Navigating Global Pet Markets: Distributor Secrets with Shane Bartlett

Navigating Global Pet Markets: Distributor Secrets with Shane Bartlett

From Pet Business Disruptors by Clayton Payne

May 4, 2026 · 1h 30m · Episode 94

About this episode

Clayton interviews Shane Bartlett about his unique career path and insights into the pet industry and sales strategies.

In this episode, Clayton interviews Shane Bartlett, Head of Sales and Senior VP at Teutonics. They explore Shane's unconventional career path, from a New Zealand carpet factory to teaching English in 1990s Poland, and how it shaped his sales philosophy. Shane shares his entry into the pet industry after discovering raw feeding for his Border Collie, Enzo, in 2009. KEY TAKEAWAYS Distributors provide access, not brand building: Relying solely on a distributor to sell a product is a misconception. Brands must educate retailers and create demand themselves. The power of the "secondary reason": In sales, having a casual reason to be in a store, like buying a toy for a dog, breaks the ice better than a direct cold pitch. Trade show strategies must evolve: Showing up to massive events like Global Pet Expo without pre-booked meetings and a clear strategy is a fast way to burn through a budget. Teaching English translates to sales: Shane's years teaching English as a second language using a question-based method translated perfectly into consultative sales techniques. Veterinary clinic conflict of interest: There is a notable conflict of interest when veterinary clinics, acting as health…

People in this episode

Host: Clayton Payne

Guest: Shane Bartlett

Topics covered

  • pet industry
  • sales strategies
  • distributors
  • raw feeding
  • trade shows
  • consultative sales

Keywords

  • pet markets
  • distributors
  • sales philosophy
  • raw feeding
  • trade show strategies
  • veterinary clinics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Teutonics

Products: kibble

Places: New Zealand, Poland, Global Pet Expo

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