Pet Business Disruptors

In this episode, Clayton sits down with Tatum Brown, founder of the Social Dog Company, to unpack the often chaotic, highly emotional "Wild West" of the pet service industry. Sharing her raw and inspiring journey from beauty therapy and corporate marketing to navigating personal rock bottom on a blow-up mattress, Tatum details how her deep love for dogs sparked a thriving coaching business in Bali.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Vanity Metrics vs. Conversion: A viral social media video does not guarantee sales. True commercial success lies in targeted, conversion-focused content rather than broad, entertaining content designed only to feed the ego.

The Margin Mandate: Never set prices based on what competitors charge. Pet business owners must calculate their exact margins, factor in their own labor costs, and price their services to ensure long-term profitability and prevent burnout.

The "Asset" Mindset: A successful business should eventually be able to operate without you. If you cannot step away due to illness or vacation without the business collapsing, you don’t own a business you own a job.

Stop Trying to Be Everything to Everyone: Offering too many services dilutes your marketing effort and eats your profit. Streamlining your offers, packaging them attractively, and raising prices on high-value services is the key to scaling.

Delegation is a Revenue Generator: Doing low-value administrative tasks (like replying to Instagram DMs for three hours a day) actually costs you money. Outsourcing these tasks frees up your time to focus on high-level growth.

BEST MOMENTS

"I dare you to name one pet business owner that has not started their business because of a dog or because it was influenced by some kind of animal within their space."

"Follower count does not equal revenue, and it doesn't equal marketability."

"More clients isn't going to fix your business; it's going to break it harder, and you're going to resent the thing that you have built."

"You don't go into local supermarkets and say, 'Why does this bread cost this? Surely you can do me a deal.' The moment you start allowing yourself to be negotiated on price, you end up with lower-quality clients."

"Choose your hard. You can either go hard in a direction that's actually going to get you a better outcome... or you can just keep going hard in the direction that you're already doing and be in the same space for the next 12 to 24 months."

Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few.

Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica).

As well as being COO of one of the UKs fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/

https://www.tiktok.com/@petbusinessdisruptors

https://www.youtube.com/@PetBusinessDisruptors

This Podcast has been brought to you byDisruptive Media .https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

HOST BIO

There's no such thing as a fussy dog — only a symptom nobody has bothered to investigate. Sally Barker, The Canine Dietician, joins Clayton to dismantle the fear-driven marketing pulling dog owners apart from both sides of the feeding debate.

Sally shares her journey from "kibble-bashing warrior" to a deliberately middle-ground consultant who refuses affiliate codes and product launches. The conversation digs into why nutrition isn't a feeding method, the real problem with vets selling food, the danger of overfeeding fresh diets to giant-breed puppies, and why over-supplementation and probiotics are often doing more harm than good.

You'll come away better equipped to see past buzzwords like "human grade" and "clean ingredients," to understand when prescription diets genuinely earn their place, and to recognise that management often beats chasing an impossible cure. Above all, it's a reminder that meeting owners at their budget and circumstances serves dogs better than shame ever could.

Tune in for a refreshingly honest, myth-busting conversation that puts the everyday dog owner back in the middle.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Stop picking food by its ingredients list — Sally's EPI client nearly fed a "clean ingredients" diet at 28% fat that could have caused a medical emergency, when the overall nutritional profile is what actually matters.

Treat prescription diets as a bridge, not a life sentence — they exist to stabilise a dog from A to B, but owners are too often left stranded on them for years with no plan to find the root cause.

Introduce variety to puppies slowly and deliberately, from around five to six months, adding one thing per week like a child weaning — not a random pile of blueberries, oils and supplements that disrupts a developing gut.

Audit your supplements ruthlessly — you can't out-supplement a bad diet, multivitamins stacked on already-fortified food can hit toxic levels, and most probiotics should be a short "dump" course, not a daily forever habit.

Change your vet over how they treat you, not because they disagree with you — a good vet welcomes questions and explains their reasoning, and questioning isn't the same as always getting the answer you wanted.

STANDOUT QUOTES

"There's no such thing as a fussy dog — it's always either physiological, behavioural or a mixture of both."

"So these parasites that have been around roughly 70 million years are all of a sudden outdone by a rabbit's ear?"

"Companies thrive off fear, shame and guilt to sell a product — because it sells and it works."

"If you have to knock on my door to tout your religion, is it so good?" (on fear-based dog food marketing)

"Nutrition doesn't equal a feeding method."

About the Podcast / Host

Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few.

Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica).

As well as being COO of one of the UK's fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals.

⁠LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠TikTok⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode of Pet Business Disruptors, host Clayton sits down with Phivo, founder of Augustine Approved and creator of the Canine Masters natural pet health event in Melbourne, Australia.

Fivos shares how he stumbled into the pet industry after his own dog fell ill, and how that led him to become the first in the world to certify a dog food/supplement range to human organic standards — a process regulators initially thought was absurd. The conversation ranges widely: the shift from "pet food only" to "human-grade" marketing (and how that term has since been diluted), the realities of selling into big retail chains, the launch of his new "Great Dog Health Debate" podcast series, and this year's Canine Masters lineup including Dr Judy Morgan and fermentation expert Billy Hoekman. They also get into meatier (literally) industry issues — MDM vs. whole cuts in pet food, the overuse of flea/tick and probiotic products, the limits of AI-generated content, and why "natural" and "sustainable" have become close to meaningless as marketing terms.

Building the First Certified-Organic Dog Food Brand : Phivo explains how Augustine Approved began as an attempt to make fresh, home-delivered, fully certified organic dog food — a category that didn't really exist in Australia at the time. Getting certification and factory approval took roughly 12 months and required convincing regulators a rigorous human-grade standard was even worth applying to pet food.

The Problem With "Human Grade" and Other Marketing Buzzwords : Having helped popularise "human grade" as a pet food term, Phivo is candid about how far the phrase has drifted from its original meaning — pointing out that technically, hot dogs and chicken nuggets are "human grade" too. The same critique is applied to "natural" and "sustainable," which he argues have become marketing shorthand with little real regulatory teeth behind them.

Meat Quality, MDM, and Why Labels Don't Tell the Full Story : A deep-dive into how industrial meat processing (e.g. mechanically deboned meat/MDM vs. whole cuts) changes how pet food behaves nutritionally, even though ingredient panels may simply list it all as "beef" or "chicken" — making label-reading alone an unreliable guide to quality.

Personal Branding and Building Customer Trust : Phivo discusses why he chose to put his name and face to Augustine Approved rather than stay behind the brand, and how two decades of direct, personal customer relationships (in his prior 22-year wholesale business) built long-term loyalty in a way anonymous e-commerce struggles to replicate.

Launching the "Great Dog Health Debate" Podcast : A new video podcast format where the industry nominates natural-health vs. conventional-veterinary figures to debate respectfully, aiming to inform audiences rather than "win" arguments. Dr Nick Thompson is lined up as an early guest.

Canine Masters 2026 : Details on this year's natural pet health expo in Melbourne (Capital Theatre, October 31st), featuring Dr Judy Morgan as headline speaker, along with Billy Hoekman, Caroline Ingraham, and Lee Carroll ("the mushroom guru").

Skepticism Toward Studies, Regulation, and AI-Generated Content : Phivo and Clayton discuss how commercial incentives shape which studies get funded (and which don't), the gap between "legally safe" and "actually safe," and the risks of relying on AI to generate health content without the underlying expertise to fact-check it.

"I felt like to get out there and for people to have trust, I needed to put my name and face to it — so they know that if there's an issue, they can contact someone."

"Safe in the legal term means that the regulators have said 'you need to tick these boxes' — and if you tick those boxes, it's approved. But at the end of the day, it's only once those products go to market that we really find out what the real-world consequences are."

"If you actually know what you're doing and you're really good at what you're doing, there's absolutely no problem handing out your information for free."

Guest Resources

augustineapproved.com

thedoghealthguy.com

Canine Masters event — Melbourne, Capital Theatre, October 31st

About the Podcast / Host

Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few.

Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica).

As well as being COO of one of the UK's fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals.

LinkedIn | TikTok | YouTube

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode of Pet Business Disruptors, host Clayton interviews Billy Hoekman, the master formulator at Green Juju and a renowned expert in fermentation within the pet food industry. 

Billy shares his unique journey into the world of pet nutrition, which began with his own experiences as a dog owner and his quest to understand the best diet for pets. He discusses the importance of microbial diversity in pet diets, emphasizing the benefits of fermentation and how it can enhance gut health. 

The conversation also delves into the formulation of Green Juju's products, highlighting their focus on using organ meats like heart, liver, and kidney to create nutrient-dense foods. Billy explains the rationale behind their innovative approach and the significance of providing pets with a varied diet to promote overall health and resilience. 

Journey into Pet Nutrition : The guest's journey into the pet nutrition industry began in his mid-20s when he got his first dog. His initial question about what to feed his dog sparked a lifelong passion for pet health and nutrition, leading to over 15 years of experience in the field.

Importance of Microbial Diversity : Fermentation is highlighted as a key method for enhancing microbial diversity in pets' diets. The guest emphasizes that a diverse gut microbiome is crucial for overall health, similar to how farm kids are less prone to allergies due to their exposure to various microbes.

Innovative Approach to Probiotics : Unlike traditional single-strain probiotics, the guest advocates for using whole food cultures that contain thousands of different microbial species. This approach aims to provide a more comprehensive and beneficial probiotic effect for pets.

"I think we need to keep continually pushing on that and going how do we make this better." 

"I think any good bacteria is better than no good bacteria."

"I would much rather have them do that probiotic intermittently, and then feed a higher fiber diet." 

Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few.

Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica).

As well as being COO of one of the UKs fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/ 

https://www.tiktok.com/@petbusinessdisruptors 

https://www.youtube.com/@PetBusinessDisruptors 

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media .https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Clayton sits down with Mike Karsting, Senior Vice President at the World Pet Association (WPA), to dive deep into the world of SuperZoo. Mike shares the rich 76-year history of the event, explaining how it evolved from its humble beginnings in 1950 into the premier pet retail trade show in North America. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A Mission-Driven Event: SuperZoo is organized by the World Pet Association (WPA), a not-for-profit organization. 

Strategic Scheduling: Hosting SuperZoo in Las Vegas in August isn't an accident. It is perfectly timed for the sweet spot of holiday season purchasing, occurs right after kids return to school.

Quality Over Quantity: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, WPA reset their entire database and instituted stricter vetting processes for attendees.

Exhibitors Need a Game Plan: Simply paying for a booth isn't enough to succeed. Exhibitors must engage in pre-show marketing and submit items to the highly trafficked New Product Showcase.

Education is a Major Pillar: SuperZoo is not just about buying and selling; it's a massive educational hub. With over 60 sessions starting the day before the show floor opens.

BEST MOMENTS

"WPA is a not-for-profit, which means all the proceeds that come from the trade shows go back into the industry."

"You should not be outside in the middle of the day unless you're at the pool and you have a cocktail in hand."

"We essentially started over on our database. We took everybody out, we made everybody reapply for our first year back in 2021... all we're trying to do is exactly what you said, making sure the right people are on the show floor."

"Putting something in New Product Showcase... that's the number one destination on all of our research. It's the busiest spot of the show for retailers."

"If you just show up at SuperZoo and think you're gonna wing it, you're gonna end up seeing a million things and not remember any of it."

HOST BIO

Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few.

Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica).

As well as being COO of one of the UKs fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/

https://www.tiktok.com/@petbusinessdisruptors

https://www.youtube.com/@PetBusinessDisruptors

 

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/