From 3 Stores to 200+: Mike Seitz on Building a Household Pet Brand

Show notes (bullet style)Mike’s path from dentistry plans to pet franchisingScaling EarthWise Pet: 3 stores → 200+ units; 9 acquisitions; 51 corporate storesIdeal franchisee profile: passion, alignment, “in the trenches” grit, financial readinessRegionality & marketing: different buying habits, local ad spend, video & reviewsPet nutrition edge: 3-tier Dietitian certification; vet advisory council; AI dietitian for accessible guidanceTotal Pet Care plan (24 months): 250 stores, 150 mobile units, bi-coastal warehouses, e-com + DTCMobile grooming & mobile nutrition pros; delivery tacticsCulture shift: owner-operator → multi-unit; avoiding “weeds” thinkingM&A realities: due diligence, fees, team acqui-hires, and bank/attorney orchestrationLeadership & resilience: risk, failure as learning, anti-shame ethos for customers Resources & LinksGuest: Michael Seitz — LinkedInEarthWise Pet (Franchising): https://www.EarthWisePetFranchise.comEarthWise Pet (AI Dietitian on homepage): https://www.EarthWisePet.comGroomBar: https://www.GROOMBAR.comKey Questions (01:37) How did you get to where you are today? (04:30) Who would you say are your ideal clients? (07:54) When you say pet store, are you more what would live inside my house (08:28) If we have the nutrition side of it. Tell me a bit more about that one. That one I didn't think about. Is it like, My doctor said this, or is it just, Hey, my dog is old? (11:30) With having the AI version of it, does that make it more accessible, even just financially for people, too? (12:20) How do you get in front of your ideal people? (14:46) Do you help your store owners with their digital marketing? Do you provide that for them or do you host it for them? How does that work? (15:39) Do you give them training on the marketing side of it? (16:09) What are some big goals that you have in the next year or two? (18:25) What's involved in your mobile unit? Is that when someone comes to my house. (19:13)  What do you think is the number one roadblock stopping you? (21:35) What are some of your thoughts on entrepreneurship and franchising? (24:13) How has your experience been with mergers. (29:48) What's some of the best advice that you have ever received? (33:00) What's the best advice that you've ever given? (34:24) We have covered a lot of different things, but is there something that we haven't touched on that you want to? (36:49) All right. Where can we go to learn more about you and what you do? .Michael Seitz www.linkedin.com/in/michaelseitzceo www.EarthWisePetFranchise.com www.EarthWisePet.com www.GROOMBAR.comVirginia Purnell Funnel & Visibility Specialist Distinct Digital Marketing (833) 762-5336 virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com