Designing Software for the Pet Care Industry with Jordy McNamara
What happens when a pet care business owner decides the industry doesn’t need another scheduling tool, it needs better growth tools?
In this episode, I sit down with Jordy McNamara, founder of Critter, to talk about where pet care technology is headed, why marketing remains one of the biggest untapped opportunities in our industry, and how business owners can use automation without sacrificing the relationships that make this work so meaningful.
Jordy brings a unique perspective. He entered the pet care industry through technology, started a pet care company to better understand the challenges operators face, and ultimately built Critter after seeing a gap between operational software and true business growth tools.
Learn More About Critter: Jordy and the Critter team will be joining us as the Premium Sponsor of the DogCo Business Summit. If you’d like to learn more about Critter, schedule a demo, or connect directly with Jordy, you can email him at jordy@critter.pet
We discuss everything from CRM systems and marketing automation to AI, client retention, referral programs, and the evolving role technology will play as pet care businesses continue to grow and mature. One of my favorite parts of this conversation is the shared belief that technology should strengthen relationships, not replace them. As our industry grows, finding that balance may be one of the most important challenges we face.
If you’re curious about the future of pet care, marketing, automation, and scaling a service-based business, I think you’ll enjoy this one.
Key Takeaways
• Technology should support relationships, not replace them
• Pet care remains early in the technology adoption curve
• Marketing and client engagement represent major growth opportunities
• Good automation depends on good data
• Referral systems remain one of the highest-leverage growth channels
• Software should be viewed as a growth investment, not just an expense
• AI will likely evolve differently inside pet care than in other industries
• Business owners need better visibility into marketing ROI
• Scaling businesses requires different tools than solo operators
• The future belongs to companies that combine operational excellence with intentional growth
Cheering You On,
M
Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit
if you’re serious about growing your pet care business alongside other ambitious operators, I’d love to have you at the DogCo Business Summit
October 2nd–4th, 2026
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Steve will be speaking live, and we’ll be working through these exact challenges, leadership, communication, and building stronger teams.
Learn more and grab your spot at: https://dogcosummit.com
Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible?
If you want to see how clarity, leadership, and intentional systems can transform a pet care business, I’ve put together a case study showing how one company grew monthly revenue from $19,000 to over $73,000 in a single year. It breaks down the decisions, structure, and leadership shifts behind that growth, not just the outcome.
You can access the case study at dogcolaunch.com/case-study and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who are ready to grow sustainably.
To learn more about how DogCo Launch helps pet care companies grow and scale, visit dogcolaunch.com.
Michelle Kline is the founder of DogCo Launch, and the host of the DogCo Secrets Podcast. Michelle spends her time helping pet care companies in the industry grow and scale their teams, increase their revenue, and increase personal profits - all while protecting their time. Learn more about Michelle here.
