The Entrepreneur Experiment EE425 - Fetching €40 Million: How Anthony Gallagher Started & Scaled Petstop
Jun 19, 2025
Anthony Gallagher, founder of Petstop, shares his remarkable journey from sweeping floors to creating Ireland's leading pet retailer. He talks about how he scaled the business to €40 million, even delivering pet food during lockdowns. Gallagher reflects on his near $42 million dot-com deal that flopped, using personal resources for his team, and competing with multinational giants. He emphasizes the power of location, maintaining a loyal workforce, and the critical role of timing in business success, all while highlighting the bond people share with their pets.
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Starting from Sweeping Floors
- Anthony Gallagher started sweeping floors at Penneys as his first retail job.
- This early experience laid the foundation for his retail career and later success with Petstop.
Dotcom Bubble Collapse Impact
- PetSmart failed in the UK due to high costs and a retail format not suited for the market.
- This collapse left Anthony with a struggling Petstop business needing to pivot and survive.
Sacrificing to Stay Afloat
- During tough times, Anthony used his son's communion money to pay staff wages and keep the business running.
- Despite financial ruin, the investors stayed loyal and friendships endured for 30 years.
