or more supportive of independent pet channel. What does that mean for for an independent to have a manufacturer that is kind of there for you, versus the big box guys. So,
Teresa M. 08:21
I mean, it means a solid product. I mean, we really take care to see, like, a where a product is made, how it's made, what it's made, with some of those kinds of things, so that we can make good recommendations to our customers. So it's a lot of transparency on the manufacturer side in terms of, like, how, how, you know, where do they make their product? You know, how is it made? What are their what is their mission, and what are their values? So there's a lot that we can kind of bring together from both and for those that really support those independence, you know, maybe they're not selling online, maybe they are really focused on the brick and mortar experience for their customers, and maybe they're willing to, you know, to stay in that channel alone, to so that we can really build that customer and insurance
Collin 09:08
team. Is that something that is common, that kind of exclusivity to brick and mortars versus online, versus subscription boxes that, you know? How is that? How does that come to is that just a preference for the manufacturer, or is that feedback that they can get from the from the industry?
Teresa M. 09:25
It's a lot of times it's feedback. It's kind of how you get started with your brand. Obviously, we want all businesses to grow, so we want to work with those manufacturers to make sure that we've got the right products for the customers that are coming into our stores. But we also like being able to be kind of the location that they know to come to e commerce is out there, and all of us are kind of participating in some way or another. But yeah, by having some exclusive brands, it makes a big difference for our stores.
Collin 09:53
So they're really so those products, again, you're able to get that feedback to the quality. The people people are buying, kind of what people are looking for. So you can, kind of sounds like you can walk hand in hand with, Hey, this is what we're seeing. What's actually, you know, leaving the store, versus what you're giving us. Now,
Teresa M. 10:11
that's, that's very true, you know. And a lot of them ask for the feedback, you know, in terms of, you know, what, what is going on right now? What are you seeing? What are some of the behaviors of the pets in that are and, you know, a lot of it comes down to problems and solutions, right? What problems are you seeing, and how can we find a solution for those, those are some of our best conversations with customers, and some of our really long lasting ones. For me, those are the memories, you know, they come in with this problem, and we find them a solution, and it makes a big difference in the life of their pet.
Collin 10:42
So those are the successes. Yeah. Well, so what kind of what kind of challenges are you seeing that the local independent stores are facing? Well, e commerce can
Teresa M. 10:55
be one depending on the size of your local retailer. Some of them are quite efficient with their e commerce strategy. Others are maybe a little bit slower on the uptake to that. So some of the giant e commerce ones do give us some trouble. We have to be really creative in order to to to be successful on some of those situations. But, but that. And then we're seeing our customers in terms of inflation. We're seeing the prices over the past couple of years have continued to rise. So retailers are looking for price points of all different kinds, so that we can still be a good steward to our customers.
Collin 11:34
Yeah, that inflation, having something for different price points, I think, is more important than ever. I mean, we see that in the service side of the industry as well. Of it's hard to for us, it's hard to decrease the price because we've got labor costs. I know, you know, with your buying a product, well, you have to spend money to get that product in the door in the first place. So you can't go below that, right, if you still want to be around tomorrow. And so going, well, what's my product mix for us? You know, what services? Maybe I offer a shorter service, or maybe offer you know, a lighter service in some way, to just keep people consistently using us in some capacity, so that, you know, hope is, is that when the inflation pressure goes away, they can do more, up sales, you know, kind of later down the line. Sometimes
Teresa M. 12:14
you're having a little something for everyone, so maybe they have to make a change. And that's fine, but let us help you find something within our store. We you store. We think we have good options at all different price points and but that's been something that we've been more focused on over the past year than ever before. Have
Collin 12:30
you heard of time to pet? Susan the pet gal, has this to say, time to
Susan M. 12:35
pet has helped us grow exponentially. We believe the platform's features make us by far more professional than other companies who use conventional dashboards. They are the software gurus constantly developing and improving the platform based on user feedback. This decision was a good one.
Collin 12:51
If you're looking for new pet sitting software, give tired pet a try. Listeners of our show will save 50% off your first three months by visiting client, fed.com/confessional well, and especially with that additional pressure of the E commerce, you know, you said you had to get really creative. Is that just with how you're talking to clients? Is that how you are is that the products that you're having in store kind of what does that look like? Yeah, it's a little bit
Teresa M. 13:19
of everything, but even just the service we provide. So now we provide a delivery service. We provide that in store pickup service. So you have to kind of be creative with what you're offering. You talk to your customers and see what they're interested in, and and you kind of have and leave, I guess. So it's an interesting there's always another challenge, but you can be really creative, and as a small business, you can, you can try to be as creative as possible, to make, to still make your store experience something that customers are willing to stop, make an extra stop for.
Collin 13:54
Well, it's that experience, right? That experience is such a key factor in this, that differentiator of I was going and talking to some local businesses, and one of the store owners was talking about how they they were saying, Well, you know, the PetSmart, these big box stores, they're right down the road, but when we have a customer come in, they've had those little five those little one foot square tiles on the floor. And I remember her, she said they don't get within five feet before somebody's supposed to go over and talk to them and see how they can help them. And it's that customer service aspect of that face to face connection that really helps differentiate a lot of those things. Absolutely,
Teresa M. 14:31
yeah, it says relationships you build, right? So, and you build that relationship with your customer, and they're able to ask questions, they're able to let you know what they're looking for. And if that's part, it's really important. But yes, the service probably above all else. You know, walking into a store that you enjoy being at, being recognized. You know, when you come in, your pet being recognized, sometimes we find knowing the person's pet's name is even more important than knowing their name. Um. And so if we can keep all of those things straight, we're,
Collin 15:02
we're doing really good as as a dog walker and pet sitter. Let me tell you, I don't know any of my clients names. I only know them. Oh, there's Baxter's mom. Oh, there's so you totally get it. That's
Teresa M. 15:14
a lot of fun. Yes, and, and you remember those because you spend so much time with their pets like so we have grooming services. So we were very fortunate. They were able to come in and spend a couple hours with us, so we get to know their pets really well.
Collin 15:27
Part of that experience, too, is the like the layout of the store and how things are displayed. How has that changed in recent years for how you're surfacing those products to people?
Teresa M. 15:40
So again, you have to be creative, right? So you get things out in front of people. Just about everybody does it differently in terms of and that, to me, is one of the coolest parts of independent pet, is that, truly, everyone does it differently. The assortments are a little bit different, the layouts are a little bit different, the sizes are different. You can have a 1000 square foot store, or you can have a 6000 square foot store. So you can do it all differently, and it's based on what you like as an owner. It's done what your customers are asking for. But yeah, we tend to really rotate our products through, so there's always something new and exciting for you to find when you come in. As opposed to seeing, like, the same assortment of toys all the time, there's always something new and there's always something fun to see when you walk through.
Collin 16:30
It's amazing how just moving a product, like, eight inches to the left or right, it's like, Oh, I've never like, we will go and we'll buy, you know, these bones for our dog, because she goes through quite a bit, and it's like, they do this weird rotation. And now I know it's kind of all the same stuff, but they're just mixing up the order and in a new, fresh way. And I'm like, what? How long have you had this? And they're like, well, that's been actually our longest in stock product we've ever had, but it's fine. I'm like, oh, anyway,
Teresa M. 16:58
toys, you can move the treats, but don't move the food, because people know where their food is, or they know that. They buy the red bag and it sits over here. So, so that's, that's a lot of fun, too. We've always talking about what you can move and what you can't move. And then, you know, we only have a limited amount of space right in our stores, so, you know, what do you carry and what new things do you bring in? But then we're bringing that new thing, what thing has to go so? So, yeah, it's a bit of a puzzle. How
Collin 17:25
do you make that decision of keeping the, you know, of the tried and true stuff, versus mixing in some new things every now and then, without hurting the bottom line or turning people away too much to
Teresa M. 17:37
determine what your staples are? So, you know, you've got a set of really core items that you're going to be selling. Those don't change very often. Lot of times that's food or such, and then you've got maybe some core toys that you always carry. But for us, it's collars are trading out, treats are trading out, toys are trading out, and not all of them, by any means, but you have to keep it interesting. And there's so much innovation in the pet industry. Those manufacturers we were talking about are constantly coming out with something new. So there's a section of our customers who want to try the new thing. They'll walk through the door and be like, what's new. So we've got to have that as well as some of those staples for the customers whose dogs really do just like that one item and I want it over and over again. You're right. It's a mix and and there's some toys where people come back for the same toy time and time again, and we try to have them, but they're part of the rotation as well.
Collin 18:35
Yeah, I know. I'm sure there's things more like, Oh, could this be a seasonal item you mentioned? Like the the leashes and the collars and stuff. There's more kind of, like clothing, attire, stuff. I'm sure that's a great thing to always have just a little bit of new fashion coming in through the door. Like,
Teresa M. 18:49
Yep, that's right. It keeps it interesting. And you're right with the seasons. We tend to focus a lot on holidays also. So we've got a lot of holiday items moving through, just kind of based on what people are celebrating right now.
Collin 19:03
Well, I have an admission to make. I'm definitely the person who comes in and goes, we get the green food bag. Where's that one? Because
Teresa M. 19:12
that's fine. Yep, the we can help you find the green one. But you would be surprised at how many people do pick their food bags by the Collin or the dog that's on the front Good, glad
Collin 19:26
I'm not the only one. Well, Theresa, I also wanted to talk to you about the role of our local the local and neighborhood stores in in the community aspect. So what are you seeing with your members, your and even just your own personal experience and the impact on the local community. Because one
Teresa M. 19:46
of the beauties of being an independent pet store, really is the fact that you can really work in your community. You are local. You are working with the local pet rescues in your community. Maybe you're working with the local shelters, maybe you're working with local service. Dog organizations. There's so many different ways you can touch through your community, through the products and the services and the outreach that you do, but you can really make an impact. But we also see a big community within our community, so we try to be that location where you know, you come in and you meet other pet lovers. We've got all these like minded people shopping in the store together, and you kind of can make relationships from there. So we see it very much as a community. We're able to give back to our community, but we can also build communities within our
Collin 20:29
stores, yeah, and make it a gathering place, right? A place of not just here's where I go to buy my kibble or my whatever, but here's where I meet people. Here is my Do you see a lot of stores offering events, gatherings, get togethers, kind of things now,
Teresa M. 20:46
absolutely. So I mean, just personally, we do like, you know, events for holidays. We do, like, a puppy Meet and Greet type of situation where all the puppy people can bring their puppies who doesn't want to meet other puppy owners. For a while, we've done breed days. So you know, all the pugs will meet up on a Sunday afternoon. So some of those kinds of things, because, yeah, you want to meet like minded people and and let's face it, you don't have some people are looking for more communication and more sense of community, and your pet is the perfect way to do that. So if you're new to the area, we want to give you a place to come out and meet new pet parents, so stuff to create your own community based around your pet Yeah,
Collin 21:27
it takes knowing your your local community, and finding those areas I'm sure of of what's missing or what could be enhanced, right, or who's already doing something that I could help contribute to, and that's where you start those wonderful partnerships with other people as well. To know what's my what is my role here, and how do I help support others
Teresa M. 21:46
too? Exactly? Yes, exactly. And those different partnerships you can do with other types of pet businesses. So you know, if we've got a retail location where people can come in to meet, there's no reason we can't have, you know, a pet sitter come in and speak to a group of our customers and invite them in for an evening to hear more about the service or something that's going on in the community. We can kind of be that location for maybe other businesses that don't have a general location. So be that meeting place and bring all of those like minded pet professionals together too.
Collin 22:18
Well. You mentioned, you know, people coming in who might not have a location, you know, I we have certainly done our share of coming in, building a relationship, asking to drop off flyers or, you know, business cards. But there is a little thing in the back of my head that, like that feels, just feels kind of guilty doing that, you know, taking advantage of, you know, of going, well, they're paying for this retail space and like it's and I feel bad asking them to take up even just a little bit of counter or a little bit of drawer. How best can can we as a service based, you know, dog walkers, pet sitters or, you know, trainers and stuff, how can we make that connection and make it, make sure that it gets off to a good start? I mean,
Teresa M. 22:55
I think the most important part is kind of getting to know us, whether it's getting to know the manager and introducing yourself or getting to know some of the team members. You know. Maybe you stop by and you you shop with us every now and again, but I know for for me, I make recommendations for people I know and I trust. So get to know me, introduce yourself, and that makes those recommendations much easier. I'm not as good as recommending someone I don't know. So build those relationships. And definitely, they definitely work for both it goes both ways.
Collin 23:27
Yeah, you don't have to say on air, but I was curious how many cards go immediately in the trash. And for some people, when they drop them off, always
Teresa M. 23:34
better to have a relationship, or at least introduce yourself, so that we have an idea of, like, who would this would be because we're putting, you know, we're putting ourselves out there in terms of recommending somebody. So we want to know who we're recommending and and have a level of trust
Collin 23:49
as pet sitters, we're there for the joyful moments and the heartbreaking ones too. When a client loses a pet, finding the right gift can be hard. That's where pet perennials comes in. They make it easy to send thoughtful, sympathy and milestone gifts with a handwritten card, gift wrap and shipping fees included in the US and Canada. You choose the gift to handle the rest, Sign up today for a free gift perks business account and get discounted pricing with no fees, minimums or obligations. Learn more@petpurnials.com or check out the link in the show notes. And I think, I think that's an aspect that we don't appreciate it much as much as we should. Of when, anytime we get a recommendation, or ask for recommendation, it's putting another person's reputation on the line, right? If that's a bad experience, that's a reflection on that person who gave the recommendation. And it's not something to just be given out flippantly, because, oh, I showed up one time and I gave them some cards right like now they're now, they'll recommend me all the time. It's, it's, it's way more than that. And we can kind of cheapen it to just, oh, we'll just have my cards on file. But it really is. We needed to work on that relationship with people.
Teresa M. 24:55
I mean, we can hand out cards, but unfortunately, I've heard people be like, here's the card. Or somebody I don't. Know them. And I don't think that referral goes as well as the warm referral in terms of, you know, hey, she comes in here and shops once a month, or he stops by every now and again. And I've gotten to know him, you know, why don't you give them a call? So, yeah, that warm referral definitely goes a lot.
Collin 25:18
What are some some things that maybe indie pets working on that you're really excited about in the coming years, or even even sooner than that they so
Teresa M. 25:25
we've got all different types of programs for independent retailers, whether it be like mentorships or resources or things like that. We've got a program called indie cares coming out for those, those folks who might see them way through a disaster of some kind, like we've seen recently with the fires and the hurricanes and such, to kind of help each other through those types of things. We also have a really fun day that we've started called neighborhood Pet Store Day. So you know, those everybody needs a day instead of neighborhood pet store in order to to celebrate their pets. So the last Saturday of the month this year is September 27 is neighborhood Pet Store Day. And retailers across the country usually do something really fun. When we've got specials, they've got different promotions. And like I mentioned, all of us are very different in how we run our businesses, and that's kind of part of the charm of it. So everybody does something a little bit different on neighborhood Pet Store Day, but we really try to put it out there and get people to go in and visit their
Collin 26:23
region. How can best people support that day, you know, and support those, those businesses doing that? Yeah, absolutely. So we've got our website
Teresa M. 26:32
neighborhood pet store, so that would be something. So you can do that. You can recommend that to, you know, your customers, or anything. But yeah, that last Saturday of September is, is the big day, and we do lots of promotions for it. We provide programs and tools and resources to our retailers to promote it. The manufacturers promote it because, of course, you'll be able to find their products there and all kinds of fun things. Okay, well,
Collin 26:58
and I know, because that's again, just trying to raise the raise the profile of these businesses, right? That's what we what we want, and whatever we can do that. I just had that website pulled up, and there's even a countdown, right? 210 days, as we record this and counting 50 seconds, I'm vibrating with anticipation. I'm ready for this
Teresa M. 27:19
party planning. So it's just a fun day. You're right. It's about a raising awareness. And one of the other cool things that I've seen through being involved with indie pet is the number of new stores that are opening. So for a great indie pet is a great first stop for that brand new pet store owner. We've got all different types of programs. Hopefully we can kind of help you bypass some of the mistakes others of us have made, and it's just really fun to see the industry continue to grow. So for those brand new stores, neighborhood pet store day can be a great introduction to their communities, and also just making sure that people are way aware that they've gotten opened. Yeah, well,
Collin 28:00
you mentioned the the new entrance into the market, into the industry. What are some other trends that you're seeing either but you know, for both good or bad or indifferent, you know things that
Teresa M. 28:09
are happening? Yeah, they Well, we're seeing more cat pets, more pet more cat parents in the market. So that's been a really fun thing to see. Over the past year or so, our cat business is growing because there are more cats in homes. We're seeing more multi cat families, which is very fun as well. So I know for our area, that's been a big growing trend. I mean, it's a great a cat is a wonderful pet for somebody who's maybe in a smaller space or a first time pet owner, but we're definitely seeing the year of the cat. It's
Collin 28:41
interesting. You say that because we were just going through our numbers for last year and about, like, what part of our business took off, and cat care grew more than anything else. And, you know, and they, they want the they don't. They're not, you know, they don't want just, you know, every other day they want, you know, a full hour, sometimes two hours every day to come over and just like, play with them with the laser pointer, or play like cat in Richmond on YouTube, or sometimes just sit and snuggle with them. And it's, you know, I was like, Oh, well, this is okay. So this, this matches up Theresa. There's some there's another anecdata for you. I
Teresa M. 29:15
love that, no, but I can completely see that that's a much needed service, and we're just seeing more of them. So it's wonderful,
Collin 29:23
yeah, what about, what about some, I know you mentioned the challenges with the E commerce, with the inflation. How are things like, you know? How do you even begin to prepare for things like tariffs and things like that, as a, as a, you know, when you're selling products? Sure,
Teresa M. 29:39
so, I mean, we're we're watching it carefully. The I'm not even, I'm not sure where the tariffs will go just yet, but definitely we'll be, we'll be watching that and even just the price increases over the past few years. I mean, we try to absorb as much of it as we can, but there's only, there's a limit, until you have to start passing that on to your customer. And. You want your your business, to be vibrant. You don't and and healthy. So there is definitely a point where you do have to raise your prices. But for us, the key has been making sure that we have price points of all different ranges. So as prices might tick up a little bit, do we have other products that people can substitute in? So yeah, it's an interesting it's an interesting dynamic to watch.
Collin 30:24
That's code for, it's a little bit stressful, and we're not sure what's gonna be better, positive. Yeah, well, you know you're right, because it's like, what are you like? What are you supposed to do at that point? Like, you've gotta, there's always that one more thing where you're supposed to, you need to try and problem solve, like you've got to figure out one more thing to do, try this other thing, and that is the that's the the blessing, and that's kind of the the curse of being a small, independent business owner, of going, I've got to do just a little bit more work on this and try and find my way through this problem.
Teresa M. 30:57
Now, there's these challenges that come up, but if you find a solution, you find a resolution for it, you figure out a way to work through it, and and the next one will come up after that. So we, we just do our best to solve the one that's in front of us and and make the best decisions we can for the business, but for our teams that our business, and, of course, our customers. You
Collin 31:20
know, I know some people who hire for, you know, we hire dog walkers and pet stores, and sometimes we're not able to, you know, give them as much hours as they would like. How what do you all look for in a good, quality candidate for an independent business, you know, in an impact store,
Teresa M. 31:38
the I think we, tend to hire for you know that fit? Are you a pet lover? Are you willing to talk with those customers? Are you willing to make a recommendation? So while we're not incredibly in my store, we're not incredibly salesy, we want to help you find solutions. So we look for team members who are curious about pet care and about pet health, and are willing to kind of dive into some of the products that we have and learn a little bit more so that they can help the pet parents that come in. But yeah, it's, it's a different mix. We we have a mix of full time and part time. We try to work with, you know, kind of work with everybody to figure out what the best scheduling solutions are. But that's not always easy.
Collin 32:20
Well, yeah, the mix of scheduling, this is always something where you're like, I It's like, Man, I just really wanted to chew on this giant jigsaw puzzle for three days. That's exactly what I wanted to do. But, well, you had mentioned that you had now you offer grooming services for your store. Did you always offer that? Or when did that start becoming into the mix of an option that you wanted to start providing
Teresa M. 32:46
good question. So we started after we've been in business for probably six or seven years, so we have been in business for quite a while before we added it. And now we we've been doing it for a while, so there's a mix. But why did we get started? We got started we got started because our customers just kept asking us, who, you know, who could we go to for grooming? Who can we go to for grooming? And once again, I had met groomers, and I had met some wonderful groomers, but I kept passing out the same three names until they were finally like, stop it. No more. No more. Referrals were full, and we started talking about, you know, if we provided our own grooming services, what would that look like? You know, how would we want to have our pets treated and handled? So we looked at the market, did a little bit of study, and then we got started with that in our stores. It was something we did slowly but, but it's a great service for those customers who you know, and we see them, you know, every four to six weeks, that type of thing. So it's been, it's been a fun addition for us. It's definitely a part of our culture now, and it's a definitely a part of our stores that I can't imagine us being without, because those groomers add so much in terms of expertise and in terms of pet care knowledge and and really just, you know, overall handling and love with the pets that
Collin 34:05
come in. Again, trying to be it turns into this kind of more and more of, like a one stop shop solution for that, for that pet owner, of where they can get their needs, where they can get advice. I know I see a lot of stores that are offering those pet wash stations. And I've always been curious about that, because I'm sure that there's, there's a trade off there of, well, this is square footage that could have gone to having more product, but now we're going to take, we're going to carve out a huge chunk, or maybe, you know, just, you know, whatever, to put in a wash station. And I, you know, I'm sure that's, you know, that's, that's a risk, because that's not products that's on the shelves. It's now just a space that sits empty for a long time. Sometimes
Teresa M. 34:43
you're right, and it's a conversation we've had a lot, whether it's generating enough to earn its keep, that type of thing, but we do find that that's a different type of customer. So you've got the one who maybe needs the full grooming service. You. An awful lot of them too, who maybe have a lab who just goes to the dog park all the time and gets dirty so or they are big enough dogs where it's not something you can wash in the tub, or maybe they're hairy enough that that's just not something you want to do in your own bathroom. So there is a definite customer out there who's looking for that self wash option. And we try to be a one stop shop. So it's a great service to offer. It's so once you kind of have it built and in there, it really does kind of run itself, and it's nice. It's a good option for people.
Collin 35:36
Teresa, what do you wish more people knew about the life of a independent and neighborhood pet store owner and a business owner,
Teresa M. 35:45
I think you can just do it so many different ways. That's probably one of the beautiful things about independent pet stores. You can offer selections that you feel are enough, sorry, so no two are ever allowed. Let's put it that way, so there's flavor in all different kinds of them, but it also allows you, as the owner, to kind of put your own personal stamp on it. You know, kind of what things are important to you and what types of product selections would you love to lot of that is governed by your customers, listening really well to your customers, asking lots of questions. But yeah, there's, there's a lot that can be done in the independent pet store in terms of helping community. I think you'll find a lot of the business owners are really there to kind of give back as well. It's certainly a business, but it's also one where we feel like we're making an impact and we're making a difference in the community. Whether it be what we're doing in the store or how we're working with the community or the other pet professionals in our community, you can definitely make a difference.
Collin 36:44
Well, Theresa, I really want to thank you for coming on the show today and shining some light on this part of the industry, the challenges that you all are facing, and how we can partner with and help each other succeed through this, through building that community. If listeners want to learn more about indie pet, find a retail, a retailer that's associated with them, or maybe, you know, get some information to recommend to a local store that's not a retail, you know, connected with you all yet. How can people do that?
Teresa M. 37:11
Absolutely So indie pets website is indie pet.org? Is I n, d i e at.org that's probably the perfect place to go. We've got resources there. We've got a way to join up for retailers. It's $50 a store to year, so it's not a big ask, and we think we provide all kinds of resources that you'll find are really helpful. And again, it just it's a matter of making and building that community of independent pet store retailers and pet professionals to really to keep the whole industry healthy, because your local pet store makes a difference, and we want them to be healthy and be able to
Collin 37:53
help those pets. Yeah, because you guys are also providing like industry research to business owners and stuff too, right through, through different partnerships and stuff that you have. So there's a lot of just really deep knowledge and information base that people can get access to by becoming a member. Absolutely,
Teresa M. 38:09
some of the programs include, really, you're right, really good data to kind of take a look at the industry so you can kind of see how you're doing, maybe compared to some of your peers. I know as a business owner, you never quite know whether you're doing well or not doing well. Or how does this work out? Or, you know, could I be doing much better? I don't even know. So it kind of gives you some of those peer to peer relationships where you can kind of build those networks the data from some of the professionals, like a spin. So those types of programs give you more product data, maybe a little bit more access to mentors that have done some of this for a long time. But yeah, it's a great organization, again, trade organization, trade association, that's really there to support those pet stores, so yeah, all kinds of good resources and in a group behind it that really
Collin 39:02
cares. Awesome. Well, Theresa, I'll have all those links in the show notes so people can get connected with that. Start sharing those out with their local businesses if they're not already a member. And no, I'm just I'm so thankful for you coming on the show day and taking time out of your busy schedule to share with us and share with the audience about everything going on. I really appreciate your time. Teresa, thank you so much.
39:21
Thanks for asking. I appreciate it.
Collin 39:24
Neighborhood pet stores are more than just retailers. They're gathering places where pet owners connect, learn and support one another. What a wonderful way to view a business as being integrated into their community. We too can support them in that mission and along the way, be supported as well. In today's fast paced world, everything is always moving, moving and chugging along, and it's so easy to feel disconnected. We recognize that as business owners, as pet sitters and dog walkers, it's also true for our clients. So when we can help them get connected to a broad. Broader supportive community of other like minded pet owners. They're going to live an amazing life with their pet now that might not generate us revenue, but what we are more interested in is making sure people are living amazing lives, and that is something we can do and partner with our local pet stores and our local community places to learn, gather and grow together. We want to thank today's sponsors tied to pet and pet perennials, for making this show possible, and we really want to thank you so much for listening. We hope you have a wonderful rest of your week, and we'll be back again soon.
