“Oftentimes, positive reinforcement training ability translates well to humans too.”

In this episode, Craig Anderson talks with Mandy Stetzel and Kathleen Schonsheck, Co-owners of Uptown Pup, about how they built a successful pet care business by prioritizing transparency, trust, and a strong team culture. Mandy and Kathleen share their journey from passionate dog lovers to business owners despite having no formal business or leadership training. They discuss how they learned to lead, the importance of hiring and mentoring the right people, and how staying true to their values has helped them grow a business that serves both people and pets. They also explore how positive reinforcement—used in training dogs—can apply to leadership, the role of financial transparency in building team trust, and why leading by example is the best way to create a thriving workplace.

After You Listen:

• Visit Uptown Pup’s website at uptownpupindy.com
• Follow Uptown Pup on Instagram: @uptownpupindy
• Like Uptown Pup on Facebook: Uptown Pup
• Follow Mandy & Kathleen on BlueSky: The Uptown Girls
• Connect with Craig on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to Craig’s "The Evolving Leader" newsletter

Key Takeaways:

• Trust your instincts and learn from experience—even when you make mistakes
• Invest in leadership books, mentorship, and financial transparency with your team
• Know yourself, recognize your triggers, and prioritize self-care to be a better leader

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(01:02) Meet the owners of Uptown Pup

(01:52) Lightning round: leadership books

(05:01) Lightning round: leadership crushes

(09:11) The early days of building Uptown Pup

(12:47) Hiring and team building strategies

(16:29) Growing into leadership roles

(22:36) Maintaining culture and vision