We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sherry Redwine. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sherry below.

Hi Sherry, thanks for joining us today. Finding those key vendors can often be make or break for a brand. Can you talk to us about how you found your key vendors?

When we first started building Odyssey Pets, finding the right vendors was one of the biggest learning curves. In the beginning, a lot of it came down to research, trade shows, industry relationships, and paying close attention to what aligned with our values. We were never interested in just filling shelves. We wanted partners whose products reflected the kind of care and quality we believe pets deserve.

Some vendors we found through distributor catalogs and industry events, and others we found because we were already watching what respected independent pet retailers were carrying and talking about. Once we identified brands we were interested in, the process usually involved reaching out directly, learning about minimums, territory availability, margins, support, and whether they really understood the independent retailer space. In some cases, it was straightforward. In others, it took persistence, relationship-building, and proving that we were serious about how we planned to represent their products.

One of the biggest things I learned is that choosing a vendor is not just about the product itself. It is about the relationship. You are looking for companies that will support your business, communicate well, stand behind their product, and grow with you. We went with the vendors we chose because they felt aligned with our standards, our education-based approach, and the experience we wanted to create for our customers. I also think they chose to work with us because they could tell we were intentional. We were not just trying to make a quick sale — we were building a business with a clear identity, and we cared deeply about how products were introduced, explained, and used.

If I could do anything differently, I would ask more questions earlier and be even more selective from the start. In the beginning, it is easy to feel like you need to say yes to every opportunity just to get inventory in the door. But over time, I learned that not every vendor relationship is worth it. Some products may look great on paper but do not move, do not fit your customer base, or do not come with the support you need. I would have spent less time chasing breadth and more time building depth with fewer, stronger partners.

I also would have trusted my instincts sooner. The right vendor relationship feels collaborative. The wrong one feels transactional. Knowing what I know now, I would tell any business owner to slow down, do the homework, understand your customer first, and choose partners that truly match your mission. The right vendors can help shape your business in a powerful way, but the wrong ones can distract you from what makes your brand special.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Sherry Redwine, and I’m one of the owners of Odyssey Pets, a business my parents, my husband, and I started together. As we celebrate our 20th year in business, I feel incredibly proud of what we’ve built as a family and as a community. From the beginning, our goal was to create a place where pets would be genuinely cared for, where customers would feel known and supported, and where quality and compassion would show up in every part of the business.

My path into this industry came from a deep love of animals and a belief that pet care should be approached more thoughtfully and more completely. That is really the heart behind our tagline, “Holistically Improving the Lives of Pets Since 2006.” To us, that means looking at the whole pet, not just one service or one symptom. It means understanding that nutrition, environment, grooming, enrichment, and overall care all work together. We built Odyssey Pets around that belief.

At Odyssey Pets, we offer grooming, boarding, daycare, retail, and aquatics. Our aquatics department includes freshwater fish, saltwater fish, and corals, and we take that responsibility seriously. Proper care is a major part of who we are, which is why we quarantine fish and maintain high standards in every department. We want people to know that whether they come to us for pet food, pet care services, or aquarium support, they are working with people who are committed to doing things the right way.

Nutrition has always been one of the biggest pillars of our business. Pet owners are constantly being marketed to, and unfortunately, the pet food industry can be incredibly deceptive. Packaging, buzzwords, and trendy claims often create a false sense of quality, and many consumers do not realize how misleading some of that marketing can be. We take education seriously because of that. We believe pet parents deserve honest information, not confusion, and we work hard to help them look past the label and understand what they are really feeding. That willingness to speak plainly and educate customers is a very important part of who we are.

One of the biggest problems we solve is helping people cut through all the noise. There is so much conflicting information around pet care, especially when it comes to food and wellness, and it can be overwhelming. We try to be a trusted source of guidance — a place where people can ask questions, get honest recommendations, and feel supported instead of sold to.

What sets us apart most is customer service. We have always wanted Odyssey Pets to feel personal in a way that many larger or more impersonal businesses simply do not. We care deeply about our customers, their pets, and the experience they have with us. We want people to feel welcomed, remembered, and genuinely helped. That level of service and relationship-building is a huge part of what defines us.

What I’m most proud of is the community we’ve built over the years. When you’ve been in business this long, you get to be part of people’s lives in a very real way. We’ve seen puppies come in for the first time and later cross the rainbow bridge, and we’ve had the privilege of walking through many different seasons of life with our customers and their pets. Those relationships are meaningful, and they remind me that this business is about so much more than products or services. It is about connection, trust, and being part of a community that truly cares for one another.

In addition to Odyssey Pets, I am co-host of the Pet Shop Girls podcast and a founding partner of the Indie Insider community. That work has given me the opportunity to support independent pet retailers on a broader level through honest conversations, practical education, and industry connection. It’s incredibly meaningful to me to help elevate independent pet businesses and contribute to a stronger, more thoughtful pet industry.

The main thing I want people to know about me and about Odyssey Pets is that this work is personal. It was built by family, it has always been rooted in care, and it continues to be driven by a desire to serve well. We are here to help, to educate, to build trust, and to raise the standard of care however we can. That has been our mission from the start, and it still is today.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about managing a team and maintaining high morale is that people want to feel valued, supported, and connected to a bigger purpose. In a business like ours, where the work can be physically demanding and emotionally draining at times, culture matters just as much as systems.

For me, it starts with communication. People need to know what is expected of them, but they also need to feel comfortable speaking up, asking questions, and being honest about what they need. I think morale suffers quickly when people feel unheard or unappreciated, so I try to create an environment where team members know their work matters and their voice matters too.

I also believe consistency is important. A team functions best when expectations are clear, accountability is fair, and leadership is steady. People feel more secure and motivated when they know the standards and trust that those standards apply across the board.

Recognition goes a long way too. People need to know they are seen. Sometimes that means acknowledging hard work, sometimes it means celebrating growth, and sometimes it simply means taking the time to check in and ask how someone is doing. Small moments of appreciation can have a big impact over time.

I also think morale is stronger when people understand the “why” behind the work. At Odyssey Pets, we are not just completing tasks or moving through transactions. We are caring for animals, supporting families, and building relationships in our community. When your team feels connected to that bigger mission, it gives meaning to the day-to-day work.

If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be this: lead with both standards and heart. People need structure, but they also need humanity. The strongest teams are built when people know they are expected to do great work and know they are genuinely cared for while doing it.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One story that really illustrates resilience for me is how many times Odyssey Pets has had to adapt and rebuild. We opened in 2006 as a family business, and in the years that followed, we went through multiple moves and expansions. At one point, after moving into a larger location, we were forced to relocate again when the building was going to be demolished. That was one of those moments that could have easily defeated us, but instead, we chose to treat it as an opportunity to learn from every previous chapter and come back better.

That ability to adapt became even more important during the pandemic. Like so many small business owners, I had moments where I truly wondered how we were going to make it through. We were trying to protect our staff, keep serving our customers, and navigate constant uncertainty all at once. What kept me going was knowing that pets still needed care, people still needed guidance, and our community still needed us. We pivoted, adjusted, and stayed focused on our purpose. Looking back, that season reminded me that resilience is not about pretending things are easy — it is about continuing to move forward with clarity and commitment even when things feel overwhelming.

I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that resilience in business is closely tied to adaptability. Years ago, I said one of the most valuable lessons I had learned was to remain adaptable and be prepared to change depending on the situation, and I still believe that deeply today. Every challenge has asked us to stretch, rethink, and grow. In the end, those hard seasons did not just test us — they shaped us into a stronger business with a deeper sense of purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.odysseypets.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odysseypets/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/odysseypets/