Network & Knowledge: Breaking Into the Booming Pet Industry

The pet industry is more than treats, toys, and grooming appointments. It is a fast-growing, trust-driven market built around lifestyle, convenience, wellness, and emotional connection.

Breaking Into the Booming Pet Industry is a 60–90 minute industry briefing designed for military veterans who are curious about business ownership, franchise opportunities, mobile service models, animal health, pet products, or emerging trends in the pet economy.

The U.S. pet industry reached $158 billion in 2025 and is projected to continue growing, with major opportunities across services, products, mobile convenience, pet technology, and animal health. This session will help participants understand the market, identify high-growth niches, and evaluate different ways to enter the industry.

This briefing will also highlight why veterans may be uniquely positioned to succeed in this space. The industry rewards reliability, trust, discipline, consistency, and the ability to show up for customers — traits deeply familiar to those who have served.

The pet industry by the numbers
Understand the size of the market, projected growth, and why pet spending continues to remain strong.

The five major sectors of the pet industry
Learn about services, products, mobile and convenience models, pet technology, and animal health.

Trends creating new opportunities
Explore humanization, premiumization, subscription models, mobile services, senior pet care, pet technology, and animal wellness.

White space for veteran entrepreneurs (this event is open to public, all are welcome)
Identify where veteran skills may translate into strong business opportunities, including mobile grooming, tactical and outdoor pet gear, senior pet care, behavioral training, and rural or underserved markets.

Business models worth studying
Compare franchise, mobile-first, subscription, and product-based entry points.

Risks and realities
Get a clear look at labor challenges, burnout, insurance, liability, customer acquisition costs, and margin pressure.

Resources to support your next step
Learn about VetFran, SBA Veterans Business Outreach Centers, SCORE, Boots to Business, APPA, and industry intelligence resources.

The class includes an operator spotlight featuring Kylee Hudson, CEO of HydroDog Mobile Dog Grooming, whose path from healthcare operations to franchise ownership and mobile pet services offers a real-world look at what it takes to build in this industry.

This session is ideal for:

Veterans exploring entrepreneurship
Military spouses interested in business ownership
Transitioning service members considering franchise or small business options
Entrepreneurs looking for a new market opportunity
Anyone curious about the pet industry, animal health, mobile services, or pet-related business models

By the end of the session, participants will have:

A clear map of the pet industry
A better understanding of emerging opportunities
A realistic view of the risks and requirements
Examples of business models to study
Specific resources to explore
Three actionable next steps to continue researching the industry

Whether you are interested in launching a mobile service business, exploring a franchise, building a product brand, or simply learning more about the market, this briefing will help you take a smarter first look at one of the most resilient and opportunity-rich industries in the country.

is the Founder and Managing Director of , a fractional CFO, early-stage investor, and longtime Tampa Bay entrepreneurial ecosystem builder. With nearly three decades of accounting and finance experience, Ashby has worked alongside founders and executives through major growth milestones, including revenue scaling, financial modeling, M&A preparation, board-level reporting, and exit strategy.

Ashby brings a unique lens to this briefing because his work spans growth-stage companies across industries including technology, consumer products, public safety, healthcare, Agtech, and animal health. He was raised on a farm by veterinarians, a background that informs his affinity for animal health ventures and gives him a personal connection to the pet and animal care space.

As an adjunct professor of Entrepreneurial Finance at the University of Tampa’s Sykes College of Business, Ashby is also deeply committed to helping entrepreneurs understand the financial realities behind growth, opportunity, and long-term business success.

About Action Zone:

Action Zone helps the military community learn the business of running a business ensuring economic success post service through entrepreneurship. Action Zone provides the knowledge entrepreneurs need to ideate through their idea and develop their business model canvas, providing them more opportunity for success beyond the startup phase. We equip them with the network, tools, and opportunities needed to launch and grow successful businesses. Action Zone moves them from lifestyle entrepreneurs to successful business owners with programs developed by seasoned entrepreneurs and business owners. If you’re interested in getting involved by sharing your expertise or through sponsorship, email us at [email protected].

Thank you to our host the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center.

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