Ep. 54 – How to Sell Your Pet Business for Top Dollar with Teija Heikkilä – Part One: What Every Dog Daycare Owner Needs to Know

Have you ever thought about selling your pet care business—but don’t know where to start?

Wondering how much your business is really worth or what buyers look for?

Want to avoid the big mistakes that can hurt your chances of a profitable sale?

Then you are in luck because in this episode, host Dominic Hodgson sits down with Teija Heikkilä, a leading expert in pet care business sales, to dive deep into how to prepare your business for a high-value sale.

With private equity firms rapidly entering the pet care space, Teija explains why some businesses sell for millions while others struggle to find buyers. Using real-world examples, Teija reveals the key numbers and strategies that can make – or break – your chances of selling successfully.

Plus, Dom recaps his Dog Daycare Business Bootcamp, where industry leaders came together for two days in Orlando to discuss premium pricing, membership models, and increasing per-dog revenue as well as just about everything else you need to run a successful, profitable pet business that makes a difference. Get ready to hear the attendees sharing their game-changing takeaways!

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Why Buyers Are Flocking to Pet Care Businesses – How one pet resort’s structured management and financial discipline led to a multi-million-dollar sale.
The Numbers That Matter – Why a business with low payroll costs and predictable revenue sold at 7x earnings, while a similar-sized facility with high staff turnover struggled to get 3x.
How to Make Your Business More Valuable – How a daycare that switched to prepaid memberships doubled its cash flow and made itself an attractive acquisition.
The Power of Membership Models – Why buyers love businesses with predictable, recurring revenue and avoid those still relying on pay-as-you-go services.
Real-Life Success Stories – Bootcamp attendees share how raising prices, restructuring pricing tiers, and adding memberships are already boosting their bottom line.

Huge thanks to this week’s awesome guest Teija Heikkilä. Thinking about selling your pet care business?

Head to www.petvetsales.com to learn more from Teija Heikkilä and her team of industry experts.

Remember, the next Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo is happening in Las Vegas from 5^th-8^th May, 2025. You can be the first to find out when registration opens by adding your details here.

To find out more about Dominic Hodgson and his exclusive pet business consulting services go to www.petbusinessmarketing.com/audition

To enroll in Erich University and get access to a fully customizable enrichment curriculum and ‘done-for-you’ monthly marketing resources click here EnrichUniversity

Episode Highlights:

[00:51] – Dom kicks off the episode live from Universal Studios Orlando after his Bootcamp event.
[03:00] – Dom’s recap of the Dog Daycare Business Bootcamp and the game-changing business and marketing strategies that were covered.
[04:46] – Bootcamp attendees share their biggest “aha” moments on pricing and business growth.
[09:48] – Dom’s reflections on attending events like bootcamps or expos and how they can transform your business.
[14:22] – Interview with Teija Heikkilä begins: How she went from running daycares to selling multi-million-dollar businesses.
[19:39] – What Teija and Pet Vet Sales actually do and how they help private business in the selling process.
[24:59] – The biggest mistakes business owners make when trying to sell (like failing to have clear financials or over-relying on discount pricing).
[28:17] – Teija answers some common questions about revenue levels, EBITDA and labour controls.
[36:32] – We discuss different types of buyers and how the buying landscape has changed over time.
[42:47] – Dom previews part two of the interview, where Teija shares the ultimate checklist for a profitable sale.

Don’t miss part two of this conversation – coming next week! Hit subscribe now so you don’t miss the secrets to maximizing the value of your pet care business.

Listen now and future-proof your business today!