Registration
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Registration details and hotel room block reservation information are published in the Facebook group Owners of Dog Daycares.
Vendors
Would you like to join our vendor showcase?
By exhibiting at The ODD Ball, you will increase your company's visibility to current and future customers by reaching your target audience -- dog day care owners from across the United States as well as internationally.
We also have sponsorship opportunities for those who would like to reach out to our membership but aren't able to join the Showcase this year.
Contacts us at oddconferencevendor@gmail.com.
Our Speakers
Sherry Acanfora-Ruohomaki, President/Owner, Facets Consulting Group
Sherry’s companies represent her unique ability to identify unmet business needs and build businesses that deliver unparalleled service to fill those marketplace needs.
Former Owner/CEO of K9 Kampus, a luxury Dog Daycare & Boarding Facility in Melbourne Florida that also offered Training and Grooming. K9 Kampus has 21,000 sq ft of indoor play yards and luxury boarding and grooming and a 3300 sq ft. dedicated training facility, as well as 35,000 sq. ft filled with 3 separate dog play areas with K9 Grass, a xero entry dog pool, covered shade sails, and a dedicated 100 ft x 210 ft Lure Course. Sherry successfully completed her exit strategy from the world of Dog Daycare and Boarding in June 2023
Facets Consulting Group provides expertise in technology start-ups, lean manufacturing principles, business development, organizational health/culture and effective communication and conflict resolution.
Sherry’s background includes B.S. degrees in both Computer and Electrical Engineering, an M.S in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Florida Tech, and an Executive MBA from the University of Central Florida. Sherry was the Director of Operations for Florida TechStart on the campus of Florida Tech, a technology accelerator funded by a 2 year grant from the National Science Foundation in collaboration with UCF’s highly successful Technology Incubator.
As owner of Facets Consulting Group she specializes in programs for Effective & Efficient communication skills in the workplace and conflict resolution and has developed her own programs for Corporate Organizational Health and Developing Business Cultures especially for small businesses. Sherry co-founded XL TechGroup, focused on technology innovation & company creation. She also worked in Silicon Valley California for LifeScan, a Division of Johnson & Johnson and Electronics for Imaging, as Manager of Manufacturing & Quality Engineering.
Sherry is the recipient of the 2016 Small Business Administration’s Business Person of the Year for the State of Florida and for the South Florida District and the 2014 Small Business Administration’s Women owned Business Person of the year for the South Florida District. Sherry was awarded the Space Coast Business Bernie Simpkins Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2016. Sherry has also been a Top Ten Nominee for the Bright House Regional Business Awards for 2015 and 2016 and has been nominated for the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce Women of Excellence award in 2014 and 2016. Sherry received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Psychology & Liberal Arts from Florida Institute of Technology in 2019.
Sherry also volunteers as a mentor/facilitator in the Ignite Program hosted by WeVenture on the campus of Florida Tech. Sherry serves as the President on the FIT Alumni Board of Directors and is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the No Limits Academy, a not-for-profit school for children with brain and spinal injuries.
Sherry is married to Davin Ruohomaki who is the Vice President, Deputy Aviation, National Business Line Leader for WSP USA. They have a beautiful 16-year-old daughter Isabella who is a blossoming equestrian who competes in Dressage, Hunter, Jumper, Eventing and competes on an IEA Competition team with hopes of competing in college for Texas A&M University.
Prior to receiving her engineering degrees, Sherry was a crew member and mechanic for a Professional Pro Stock Drag Racing Team and enjoyed bracket racing in Englishtown New Jersey with her own car that she still owns today. Sherry is Black Belt in Karate and was a fitness instructor for 17 years. The Ruohomaki family has been made complete with their dog Tootsie and their 2 bunnies Pizzaz and Finito and recently Memphis (AKA Lonesome Dove) a 10-year-old Thoroughbred Horse.
~~~~~~
Topic 1: Effective Communications Skills Between Staff and Clients.
Staff Training and On-boarding.
In this session, Sherry will explore the following topics. Understanding the basics of communication to make your life easier while achieving your goal. How to communicate effectively with staff. How to communicate effectively with clients. How to address conflict in the work place. How to stop conflict before it happens.
~~~~~~
Topic 2: Managing Up. (Managers only!)
In this session, Sherry will explore the following topics. What does it mean to be a manager? What type of manager do you want to be vs what type of manager does the owner of the business want you to be? Managing staff vs managing clients. Management techniques to save you time and your sanity
Krista Castro
Krista left a successful corporate career in sales and management to pursue a new career path in pet care and dive into the world of entrepreneurship. After feeling unsatisfied with local options for dog daycare and boarding for her Pitbull, Tica, Krista was inspired to create a business that offered a genuine approach to pet care that can still be profitable while always putting the wellbeing of the dogs first. In 2016, she opened Pawparazzi offering dog daycare and boarding. In 2022, she moved from her original 4,600 sf facility to a 24,000 sf facility and now offers both dog and cat boarding, dog daycare, dog training, and more.
With limited space in her first facility, she focused on quality and not quantity as she learned how to creatively increase the value per dog each day. The best way to achieve this was to have a menu of add-on services or products available to the clients that wanted them, as well as creating fun themed events which separated her from her local competition. She carried this concept through to her larger facility, and her clients continue to enjoy these unique and creative events for their pups!
Krista is originally from Texas and graduated from Texas State University with a BA in Marketing. In her free time, she loves spending time and exploring Los Angeles with her husband, two young daughters, and her Pitbull, Tica.
~~~~~~~
Topic: Creating Events & Activities that Delight Your Clients and Your Team
Krista will be sharing some of the creative events and activities she offers at her pet resort that have proven to delight her clients, engage her team, and help increase overall revenue. Being “extra” for your clients doesn’t have to be costly to your business.
Catherine Crews, Founder and Owner, Canine Crews, Kitty Crews, and MINDful Day School
Meet Catherine Crews, a proud Chicagoan since 1999, who's crafted a unique journey blending her love for pets and her vibrant city. She holds a double major in History and Art from the University of Arkansas, which fueled her creative spirit and love for culture.
After a solid decade in the metal industry, Catherine decided it was time to turn her volunteer passion into a business. In 2009, she laid the foundation for Canine Crews, a beloved pet care hub. Canine Crews officially opened its doors in West Bucktown on January 4, 2010. It's become the go-to place for pet parents, specializing in dog daycare and boarding.
But Catherine didn't stop there. In 2022, she introduced Kitty Crews, a haven for cats offering top-notch boarding and care. In 2023, MINDful Day School and Day School Training joined the family, ensuring that all pet care needs could be met under one roof.
Catherine's dedication to excellence extends to her participation in professional associations like the International Boarding & Pet Sitters Association (IBPSA), Pet Care Services Association (PCSA), Owners of Dog Daycares (ODD), and National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS). She's also made her mark on local chambers of commerce, including a stint as President of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce in 2016-2017. In 2018, she graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Cohort 22.
Outside of her business endeavors, Catherine's all about staying active and sharing laughter with friends and family. She's into CrossFit, yoga, and good food and wine.
Catherine's been a dog lover most of her life and currently shares her home with Puddles, a lively 5-year-old mixed breed, and Crash, an energetic 1-year-old black lab.
Catherine's heart belongs to Chicago. She's deeply invested in her neighborhoods and businesses, actively participating in local community groups, collaborating with fellow small businesses, and making her community a better place every day.
Catherine Crews' journey is proof that passion, community engagement, and dedication can shape a fulfilling life and make a lasting impact on the pet care industry and the city she adores.
~~~~~~
Topic: Why is scaling your business SO hard?”
Catherine will be discussing what it means to scale (different from growth) and why processes, situational leadership & communication play such a large role in success.
Jill Dretzka, Owner, Work and Woof, Austin, TX
Jill Dretzka is the owner of Work and Woof in Austin, TX. Work and Woof is the country’s only Daycare, Coworking Space and Indoor Dog Park combined concept. Work and Woof specializes in crate and kennel free boarding and shared office space for pet parents.
Before opening her daycare, Jill worked in social media marketing creating and executing strategy for businesses around the world. TikTok and Instagram are her social platforms of choice and she spends her free time outside of work with her Australian Kelpie Lucca, her inspiration for Work and Woof.
~~~~~~
Topic: The Current State of Affairs of Social Media
This presentation will be presented in an open Q&A format. Jill will be presenting on topics specific to social media in the dog daycare industry as well as taking social media questions live. Topics include but are not limited to hashtags, TikTok, KPI/ROI, outsourcing and more!
Brian Fleming
Brian Fleming is a Mystic, Connecticut-based dog behavior consultant, known for specializing in aggression and complex cases. As the co-host of The Canine Complexity Podcast, author of the Chaos and Canines publication, and guest speaker - he combines mathematical philosophy and behavioral science to address the fundamental patterns and challenges underpinning our lives with dogs.
~~~~~~
Topic 1: Intro to Chaos Theory in Biological Systems.
Perhaps you have heard of "The Butterfly Effect", or "Chaos Theory" - it's more than just the theme of some thought-provoking movies, it is the nature of the world around us. Join me, Brian Fleming, as we dive into the universal patterns hidden in life all around us. We will examine the complexity of systems and by extension the complexity of behavioral systems. Dogs, humans, and all of their beautiful...and sometimes stressful unpredictability. Welcome to Chaos Theory.
~~~~~~
Topic 2: The Chaotic Collective: Nonlinear Social Dynamics in Dog Groups.
Making predictions about a dog's social behaviors and temperaments can be difficult. Sometimes it seems like issues can pop out of nowhere! In this presentation, you will learn how to find simplicity within all that complexity, how conflict can 'scale' over time and space, and how canine social structures can vary, change, and adapt. We will identify 'hot zones' for conflict, and how to be on the lookout for 'conflict avalanches' so that dogs can have fun while staying safe.
Jeff Gish, PhD
Dr. Gish earned his Ph.D. in Management from the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business before joining the Department of Management faculty at UCF as an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship. His research is at the intersection of entrepreneurship and organizational behavior, including topics such as entrepreneurial well-being, an entrepreneur’s personal psychological resources and the depletion/recovery of those resources, individual-level crowdfunding performance, the development of culture in new and established organizations, and social movement influences on startup activity. Prior to his academic role, Gish founded multiple businesses with successful exits, and is currently an investor and advisor in several startups.
His research publications have appeared in peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, and Personnel Psychology, and been featured by Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, Fast Company, Thrive Global, and several other popular press outlets. Jeff serves on the editorial review boards for Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. He was born in Alaska and currently lives in Florida with his wife and three children.
~~~~~~
Topic: Sustainable Self-Employment Careers
Ever debated with yourself whether you should “burn the midnight oil” or rest and try again tomorrow? You’re not alone. People who are self-employed make these decisions in their careers perhaps more than any other career path. In this workshop, you will have an opportunity to 1) evaluate your approach to a sustainable career, 2) compare your approach to others who are self-employed, and 3) learn about new research on how self-employed individuals are building sustainable and balanced work and home lives.
Dr. Jeanne Goodfellow, DVM, RN
After graduating from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Jeanne Goodfellow spent 6 years working in a companion animal general practice. Since 2008, Dr. Goodfellow has worked as a Professional Services Veterinarian for Novartis and Virbac, and a Sr. Professional Services Veterinarian for Merck Animal Health where she has been a BRAVECTO® field liaison, monitoring parasitology trends and working with marketing to address these trends through education and sales initiatives. Dr. Goodfellow has a special interest in parasitology and dermatology. Her favorite part of her position is meeting with her talented veterinary colleagues, learning about their practices, and presenting information that can be utilized to improve the lives of patients and clients. Dr. Goodfellow was presented with the 2018 Customer Care Award for exhibiting outstanding service to both internal and external customers, and is also a Neurocolor trainer—certified to facilitate neuroscience based personality workshops to improve communication within a team.
Additionally, as a busy mother, professional, and advocate for the profession, she understands the reality of life and its challenges. Her genuine and authentic ability to connect with everyone she meets sets her apart, which helps her develop solutions for practices that differentiate and accelerate their own unique business model. For a brief moment in time, whether in education or discussion mode, Dr. Goodfellow is part of your team.
~~~~~~
Topic: Stop the Cough! This Dog has a New Trick to Fight Infectious Respiratory Disease
What’s new and changing with coughing dogs? This presentation serves to create awareness and discussion regarding the diagnosis, management, and prevention of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC). The basics of epidemiology, clinical signs, clinical diagnostic challenges, proper diagnostic methods, treatment, and prevention for CIRDC will be reviewed as well as new strategies to fight canine infectious respiratory disease.
Amy Hillis, Social Pet Hotel and Daycare
Amy is Social Pet Hotel and Daycare’s Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Middle Childhood Education from Ohio University and a Master’s Degree in School Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She also earned her Certificate of Leadership and Change from Queens University of Charlotte.
During her time as a teacher and administrator, she recognized the power of differentiating instruction to meet each child’s individual needs and has worked to translate that to the pet care industry. Amy has a passion for raising awareness of the need for independent certification in the pet care industry and currently serves as the Chair of the Professional Animal Care Certification Council (PACCC) board and the chair of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association (IBPSA) Education Committee. In 2023, she won the IBPSA Industry Leader Award, which recognizes those who have made outstanding efforts to improve the pet care industry through humanitarian or animal welfare efforts and/or education and industry development. She is also a Certified Professional Animal Care Operator, Pet Tech Instructor (PTI #2588) and a Fear Free Certified Professional.
~~~~~~
Topic: How We Reduced Turnover by 62% and Kept It That Way
It's Spring 2023 and we're wrapping up an expansion of our 1st location while opening a 3rd location. We're also losing staff, turning away dogs, and struggling to hire. Oh, and our General Manager and Director of Operations turn in their notice at the same time. This is the story of how we became fully staffed, "stopped" hiring, and accelerated our growth within 5 months. Attendees will leave with specific ideas for hiring and retaining staff through compensation, culture, and communication.
Spencer Mak
Spencer Mak comes to ODD with over 15 years of experience in Corporate leadership roles. His first career had him starting out in a PetSmart doggy daycare, and moving into the role of District Training Manager. He was an integral part of PetSmart's Dog Training curriculum overhaul while leading his district to number #1 in the nation for revenue, and his store to #3 overall.
After PetSmart's acquisition by Private Equity, Spencer then joined a Travel Agency local to AZ at the ground level as a Sales consultant. After quickly moving up the ranks into Sales leadership, then ultimately taking over the entire account as the Director of Enterprise Accounts & Operations, over the course of 7 years Spencer helped to build this next company into a $500M+ exit.
Spencer & Lauren Mak finally decided to open their own Doggy Daycare/Boarding/Training Operation in June of 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. By applying a lot of the strategies, skills, and decision-making processes he has acquired during his time as a leader in the corporate world, the Maks have been able to build a multi-unit, multi-million-dollar operation in less than 2 years!
Spencer lives in Chandler, AZ with his wife Lauren, daughter Ellie, and 4 dogs. Spencer's passion is to continue to be disruptive in the industry while retaining a passion to help other business owners become great leaders by equipping them with the tools they need to have great personal and financial success!
~~~~~~
Topic: Indoor Dog Parks
Considering adding an Indoor dog park component to your next expansion? Looking for a new revenue stream idea to help bolster your bottom line? Want to raise revenue without raising prices? Spencer Mak will be leading a talk on lessons learned during the opening of AZ's first indoor dog park. Hear about the timing, the space, the build out, the membership model, staffing, wins, challenges, and everything in between to give you more context as you continue to grow and scale your services!
Derek Matthews, PhD
At the age of 24, Derek Matthews became the youngest leadership PhD in the country. With his passion for leadership, Derek Co-Founded Character Quest, a leadership development firm trusted by small-size to Fortune 500 businesses. He is a Forbes leadership and coaching contributor. Derek brings 15 years of experience in operations, sales, and leadership from his family’s 4th generation Miller Coors distribution company, Matthews Distributing. He played an integral part in the growth and sale of the family business in 2021. Since then Derek was invited to partner with MiCamp Solutions, an industry leading merchant services company. He is determined to help business leaders like you build people and boost bottom line profitability through his portfolio of services.
~~~~~~
Topic 1: Lions, Beavers, Otters, Golden Retrievers.
Effective communication and leadership in the workplace.
~~~~~~
Topic 2: The Secret to Maximizing Your Team’s Engagement, Performance, and Productivity.
The truth is organizations are not getting the performance they need from their teams. Why? Leaders fail to tap into the diverse personalities, strengths, and leadership styles of their team members. Join Derek today as he shows you how to maximize engagement, performance, and productivity from your employees. This training was implemented at a $1B company and helped increase their enterprise value 30%. You will walk away with with tools to ensure your employees bring their best self to work everyday.
Laurie McCauley, DVM
Dr. McCauley has had a lifelong passion to help as many pets as possible live an Optimum Quality of Life. After graduating from Colorado State School of Veterinary Medicine, she spent six years in general practice and quickly became a pioneer in the field of Veterinary Rehabilitation. She went on to open the first Veterinary Rehabilitation Clinic in 1998 and designed the first underwater treadmill for dogs.
Dr. McCauley was on faculty at Canine Rehabilitation Institute for 14 years and has taught thousands of veterinarians, and other rehabilitation professionals the art of Canine Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine. She is certified in Acupuncture and Chiropractic therapy and Board Certified by the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. McCauley is an international lecturer and contributing author in many textbooks and journals. She was awarded the 2011 Iams AARV Award of Excellence in the Field of Rehabilitation and the 2015 AHVMA Holistic Practitioner of the Year Award. She regularly steps in as the head of the Integrative Medicine department at the Louisiana School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. McCauley owns Red Tail Rehab, a mobile canine rehabilitation practice in North Carolina. She began her business, Optimum Pet Vitality, in 2020 to teach professionals and pet parents different ways to help their clients and pets achieve Optimum health.
~~~~~~
Topic: Integrative Therapies & How to Use Your Knowledge to Stand Out.
This session will explore acupressure, massage, laser therapy, targeted exercises, aromatherapy, and nutritious snacks as tools for enhancing canine well-being. Learn how these integrative therapies can help dogs live happier, healthier lives without resorting to traditional medicines that may have potential side effects. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your expertise and improve the lives of dogs and their owners while setting your business apart in the industry.
Jim Muehlhausen
Like most entrepreneurs, Jim Muehlhausen has an eclectic background ranging from CPA, franchisee, attorney, business owner, consultant, franchisor, public speaker, university professor, and book author.
After starting several successful businesses, he found his true passion, serving as a consultant, business coach, and advisor to hundreds of businesses. He has conducted 10,000+ one-on-one consulting sessions with business owners around the globe. He has previously written two well-regarded books, The 51 Fatal Business Errors and How to Avoid Them, and Business Models for Dummies, and has contributed to publications such as Inc., The Small Business Report, Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, and various business journals.
Jim has now turned his attention to the problems facing aging business owners. By studying thousands of business owners, collecting their best practices, and augmenting them, Jim created the Half-Retire Blueprint. This step-by-step process helps business owners create a profitable alternative to selling their business via Half-Retirement. This trademarked system is outlined in Jim’s book Half-Retire: Keep Your Business, Ditch the Stress.
~~~~~~
Topic: Half-Retired: Over-Coming the Daily Grind.
Keep the business: lose the stress. How to get out of the daily grind and capture as much value from your company as possible. A six-step process to transform your business from a source of hard-earned income to a source of equity income.
Joe Meyers
Joe Meyers is a marketing expert in the pet industry, keynote speaker, dog dad, and founder of Share, a digital marketing agency. Joe has been featured in USA Today, Pet Life Radio, Pet Age, Minnesota Business, INC, pet podcasts, and many pet and tech blogs. He has traveled around the United States to speak about marketing in the pet industry.
~~~~~~
Topic 1: Unleashing Potential: Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Grow Your Business.
Calling all dog daycare owners, this dynamic speech is tailor-made for you! Join us to discover how to transform your business through the magic of social media. We'll explore engaging strategies, viral pet trends, and effective online campaigns that not only boost your presence but also your profits. Be prepared for a paw-sitively exciting journey filled with insights, laughter, and plenty of tail-wagging success stories!
~~~~~~
Topic 2: From Concept to Clicks: Crafting Compelling Social Media Videos One Step At a Time.
This talk is a must for anyone looking to elevate their social media video game. We'll guide you through the process, step by step, from conception to creating videos that truly resonate with your audience. Join us for a journey filled with practical insights, expert tips, and real-world success stories. Don't miss this opportunity to refine your video content and boost your online presence – it's time to turn concepts into clicks!
ODD Panel: Extracting Value
ODD Panelists: (To be announced)
~~~~~~
Pay yourself first! Come and learn from a panel of your peers in the same industry about how they were able to extract value from their business. How do we make sure that you as the Owner are taken care of first? How do we know when it's time to hire? How do we know how much we can afford to pay? What are some healthy ratios for revenue to lease? Revenue to labor? We will talk about directing your income to ensure that you are benefitting both personally and professionally. The strategies we will share will be invaluable to extracting value from your business and will be steps in building wealth from business ownership!
Dr. Valli Parthasarathy, PHD, DVM, DACVB
Dr. Valli Parthasarathy is the owner of Synergy Veterinary Behavior, a behavior specialty practice in Portland, OR. She helps families whose dogs, cats, bird, horses, and other species show problematic behaviors. Her goal is to help support positive behavioral change through greater mutual understanding and improved relationships between people and their animals. She has been invited to speak at national and international conferences on topics in veterinary behavior ranging from early recognition of problem behavior and treating behavior problems in various species, to making veterinary care less stressful for patients.
~~~~~~
Topic 1: Canine Body Language and Social Behavior: A Veterinary Behaviorist's Perspective.
Understanding social behavior and body language is important for the smooth running of a daycare. This presentation will review body language and social behavior commonly seen in the daycare environment, what they may indicate from a veterinary behavior perspective, and how to determine whether the behaviors are appropriate or may indicate a deeper concern.
~~~~~~
Topic 2: Behavioral Medications: What Daycare Staff Need to Know.
Behavioral medications are being used more commonly in the veterinary field, and for good reason! Behavioral medications can be the thing that allows a family to keep their beloved dog. This presentation will cover general types of behavioral medication, myths and facts surrounding them, what are things that daycare staff should know about veterinary behavioral medications, and what things they should watch for in the pets in their care.
Dan Poirier
Dan Poirier opened Fetch n’ Catch in 2012 with his cousin Mallory. Since then, it has grown into the largest dog daycare in Buffalo NY, offering dog daycare, boarding, and grooming. In 2017, they opened Fetch n’ Catch Day School, an enrichment based daycare facility, followed by Fetch n’ Catch Training Center in 2021. In 2023, they acquired a second enrichment based daycare location a few miles down the road. In total, Fetch n’ Catch employs over 50 staff members and cares for over 200 dogs per day.
In 2018, Dan & Mallory began consulting for other pet care facilities. In 2020, they launched PackPro Training, an online learning platform designed to teach Daycare Group Management, Dog Body Language, and Customer Service skills through a series of video lessons, quizzes, and hands-on exercises. In total, through consulting work and PackPro, Dan & Mallory have taught tens of thousands of individuals and worked with hundreds of facilities across the U.S. and around the globe.
Dan & Mallory’s philosophy is simple. They focus on taking care of their team, who in turn take care of clients & pets. Staff retention, company culture, training & development, expectations and accountability, and daycare group management are their areas of specialty.
~~~~~~
Topic: Fully Staffed: Reality or Make-believe?
Today, businesses are more often competing for staff than for clients. Learn how to set yourself apart to attract and retain quality employees. Create a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and personal growth to keep your team engaged.
Philip Richmond, DVM, CAPP, CPHSA, CPPC, CCFP
Dr. Richmond is a practicing veterinarian and the Founder | Chief Consultant of Flourishing Phoenix Veterinary Consultants, LLC. He advocates for positive culture and individual, team, and organizational psychological health, safety, and wellbeing in veterinary workplaces.
Dr. Richmond leads and is involved in state, national, and international projects for advancing workplace wellbeing and culture in veterinary medicine. He has served as Chief Medical and Wellbeing Officer for Veterinary United. He currently serves as the Florida Veterinary Medical Association’s Professional Wellbeing Committee Chair. He is also a member/advisor for several national committees and boards for workplace suicide prevention, psychological health & safety, and veterinary wellbeing, including those sponsored by the CDC/NIOSH, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Veterinary Hope Foundation, Veterinary Visionaries, MentorVet, and Appalachian State University.
Dr. Richmond is a speaker and published writer, a frequent veterinary podcast guest, and holds multiple certifications in applied positive psychology, appreciative inquiry, workplace wellbeing, psychological health & safety, trauma-informed workplaces, resilience training, behavior change, and suicide prevention. He was awarded the FVMA Gold Star for service in 2019, FVMA Veterinarian of the Year in 2021, and the Uncharted Veterinary Community Founder’s Award in 2023.
~~~~~~
Topic 1: Growth Mindset: Be Curious, Not Judgmental.
This Walt Whitman quote is at the heart of a growth mindset. Decades of research have confirmed that there is a science to resilience and success. Growth mindset is the key to peak performance, wellbeing and personal mastery. Uncover the impact of mindset in day-to-day life. Learn tested practices for combating judgment, selfdoubt and self-criticism while harnessing your mental power. Support others in unleashing their creativity and resourcefulness.
Learning Objectives:
• Learn why some people plateau while others flourish.
• Understand how to turn obstacles into opportunities.
• Practice preventing negative self-fulfilling prophecies (SFPs).
• Learn to curb harmful judgments and criticism.
• Understand how to redirect toxic thoughts.
• Stay solution focused when your brain wants to be problem-focused. • Decrease stress and feelings of overwhelm.
• Feel empowered with tools for showing up in the world the way you want to.
• Distinguish between growth mindset and fixed mindset thoughts, feelings and actions.
• Understand how beliefs become self-fulfilling prophecies.
• Debunk fixed mindset from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience. • Understand the malleability of the human mind.
• Identify best practices for redirecting judgment, blame and social comparison into useful tendencies such as curiosity, proactivity and win-win problem solving.
~~~~~~
Topic 2: Proof Positive: Successful Teams Seek Psychological Safety.
Psychological safety is the most important aspect of successful teams. Our ability to feel safe to share ideas, to grow from failure, and to be honest with empathy allows our team to bypass the “interpersonal mush” that can exist otherwise. A sense of belonging, ability to be vulnerable, and strong interpersonal relationships are the initial ingredients to create this environment. We can assess psychological safety in a team using different tools. If psychological safety is lacking, we can help foster it using specific interventions, including civility and growth mindset work.
Agenda:
• Intro to psychological safety
• Discuss vulnerability, belonging and high-quality connections (HQCs) as foundation
• Discuss Edmondson’s research on psychological safety
• Importance of psychological safety on team cohesiveness and culture
• Exercise: Psychological safety assessments
• Elements of psychological safety in the workplace
• How to promote these elements in your workplaces
Learning Objectives:
1. Learn the definitions and importance of vulnerability, belonging and HQCs in the workplace
2. Learn Amy Edmundson’s foundational research on psychological safety
3. Understand how to utilize psychological safety assessments
4. Learn ways for increasing psychological safety in the workplace
5. Experience methods for increasing psychological safety in the workplace
Dr. Richmond's presentations are brought to us by Fear Free®
Angelique Salazar-Belvill, Club ULD
Angelique Salazar-Belvill is a Denver entrepreneur who is passionate about creating opportunities that meld neighborhood, community and business. She has successfully applied her management skills to businesses in dog care, real estate, restaurant/hospitality, retail, and others.
She founded the award-winning U Lucky Dog boarding and daycare facility in Denver in 2010, and she upgraded it into a new location in 2021. Also known as Club ULD, the facility offers boarding, luxury suites, individual play, bathing services, one-on-one walks and more. Countless testimonials over the years contain a common thread in their praise of Angelique’s personal attention to the pets’ well-being.
Long time clients Matt and Meredith Williams recently wrote in a testimonial…”The ownership/management team clearly care about their customers and dogs because they are continuously evolving their business - whether it's upgrading the play areas and overnight suites, adding more grooming services and playtime options for the dogs, or offering fun promos and contests for owners, it's clear Angelique and her team genuinely love dogs. All in all, ULD has become a trusted partner for us since moving to Denver in 2013 and we have complete peace of mind that Layla and her brother Rigby (who has been a regular for 3 years now) are safe and in good hands.”
Angelique has underscored her interest in canine welfare with multiple charitable initiatives over the years. For instance, when a massive hurricane threatened dogs and cats with fast-rising floodwaters in the Bahamas in 2019, she raised thousands of dollars to support the humane society there.
~~~~~~
Topic: Big Moves and Lessons Learned.
Join Angleique Salazar-Belvill and Mark Klaiman as they discuss the process of making a complete facility move, planning involved, execution, and all the lessons learned. She will discuss the ways starting a new business and starting over in a new location differ. Although most of us will never make this big a move, there are lessons for us all on managing projects while running our businesses.
Hailey Seidel
After graduating from the University of Calgary in 2007, Hailey founded what was then a small, home based dog walking and pet sitting company when she was unable to find a quality care provider for her beloved Great Dane.
Fast forward 10 years and Hailey was awarded Calgary's Top 40 Under 40 distinction for her entrepreneurial work and successfully sold what had become Calgary’s largest pet care provider in 2017. In a year of down time The Petropolitan was conceptualized and brought to life.
~~~~~~
Topic: Market Smarter, Not Harder.
Hailey will discuss the ins and outs of marketing, budgeting, as well as wholistic marketing planning for both new and existing clients.
Elise Vincentini, Owner, Downtown Dog Lounge
Elise opened her 1st Downtown Dog Lounge in Seattle in 2002. Her own dog survived bloat and was the inspiration to create a high level, multi service facility for people to have their dogs well taken care of.
With 21 years experience building and running Daycare, boarding, grooming and training locations, she also opened a Dog Bakery and Dog Yard Bar social club and is always looking for new ways to serve the dog community.
~~~~~~
Topic: Unionization in the Dog Service industry.
With a staff of nearly 100, the employees unionized with very little notice or discussion. She felt like she really took good care of her team with higher than average pay, health insurance and perks galore, so this really surprised her.
Elise is here to tell her story and give you insight on the impact a Union really has on all facets of the business. She will be discussing the pros and cons of having a union elected into a small business.
Abigail Witthauer
Abigail is the founder and owner of Roverchase and has been a professional dog trainer for nearly two decades. She a certified canine behavior consultant, a certified professional dog trainer, and one of just 70 trainers worldwide selected by Victoria Stilwell to hold the prestigious title of Victoria Stilwell Professional Dog Trainer.
Abigail previously has worked as a veterinary technician, professional groomer, and professional pet sitter. When Abigail is not at Roverchase, she can often be found on her small hobby farm in Alabaster and working within the non-profit The Roverchase Foundation.
~~~~~~
Topic: Is Drop Off Day Training Right For You?
In this presentation, hear Abigail Witthauer speak about her 10 years of experience with drop off day training at her facility, Roverchase, in the suburbs of Birmingham Alabama. In this presentation you will learn how to set up a day training program, staff appropriately for a day training program, learn from Abigail's decade of experience developing and implementing this type of program, and get practical insights on whether adding drop off day training to your offerings might be the right fit for you and your facility.