Gemma Glover from The Pet Carpenter and her brother Harry started their business almost by accident – making bespoke furniture for pets.
It all began during the pandemic, when Harry couldn’t work as a carpenter and a chance Facebook message led him to create his very first pet bedroom.
In this episode, Gemma – his sister and co-founder – explains how the business grew, the kind of pieces they create, and the different ways they’ve expanded over the years.
With a background in branding and marketing, Gemma brought valuable skills to the table, combining her expertise with Harry’s carpentry talent to build something unique.
She shares the story of a devastating fire that struck in the first year of The Pet Carpenter, how they found the resilience to start again, and the systems they put in place to make the business stronger.
We also talk about what it’s like to go viral on social media – their Instagram has over 150,000 followers – and how Gemma has learned to handle trolls, copycats, and the pressure of visibility.
Plus, Gemma explains how she’s developed educational campaigns around crate confidence, showing how thoughtful crating can support dogs and their families, and how she collaborates with other pet professionals to spread that message.
This episode has so many valuable lessons on marketing, customer service, building a community, and staying true to your values.
Listen in on the player link below or on your favourite podcast provider and you’ll find all the links to connect with Gemma and The Pet Carpenter at the bottom of this post.
Quotes from this episode:
“People started messaging us saying, ‘This is exactly what I’ve been looking for, but I didn’t even know it existed.’ That’s when we realised – we weren’t just making furniture, we were offering something people had been dreaming of without knowing.”
“After the fire, it was like, ‘Right, we either walk away now or we try again.’ And we chose to rebuild. It was the most devastating thing, but it gave us a chance to do things differently, and better.”
“We don’t just sell crates – we create furniture that supports the pet first, but also looks beautiful in your home. It’s about creating a space that works for everyone, not just the dog.”
“Social media has played a massive part in growing our brand. But we’ve also learned when to take a step back. Protecting our energy has been just as important as being visible.”
“Every single product starts with the pet. That’s where all our designs begin – what they need, how they rest, how they live. It’s always about them first.”
“We’ve had reels go completely viral, and it’s amazing – but it comes with a lot of noise. You get lovely comments, but you also get trolls, copycats, and people questioning your prices. At first, it really knocked me. Now I just think, ‘Those people aren’t our people.’”
“There was one influencer who shared our products and basically mocked us. It felt so personal. But I’ve learned not to give my energy to people like that. We know the value of what we do, and the people who get it, really get it.”
Takeaways from this episode:
The business started from a single custom request shared on Facebook.
Gem’s marketing background helped turn early momentum into a brand.
A workshop fire nearly ended everything then became a huge turning point for Gemma and Harry.
Bespoke design and storytelling help them stand out in a competitive market.
They prioritise partnerships with professionals to support pet welfare.
A lead-generation website has helped streamline and scale their processes.
Their values-led campaigns appeal to both welfare and interiors audiences.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
0.20 – What to expect from this episode.
2.27 – How The Pet Carpenter started as an accident in the pandemic.
5.15 – Gemma shares how the business grew from that first pet bedroom to a workshop and running a team and the different things they did to reach people about the new products.
8.02 – How they coped with a devastating fire at their workshop and starting all over again.
10.39 – What life is like behind the scenes at The Pet Carpenter.
12.51 – What it’s like to have rapid growth and go viral plus coping with trolls.
15.05 – The Pet Carpenter campaigns and how Gemma plans and implements them.
17.51 – How to make meaningful collaborations happen.
21.05 – Instagram and how Gemma has worked on the platform.
23.08 – Using campaigns and conversations to stand out.
26.04 – Strategies for reaching different types of audiences.
29.12 – Trying different platforms for marketing.
32.53 – What it was like presenting at the PIF Business of Pets Innovation Prize 2025.
34.36 – Making the decision to be a lead generation website rather than buy off the shelf.
39.31 – The non-negotiable tasks Gemma does to keep her business moving forward.
45.22 – How Gemma navigates working with influencers and dealing with cheeky requests.
47.39 – How pet professionals and other brands can work with Gemma.
51.27 – Coping with challenges, from copycats to mean influencers.
57.57 – Trademarking and how Gemma has protected her brand.
59.53 – Gemma’s self-care go-tos.
1.01.39 – What’s next for The Pet Carpenter and how to get in touch.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepetcarpenter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepetcarpenter
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepetcarpenter
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepetcarpenter
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/thepetcarpenter/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemglover
Further listening/reading:
In the spotlight with Karen Rhodes from Luxury Dog Hampers
Kate Hart from the Sniffer Shop on creating nose joy for dogs
Dealing with copycats with Debbie Humphries from Redhound for Dogs
Working with influencers with Vicky Gunn from Millie’s Beach Huts
10 reasons to be an award-winning pet business
Takeaways from the Pet Industry Federation Business of Pets 2025
Should you buy my pet business planner?
Is my Pets Get Visible membership right for you?
Episode summary
Prefer reading to listening?
Here’s a Q&A-style version of my chat with Gemma Glover, co-founder of The Pet Carpenter, taken directly from the podcast transcript.
It’s edited down for clarity, but all in Gemma’s own words.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and The Pet Carpenter?
“I’m one of the directors of The Pet Carpenter. We’re a bespoke furniture business creating handcrafted pet furniture. Imagine replacing a metal dog crate with something beautiful that fits your home—that’s what we do.
“My brother Harry is a carpenter, and when the pandemic hit he lost all his work. A friend asked him to build a sideboard that could house her dogs. He built it in his dining room, shared it locally, and it snowballed from there.
“By that summer he’d made 17 orders just in Plymouth. He asked me to come on board with my marketing background, and that’s how The Pet Carpenter began.”
What happened in the early years of the business?
“In the first year we grew really quickly. Harry moved into a workshop, we launched on Instagram, and by the end of the year had about 20,000 followers across platforms. But then in 2021, a fire destroyed the whole workshop.
“It was heartbreaking, and we had to ask ourselves, do we give up or do it all again? We chose to rebuild.
“During that time we worked from our parents’ house, setting up systems, CRMs, and better processes. Looking back, as devastating as it was, it made the business stronger.”
What has social media been like for you?
“Instagram has been huge – we’ve had reels go viral and built a really engaged community.
“But it hasn’t always been easy. In the early days we had trolling comments from people who didn’t understand crates. That really knocked me.
“Now we approach it from an educational angle, backed by trainers and professionals, which makes such a difference.
“We’ve also had to deal with copycats and influencers who don’t always act with integrity.
“One even mocked our pricing publicly, which was awful at the time. But I’ve learned not to give my energy to people like that. The right people understand the value of what we do.”
Can you explain what you mean by ‘crate confidence’?
“Gift crate confidence is a campaign we created to help people connect with the benefits of crate training.
“It’s about showing that crates, when used positively, support a dog’s wellbeing – from puppyhood through vet stays, travel, or recovery from injury.
“We partner with professionals to spread that message, and even support research like Dogs Trust’s Generation Pup study, which is showing links between early crate use and reduced separation issues later in life.”
What’s been one of your most unusual commissions?
“We once made a coffee table with a chess board set into the top and a dog’s bedroom underneath.
“We’ve also created pet-friendly office booths for Petplan HQ. Every project is different, and that’s what keeps it exciting.”
How do you balance growth with your wellbeing?
“Social media is our main lead generator, so I dedicate time every week to planning content.
“But I also protect my downtime – switching off, going out on Dartmoor, cold water swimming, running, paddleboarding. Journaling has been a huge help too.
“It’s about finding the balance between showing up for the business and looking after yourself.”
What’s next for The Pet Carpenter?
“We’d love to do more events where people can see and touch the furniture in real life, as well as continue innovating—especially in the cat market.
“Our workshop is open for visits in Devon, so if you’re in the area, you’re welcome to book and come by.”
Find out more about The Pet Carpenter:
