Inspiring Conversations with Alex Varney of Pinnacle Pets Play & Stay

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Varney.

Hi Alex, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Brief Overview:
My parents and I started Pinnacle Pets Play & Stay from nothing in 2016 with the desire to create a safe place that cared about pets the same way we cared about our own pets – like family members with individual personalities.
With that vision in mind, we created a facility that pet parents trust, focusing on honest, transparent communication and services that cater to a wide variety of pet needs.
Some of our benefits:
1) On-site 24/7 care (a rarity in pet resorts!)
2) Daily report cards to pet parents for no extra charge.
3) While there is no standardization or inspection of pet places like ours, we choose to follow the AKC recommendations for group ratios, grooming standards, and more. This is also rare in our state.
4) 24/7 streaming cameras in many of our rooms and group play areas.

Over the past 10 years of operation, we have continued to grow and improve, but I have also become a national expert in the field of professional pet care. I attend 2-4 conferences and speak on 1-2 podcasts a year, teaching leadership, operational efficiency, the foundations of building a pet resort, and team culture.
These public speaking engagements have opened up new doors to continue to help my industry grow and change. I launched Considerably Bold – a coaching and resource company for pet professionals that I hope to share with all small businesses. My first product, a leadership coaching deck, just launched this year.

A benefit of operating Pinnacle Pets that I wasn’t expecting is that it opened up so many doors to connect with and support my community. I am extremely involved in Grove City, including:
– Grove City Chamber of Commerce Board member
– Grove City Rotary Club Public Image Chair
– Grove City Chamber of Commerce Marketing Co-Chair
– Southwest Leadership Academy committee member
– Project Life business partner
– Committee member of the Career-Based Intervention program in Southwestern City Schools
– Graduating member of the Grove City Citizens’ Police Academy

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is never a smooth road, but we grow from our challenges and stressors.
COVID, of course, was a big one. We lost all our revenue and shut down for a couple of months, taking care of a singular cat whose family was stuck out of the country when the world shut down. It was a scary time, and a lot of businesses never made a resurgence. We are very fortunate that we were able to bounce back.
Professional pet care is a shifting industry – standards are rising (a good thing), competition is increasing, and many small businesses are struggling in general.
Culturally, pet resorts typically hire younger people, and that age group has been challenging in the workforce across the board. I think that’s why I’ve been able to become a speaker at conferences and provide support because we overcame most common challenges that others continue to face by caring for our team with the same passion we care for our guests.
Economically, prices are rising, labor costs (which is our biggest expense) are high, and it has been a bigger challenge than ever before to balance business finances without passing all the pressure directly to our amazing customers.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Pinnacle Pets Play & Stay?
Well, besides the already mentioned benefits, I would say that the personalized care is something we take pride on.
To us, pets are not just another number on the books, they are all unique. Their needs, medical conditions, personalities, drives, and interests all vary. We spend a lot of time tracking and logging information that will help us continually care for each pet as the individual they are.
Even the activities are catered to each dog! We don’t have “bubble day” and “pool day,” every single guest gets a fresh new activity based on their instinctual, physical, and mental needs. True enrichment looks different to every pet, every day, and we strive to provide that personalized service to each guest.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
My team will tell you I am a risk-taker – constantly changing things, trying new services and procedures, and asking others to rise to challenges that will help them grow.

I took a huge risk in starting a brand around my knowledge and experience with Considerably Bold, considering I am a very self-conscious introvert, but I saw the need to help others, and that is always what drives me.

However, I don’t take risks when it comes to potentially harming other people. Some might say I’m not a great business operator because of my aversion to putting financials before people. My team deserves benefits, my customers deserve value, and as a business built around relationships and trust, I find myself being extremely careful about doing anything that may impact others’ livelihoods (like increasing pricing or cutting labor costs).

I try to process risky decisions through the lens of my values and vision. An example is, as a leader, it is my role to provide clarity and growth opportunities for the people around me. Sometimes, no matter how you shape it, giving feedback can cause hurt feelings. I think providing feedback can be so uncomfortable that oftentimes, we avoid it altogether. As much as I want to avoid the risk of making a team member mad or hurting their feelings, my vision of leadership and the care I want my team to invest in our work overrides the fear, and I take the risk anyway – because it is the right thing to do and that is who I have decided to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pinnaclepets.com
• Instagram: /pinnaclepets
• Facebook: /pinnaclepetsgrovecity