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Founder Independence


Jun 17, 2026

In this episode, Kelly Costello shares her journey of building Puppy Cake, managing growth, and maintaining a lean, owner-operated business. We explore strategies for automation, customer relationships, and aligning business operations with personal goals.

 

Key Topics

 

Business growth strategies

Automation in manufacturing

Customer relationship management

Owner-operator business model

Product development and market fit

 

Chapters

 

00:00 Introduction to Puppy Cake and Kelly's Journey

04:39 Navigating Growth and Team Dynamics

09:42 Revisiting the Entrepreneurial Dream

13:13 Core Competencies and Operational Efficiency

19:47 Marketing Strategies and Customer Relationships

23:32 Building a Resilient Business Structure

 

 

Links Mentioned in the Show:

 

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Kelly Costello - Puppy Cake - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycostello

Puppy Cake - https://www.puppycake.com

 

 

Credits:

 

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

 

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd’s YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It’s the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

 

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/