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

Update: 2025-09-08

Description

Show notes (bullet style)

Mike’s path from dentistry plans to pet franchising
Scaling EarthWise Pet: 3 stores → 200+ units; 9 acquisitions; 51 corporate stores
Ideal franchisee profile: passion, alignment, “in the trenches” grit, financial readiness
Regionality & marketing: different buying habits, local ad spend, video & reviews
Pet nutrition edge: 3-tier Dietitian certification; vet advisory council; AI dietitian for accessible guidance
Total Pet Care plan (24 months): 250 stores, 150 mobile units, bi-coastal warehouses, e-com + DTC
Mobile grooming & mobile nutrition pros; delivery tactics
Culture shift: owner-operator → multi-unit; avoiding “weeds” thinking
M&A realities: due diligence, fees, team acqui-hires, and bank/attorney orchestration
Leadership & resilience: risk, failure as learning, anti-shame ethos for customers

Resources & Links

Guest: Michael Seitz — LinkedIn
EarthWise Pet (Franchising): https://www.EarthWisePetFranchise.com
EarthWise Pet (AI Dietitian on homepage): https://www.EarthWisePet.com
GroomBar: https://www.GROOMBAR.com

Key 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?