The Vet Tech Who Built a Boutique for Every Kind of Pet Parent with Selena Parrish

Selena Parrish has spent 30 years in veterinary care. She knows what is in every product on her shelves, why it works, and what it will do for your pet. That is not something you find at the big box pet store down the road. That is what she built Wags, Whiskers, and Beyond around.It started as a converted 18-passenger bus she drove to events across the OKC area. When she was ready for more, she opened a brick and mortar in Yukon, Oklahoma with private enclosed self-wash bays, hand-selected products, and the kind of intentional care that only comes from someone who has spent three decades doing this work. She gives free baths to stray dogs brought in by Yukon animal control officers because it makes them more adoptable. She built relationships with rescues and groomers and veterinarians across the community because that is just who she is.She came to us with a 10 out of 10 on passion and a 10 out of 10 on frustration. She needed a concrete plan, and we love nothing more than that.In this episode we dig into why the self-wash is the hook that everything else should be built around, how to stop spreading energy into e-commerce and start building the kind of in-person experience that keeps people coming back, why a photo of a wet dog will always outperform a graphic, and why leaning into the Yukon community is the most powerful marketing move she has not fully made yet.Selena has always known exactly what she wanted to build. She just needed someone to help her see which parts were already working.About Selena: Selena Parrish is the founder of Wags, Whiskers, and Beyond in Yukon, Oklahoma. She is a registered veterinary technician with over 30 years of experience and has built a pet boutique and self-serve wash around education, intention, and a genuine love for every animal that walks through her door.Connect with her:Website: https://www.wagswhiskersandbeyond.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WagsWhiskersandBeyondLLC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wagswhiskersandbeyondThe Business Reality Check Podcast is your dose of clarity. Hosted by Jonna and Lori, Co-Founders of Thrive Collective. This podcast is for business owners and solopreneurs who feel burnt out and unfulfilled. They dive deep to uncover the strategic misalignment that is silently sabotaging your success. Learn to eliminate the exhaustion, anchor your foundations with intentional processes and firm boundaries, and achieve total alignment between your life, your offer, and your dream client to stop the cycle of burnout and truly thrive. Real conversations. Real problems. Real solutions.Watch more episodes and apply to be a guest: https://www.thrivecollective.shop/podcast