Manready Mercantile founder Travis Weaver connects life with his dogs Delilah and Indy to the discipline of building a national retail brand from a hungover bubble‑bath epiphany and homemade candles in whiskey glasses. Consistency, routines, and responsibility are the throughline.

Learn more about Manready Mercantile HERE.

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This season of Cruz through HTX is powered by Speke Podcasting. Have an idea for a show? Let's get a conversation started. Start HERE.

Key Takeaways

1. Why daily walks and sensory enrichment for dogs mirror business fundamentals.

2. How a hungover bath with stolen Bath & Body gear led to candle classes.

3. The evolution from stove‑top candles to farmers markets to a Heights flagship.

4. Making “unisex but guy‑friendly” products in a pink‑bottle industry.

5. How naming, Twitter‑era character limits, and Instagram helped grow Manready.

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Former global program director Andy Raman walked away from corporate oil and gas to turn a house full of rescues into Fido’s Home, a dog resort in Katy. He breaks down patience, strict love, and why you never treat pet parents like walking dollar signs.

Learn more about Fido’s Home HERE.

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This season of Cruz through HTX is powered by Speke Podcasting. Have an idea for a show? Let's get a conversation started. Start HERE.

Key Takeaways

1. How Andy went from Shell/BP/Accenture to launching Fido’s Home in 90 days.

2. Lessons from living with sixteen dogs and running a dog resort for a decade.

3. Why patience and firm boundaries with dogs mirror leading a team.

4. The “extra mile” tactics that turn grooming freebies into long‑term loyalty.

5. How community barbecues and low‑cost vaccines turn a daycare into a hub.

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Doobie Dogs Pet Taxi owner Ron Velez went from oil and gas and cleaning Airbnbs to shuttling Houston’s dogs to daycare, vets, and groomers. He shares traffic nightmares, 165‑pound Newfoundlands, and the fatherly advice that pushed him to buy van number two.

Learn more about Doobie Dogs HERE.

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This season of Cruz through HTX is powered by Speke Podcasting. Have an idea for a show? Let's get a conversation started. Start HERE.

Key Takeaways

1. How a routine Airbnb route and a doggy daycare sparked the pet taxi idea.

2. The greenlight from Ron’s conservative dad that changed his career.

3. Why Houston’s dog culture makes this niche business work.

4. Handling anxious rescues, giant breeds, and kennel‑hating seniors without losing it.

5. How traffic, patience, and being “the fun guy” shape his daily grind.

Support the show: https://cruzthroughhtx.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.