Ep. 82 – High Profits on the High Seas: All Aboard for the First Ever Pet Boarding and Daycare Pet Pro Cruise!

Have you ever wanted to combine education, vacation, and real connection with other pet business pros?

Curious as to how a luxury dog airline can inspire your next big upsell idea?

Still wondering why email marketing consistently outperforms social media when it comes to real results?

In this jam-packed episode, host Dom Hodgson spills the beans on a HUGE piece of news, sharing the official announcement about the brand-new Pet Boarding & Daycare Pet Pro Cruise – setting sail for the very first time in January 2026 from Galveston, TX, and heading to the Western Caribbean, taking in Costa Maya and Cozumel (with Dom himself confirmed as the keynote speaker).

To mark the occasion, he sits down with grooming industry powerhouse Denise Heroux to break down exactly what the cruise entails, how it blends learning with leisure, and why this might be the most transformational (and intimate) event Barkleigh has ever hosted.

And as the Hershey expo approaches, you’ll hear from some of the fantastic speakers who chime in to provide a little taste of exactly what they’ll be discussing in their talks this November. Also, Dom teams up again with Josh Hightower of PetBizSuite in this week’s edition of Tech Talk to unpack why email marketing is the highest-leverage move you’re probably underusing in your business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

The Pet Pro Cruise – Why Barkleigh’s newest event might be the most intimate, inspiring experience you attend next year.
Email vs. Social – The case for why regular emails are the most reliable way to market and sell your services.
The Bark Air Blueprint – What boutique air travel for dogs teaches us about premium service design.
Behind the Curtain – Dom’s sneak peek at his Profit Pirate Cruise sessions on pricing, automation, and hidden revenue.
The Weekly Roundup – How one simple email can bring in sales and revive cold lists in days.

Huge thanks to this week’s special guest, Denise Heroux, to book yourself on the inaugural Pet Boarding and Daycare, Barkleigh Pet Pros Cruise go to BarkleighShows.com

Remember, tickets are now on sale for the Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo, go to PetBoardingExpo.com to register now!

Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Discover if you’re a good fit to work with Dom by going to www.petbusinessmarketing.com/audition

Thanks to Claire Pickens, Alex Varney and Juls Scores who will all be speaking at the upcoming Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo in Hershey. Grab your ticket now at PetBoardingExpo.com

Episode Highlights:

[00:51] – Dom previews a jam-packed episode: cruise announcements, email marketing wisdom, and boutique airlines for dogs
[04:30] – Dog News: Bark Air serves pup-friendly champagne and massage flights (and Dom explains why this matters for your pricing strategy)
[08:53] – Denise Heroux reveals the launch of the Pet Boarding and Daycare track on the 2026 Pet Pro Cruise
[13:00] – Cruise rundown: how the event works, what to expect, and how the networking really works onboard
[19:06] – Why immersive events like this accelerate growth (and how this cruise mimics the mastermind model)
[23:55] – Dom previews his “Pet Biz Profit Pirates” sessions on pricing, automation, and hidden revenue
[28:01] – Expo teaser! Hear from Hershey speakers Juls Score, Claire Pickens, and Alex Varney on why this year’s expo is a must-attend
[29:50] – Tech Talk! Josh Hightower joins Dom to explain why email is still the #1 revenue driver for pet businesses
[31:22] – Social vs. email: the risk of relying on platforms you don’t own
[35:14] – Quick win tip: the weekly roundup email you can send tomorrow (and why it works)
[39:30] – Dom previews next week’s guest: enrichment powerhouses Kim and Bob Karolides from Butter’s House!