Want to know how a fashion-loving social media manager turned a dog mom hobby blog into a thriving six-figure pet industry business?

Whether you’re a current pet blogger or dreaming of starting your own pet care business, grab a cup of coffee (and maybe a stuffed Toppl for your pup), and let me share how I built Wear Wag Repeat into a pet industry business that reaches thousands of people around the world. 

I think you’ll enjoy some of my throwback photos, too!

I Didn’t Start in the Pet Industry

Before I became known as a pet industry expert, I tried quite a few different careers.

Starting when I was 16, my first job was teaching people to snowboard. From there I worked all kinds of jobs including a costume assistant for a Russell Crowe movie, chamber of commerce coordinator for a luxury retail district, and even worked as an international spokesmodel for a Canadian company! ← the commercial featured a dog, so I loved it!

Each of these experiences taught me something valuable – from connecting with different audiences to understanding what makes content engaging.

But it wasn’t until I combined my marketing expertise with my love of dogs that everything clicked.

I Started my Blog as a Hobby while running another Business

In 2013, I started Wear Wag Repeat as a creative outlet. The original tagline for this blog was “I wear it, they wag it, then we repeat!” I thought I’d be the next big fashion blogger!

My 2 chocolate labradors at the time, Lola and Lucy were my constant companions and blogging muses.

While my blog was growing, I was also running a successful social media consulting business for local Pittsburgh businesses. And when I say all kinds of businesses, I mean it – I even managed a strip club’s social media for five years!

By running social media for a variety of businesses, I learned how to create engaging content for literally any audience.

As I grew that business, I also grew my clients’ accounts to 30,000+ followers. One day it hit me: “Why don’t I do this for my own blog?”

That’s when I started to take my social media following seriously and found my first 10,000 followers. 

When I started this blog as a hobby 11+ years ago, I never imagined that one day I’d say “I have a pet industry business.” But here I am!  I found a niche where I can make an impact.

My pet blog content reaches 20K people every month, my social media following is over 75K across platforms and I’ve helped hundreds of petpreneurs grow their businesses through Wear Wag Repeat Society.

There’s no such thing as failure as an entrepreneur

Like any entrepreneurial journey, mine has its share of “learning opportunities.”

For a few years, I ran an online store alongside my blog selling unique dog mom products I loved. But it didn’t take long to realize that if you build it, they won’t always come. 

Ultimately, the $10 dog mom t-shirt from Target beat out my artist-commissioned eco-friendly versions.

I even tried creating a membership many years ago where I offered DIY craft project tutorials for dog moms – and it attracted exactly two members! Womp, womp!

But here’s the thing about “failures” – they’re actually learning opportunities. And really great market research! Each attempt taught me more about what pet parents and pet business business owners truly need.

Finding My Petpreneur Community

In 2019, I launched what would become a turning point: the Wear Wag Repeat Podcast. Initially, I planned to interview creative women entrepreneurs who had dogs. But as I started booking guests, I discovered there’s an incredible world of women doing amazing things in the pet industry.

The podcast became the first and only show exclusively dedicated to featuring women in the pet industry. It still is!

The podcast opened doors I never imagined – including features in The Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, and even an invitation to speak at major industry events like SuperZoo and Pet Sitter World.

More importantly, it connected me with hundreds of guests and thousands of listeners. I realized how many talented petpreneurs are facing similar challenges to grow their businesses online.

Building these connections through my podcast didn’t happen overnight. Over five years of hosting, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing incredible women who’ve become not just guests, but part of my community.

Each conversation reinforced something I deeply believed: petpreneurs need a space to learn, grow, and support each other.

From Social Media Manager to Pet Industry Leader

Finding “my people” through my podcast is something that’s happened gradually over 5 years.

Another breakthrough moment for me and my pet business came during tax season the first year I went full-time with Wear Wag Repeat.

As I reviewed my revenue streams, I realized I was making more money from my own ventures – courses, coaching, and digital products – than from client work. 

This was a big moment for me! It was validation that I could make a living in the pet industry on my own terms. And that it wasn’t a huge mistake to quit all my social media clients!

Building Something Bigger Than Myself

All these experiences led to creating something that combines all my experience, expertise, passion and community: Wear Wag Repeat Society. 

In January 2021, I launched the monthly membership and 72 founding members joined in the first week!

Now, as we’re in year 5 of the membership, we’ve grown this into a thriving community of petpreneurs supporting each other’s success. WWR Society is now my favorite part of my business!

Never Stop Learning and Growing

As much as I love to teach others how to grow their businesses, I also love to learn new ways to grow my own. From becoming certified in canine enrichment to practicing positive reinforcement dog training techniques, I believe in life-long learning.

As petpreneurs, it’s so important to continue to evolve, pivot and grow our businesses.

Today, my world looks very different from those early days of juggling client social media accounts. Instead of filling my camera roll with other people’s products, I document life with Lucy and Burt (my lovable rescue Lab who joined us in 2018).

Burt, with his epilepsy and quirky mischief, taught me even more about adapting and growing – both personally and professionally.

Reflecting on this, even though my business has changed a lot, I still find my inspiration from my own dogs. From Lola, to Lucy, to Burt… they’re the reason why I do what I do. 

Creating Your Own Petpreneur Success Story

So, that’s my story! There’s so much more that I can’t fit in one blog post. If you’re new here, please check out the Wear Wag Repeat Podcast and explore the blog to find resources to help you make every day count with your dog.

Whether you’re dreaming of starting a pet business or ready to take your existing one to the next level, here’s what I’ve learned: Success is a lot easier when you have a support system of people who get your vision!

Ready to write your own success story?  I invite you to join our pack in Wear Wag Repeat Society! It’s the best way for petpreneurs to grow their businesses while maintaining that crucial dog-life balance.

Today, successful pet blogging requires more than just passion – it needs a solid strategy. That’s why Wear Wag Repeat Society provides:

• Monthly live implementation calls that fit quarterly themes
• Weekly Voxer office hours for personalized support from me
• Access to our the Petpreneur Resource Library with 48+ video lessons
• Done-for-you content calendars and templates
• A supportive community that truly gets it

Plus, all new members get a special welcome gift: a virtual coffee chat with me to discuss your unique goals and vision.

Let’s make your pet industry dreams a reality – together!

P.S. Remember that failed crafting membership I launched to just two members? Sometimes the timing needs to be right. If you’ve had setbacks in your business journey, I’ve been there. With a little tweaking, your next attempt might be the one that changes everything!

Did you like this blog post? Check out more posts about my story:
Podcast Episode All About my Dog Burt
Podcast Episode All About my Dog Lucy
Lessons Learned in 2 Years as a Full Time Pet Blogger
How B-School Changed My Pet Business
Keeping Up with The Jones’ Dog: Overcoming Dog Mom Guilt