Hosted at Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago O’Hare Rosemont
at 5500 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL
Only 1.7 miles from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) with a free shuttle to/from ORD!
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 10
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sponsor Showcase + Meet & Greet Reception
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Welcome & Coffee
9:00 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Summit Sessions
12:10 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (provided)
12:30 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. Sponsor Showcase
2:20 p.m. – 5:40 p.m. Summit Sessions
5:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sponsor Showcase + Happy Hour
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Sponsor Showcase
9:00 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Summit Sessions
12:10 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (provided)
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Sponsor Showcase
1:40 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Summit Sessions
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Happy Hour
Location
Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago O’Hare Rosemont is located at 5500 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL, which is only 1.7 miles from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and offers a free shuttle to/from ORD!
We suggest staying at right the Embassy Suites. Use the link to book your room(s) in our block of discounted rooms.
New This Year:
Sponsor Showcase!
Food & Drinks
Coffee, water, and lunch will be provided Thursday and Friday.*
*Added perks of staying at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago O’Hare Rosemont: Complimentary breakfast is included with your stay, plus a happy hour with two free drinks along with camaraderie and networking!
2025 Summit Session Details
NOTE: There is only one session track for the Summit, so you don't have to choose between sessions/speakers!
CLICK ON A DAY TO EXPAND AND VIEW DETAILED SCHEDULE
5:30 PM–8:00 PM: Sponsor Showcase & Happy Hour (6:00–7:30 PM) Meet & Greet Reception in the Atrium
8:30 AM–9:00 AM: Welcome & Coffee (30 minutes)
9:00 AM–10:00 AM (1-hour session)
Session: Employee Retention & Engagement
You’ve got the new hire, how to you keep them and keep them engaged? Learn about employee retention and how to leverage peer to peer engagement. More info to come!
10:10 AM–12:10 PM (2-hour session)
Session: An All-Hazards Approach to Business Emergency Preparedness
Pet businesses face many potential emergencies from a pet injury, disease outbreak, natural disaster, technology failure and more. This session will break down actionable to-do steps you can take to help prevent, respond to, and recover from emergencies of all kinds. Learn the essentials to prepare your business for a broad spectrum of hazards, ensure your business continues to operate, and stay compliant with OSHA standards.
12:10 PM–1:00 PM: Lunch Provided in the Atrium
12:30 PM–2:10 PM: Sponsor Showcase in the Atrium
2:20 PM–3:20 PM (1-hour session)
Session: How to Properly Structure Your Business: Tax Efficiency and Asset Protection for the Small Business Owner
More info to come!
3:20 PM–3:30 PM: Snack Provided (Outside Session Room)
3:30 PM–4:30 PM (1-hour session)
Session: Boosting Performance & Morale: Designing Effective Incentive Bonus Programs for Your Pet Business
This session is designed for pet business owners and managers who want to implement incentive bonus programs to drive employee performance and boost morale. We’ll explore the key elements of a successful incentive program, including aligning your business goals with your incentive program, creating a clear calculation system, and strategies for implementation.
- Design a program that aligns with your specific business needs
- Build a motivating incentive program that drives employee engagement/retention and business success, while also attracting high-quality candidates.
Attendees will develop a practical blueprint for their own incentive program, ready for implementation and further refinement to fit their business.
4:40 PM–5:40 PM (1-hour session; KEYNOTE)
KEYNOTE SESSION: Lead the Field: How to Be the Undisputed Pet Biz Champion in Your Community
Want to be known, respected, and revered as the go-to pet care leader in your area? In this high-impact keynote, Dom will show you how to step into the spotlight and lead your business to legendary status. You’ll discover how to lead on price, lead your people, lead with service, and lead with innovation. This is your roadmap to standing out in a crowded market, attracting dream clients, and becoming the pet business everyone else tries (and fails) to copy.
5:45 PM–8:00 PM: Sponsor Showcase & Happy Hour (6:00–7:30 PM) in the Atrium
8:00 AM–9:00 AM: Sponsor Showcase in the Atrium (1 hour)
9:00 AM–10:00 AM (1-hour session)
Session: Info to come!
Info to come!
10:10 AM–11:00 AM (1-hour session)
Session: Paws, Claws & the Law: Legal Essentials for Dog Handlers and Groomers
It’s important for all businesses, large and small, to be prepared for any legal issues that may arise. Join Max Goodman, partner at Amundsen Davis LLC, as he provides attendees with real world tips and advice related to liability concerns, waivers, contract issues, and more.
Specific topics include:
*Business liability for dog fights or client injuries occurring outside of the building, but on company property.
*Liability waiver.
*Liability when one dog injures another, including disclosure requirements between owners.
*Advertising and online reviews. Responding to negative online reviews, defamation.
*Grooming agreement, cancellation policies, photo release.
*Grooming disputes, including legal considerations when clients are unhappy with results.
Specific topics include:
*Business liability for dog fights or client injuries occurring outside of the building, but on company property.
*Liability waiver.
*Liability when one dog injures another, including disclosure requirements between owners.
*Advertising and online reviews. Responding to negative online reviews, defamation.
*Grooming agreement, cancellation policies, photo release.
*Grooming disputes, including legal considerations when clients are unhappy with results.
11:10 AM–12:10 PM (1-hour session)
Session: Info to come!
Info to come!
12:10 PM–1:00 PM: Lunch Provided in the Atrium
12:30 PM–1:30 PM: Sponsor Showcase in the Atrium
1:40 PM–2:40 PM (1-hour session)
Session: It’s 5:00 Somewhere: Time to Blend Culture, Systems, and People
It’s not enough to have a company culture, it’s not enough to have systems, and it’s not enough to have good people. You need to be able to blend all these to make your pet care facility work; you need to be able to find the areas of overlap; and you need to be able to make the necessary compromises in all these areas to find success. (To be honest, I wanted to call this the Venn diagram of success – but realized that was too nerdy even for me.)
2:40 PM–2:50 PM: Snack Provided (Outside Session Room)
3:00 PM–5:00 PM (2-hour session)
Session: One KPI to Rule Them All: How to Master Productivity, Eliminate Employee Overspend, and Maximize Profits
Struggling with runaway labor costs, chaotic schedules, and profits that disappear? As the co-owner of six thriving facilities in Pennsylvania, Sean Felty has navigated the ups and downs of growth, from humble kennels to multi-location success. Frustrated by unpredictable labor costs, he adapted a proven strategy from his healthcare background to create a game-changing approach that’s saved his businesses—and his clients—hundreds of thousands in profits. In this transformative 2-hour session you’ll learn how to get a handle on the numbers that matter and master a proven system centered on Labor KPI’s. With real-world wins, strategic insights, and practical tools you can use daily, this session equips you to conquer overspend and lead your pet care business to peak performance. Don’t miss your chance to redefine profitability!
6:00 PM–7:30 PM: Happy Hour in the Atrium for Embassy Suites guests
*Schedule is subject to change without notice*
Why Attend the Business Leadership Summit?
Ask yourself a few questions…
Dominic Hodgson, a.k.a. “The Pet Biz Wiz,” will teach you how to create an unforgettable customer experience using the time and resources you already have, so you can stand out in a crowded market.
Madison Warner, Founder and Lead Instructor of Ready Pet Education, will lead a session on emergency preparedness, ensuring you have a clear plan to protect your staff, clients, and pets when disaster strikes.
Sherry Acanfora-Ruohomaki, President and Owner of K9 Kampus and Facets Consulting Group, will introduce practical organizational tools and systems to help your team stay on track, improve productivity, and work more efficiently.
Eve Molzhon, Founder of Dog Handler Academy, and Rob Van Craenenbroeck, HR expert and Co-Founder of Culture@Work, will dive into employee retention and engagement, giving you strategies to motivate your team, reduce turnover, and create a workplace culture that employees love.
Brian T. Boyd, tax attorney and real estate investor, will explain the best business entity structures for reducing tax liabilities, helping you keep more of your profits in his session, “How To Properly Structure Your Business: Tax Efficiency and Asset Protection for the Small Business Owner.”
Sean Felty, Co-Owner of Greenlin Pet Resorts and Founder of Next Tree Strategies, will show you how to analyze and control labor costs, optimize scheduling, and increase productivity without burning out your team.
Kelli Dodds will walk you through the keys to incentive bonus programs that drive employee performance and boost morale, so you can develop a stronger team in your business.
What Do Last Year's Summit Attendees Say?
The DHA Business Leadership Summit isn’t just about ideas — it’s about action.
Kevin Casida attended the 2024 Summit and found it incredibly valuable. With a variety of speakers covering topics like marketing, HR, operations, and financials, he walked away with powerful insights — and, more importantly, actionable steps to implement in his facilities right away.
Ready to Register for the Summit?
Dog Handler Academy
Business Leadership Summit
SEptember 10–12, 2025
Chicago, il
$495
- Admission for 1 to DHA Summit 2025
- Lunch, coffee, & water provided Thursday & Friday
- Continental breakfast, happy hour cocktails & appetizers provided for attendees staying at Embassy Suites
Already registered and need to add another team member from your business? Register them here!
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