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Carol Frank has been a columnist for many pet industry publications over the years including APPA, Pet Business, Pet Age, and Pet Product News. This page contains many of the articles she has written in date order as well as articles from guest contributors.
The Entrepreneurial Dog – Part VI
This is the sixth of a seven-part series where each installment takes a look at an innate ability of dogs and what business people can learn from our four-legged companions. This article talks about how dogs communicate with intent and integrity. Creating Alignment By Randy Culver We enjoy our...
The Entrepreneurial Dog – Part V
This is the fifth of a seven-part series where each installment takes a look at an innate ability of dogs and what business people can learn from our four-legged companions. This article talks about how dogs communicate with intent and integrity. Communicating with Clarity By Randy Culver Oliver...
How to Minimize Income Taxes upon the Sale of your Company
by Shina Culberson and Carol Frank This month’s column will feature some sage advice from a business colleague of mine, Shina Culberson. Shina is the CEO of Quist Valuation, a premier valuation firm specializing in valuing companies for tax, sale, and financial reporting requirements. When you...
The Entrepreneurial Dog – Part IV
This is a seven-part series where each installment takes a look at an innate ability of dogs and what business people can learn from our four-legged companions.
The Entrepreneurial Dog – Part III
This is the third of a seven-part series where each installment takes a look at one innate ability of dogs and what business people can learn from our four-legged companions. This article talks about how dogs model leadership behaviors. Leading the Pack By Randy Culver The dogs that inhabit our...
An interview with Krista Morgan, CEO of Online Lending Platform P2Bi
P2Bi: An online lending platform for growing companies Recently, I learned about an interesting new resource for pet companies who need access to growth capital. It’s called P2Binvestor (P2Bi), and it provides online access to lines of credit through a hybrid technology and marketplace model....
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5 Key Elements of a Successful Pet Products Company Sale
By Carol Frank and Craig Lawson As many of you know who have been reading my APPA columns over the years, it’s a great time to sell a high quality pet business. However, selling your company will require about six to nine months of intense effort, so it's vital to have your house in order beforehand. The pet industry is a fast-growing, $60 billion sector that is evolving rapidly. As consumer...
Raising Money through Angel Investors: The Third in a Series on Access to Growth Capital
What exactly is an angel investor and would they consider investing in my pet company? In furthering my quest to clear up the myths and realities behind raising growth capital, I was fortunate enough to snag an interview with Peter Adams, one of the angel investment communities’ most knowledgeable ambassadors. Peter’s pedigree is nothing short of impressive! He is co-author of Venture Capital...
Raising Money through Venture Capital: The Second in a Series on Access to Growth Capital
Raising money for your growing pet company is a hot topic and one that I am addressing over a three pat series for APPA’s e-update readers. Following on to my last column on crowdfunding, I thought it appropriate to demystify the whole concept of Venture Capital (VC) and whether this could be a good avenue for your pet business. As explained in my 2014 column titled “The Difference between...
Raising Money through Crowdfunding: The First in a Series on Access to Growth Capital
“I have this amazing pet product that I just launched at Global Pet/SuperZoo. The response has been nothing short of fantastic and the orders are rolling in. We are still very small, and don’t have enough collateral to to qualify for a bank loan but I need money for inventory and infrastructure. Can you help me?” As an investment banker for pet companies, I get access to many, many compelling,...
Moving your Pet Company up the Valuation Chain: Steps to get the MOST from a Potential Buyer
The adoring eyes. The unshakeable trust. The opinion that you are indeed, the most important person in the world. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if potential buyers saw your business the same way your pet sees you? You’d definitely get a better price for company. Just as there’s a difference between how your pet sees you and how the rest of the world sees you (let’s face it, most people don’t...
How To Command A Virtual Meeting Room
Face-to-face meetings are becoming the exception instead of the rule as sales teams and clients are spread throughout the US and modern day tools make it simple to communicate virtually. While I believe that in person meetings are ideal, increasingly we are communicating – and leading – online. Knowing how to captivate and communicate to your virtual audience is an essential skill, yet I’m...
North America’s Growing Manufacturing Advantage
The North American Energy Revolution has resulted in the abundance of low-cost shale gas, which is helping the U.S. return to a prominent position among the world’s manufacturing leaders, which is great news to pet product manufacturers who would like their label to say “Made in the USA” or “Made in North America.” According to a new study of the 25 largest exporting countries from the Boston...
Anatomy of a Pet M&A Deal
There’s hardly a day goes by we don’t hear about a pet company being bought, sold, or capitalized. We are so fortunate to work in a growing, vibrant, and desirable industry, and as such there is a great deal of interest from buyers for pet companies with a good story to tell.
The Difference between Venture Capital and Private Equity
There seems to be some confusion among pet industry entrepreneurs between the terms “Venture Capital” and “Private Equity”. They are often used interchangeably, when in fact these two methods of gaining access to capital are quite different. Given the number of times I hear people confuse the terms, I thought it time I clarify the difference. VENTURE CAPITAL Technically, Venture Capital (VC) is...
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