The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Business with Kath Allen and Abbey Lee
Kath Allen, Founder of Hike Doggie, and her niece and business partner Abbey Lee share how EQ in family business shapes their dog hiking franchise. They explain why they run at problems, how seven core values let hikers act on their own, and why love is built into the brand.
EQ in family business gets tested every day when your business partner is also your niece. In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, we welcome Kath Allen, Founder of Hike Doggie Inc. and Hike Doggie Franchising LLC, and Abbey Lee, her partner in both companies, to talk about how emotional intelligence shapes their Golden, Colorado dog hiking brand.
🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Mike Liwski
🎧 Produced by Tullio Siragusa
In this episode we explore:
• How a basketball court and a classroom taught two leaders emotional intelligence
• Why Hike Doggie runs at problems instead of away from them
• How a hard day on the trail turned a worried dog parent into a franchisee
• Why thanking the team changed retention and growth
• How a mission and seven core values let hikers act on their own
• What honest, uncomfortable conversations look like in an aunt and niece partnership
Kath learned emotional intelligence through college basketball and 20 years as a global account manager at Avis Budget. Abbey came to it through elementary education, raising three children, and living in Germany, where body language filled the gaps that language courses left. Her biggest lesson was learning to listen instead of rushing to fix.
Their clearest EQ story starts with a mistake. A hiker broke protocol, and a dog named Bo was bitten. Kath kept Bo’s dad informed minute by minute, paid the vet bill, and visited Bo every day while he healed. That same dog parent is now Hike Doggie’s fourth franchisee.
Growth followed when the team became, in Kath’s words, the third leg on the stool. Once Hike Doggie started thanking and celebrating its hikers, tenure grew from about a year to four to eight years. Abbey built franchisee training with weekly leadership lessons, and the mission, to make dogs as happy as they make us, gives every hiker a roadmap on the trail.
Helping a business put its purpose into clear words that a whole team can act on is the same work Zero Company does with its own clients.
Key Takeaways
• (13:01) Abbey Lee on the EQ skill she practices most: “just learning how to listen, I think that is a skill that is really something you need to practice and really hone in on. I’m always a fixer, so I want to jump in and fix everyone’s problems.”
• (14:21) Kath Allen on entrepreneurship: “it’s not if something wrong happened today, it’s when it’s going to happen today… You have to run at the problem.”
• (16:32) Kath on the client whose injured dog led to a franchise: “I remember when we were signing the agreement, he said, Kath, if it wasn’t you, you know, we wouldn’t be doing this.”
• (21:42) Kath on putting the team first: “once we made that connection, that our team was the third leg on the stool, I’ll tell you what, that’s when all the magic happened.”
• (31:49) Abbey on hard conversations with family: “that’s what makes us all better, is to be able to have those hard conversations and kind of figure out the best path for everybody and keep going.”
• (34:57) Kath on why mission and core values matter for a mobile team: “Anything can happen that they’ve never seen before, but they instinctively know what the right thing to do is because they’re empowered.”
FAQ
How does emotional intelligence help a family business?
For Hike Doggie partners Kath Allen and her niece Abbey Lee, emotional intelligence means having hard conversations instead of avoiding them. Abbey Lee once told Kath they had not had fun in a long time, and talking it through honestly made the partnership stronger.
How did Hike Doggie turn a dog injury into a franchise partnership?
When a hiker broke protocol and a dog named Bo was bitten, Kath Allen kept the owner informed minute by minute, paid the vet bill, and visited Bo daily during his recovery. That owner later became Hike Doggie’s fourth franchisee.
How does Hike Doggie build leadership skills in franchisees?
Abbey Lee built a proprietary online training platform for Hike Doggie franchisees that includes weekly leadership lessons alongside the operational basics, so emotional intelligence is taught as part of running the business.
When family partners listen first and run at problems together, emotional intelligence becomes the way a business grows. Learn more about Hike Doggie at hikedoggie.com and on Instagram at @hikedoggie. See the guest profiles for Kath Allen and Abbey Lee, watch the video, and explore more Featured Guest Series conversations.
Partner of Hike Doggie Inc & Hike Doggie Franchising LLC
Abbey, originally from West Chester, Pennsylvania, Abbey pursued her passion for sports and education in North Carolina, where she excelled as a collegiate diver and earned a degree in Elementary Education. Following college, she embarked on an international adventure, relocating to Germany with her husband and their first dog, Brandy, where they welcomed their daughter. After several years abroad, Abbey returned to the U.S., settling first in South Carolina—where her two sons were born—before making her home in Golden, Colorado.
Fueled by her love for the outdoors and animals, she joined the Hike Doggie team, where she played a key role in developing the company’s comprehensive training program for new franchisees. She continues to welcome and integrate new dogs into the Hike Doggie program with care and enthusiasm, while also helping to upgrade internal systems and software, streamline daily operations, and build a strong and reliable team.
Abbey is now excited to help lead the company’s growth through a new partnership with Loyalty Brands, expanding Hike Doggie’s franchising footprint across the United States.
Founder of Hike Doggie Inc & Hike Doggie Franchising LLC
Kath, born in New Jersey as the youngest of five, Kath Allen learned early the value of teamwork, commitment, and strong mentorship—lessons she carried with her from the basketball court to the boardroom. A Division II basketball scholarship athlete at Pace University, Kath’s career path took her through sales and account management roles at both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Along the way, she discovered her true passion: blending personal growth, service, and a love for animals into something bigger.
After living in Italy for three years, Kath settled in Golden, CO where she now lives with her partner Malcolm and their two pups, LuLu and Storm. It was on the trails of Colorado in 2016 that Hike Doggie was born—a business redefining pet care through structured, adventure-driven dog hikes. What started as a passion project quickly evolved into a thriving company with a unique niche in the industry.
Today, Kath leads a fast-growing brand with a reputation for excellence, a focus on automation with a personal touch, and a commitment to enriching the lives of both pets and their parents. In 2024, she successfully launched Hike Doggie Franchising, empowering others to bring this innovative service to communities nationwide. That same drive and vision earned her a spot on the Titan 100 list in 2025, recognizing Colorado’s top CEOs and C-level executives.
With the support of a talented team and a recent partnership with Loyalty Brands, Kath is proud to be scaling Hike Doggie across the U.S.—and loving every minute of the adventure.
