From Medicine to Marketplaces: The Jo Proud Story

Today, Clayton is joined by Jo Proud, the visionary founder of PetAttics. Jo shares her remarkable journey from a career in medicine to becoming an award-winning entrepreneur. She discusses the inspiration behind her first global success, MoodBears, and her experience receiving investment from all five dragons on Dragons' Den. The conversation then shifts to her latest venture, PetAttics, a specialised digital marketplace designed specifically for pet owners to buy, sell, and recycle pet-related items.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Jo highlights how her Dragons' Den investors provided crucial high-level contacts, such as a direct line to major retail buyers, which transformed her business overnight. Moving from a physical inventory model (MoodBears) to a tech-based platform (PetAttics) requires a different mindset, focusing on digital marketing and user acquisition rather than warehouse management. PetAttics was born from a desire to reduce waste, allowing owners to recycle high-quality pet gear that would otherwise end up in landfills. While giants like eBay and Amazon dominate general sales, Jo believes a dedicated, community-focused platform for pet lovers offers a superior, more browsable user experience. Jo and Clayton discuss the modern necessity of using tools like ChatGPT and social media reels to maintain a consistent and engaging brand presence without burning out. BEST MOMENTS "I wanted to get eyeballs on this business to help children with mental health issues, to help adults, to help anybody that needed a smile." "Deborah Meaden cc’d me in the same toy buyer from Asda, within 30 seconds I had a response." "PetAttics is very much like a Vinted, but for pets, dogs, cats, and any animal-related items." "In the tech world, you’re either the dominant force or you’re dead in the water." "You shouldn’t be posting the same on one page that you post on a different page, every social site needs something different to get that traction." HOST BIO Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few. Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica). As well as being COO of one of the UKs fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals. https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petbusinessdisruptors https://www.youtube.com/@PetBusinessDisruptors This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/