Shows
Pet Biz Project23. Navigating Retail, Relationships & Resilience with Rachael Tricarico from HoundztoothIn this episode, Tarryn sits down with Rachael Tricarico, founder and CEO of Houndztooth, a premium Australian pet wellness brand dedicated to supporting the health and happiness of dogs through natural, science-led products.Rachael shares the heartfelt story behind Houndztooth’s beginnings, inspired by her beloved Staffies, Hugo and Stella, and her mission to create clean, effective solutions for pets with sensitive skin and health concerns. From product development and packaging design to launching in major retailers and expanding into supplements and toppers, this episode gives a transparent look at the highs and cha...
2025-07-2157 minPet Biz Project22. Exhibit Smarter: Inside the Strategy of Dog Lovers & Cat Lovers Festival Success with Paul Mathers from Pet Projects InternationalIn this episode, Tarryn sits down with Paul Mathers, Group Festival Director at Pet Projects International—the team behind Australia’s much-loved Dog Lovers and Cat Lovers Festivals.Join us as Paul shares his journey from acting and theatre production to leading some of the country’s most iconic consumer events for pet lovers. This conversation dives deep into the evolution of the festivals, the growing demand for immersive and authentic brand experiences, and why live events remain such a powerful platform for connecting with pet parents.Whether you’re a pet brand new to e...
2025-06-0251 minPet Biz Project21. The Emotional Power of Pet Photography with Dave Pidgeon from The Dogs PyjamasIn this episode, Tarryn sits down with professional pet photographer Dave Pidgeon to explore the critical importance of high-quality photography and videography for pet brands.Join us as we dive into Dave's journey to becoming a sought-after commercial pet photographer for leading brands. This conversation reveals eye-opening statistics about how professional imagery directly impacts purchasing decisions and why investing in quality visual content is essential for pet businesses looking to stand out in a crowded marketplace.Whether you're a pet business owner, marketer, or creative professional, this episode provides valuable insights on creating...
2025-05-0547 minPet Biz Project20. Empowering Independent Pet Businesses Across Australia & NZ: Inside IndePet with Tia WishartWelcome to Episode 20 of the Pet Biz Project. This week, Tarryn sits down with Tia Wishart from IndePet to explore the power of community and collaboration in the independent pet retail space.Tia shares her journey from a corporate legal career to finding her purpose in the pet industry, and how IndePet is supporting a network of over 50 independent pet stores across Australia and New Zealand. She opens up about how the member-owned model empowers store owners, fosters collaboration, and ensures that pet parents get tailored advice from passionate and knowledgeable professionals.From...
2025-04-2841 min
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldErin Axelrod: Equalizing Access to the Tools and Levers that Grow the EconomyIn this episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Erin Axelrod from LIFT Economy to explore the mechanisms and practices that support the growth of a non-extractive, regenerative economy. Challenging traditional business paradigms, Erin explores how worker-owned enterprises, B-Corps movement, and even potluck dinners can transform economic systems to benefit all life - not just humans, but entire ecosystems. Blending examples of serious systemic change with a playful approach and homemade ice cream, this conversation offers a radical reimagining of how we understand business, purpose, and our collective home.Key Takeaways:Businesses should be...
2025-04-1046 minPet Biz Project19. Behind the Refresh: Why We Reimagined Pet Biz CreativesIn this special episode, co-founders Tarryn and Erin Michie pull back the curtain to reveal why they decided to refresh the Pet Biz Creatives website. Join us as we discuss the journey behind our new look, the reasons for the redesign, and how our value-driven, emotion-powered approach now shines through our digital presence. If you’ve ever wondered about the role of design and strategy in shaping the future of pet brand marketing, this episode is for you!We’re diving into the futuristic, space-inspired aesthetic, the new website features, and how it all t...
2025-03-1740 minPet Biz Project18. Innovation, Integrity, and Personalisation: Building a Purpose-Driven Pet Food Brand with Dr. Will Maginness from 5 HoundsWelcome to Episode 18 of the Pet Biz Project. This week, Tarryn sits down with Dr. Will Maginness, founder of 5 Hounds by Dr. Will, to explore his unique journey from professional football to veterinary care to launching a purpose-driven pet nutrition brand.Dr. Will shares how his deep connection with animals and holistic approach to pet health led him to create a business that prioritises individualised nutrition plans for dogs. He opens up about the challenges of rebranding, his commitment to ethical and sustainable sourcing, and the importance of building meaningful relationships with pet parents.
2025-03-0337 minPet Biz Project17. Ethics, Empowerment, and Excellence: Redefining the Pet Industry with Dr. Roz from Australian Pet NutritionWelcome to Episode 17 of the Pet Biz Project. This week, Tarryn sits down with Dr. Roz to unpack the powerful intersection of ethics, transparency, and empowerment in the pet industry.Dr. Roz shares her expertise as a leading voice in ethical pet nutrition and welfare, offering insights into how businesses can balance scaling with staying true to their core values. From the importance of transparent supply chains to empowering pet parents to advocate for their animals, this episode dives deep into what it takes to redefine success in the pet industry.Topics covered...
2024-12-0951 minPet Biz Project16. Mastering Customer Connection and Trust in the Pet Industry: with Diana Scott from Frontier PetsWelcome to Episode 16 of the Pet Biz Project, where Tarryn is joined by Diana Scott of Frontier Pets to discuss the essential elements of building trust and connection with pet parents while staying true to your mission.Diana, founder of the conscious and ethical pet food brand Frontier Pets, shares her insights into creating a purpose-driven business that empowers pet parents to make informed choices. Together, Diana and Tarryn explore what it takes to build a brand that not only meets the needs of pets but also resonates deeply with their owners.They...
2024-11-1858 minPet Biz Project15. The Secret to Creating a Successful Pet Wellness Brand: with Ayda Hornak from PetWellWelcome to Episode 15 of the Pet Biz Project, where Tarryn is joined by Ayda Hornak from PetWell to discuss what it takes to build a successful pet wellness brand, whilst constantly evolving with the needs of your community.Ayda Hornak, co-founder of the incredibly popular Australian pet wellness brand PetWell, joins Tarryn to discuss the importance of building a brand with a mission, the role of customer-driven development and the unique challenges of the pet wellness industry.They also talk about Ayda’s personal journey to forming a brand dedicated to creating natural, nu...
2024-11-0542 minPet Biz Project15. The Secret to Creating a Successful Pet Wellness Brand: with Ayda Hornak from PetWellWelcome to Episode 15 of the Pet Biz Project, where Tarryn is joined by Ayda Hornak from PetWell to discuss what it takes to build a successful pet wellness brand, whilst constantly evolving with the needs of your community.Ayda Hornak, co-founder of the incredibly popular Australian pet wellness brand PetWell, joins Tarryn to discuss the importance of building a brand with a mission, the role of customer-driven development and the unique challenges of the pet wellness industry.They also talk about Ayda’s personal journey to forming a brand dedicated to creating natural, nu...
2024-11-0441 min
Pop DNABarbie: When You Think of Sparkle, You Think of Female Agency.We are back from a long, semi-unplanned hiatus, but don't worry, there's still plenty more Barbie to talk about! This week we look at how both Barbie Land and Stereotypical Barbie's perspective in the film explore gender and femininity.
How does Barbie Land fit into the context of women-dominated societies in other fictional works?
How does Barbie as a film both defy and uphold patriarchal beauty standards?
And how does Barbie as a character help us as women and feminine people explore how we can define femininity and identity for ourselves?
2024-04-031h 12Pet Biz Project14. Creating Financial Stability For Your Pet Biz: with Tricia Ong from Mintrix Business AdvisoryWelcome to Episode 14 of the Pet Biz Project, where Tarryn sits down with Tricia Ong to chat about the fundamental steps to creating a stable, steady financial environment to protect your pet business success. Tricia Ong, founder and business management advisor at Mintrix Business Advisory, joins Tarryn to discuss the importance of knowing your numbers in your business, and how to manage the rising cost of living impacting on many areas of your business - both now and in the future. They also talk about developing cash buffers and understanding seasonal fluctuations, to pr...
2023-08-2946 minPet Biz Project13. PR Essentials For Pet Businesses: with Caroline Zambrano from PetJournoWelcome to Episode 13 of the Pet Biz Project, where Tarryn sits down with Caroline Zambrano from PetJourno to chat about PR opportunities for pet businesses. Caroline Zambrano, founder and managing director of PetJourno, a PR, Content Writing and Social Media service, joins Tarryn to discuss how pet brands can work to build trust with pet parents, establish themselves as a thought leader in the industry and build a relationship with the media.They also talk about the key steps you can take to ready your brand to prepare for media exposure, how to n...
2023-08-2839 minPet Biz Project12. Cultivating Long-Term Loyalty: with Narelle Cooke from CanineCeuticalsWelcome to Episode 12 of the Pet Biz Project, where Narelle Cooke from CanineCeuticals joins us to talk about running a business centred on canine healthcare. In this episode Tarryn chats with Narelle Cooke, a renowned Natural Health & Nutrition expert, clinical naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist and also the owner of the wellness clinic ‘Natural Health and Nutrition’. Together, they discuss the importance of pet brands creating an ecosystem of education, value and support that goes well beyond just selling products. And they also share the benefits this has on creating long term customer loyalty in your b...
2023-08-1535 minPet Biz Project11. How to Build a Successful Pet Business: with Arianne Sackville from Bell & BoneWelcome to Episode 11 of the Pet Biz Project, which is officially the first episode of Season 2!In this episode Tarryn sits down with Arianne Sackville from Bell & Bone to discuss some of the frustrating challenges that business owners face when trying scale their business. Along with what you can do to overcome these.They also look at what pet parents are really looking for from pet brands, and how to assess deeply what drives their purchasing behaviour and decision making when it comes to the health and wellbeing of their dogs....
2023-08-1445 minPet Biz Project10. The Key Mistakes Pet Brands MakeIn the final episode of Season 1 of the Pet Biz Project, your co-hosts Tarryn & Erin Michie sit down to discuss the Key Mistakes Pet Brands Make. The mistakes discussed here aren’t assumptions or generalisations - but are, in fact, gathered directly from pet parents themselves. In 2021, Pet Biz Creatives conducted its very own pet parent survey, exploring how relationships with pets had been impacted by the global COVID 19 pandemic, as well as how pet owners viewed pet brands. In total, we received over 710 responses from men and women across Australia. In this epis...
2022-11-2153 minPet Biz Project9. The Key Steps to Build Your Email ListWhen it comes to email marketing, the only way it will be truly effective is if you have an interested, engaged and responsive email list. In other words. people who actually want to receive and interact with your emails. But how do you go about building this quality of email list?In this episode, co-founder of Pet Biz Creatives Erin Michie once again rejoins Tarryn to discuss the hows, whats, and whys of building a healthy, lucrative email list. Including the benefits of building your email list alongside other marketing channels like social m...
2022-11-0748 minPet Biz Project8. Scaling Your Pet Business: with Melissa Devereaux from Laila & Me + Rawvolution Pet FoodWhen starting out growing your pet biz, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the #1 goal you should have as an entrepreneur is to “scale scale scale”. However, sometimes scaling too quickly or without the infrastructure in place first can lead to some major headaches down the line. Thankfully, in this extra fun episode of the Pet Biz Project we are joined by Melissa, founder of the hugely popular Laila & Me, and hear a little about her own story (and challenges) when growing her pet biz.With over 15+ years experience in the wo...
2022-10-2448 minPet Biz Project7. Attracting a Pet Loving Community: with Katy & Shell from Dogfolk Photography and Pretty FluffyFor small pet brands, it can feel overwhelming to know how best to both present and represent yourself online. If that sounds familiar, then this episode is going to be gold for you. Because today, owners of Dogfolk Photography and Pretty Fluffy, Katy & Shell join us to discuss how to make an impact online through strategic product images, curating an online community and dealing with algorithm changes.Katy & Shell suggest top tips for keeping your online identity simple and achievable, especially when it comes to your social media presence, as well as how to increase...
2022-10-0951 minPet Biz Project6. The Power of Education Based Marketing: with Dr Nicole Rous from Shy TigerIf you’re a pet brand with an unconventional product on offer, or don’t know the best path to nurture trust and loyalty in your pet parent audience, then this is an essential listen for you. In this episode, founder and owner of Shy Tiger, and Melbourne veterinarian and dog owner, Dr Nicole Rous shares her experience of building a respected, popular and recognised pet brand. Nicole offers an invaluable sight into the importance of connecting with pet parents through educating and empowering them to care for their pet’s wellbeing. As when you do offer this ad...
2022-09-2546 minPet Biz Project5. Developing an Exit Strategy For Your Pet Brand: with growth coach Adam McDonaldIf you’ve just started out building your pet biz, chances are you haven’t fully considered your exit strategy or the idea that one day you may want to sell off your business. In this episode, growth coach and experienced ecommerce pet biz owner Adam McDonald talks about the importance of developing an exit strategy for your pet brand - and the potential pitfalls to avoid along the way.The golden lesson from this episode is that it’s vital that you prepare for sale well in advance, as you never know when y...
2022-09-1255 minPet Biz Project4. Connecting With Pet Parents Through Email MarketingDid you know that email marketing is actually an incredible tool to build your pet biz? We’re huge believers that meaningful email marketing is essential for powerfully connecting with the modern pet parent. Which is why in this episode, co-founders of Pet Biz Creatives Tarryn and Erin sit down to discuss exactly how to create a purposeful, effective and streamlined email marketing strategy that will help to grow your pet biz and generate more revenue. We discuss how investing your time, energy and finances into creating compelling emails (that your pet parent audience love) can have pro...
2022-08-2839 minPet Biz Project3. How to Build Meaningful Relationships with Pet ParentsHow do you build meaningful relationships with pet parents as a pet biz? More importantly, what does a ‘meaningful relationship’ even look like? In this episode, Tarryn and Erin (co-founders of Pet Biz Creatives) discuss how pet businesses can hugely benefit from nurturing trust, value and community with their pet parent audience - specifically through being purposeful and strategic in how they connect and communicate with this community.We reveal why the modern pet parent doesn’t want to simply be sold to, how pet parents’ relationships with our pets have evolved since the pandemic, and how you can...
2022-08-1430 minPet Biz Project2. The Power of Video and Brand Storytelling: with Linh Podetti from Dawn MediaHow do you help customers to connect with your brand on a personal level? How do you help them get to know, like and trust you? That’s the power of video and in this episode, Tarryn sits down with Linh Podetti to discuss how video content is key in forging deeper & more emotive connections with your community.With over ten years of experience in marketing and business growth, Linh Podetti shares her expertise in video marketing and how it can help entrepreneurs to both build a stronger brand and support them to more powerfully connect with co...
2022-07-2536 minPet Biz Project1. Building a Pet Business with a Greater Purpose: with Emily Martin from DundiesWhat does it take to build a pet biz with a greater purpose than just selling products? In this episode of the Pet Biz Project Podcast, Tarryn sits down with award-winning business owner Emily Martin who shares her vision for her eco-friendly and sustainable pet nappy company, Dundies, which helps pet parents to care for happier and healthier pets.Emily Martin is the founder of Dundies, a reusable premium nappy company for dogs that was created from Emily’s own needs in caring for her rescue dog, Sophie, who was born with Spina Bifida and struggled with in...
2022-07-2353 minPet Biz Project0. Introduction to the Pet Biz Project PodcastWelcome to the Pet Biz Project podcast. This is the show which helps pet brands, marketers, business leaders and entrepreneurs to build more meaningful relationships with & sell more effectively to one of Australia's fastest growing consumer groups - Pet Parents.Each fortnight we chat with a Marketing Specialist, Pet Brand, or simply hop on ourselves, to share with you invaluable insights and inspiration on how to grow your business and more effectively connect with this influential consumer.Our goal is ultimately to help you, our listener, to build meaningful relationships with your pet parent audience...
2022-07-2306 min