30: Lead Well Live Well with Dee Blick - Episode 3030: Lead Well Live Well with Dee Blick - Episode 30
UK Health Radio Podcast
Former firefighter turned entrepreneur Peter Maxted shares how Dog-G8 grew from a practical pet-safety idea into an award-winning brand. The conversation highlights calm problem-solving, quality-first thinking and the courage to back a simple idea all the way to St James’s Palace.
52:31•26 Sept 2026
From Firefighter to Pet-Gate Innovator: Peter Maxted’s Big Leap
Episode Overview
- Long-term service careers can provide resilience and composure that transfer powerfully into business and personal change.
- Removing financial barriers, such as high franchise joining fees, can create more sustainable and loyal partnerships.
- Direct-to-consumer models help small businesses keep control of margin and customer relationships instead of relying on large retailers.
- Investing heavily in product quality and testing creates lasting trust, especially when safety is involved.
- Spotting and acting on gaps in the market, even when others are unsure, can turn a simple idea into a global brand.
“I instinctively start looking at the resolve, not the problem.”
What remarkable journeys have people faced head-on against addiction to limitation, self-doubt or a "small life"? This conversation on UK Health Radio’s *Lead Well Live Well* zooms in on one man’s quiet determination to build something meaningful from everyday problems. Entrepreneur and former firefighter Peter Maxted joins host Dee Blick to talk about how a simple safety concern in his pet-care business grew into Dog-G8, a modular pet gate system now recognised with the King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.
You’ll hear Peter explain how 30 years in the fire service shaped his calm approach: he talks about earning his long service and good conduct medal and Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal, and how that background of "service" later caught King Charles’ eye at St James’s Palace.
The chat has a relaxed, humorous feel, with Dee describing Peter as "the most relaxed, convivial entrepreneur" she’s met, and Peter laughing about being shadowed by Dragon’s Den staff so he couldn’t bolt from the studio. He breaks down the graft behind Dog-G8’s "overnight" success – from early prototypes and UK-based manufacturing to social media-driven growth and a clear decision to sell direct to customers instead of handing margin to big retailers.
For anyone in recovery or rebuilding their life, Peter’s story offers a relatable model of persistence: spotting gaps in the market, backing yourself even when others aren’t sure (including his own son on the cat gate idea), and focusing relentlessly on product quality rather than hype. His line that he instinctively looks for the resolve, not the problem, feels particularly relevant to anyone trying to change their relationship with alcohol or create a new chapter.
If you’re wondering whether your own small idea or fresh start is worth pursuing, this easy-going but honest conversation might leave you asking: what could happen if you backed yourself big time, just as Peter did?
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