Shows
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 16: Jo Boughton-WhiteIn this episode of Meet the Animal People, Chris Whatling sits down with Jo Boughton-White CEO of Dorwest Herbs, a proudly family-run business and one of the longest-standing names in natural pet supplements.Jo shares her journey from a childhood spent surrounded by animals to forging her own academic and professional path, before ultimately returning to the family business with a renewed sense of purpose. She opens up about the realities of running a multi-generational brand in today’s competitive pet industry, the pressure of staying authentic in a fast-paced market, and what it really ta...
2025-11-261h 09
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 15: Miles AsteriEpisode 15: From The Veterinary Profession to Reality TV – Miles Astaire’s StoryIn this episode of Meet the Animal People, host Chris Whatling sits down with Miles Astaire — a passionate veterinary professional, advocate for diversity, and star of BBC’s The Traitors.From growing up in Birmingham to building a career in veterinary nursing, Miles shares his inspiring journey through the highs and challenges of working in animal care. Together, Chris and Miles explore the realities of representation, identity, and inclusion in the veterinary industry — discussing how personal experiences of racism, stereotypes, and being part of the LGB...
2025-10-1659 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 14: Dr Marc Abraham OBEIn this episode, Chris Whatling interviews someone he truly admires – Dr Marc Abraham OBE. Marc is not only a highly respected veterinarian but also a passionate animal welfare campaigner, author, and media personality. From his early days dreaming of helping animals to leading the campaign for Lucy’s Law, Marc’s journey is both inspiring and deeply impactful.Chris and Marc explore why communication and empathy are at the heart of great veterinary practice, and how media and social platforms can become powerful tools for advocacy. Marc also opens up about his brand-new film, Dogspiracy, a hard-hitting docume...
2025-09-0157 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 13: Rory HannaIn this episode, Chris sits down with Rory Hanna, co‑founder of PAWD, to uncover how a childhood love of dogs evolved into a groundbreaking venture in liquid supplements for pet health.Rory shares the personal challenges that inspired PAWD, the science behind their liquid supplement innovation, and how he and his business partner balance their complementary strengths to grow the business. The conversation explores the supportive nature of the pet industry, the importance of education for pet owners, and the role of community building in shaping healthier, happier dogs.Listeners will gain insights into:...
2025-08-1239 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 12: Dr Guy Sandelowsky MBAIn this inspiring episode of Meet The Animal People, Chris Whatling sits down with Dr. Guy Sandelowsky MBA — veterinarian, entrepreneur, and founder of Omni, a groundbreaking pet food brand designed to tackle pet allergies and sensitivities.From growing up in Switzerland to navigating the challenges of vet school and clinical practice, Guy shares his journey of turning a passion for animal health into an innovative business. He opens up about the motivation behind Omni, the importance of educating pet owners on nutrition, and the eye-opening experience of pitching on Dragon’s Den.Th...
2025-07-2951 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 11: Katie FordIn this deeply moving and inspiring episode of Meet the Animal People, Chris Whatling sits down with vet, coach, entrepreneur, and all-round brilliant human, Dr Katie Ford. From her childhood in a working-class town in Huddersfield to becoming a celebrated voice on imposter syndrome and emotional wellbeing in the veterinary profession, Katie shares her personal and professional journey with honesty, warmth, and insight.Chris and Katie explore everything from the impact of childhood experiences, alcohol, and early responsibilities, to navigating burnout and rediscovering your true self. Katie speaks candidly about overcoming imposter syndrome, the emotional toll of...
2025-07-1558 minMeet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 10: Dan MakinDan Makin – Pride, Purpose & the Power of RepresentationIn this Pride Month special episode of Meet the Animal People, Chris Whatling speaks with Dan Makin, a small animal vet with over 22 years of experience and a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the veterinary profession.Dan opens up about his journey from being a bullied child to becoming a respected veterinary professional, reflecting on how those early experiences shaped both his identity and his career. He shares the emotional challenges of school and vet school, and the powerful impact of finally finding a sense of co...
2025-06-1852 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 9: Stuart SimonsIn this episode of Meet the Animal People, Chris is joined by the brilliantly charismatic Stuart Simons—a professional dog groomer, salon owner, actor, TV Consultant and co-founder of The Groomer Spotlight.Stuart opens up about his journey from acting to grooming, the overlap between creativity and animal care, and why he's so passionate about raising professional standards in the pet grooming industry. From working with celebrity pets to becoming a consultant on BBC’s Pooch Perfect, Stuart’s story is full of inspiration, humour, and heart.Expect candid conversation around coming out, buildi...
2025-06-0451 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 8: Lashonda GeffrardIn this powerful episode of Meet the Animal People, Chris Whatling is joined by Lashonda Jafard – founder of Elevate, formerly the Black Pet Business Network – to discuss her inspiring personal journey and the trailblazing work she’s doing to make the pet industry more inclusive and representative.Lashonda shares how her childhood love for animals turned into a lifelong mission. From building Orlando’s only Black-owned grooming salon to founding an international community for underrepresented pet professionals, her story is a testament to resilience, purpose, and leadership.Together, Chris and Lashonda explore the challenges faced by Black...
2025-05-2041 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 7: Ebony EscalonaIn this episode of Meet the Animal People, host Chris engages with Ebony Escalona, an accomplished equine vet and entrepreneur. They discuss Ebony's unique journey from a challenging childhood in Venezuela to becoming a voice for animals and a leader in the veterinary community. The conversation explores her early aspirations, the challenges she faced in veterinary school, and her eventual pivot towards diversifying her career. Ebony shares her insights on the importance of emotional intelligence, the founding of VSGD (Vets Stay, Go or Diversify), and the need for veterinary professionals to embrace their multifaceted identities beyond their job titles...
2025-05-0750 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 6: Layla FlahertyIn this episode of Meet The Animal People, Chris sits down with Layla Flaherty, founder of Urban Paws, the UK’s leading animal talent agency. From growing up with beloved pets to making her mark in modelling and reality TV, Layla shares how her love for animals inspired a bold career shift into entrepreneurship.Layla opens up about the origins of Urban Paws, the highs and lows of running a business in the pet industry, and the importance of balancing commercial success with animal welfare. We explore the challenges of managing expectations in animal training, the power of...
2025-04-2224 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 5: Sean McCormackHello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Meet The Animal People!I’m genuinely excited to introduce this guest – Sean McCormack. Sean is a veterinary surgeon, but he’s also made a huge impact across the wider pet industry. He’s an author, a TV presenter, a passionate animal welfare advocate, and a wildlife conservationist with a serious love for nature and photography.One of his proudest achievements? He played a key role in helping to reintroduce beavers to West London – yes, beavers in London! You can learn more about that incredible work at theeali...
2025-04-021h 17
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 4: Rachel FrostHello everyone, and welcome back to Meet The Animal People. Today we’re chatting to honorary Brummie Rachel Frost, Events & Community Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Dogs Home. Rachel tells us about her early days as working in an estate agents, and how she transitioned into the world of dog rescue. Grab a cuppa, and I hope you enjoy!
2025-03-1750 min
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 3: Carolanne CiceroWelcome back to Meet The Animal People! Today, we’re speaking with Carolanne Cicero, Bella and Duke’s In House Veterinary Advisor. Carolanne explains when her love of animals first started, gives us an introduction to the world of raw-feeding, and very passionately explains how much she loves Dolly Parton (well who doesn’t?) Hope you enjoy!
2025-03-031h 00
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 2: Paul ManktelowWelcome to the very first guest episode of Meet The Animal People!In this episode, I chat with the brilliant Paul Manktelow – a leading vet, TV personality, and host of The Consult Room. You might recognize Paul from his TV work on Crufts, where he’s shared his expert insights with millions of animal lovers.Paul takes us through his lifelong passion for animals, the unexpected journey into television, and even a stint working in Ibiza along the way!So, grab a cuppa, get comfy, and enjoy the conversation!”
2025-02-171h 04
Meet The Animal People with Chris WhatlingEpisode 1: Meet The Animal PeopleHi everyone, and welcome to ‘Meet The Animal People’ Podcast!I’m your host, Chris Whatling, and in this podcast series, I’m going to be chatting with some of the most inspiring, animal-loving people in the business. I’ll be finding out all about their unique journeys into the pet and animal health sectors and getting them to share some of their best experiences, advice and insights. If you’re as mad about pets as I am, I think you might like it! So grab a cuppa, sit back with your pet and enjoy!
2025-02-1017 min
next on the teeSeason 11, Episode 36 Part 1: All-Army Golf Champion Jonathan Shuskey and One of the Stars of the Movie Playing Through Julie Rae Join Me...
In Part 1 of Episode 36, I am joined by Jonathan Shuskey, a 20-year Army veteran, three-time Fort Benning Club Champion, and 2013 All-Army Champion, as well as Julia Rae, an actress, singer, dancer, writer, and one of the stars of the movie "Playing Through."
Jonathan Shuskey enlisted in the Army the week before 9/11. He shares his experience of sitting in the barber’s chair getting his hair shaved when the planes struck the Towers. We also discuss how his confidence secured him a spot in his first Army golf tournament, some of the excellent golf courses on...
2024-07-1056 min
next on the teeSeason 11, Episode 36 Part 1: All-Army Golf Champion Jonathan Shuskey and One of the Stars of the Movie Playing Through Julie Rae Join Me...In Part 1 of Episode 36, I am joined by Jonathan Shuskey, a 20-year Army veteran, three-time Fort Benning Club Champion, and 2013 All-Army Champion, as well as Julia Rae, an actress, singer, dancer, writer, and one of the stars of the movie "Playing Through."
Jonathan Shuskey enlisted in the Army the week before 9/11. He shares his experience of sitting in the barber’s chair getting his hair shaved when the planes struck the Towers. We also discuss how his confidence secured him a spot in his first Army golf tournament, some of the excellent golf courses on military bases, hi...
2024-07-1056 min
The Recruiter's Recruitment PodcastEP229: Chris Whatling, Managing Director & Co-Founder The Animal People Recruitment Company - Why The Recruitment Industry Needs Shaking Up Chris Whatling is the dynamic Managing Director & Co-Founder of The Animal People Recruitment Company. Chris began his career in sales and customer-facing roles before he stumbled into the recruitment industry. Over his first few years in the field, he built both a temporary and a permanent desk from scratch across two agencies, gaining valuable management insights along the way. It was during this time that Chris met his future business partner and ventured into veterinary recruitment, discovering his true passion for the market.In 2021, post-pandemic, Chris co-founded The Animal People Recruitment Company, a business he...
2024-06-1832 min
Who Let the Dogs Out?How to hire the best (pet) people w/ Chris WhatlingTo learn more about Chris Whatling and his work click here:
https://animalpeoplerecruitment.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswhatling/
To learn more about Ricardo and his work click here:
http://iamricardomacedo.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamricardomacedo/
2022-01-2418 min
Inside Data Centre PodcastBusiness Critical Solutions - We need to be ambassadors for the data centre industrySend us a textIn this episode I am joined by Steve Whatling, Chris Coward, and Jim Hart from Business Critical Solutions. They have all followed a different path in to the data centre sector and now work as part of the leadership team of a highly successful data centre consultancy. We discuss how they each started their career in the data centre sector, the importance of training and development, what they look for when recruiting entry level and experienced employees, and what we can all do to improve the exposure of the sector. This is a m...
2020-10-2338 min