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IN THIS EPISODE of Behind the Pages, host Keith Miller talks to Giselle Ugarte of Media Bridge Advertising about how to use LinkedIn to promote your pet business. She also shares the four types of successful social media posts and why your social media should be like a party at your house.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

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This episode of Behind the Pages is chock full of business advice AND reality TV scoop. You read that right. Host Keith Miller chats with Jennifer Kirk of Posh Puppy Boutique and Posh Paws Grooming in California. She consulted and provided clothes on both “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” sequels and now works with Lisa Vanderpump of “Beverly Hills Housewives” and Vanderpump Dogs fame. Kirk shares how she gained such social media success and offers advice on how you can do the same, plus she and Keith talk about their Small Business Saturday plans.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

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THE 2020 presidential election has divided this country. Is it a good idea, then, to carry poop bags featuring the faces of candidate and President Donald Trump and candidate and former Vice-President Joe Biden? MetroPaws founders Jonathan and Megan Bolton think so!

“The idea is to encourage people to vote, to get people involved, to get people to get engaged,” Jonathan Bolton tells host Keith Miller in this episode of “Behind the Pages.”

Bolton and Miller offer stores advice on how to carry the Smear Campaign’s Democrap and Repooplican Poolitical bags without offending voters for either candidate. Bolton also shares how these bags came about and whether their sales are a predictor of who will win.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

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FANS of “Dumb and Dumber” will especially appreciate this episode of Behind the Pages, in which host Keith Miller talks to Andy Wiltz of Woof’s Play & Stay in Kansas and Missouri. Wiltz has recreated the Mutt Cutts van from the film and now uses it to promote his grooming, day care and boarding facilities.

Check it the WoofsMobile, described as “A Hoodle. Half Honda. Half Poodle. Representing Woof’s Play & Stay since 2020 (probably one of the only cool things to actually happen in 2020).”

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

The post Podcast: Why This Doggie Day Care Owner Covered His Car in Shag Carpet appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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THIS EPISODE of Behind the Pages features Pattie Zeller of Animal Connection in Charlottesville, VA. Host Keith Miller talks to her about the decision to move and expand during the COVID-19 pandemic. She shares that competing with Amazon and Chewy has never been more important, and that she plans to offer products and services that will help her do exactly that. Zeller also offers advice to those opening a pet business for the first time right now, when one of the major trade shows of the year has been canceled.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

The post Podcast: Why COVID-19 Won’t Stop This Pet Business From Expanding appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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THIS EPISODE of Behind the Pages covers business insurance! Host Keith Miller talks to David Pearsall of Business Insurers of the Carolinas. He joined the family business in 1995, which at the time insured about 300 pet sitters nationwide. Pearsall helped grow that segment of the agency to more than 8,000 to 9,000 pet businesses insured each year. He stresses the importance of using an insurer that specializes in pet businesses, so that you have as much coverage as possible for the many challenges facing you this year and beyond. He also talks about whether there will be pandemic insurance in the future and answers questions from the PETS+ Facebook Community.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

The post Podcast: Find Out What Business Insurance You Should Have in 2020 and Beyond appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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THIS EPISODE of Behind the Pages is chock full of actionable advice! Host Keith Miller talks SEO with Matt Aldrich of Pet Engine Marketing. Not only does Aldrich share simple changes you can make to boost your website’s search standings, he also outlines how you should be using Google My Business posts to do the same. Aldrich also warns you off several website features that can actually work against you in search engines.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

The post Podcast: Improve Your Website’s SEO with These Quick and Easy Tips appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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HOST KEITH MILLER and Nancy Guinn of Dog Krazy stores in Virginia talk about the ways they are supporting small businesses of all types in their communities, including buying gift cards from local restaurants to reward customers who buy pet food for a local rescue. This episode of Behind the Pages also features call-ins from Angela Pantalone of Wag Central in Stratford, CT, and Pattie Zeller of Animal Connection in Charlottesville, VA.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

The post Podcast: How Pet Businesses Are Supporting Their Communities During COVID-19 appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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WHAT ARE INTERCHANGE FEES? Payment gateway fees? How do you get the best credit card processing deal for your business? In this new episode of Behind the Pages, host Keith Miller answers these questions and many more with help from guest Randa Kriss, staff writer for Fundera. The online resource offers advice and comparison tools that help small-business owners make smarter financial decisions.

Listen to a new episode of Behind the Pages on the first Friday of every month. Keith interviews experts on a variety of business topics, adding his own knowledge and experience as owner of four Bubbly Paws dog washes in the Minneapolis area. It’s the perfect audio companion for a drive into work, daily walk or run, or during your lunch break.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out PETS+ podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

The post Listen Up! Understand Credit Card Processing Fees in New Behind the Pages Podcast appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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ON THIS EPISODE of Behind the Pages, host Keith Miller talks with Beth Gordon, whose Whippet, Kuiper, is known to his 150,000 Instagram followers as @spacewhippet. The pair criss-cross the country visiting musuems and historical sites, teaching science, history and civics to folks who just want to look at dog pictures. Gordon shares the key ways to approach and interact with online influencers, as well as what got her and her pup into the field of Insta-celebrity.

You can also follow Kuiper’s adventures on his website, Instagram and Facebook.

Meanwhile, enjoy this Instagram post of Kuiper acting out a popular current meme.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST: Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out petsplusmag.com/education/podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

The post Keith Miller Geeks Out With Science Whippet Kuiper’s Mom appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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ON THIS MONTH’S Behind the Pages podcast, host Keith Miller and his guest help you master some insanely easy — but hidden — aspects of listing your company on Google.

Keith spends time with Paul Counts, who runs digital marketing firm MarketingCounts.com and hosts a podcast of the same name.

Counts shares details on how simple fixes to your Google profile can help your business achieve a higher profile in searches — like merely ensuring that your address is identical everywhere you have it posted on the web. He relates the importance of having a Google “short name” and demonstrates how that name can help you garner customer reviews easily.

Behind the Pages is created by Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area. New episodes will be released on the first Friday of every month. Subscribe to Behind the Pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts. Or check our podcast page. for past episodes.

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ON THE NEXT Behind the Pages podcast, host Keith Miller finds out the back story of Fi, a tech startup that developed “the Apple Watch” of GPS dog collars. Keith’s guest is Fi founder and CEO Jonathan Bensamoun, who developed the collar and app with his dog, Thor, in mind.

This collar is amazingly cool, with GPS tracking capability, activity tracking, light for night walking, a waterproof case, interchangeable nylon straps in two colors and an Apple or Android app that controls and monitors the whole thing wherever anywhere a cell signal is present. And — get this — its battery goes up to 3 months without a charge. (For now, the collar is sold only through the company’s website, tryfi.com, and the company is exploring distribution through other means.)

Keith and Jonathan discuss the collar but then go into the challenges of starting a company and bringing a product to market. Don’t miss this episode if you’re into tracking your dog’s fitness routine or whereabouts — or if you’ve got an idea for a product you dream of launching.

Behind the Pages is created by Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area. New episodes will be released on the first Friday of every month. Subscribe to Behind the Pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts. Or check our podcast page. for past episodes.

The post Podcast: Learn More About Fi, the Ultimate in GPS Dog Collars appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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IN THE LATEST Behind the Pages podcast, host Keith Miller discusses ways to hone your own health and fitness to give you the energy and stress-free mood you need to run your business at a higher level. His guest is health coach and self-proclaimed “wellness junkie” Caitie Motta (coachcaitie.com).

Spoiler alert: The key to success involves diet and exercise … and a lot of the same advice you give your customers about their pets — but forget to follow yourself.

In their discussion, Miller and Motta tak about eating to improve mood, the importance of finding the right exercise regimen for you, sticking with it, and not beating yourself up too much when you inevitably back-slide.

Don’t have time to listen to the latest episode of Behind the Pages immediately when it launches on Friday? Here’s one tip you can get started with immediately: Reduce stress by setting some boundaries in your life. Put your phone on “do not disturb” and check it only at set times. Do the same for email. Belong to groups with negativity? Quit them. Let staff members know what matters to approach you with and when.

Behind the Pages is created by Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area. New episodes will be released on the first Friday of every month. Subscribe to Behind the Pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts. Or check our podcast page. for past episodes.

The post Podcast: Wellness Junkie “Coach Caitie” Teaches You to Care for Yourself as Well as You Care for Your Pets appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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ON THIS EPISODE of Behind the Pages, podcast host Keith Miller talks with cyber security expert Chris Moschovitis, author of the book, Cybersecurity Program Development for Business. He was part of the team that developed Vet Office Suite software for veterinary practices, but Moschovitis’ current — and career-long — focus is on keeping businesses’ computer systems and data secure. The two delve into ways to keep your business safe online with password managers, two-factor authentication, the perils of cloud-based software and backup practices.

Don’t have time to listen to the current episode of Behind the Pages yet? Here’s one tip from the conversation to get you started to keeping your business safe: Use a service like LastPass for companywide password management. Short of that, use a meaningful phrase all run together combined with something like a childhood phone number.

Behind the Pages with Keith Miller of Bubbly Paws, located in the Minneapolis, MN, area, posts a new episode the first Friday of every month. Check out petsplusmag.com/education/podcasts for past episodes and links to subscribe with your favorite podcast service.

New episodes of Behind the Pages will be released on the first Friday of every month. Subscribe to Behind the Pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts

The post Podcast: Talking Cybersecurity, and Keeping Your Pet Business Safe Online appeared first on PETSPLUSMAG.COM.

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THE HOLIDAYS are right around the corner and with them, wintry weather that makes us want to escape to somewhere warm. In Keith Miller’s latest Behind the Pages podcast, he talks with Johnny Jet, the man Forbes Magazine has called “the original travel influencer.”

Johnny Jet began dispensing travel advice online back in 1995 and now travels 150,000 miles a year. He’s made it his life’s calling to help others get travel deals.

Keith admits having a travel expert on a podcast for pet pros may seem a little out there, but says that “as a business owner, I believe that getting away from your business makes you a better business owner.” Additionally, doesn’t every small business owner want to find the best deal on business travel? (What immediately comes to our minds is tickets to Chicago for the PETS+ Wellness Summit Oct. 1-2!)

In this latest Behind the Pages installment, Keith and Johnny dive into ways to find the best deal on flights and hotels — even touching upon which credit cards benefit a small business owner the most.

You’ll be glad you spent 21 minutes listening!

Keith Miller owns Bubbly Paws, four dog-washing salons in the Minneapolis area, and Johnny Jet runs johnnyjet.com.

New episodes of Behind the Pages will be released on the first Friday of every month. Subscribe to Behind the Pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts

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This month on Behind the Pages, host Keith Miller speaks with Daniel Lentz, one of the founders of Aquapaw, a pet bathing product that achieved notoriety when it was featured on Shark Tank earlier this year.

Aquapaw is a palm-sized dog scrubber and sprayer that attaches to the hand, allowing users to handle their dogs (or other animals) with both hands. The product was featured on Shark Tank in January 2019, and received received investment offers from three of the Sharks (Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Bethenny Frankel). After several rounds of offers and counter-offers, however, the Aquapaw team walked away without a deal.

With Aquapaw now more firmly established, Daniel’s current goal is to build a line of pet bath products that make bathing time easier and less stressful, for both users and their pets (3:00).

Daniel discusses the initial concept of Aquapaw, which he came up with in college at Virginia Tech in the early 2000s. He and Keith discuss the process of taking a product from idea to prototype to salable product (4:00). While the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter played a large role in Aquapaw’s initial launch, Daniel warns how the platform has become a place where counterfeiters and copycats troll looking for innovative product ideas to steal (7:00).

Keith and Daniel also discuss consumer and pet brands worth emulating (8:30), taking a moment to rave about the awesome-smelling lavender-scented poop bags from Earth Rated (9:35).

The two then discuss Aquapaw’s appearance on Shark Tank (10:05), the excitement and benefits of being on the show, and why Daniel and his partner eventually turned down the offer from the show’s investors.

Finally, Daniel responds to a few questions from readers of PETS+:

• Marilyn in Alaska asks what keeps the Aquapaw team pushing to create new products (13:20)
• Josie in Maine asks what Daniel’s best advice for someone creating a new pet product (14:40)
• Ken in Michigan asks whether the Aquapaw partners got to hang out with the Sharks after the show (15:40)

New episodes of Behind the Pages will be released on the first Friday of every month. Subscribe to Behind the Pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts

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HOW CAN a pet business owner locate, attract and keep millennial employees long-term?

That’s the subject of the third episode of “Behind the Pages”, the PETS+ podcast hosted by Keith Miller, who owns four Bubbly Paws dog washes in the Minneapolis, MN area.

For the podcast, Keith reaches out to consultant Maggie Baker, who specializes in building employee engagement and developing company culture at businesses around the country, including the San Francisco SPCA. Maggie, 34, calls herself “the Happy Millennial” and can be found on Instagram @happymillennialamags.

In the discussion, Maggie describes herself as a “happiness junkie” (1:20), and claims to have read every book about happiness ever published. She and Keith discuss employee happiness surveys, which Keith has recently implemented with Bubbly Paws, admitting that the first time he did one, he was scared “crapless” (4:15).

Maggie discusses the characteristics of millennials (5:50), nothing that the current millennial age range is 23 to 39. She’s tired of hearing how terrible employee millennials can be (6:30), claiming that within the next two years they will make up 50% of the workforce. “You’ve had enough time to make fun of us,” says Maggie. “Now let’s come together in the workplace. We’ll do some things our way, some things your way, and we’ll reach a really happy compromise in the middle.”

Maggie and Keith discuss engagement strategies, including preferred modes of communication. In his business, Keith has learned that sending emails is a no-no (7:50). His younger employees just don’t use emails as much as he does. “Half the staff is … ‘Can you just text me?’”says Keith. (Not to mention the one staff member who asked Keith to send him his work schedule on Snapchat.

In the reader question section of the podcast, one PETS+ reader asks how a small store without a big budget can make millennials happy (13:40). Besides pizza and/or donuts, Maggie says one key is flexibility in scheduling PTO (personal time off).

Then see how Keith and Maggie respond when another pet business owner asks if he should block Instagram and Snapchat on his company wifi in an effort to force employees to focus on their work (16:00).

Finally, in response to another reader question on where to find millennial employees, you’ll hear the creative solution Keith used when he needed to fill a bunch of groomer positions in his businesses and couldn’t find candidates on Craigslist, Monster or LinkedIn (20:00).

New episodes of Behind the Pages will be released on the first Friday of every month. Subscribe to Behind the Pages on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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IN THE LATEST EPISODE of our new podcast Behind the Pages, host Keith Miller welcomes social media expert Katherine Martin from Whirlaway Marketing for a wide-ranging discussion of doggie influencers, Facebook, Instagram and even Kendall Jenner.

If you’re a pet business owner struggling to maximize your social media time investment, this conversation will provide you with key do’s and don’ts for major social platforms.

Connect with Katherine and Whirlaway Marketing on Instagram at @whirlawaymarketing, or on her company website whirlawaymarketing.com.

Behind the Pages host Keith Miller is the owner of Bubbly Paws, a self-service dog wash and grooming salon with four locations in the Minneapolis area. If you have questions or suggestions for future Behind the Pages podcasts, email Keith at keith@bubblypaws.com.

SHOW CHRONOLOGY

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IN THE DEBUT EPISODE of the PETS+ podcast Behind the Pages, host Keith Miller talks with web design and copywriting guru Liz Theresa, digging into the nitty-gritty details of what pet business owners need to know about redesigning a website in 2019.

Guess what? The process is a lot different than it was even a few years ago.

From Theresa, you’ll learn about the creative process, what you’ll need to pay, how much fun it can (and should) be, as well as the danger of trying to do too much on your own in WordPress.

Learn more about Liz Theresa at her website at liztheresa.com.

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