“Surround yourself with amazing people and a wonderful team.”
– Roger Morgan
On this episode of The Pivotal Leader, Gina Trimarco interviewed Roger Morgan, founder and CEO of pawTree, a direct selling pet nutrition company he created in 2014 to provide a better way to care for and love pets. Just days before this interview Roger received the Rising Star Award from the Direct Selling Association out of all the direct selling companies less than five years old.
Roger has built a way to change a pet and pet parent’s life one meal at a time and to enable pet lovers to thrive as small business owners who share and sell its products. A pet-industry veteran, Roger served as CEO for a major pet products manufacturer for almost a decade as well as served on boards for the American Pet Products Association, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, and PetSmart Charities.
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Podcast Topics Include:
- What is pawTree? (not just a pet food company)
- What inspired Roger to start pawTree
- Some of the biggest challenges Roger faced in the early days of business startup
- How to put together a great team for your startup venture
- Why Roger chose the direct selling model for his business
- The growth of pawTree customers, sales and Pet Pros
- The ideal profile of a remote sales associate (aka Pet Pro)
- Keeping sales associates and team members informed, trained and connected
- Where Roger goes to get support, advice, leadership and coaching
More About Gina Trimarco
More About Pivot10 Results
More About Roger Morgan & pawTree
Prior to starting pawTree, Roger served as President and CEO of The Retail Products Group (RPG) manufacturing and selling pet products to retailers from 2005 to 2012. Before joining RPG, Roger gained business strategy experience with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). During his tenure at BCG, he optimized growth strategies for multinational consumer goods and retail organizations, including two years working abroad in Paris, France. His prior work experience also includes positions at Walt Disney Imagineering in business strategy and KPMG LLP, where he obtained his CPA certification.
Roger was named CEO of the Year 2017 by CEO Monthly Magazine. He served as the Chairman of the American Pet Products Association (APPA) from 2011 to 2013 and as a board member from 2006 to 2014. He formerly served on the boards of directors for PetSmart Charities and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) and is a past member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO).
Roger holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in accounting and a Minor in music from Brigham Young University, graduating summa cum laude.
pawTree offers pawPairings Superfood Seasonings for dogs and cats along with food, treats, supplements, and accessories. Its real-food products are developed by veterinarians and Ph.D. animal nutritionists; made in the USA; sold and sampled by pet lovers; backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee; and delivered to a customer’s doorstep. pawTree products are available online and through more than 1,000 independent sales representatives (or petPros) located in all 50 states.
The Pivotal Leader is a production of Pivot10 Results, a strategy and training company that helps businesses shift from people problems to performance results.
