5 MINUTES WITH BRITNEY WESTAWAY

A Lifelong Love

A childhood spent in pet stores with her family has blossomed into a fulfilling career for Britney Westaway, but there is plenty more to come.

AT JUST 24 years of age, Britney Westaway, General Manager of Pet Destination in Parkwood, Queensland, is already making her mark on the Australian pet industry.

Having been named in Pet Industry News’ Young Guns list and as IndePet’s 2023 Rising Star, we wanted to spend a bit of time getting to know what makes Westaway tick.

Pet: What was growing up like?

Westaway: I am privileged to be able to say I had a childhood full of fun and have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by all kinds of animals over the years. My grandparents, Pam and Paul Westaway purchased The Pet Barn in 1994 – five years before I was born and in their first year of trade, they more than doubled the store’s revenue. The Pet Barn was a rapidly growing business, which meant all hands on deck. My mother and father both left their jobs to help run and grow that shop, which meant we spent a lot of time there as kids.

My mother’s parents have been heavily involved in horse racing due to my Poppy (her father), and his father, being jockeys.

It feels like every family friend from that side of the family has something to do with horses. So, I have been fortunate to grow up learning about animals from all directions of life.

A lot can be learned from the new generation; younger employees can improve old methods by providing their fresh take on a task. It can be hard taking advice from someone less experienced, however this must be done to continually grow. Leave the ego at the door, being open to new ideas is key.

– Britney Westaway, General Manager, Pet Destination

I enjoyed my early years of school and always managed good grades. Up until two years ago, I have been a competitive dancer, more specifically a sport called BJP Physical Culture. I stared when I was 6 years old and went on to snag a few State Champion and National places over my time competing. Nationals are held at the Sydney Opera House, so it's an honor to have experience performing on stage. I am having some time off while I focus on growing Pet Destination.

Pet: What was your first job?

Westaway: My first job was, of course, working at The Pet Barn. I started accompanying my dad to work one Saturday a month when I was around 11 years old, wearing my very own uniform that I thought was the coolest thing ever.

My Mum and Dad opened Pet Destination in December of 2014 and whenever I wasn’t at school, I was at Pet Destination – and it has pretty much been like that ever since. I continued working at Pet Destination during my university studies and then when Covid hit, and my travel plans went out the window, I decided to put my hand up for the manager role that had recently presented itself after our previous manager relocated back to New Zealand.

I have dived headfirst into figuring out what needs improving in the store, and have had tunnel vision ever since. It has only really been over the last few months that I have lifted my head to look around at the progress I have made, and it was actually the ‘Young Guns’ feature that made me pause to reflect. It is so easy to get lost in the day-to-day when you run a small business and I am trying to make more of an effort to pause and reflect.

Pet: Have you done much overseas travelling?

Westaway: In 2012, my dance school was asked to perform in Disneyland. We flipped sausages for a whole year to fundraise money to get over there. It was a trip of a lifetime, and I was only 12 years old. I have been fortunate to travel to Bali twice in the last few years, which has been awesome. I also have a long-awaited Europe trip planned for August this year where I will be bouncing around for five weeks with my sister. In the future, I’d love to attend international pet exhibitions such as SuperZoo and InterZoo.

Pet: What’s your current title at Pet Destination?

Westaway: I am General Manager, but just like most small business owners, I wear multiple hats within the company. I am responsible for everything from inventory to marketing, HR, customer service, and more. I am always looking for ways we can improve when it comes to running the store. I have only been managing for two years and in that time, I have been consistently working on and changing our systems and processes to improve efficiency. I am still learning how to delegate properly – probably my biggest flaw is being a perfectionist – but I am only just getting started on what I want to achieve.

Pet: What have been your career highlights so far?

Westaway: Being recognised as a Young Gun in the recent issue of Pet Industry News was definitely a highlight for me. Also, having the opportunity to work alongside Todd Clarkson and Tia Wishart and to see what they’re doing for IndePet.

The 2022 IndePet Conference at SeaWorld was also another one to mention.

I started accompanying my dad to work one Saturday a month when I was around 11 years old, wearing my very own uniform that I thought was the coolest thing ever.

– Britney Westaway, General Manager, Pet Destination

Our Santa Photo Days at Pet Destination grow every year and those events are always the highlight of our year. We get to see so many new and existing members of our pet community come out with their pets for a photo with Santa, we joked about possibly needing two Santas next year.

Pet: What do you do in your spare time?

Westaway: In my spare time I like to go to the gym and if it’s a nice day I always try to get to the beach. I hang out with my friends, my boyfriend, and my family.

Pet: Who is in your family now?

Westaway: Currently I have a partner, my Dad, Mum, Kirah, Jayda, our three Bull Terriers; Eli, Luna, and Penny, Boo the British Shorthair, a turtle named Charlie, and Weasley the Woma Python. They all still live with my parents and sisters. I moved out of home in 2020 when I accepted the hard truth that travelling wasn’t going to be in the picture any time soon.

I currently have a pet fighting fish that lives on my desk at work. I spend the majority of my life at Pet Destination, so I am not allowing myself to bring a pet home until I have more of my own time to devote to an animal. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by pets all day every day, so I get my fix.

Pet: What’s your advice for other retailers?

Westaway: Be a sponge, soak up all the wisdom you can attain from your elders. A lot can be learned from the new generation; younger employees can improve old methods by providing their fresh take on a task. It can be hard taking advice from someone less experienced, however this must be done to continually grow. Leave the ego at the door, being open to new ideas is key.

Pet: What’s your advice for those wanting to get involved in the pet industry?

Westaway: It is such a passionate and exciting industry to work in, anyone wanting to join should give it a try. There is so much to learn about pets and how to give them the best life in captivity, I learn something every day at work. There is always fun and new exciting products and educational tools popping up. If you love pets and learning – the pet industry is for you.

Pet: Where would you like to be in five years?

Westaway: By then we’ll probably be selling AI pets! Jokes aside, I would love to say that I’ve kicked my current goals and am working on bigger projects within the pet industry.