In the spotlight with Lucie Culley from Wooflinks

In the spotlight with Lucie Culley from Wooflinks

Author: Rachel Spencer January 14, 2025 Duration: 52:03

When Lucie Culley saw dog owners struggling to find trusted pet care professionals, she set out to create a solution to making finding support easy.

And when she connected with pet professionals as her idea started to take shape, she realised they were frazzled with trying to keep up with the demands of endless platforms.

So she created Wooflinks, a platform that connects dog owners with ethical and professional services, including groomers, trainers, walkers, pet sitters, and dog-friendly holiday destinations.

Plus, Lucie launched while juggling the demands of two small kids, having no experience of the pet space, imposter syndrome, and a complete career change.

In this episode, Lucie shares how she turned her idea into a trusted community for dog owners and pet professionals, the lessons she learned along the way, and her passion for promoting ethical practices in the industry.

Whether you're a dog lover, a pet professional, or a small business owner, you'll get loads of inspiration from Lucie and will find all the links to connect at the end of this post.

Key topics and timings:

1:40 - Introduction to Lucie and the inspiration behind Wooflinks

03:30 - How running a local directory for small businesses in her area in lockdown gave Lucie the idea to start one for dogs.

06:15 - Overcoming imposter syndrome and figuring out where she could fit in with the dog care industry

11:20 - The importance of ethical dog care and setting standards

16:45 - How Wooflinks connects dog owners with trusted professionals

21:10 - Juggling being a mum, another business, and launching Wooflinks

29:50 - How Lucie provides video content and free resources to build relationships and visibility

34:15 - Challenges in creating a trusted directory

40:50 - The community policing model and why Lucie asks her users to support her and help maintain standards

47:20 - Lucie’s advice for anyone starting out in a new industry

49:35 - What's next for Lucie and Wooflinks

Key quotes:

“I knew this idea had legs when I saw how much dog owners were struggling to find reliable professionals - they needed a trusted platform.”

“Imposter syndrome is a beast, but once I decided what I wanted to be was a champion for small businesses, everything fell into place.”

“People need to know there’s a place for ethical, professional dog care—where quality and trust come first.”

“Building a directory from scratch while raising two kids was chaos, but it showed me what I’m capable of.”

“I’m not a dog trainer, but I’m passionate about supporting professionals who are doing things the right way.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Visit Wooflinks: wooflinks.co.uk

Follow Wooflinks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wooflinksuk/

Find Wooflinks on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wooflinksuk


There's a persistent myth in the pet industry that success requires a rigid, one-size-fits-all formula. Your Pet Business, Your Way exists to dismantle that idea entirely. Hosted by Rachel Spencer, a journalist and accredited coach with deep roots in this world, this podcast is a conversation for pet professionals-groomers, trainers, walkers, product makers-who feel exhausted by generic marketing advice and industry trends that clash with their personal values and lifestyle. Rachel brings her background as a mentor and author to frank discussions about building a sustainable enterprise that doesn't demand you sacrifice your family time, your sanity, or your unique voice. Episodes delve into practical strategies for marketing, client relationships, and entrepreneurship, but always through the lens of your individual circumstances. You'll hear from Rachel directly, as well as insights from others navigating the same path, focusing on how to grow a business that genuinely fits around your life, whether that involves kids, other passions, or simply a desire for more autonomy. This isn't about following a rulebook; it's about writing your own. Tune in for a refreshingly realistic take on creating a pet business that thrives on your terms, making this podcast a trusted resource for anyone who believes their love for animals and their personal ambitions can truly coexist.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Your pet business, Your way
Podcast Episodes
Top 20 pet business stories to celebrate 200 podcast episodes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:28
Would you love to secure press coverage for your pet business and need some story inspiration?You’ll find plenty in this blog post and episode of the podcast where I’m sharing my top 20 favourite stories from five years…
Get confident with selling in your pet business with Sara Dalrymple [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:53
Are you fed up with feeling awkward when selling your product or service?If so, I think you’ll love this episode with sales expert Sara Dalrymple, author of More Sales Please, where we’re talking about letting go of the…
Ten reasons why you should be an award-winning pet business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:52
Would you love to be an award-winning pet business?To gain recognition for the hard work you do and stand out from the competition?Whether you own a grooming salon, a pet shop, training or dog walking service, or you mak…
Navigating stop-start times in your pet business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
What do you do when something happens in your life, and it means you have to stop everything in your business to deal with it?We live in an uncertain world, and the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic has shown that you don’t know…
Ten takeaways from Theo Paphitis' Small Business Sunday event 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:46
Each year Theo Paphitis puts on his Small Business Sunday winner's event in Birmingham to celebrate small businesses and give them a boost.It's a brilliantly inspiring day where Theo and his panel of experts give so much…
Join the Show Your Pet Business Some Love Challenge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:46
Is your pet business marketing in need of some tender loving care?I’d love to invite you to my ‘Show your pet business some love’ challenge.It’s a free five day challenge taking place from February 12th - 16th 2024 where…
Plan your prosperous 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:52
Are you ready to plan out 2024 for your pet business?Whether the start of the New Year has you brimming with enthusiasm or you’d rather ease yourself in gently, it’s likely you’ve been thinking about what you’d like to a…