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

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

08 Sep, 2025

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

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?

(36:49) All right. Where can we go to learn more about you and what you do?

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Michael Seitz

www.linkedin.com/in/michaelseitzceo

www.EarthWisePetFranchise.com

www.EarthWisePet.com

www.GROOMBAR.com

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

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Virginia Purnell

Virginia lives in Northern Alberta on a small farm with her husband and three children. Virginia is a master funnel builder having been certified as an FG Society Master Marketer, Funnelytics, and ClickFunnels Certified Partner. She uses that knowledge to help businesses with their online presence, visibility, and sales.