Ep. 62 – From Start-up to Standout: Behind the Scenes at Pinnacle Pets Luxury Resort!

Is your business built to scale, or is it held together by duct tape and desperation?

How do you maintain high standards as you grow your team and customer base?

What services will your affluent clients gladly pay extra for?

This week, host Dom Hodgson is joined by Alex Varney of Pinnacle Pets, a luxury pet resort in Ohio. Alex shares how her family built their business from scratch – without experience in pet care or entrepreneurship – and turned it into a high-end, high-demand operation. We discuss the early days, scaling pains, and the secret to standing out in an increasingly competitive market.

We also dive into how Alex developed a structured service model that appeals to the modern pet parent – this includes some cool innovations enrichment sessions, custom snack upgrades, and even bedtime stories. Alex explains how she systemised her care, empowered her team, and introduced new upsells that drive profits without draining resources. If you want to build something bigger, better, and built to last, this podcast is a must-listen.

In this Episode, you’ll discover:

Personalised care sells: Offering services like enrichment, scent work, and bedtime stories creates real value.
Transparency builds trust: 24/7 webcam access and detailed daily report cards go a long way.
Systemise early: Standardised protocols help you scale without sacrificing quality.
Empowered teams grow the business: Investing in staff development reduces turnover and increases consistency.
Use local partnerships: Collaborating with small businesses for treats and extras adds value and creates community ties.

Huge thanks to our incredible show sponsor PackPro! PackPro provide comprehensive, affordable, and efficient daycare staff training for your pet boarding and daycare facility, to find out more about how they can help you empower and support your team by creating playgroups that are safe, productive and fun to manage, go to PackPro

Thanks to Alex for sharing her industry knowledge. You can find out more about Alex and Pinnacle Pets by going to PinnaclePets

Everyone in the Barkleigh family and the wider pet industry are sending our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Phillip Paris, who sadly passed away recently. If you would like to donate to a GoFundMe page set up to supports Phil’s family at this difficult time, go to GoFundMe

Remember, you can see me, Alex and a ton of other great speakers, and find out more about enrichment, marketing secrets, staffing solutions, and a ton of other topics by attending the next Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo which is happening in Las Vegas from 5^th-8^th May, 2025, and registration is open NOW, click here to grab your ticket.

Want to work with Dom’s inside of his exclusive coaching programs? Go to www.petbusinessmarketing.com/audition

Episode Highlights:

[00:51] – Dom introduces the pod with some essential advice on staying on top in this ever-growing industry.
[05:32] – Why routines and systems are the backbone of any efficient and profitable business.
[08:33] – The importance of setting aside some time to work ON your business rather than IN your business.
[11:46] – Alex Varney from Pinnacle Pets shares how her family switched their respective service roles for a luxury pet resort.
[13:59] – Alex shares how a coffee shop and a restaurant ended up on the cutting room floor when the family decided to enter the pet industry.
[16:08] – The tricky first few months and how the mistakes and decisions you make during them shape the future of your business.
[20:16] – Scaling headaches: why some services need to be scrapped in order to make room for business and profit growth.
[22:38] – Why constant client communication is the key to creating trust within your community.
[26:17] – Alex explains how optimizing and structuring her services more precisely was a gamechanger for productivity and client satisfaction.
[32:44] – How networking at local events and creating a web of valuable business buds can help boost your reputation.