The Million-Dollar Dog Trainer: From Steph Curry to Netflix

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Earn Your Leisure
Episode: The Million-Dollar Dog Trainer: From Steph Curry to Netflix
Hosts: Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings
Guest: Josh Leverette (Founder, Cali K9)
Date: February 12, 2026

Overview

This episode dives into the entrepreneurial journey of Josh Leverette, founder of Cali K9 and star of the Netflix series “K9 Intervention.” From the streets of Oakland to becoming a sought-after dog trainer for celebrities like Steph Curry and beyond, Josh unpacks how he built a thriving, multi-faceted business in dog training—a field often overlooked as a serious path to wealth and brand building. The conversation explores his path from hustling in various trades (legal and otherwise), the business mechanics of dog training, leveraging social proof and digital marketing, and scaling into media and real estate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Early Hustles ([05:27]–[09:13])

From Oakland to Entrepreneurship: Josh’s journey began in Oakland, graduating just before 9/11, which derailed his planned aviation career. Inspired by "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," he searched for unconventional hustles, starting with rim shops and moving briefly into the medical marijuana business.
Pivot to Dogs: Security was key in his cannabis days, leading him to train protection dogs as an alternative to firearms. His passion for dogs and the entrepreneurial influence of his mother set the foundation for his shift.

2. Learning Dog Training & Early Business Moves ([09:13]–[14:31])

Mentorship: First learned from a local East Oakland dog trainer, then from professional clubs in Seattle after relocating.
From Security Dogs to Behavior Cases: Mastered training high-drive breeds (German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois) for protection, then translated those skills into solving everyday behavioral issues.
Bootstrapping with Social Media: Leveraged Craigslist, flyers, and especially Yelp to build reputation. Early adoption of YouTube and later Instagram helped attract clients.

“Once I learned what a bad review was, I say, yo, you got to have an impeccable reputation if you're going to play with this Internet.” — Josh Leverette ([13:28])

3. Content and Social Proof ([14:31]–[17:05])

Building Organic, Day-in-the-Life Content: Josh documented his grind, creating commercials and behind-the-scenes looks on YouTube well before it was common in his industry.
Package Pricing: Initial training packages ranged from $1,000–$2,000, including private and group sessions (the latter serving as lead generation in busy parks).

4. Scaling the Business Model ([17:05]–[23:56])

Team Building: Early on, Josh brought in mentees and trainers to expand capacity, focusing on those eager to learn directly from him.
Location Strategy: Positioned himself in Silicon Valley targeting wealthy clients for “recession-proof” business; emphasized offering solutions to “rich people’s problems.”

“I positioned myself in a place where I knew that the average income was over 200k in the household.” — Josh Leverette ([21:55])

Establishing Trust: Relied on consistent five-star reviews, testimonials, celebrity endorsements, and public demos with his personal, highly-trained German Shepherd.

5. The Celebrity Effect ([26:00]–[29:29])

Breakthrough Client: Steph Curry became the turning point after Josh hustled to introduce himself, cementing credibility and attracting myriad other stars (Kevin Hart, Michael B. Jordan, Kylie Jenner).
Handling Celebrity Relations: Maintains boundaries—requests favors sparingly and always asks permission to use content for promotion.

“People are mesmerized when your favorite sports team is the Niners... or the Warriors... you get a nice little boost, a lot of trust.” — Josh Leverette ([29:17])

6. From Netflix to National Brand ([31:42]–[37:22])

Landing "K9 Intervention": After working with Andre Berto in LA, a connection led to a production deal and ultimately Netflix. The series showcased authentic, docu-style dog training instead of reality TV tropes.
Show’s Impact: Shifted perception of dog training, expanded reach globally, and set up follow-on digital products and online coaching.

7. Becoming a True Entrepreneur ([37:22]–[41:07])

Business Development: Self-taught in P&Ls and scaling, Josh switched hustle mindset (“stuffing money in the safe”) to building robust sales funnels and running paid ads for lead generation.
Digital Offerings: Transitioned to Zoom coaching and online courses for wider reach and scalability post-Netflix.

8. Funnels, Scaling & Products ([41:07]–[47:06])

Funnel Philosophy: “Fame doesn’t pay, funnels do.” TV exposure was used to drive clients into digital evaluation, courses, and mentoring—the latter scaling up to high-ticket and profit-sharing models.
Licensing and Franchising: Expanding through mentorship and future licensing to launch Cali K9 branches nationwide/internationally; already set up shop in New York via family and former mentees.
Multiple Revenue Streams: Physical products (Turbo Treats dog treats, training kits), digital courses, mentorship, and potential franchising.

9. Real Estate Investments ([48:41]–[50:16])

Reinvesting Profits: Inspired by a friend, Josh started buying and renovating homes and now develops property internationally—recently investing in Morocco.

“The dog money just goes into the real estate.” — Josh Leverette ([49:31])

10. Scaling Mindset & Future Opportunities ([50:16]–[53:44])

International Vision: Sees opportunities in underdeveloped markets, especially Africa; advises other entrepreneurs to become financially literate for growth.

11. Digital Marketing Mastery ([51:39]–[53:44])

Ads & Creative: Emphasizes testing, speaking directly to clients’ problems, content volume, and not being cheap with ad spend.

“You can't be cheap. If you want to go big, you gotta buy... You gotta buy the whole pound.” — Josh Leverette ([52:44])

12. Legacy, Family, and the Next Moves ([53:44]–[55:21])

Children & Brand Longevity: Plans to launch a large-scale app/platform, grow Turbo Treats as an acquirable brand, and keep legacy options open for his kids.

13. Practical Dog Owner Advice ([55:21]–[59:50])

Top Mistakes: Over-humanizing dogs and lack of structure.
Practical Tips: 15 minutes a day of consistent training, structure, and motivation through positive reinforcement are key.
Best Guard Dog Breeds: German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois, but the fit should depend on lifestyle—not just breed hype.

“If you treat a dog like a human, they'll treat you like a dog.” — Josh Leverette ([55:33])

Notable Quotes

On Building Trust:
“Social proof. You know, being able to be transparent online, show the testimonials, having those five-star Yelp reviews, having the celebrities, showing the results... that's what gets people to say yes.” ([21:55])
On the Power of Social Media:
“A picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million.” ([25:20])
On Celebrity Clients:
“If Steph trusts you, I'm gonna trust you.” ([29:17])
On Motivation:
“Dogs either like praise, food or toys, right? So we sell them the praise, we sell them the food and the toys and teach them how to praise.” ([57:20])
On Practical Training:
“15 minutes a day keeps a bad behavior away.” ([55:33])
On His Early Approach:
“I just was treating it like it was trapping, bro. I just... stuff that money in the safe.” ([37:51])
On Fame vs. Business:
“Fame doesn’t pay. Funnels do.” ([41:07])

Timestamps for Key Segments

Josh’s Background and Early Hustles: [05:27]–[09:13]
Mentors & Dog Training Foundations: [09:30]–[14:31]
Building the Brand via Social: [14:31]–[17:05]
Team Building & Scaling: [17:05]–[23:56]
Celebrity Breakthrough with Steph Curry: [26:27]–[29:29]
Netflix & Global Recognition: [31:42]–[37:22]
Digital Courses & Funnels: [41:07]–[45:41]
Product Lines, Licensing, and Scaling: [45:41]–[47:06]
Real Estate and Wealth Building: [48:41]–[50:16]
Advice for Entrepreneurs on Ads: [51:39]–[53:44]
Owner Tips & Dog Training Wisdom: [55:21]–[59:50]

Final Thoughts

For entrepreneurs and business-minded listeners, this episode is a masterclass in spotting opportunity in "unsexy" industries, leveraging social proof and digital marketing, and strategically scaling a brand across industries. For dog owners, it offers actionable advice for better relationships with their pets—and a window into a booming business few truly understand.

Follow Josh Leverette:

Website: calik9.com
Instagram: @calik9
YouTube: Cali K9
Netflix: [K9 Intervention]

Learn more about business and entrepreneurship at Earn Your Leisure.

Podcast Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Early Hustles ([05:27]–[09:13])

From Oakland to Entrepreneurship: Josh’s journey began in Oakland, graduating just before 9/11, which derailed his planned aviation career. Inspired by "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," he searched for unconventional hustles, starting with rim shops and moving briefly into the medical marijuana business.
Pivot to Dogs: Security was key in his cannabis days, leading him to train protection dogs as an alternative to firearms. His passion for dogs and the entrepreneurial influence of his mother set the foundation for his shift.

2. Learning Dog Training & Early Business Moves ([09:13]–[14:31])

Mentorship: First learned from a local East Oakland dog trainer, then from professional clubs in Seattle after relocating.
From Security Dogs to Behavior Cases: Mastered training high-drive breeds (German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois) for protection, then translated those skills into solving everyday behavioral issues.
Bootstrapping with Social Media: Leveraged Craigslist, flyers, and especially Yelp to build reputation. Early adoption of YouTube and later Instagram helped attract clients.

“Once I learned what a bad review was, I say, yo, you got to have an impeccable reputation if you're going to play with this Internet.” — Josh Leverette ([13:28])

3. Content and Social Proof ([14:31]–[17:05])

Building Organic, Day-in-the-Life Content: Josh documented his grind, creating commercials and behind-the-scenes looks on YouTube well before it was common in his industry.
Package Pricing: Initial training packages ranged from $1,000–$2,000, including private and group sessions (the latter serving as lead generation in busy parks).

4. Scaling the Business Model ([17:05]–[23:56])

Team Building: Early on, Josh brought in mentees and trainers to expand capacity, focusing on those eager to learn directly from him.
Location Strategy: Positioned himself in Silicon Valley targeting wealthy clients for “recession-proof” business; emphasized offering solutions to “rich people’s problems.”

“I positioned myself in a place where I knew that the average income was over 200k in the household.” — Josh Leverette ([21:55])

Establishing Trust: Relied on consistent five-star reviews, testimonials, celebrity endorsements, and public demos with his personal, highly-trained German Shepherd.

5. The Celebrity Effect ([26:00]–[29:29])

Breakthrough Client: Steph Curry became the turning point after Josh hustled to introduce himself, cementing credibility and attracting myriad other stars (Kevin Hart, Michael B. Jordan, Kylie Jenner).
Handling Celebrity Relations: Maintains boundaries—requests favors sparingly and always asks permission to use content for promotion.

“People are mesmerized when your favorite sports team is the Niners... or the Warriors... you get a nice little boost, a lot of trust.” — Josh Leverette ([29:17])

6. From Netflix to National Brand ([31:42]–[37:22])

Landing "K9 Intervention": After working with Andre Berto in LA, a connection led to a production deal and ultimately Netflix. The series showcased authentic, docu-style dog training instead of reality TV tropes.
Show’s Impact: Shifted perception of dog training, expanded reach globally, and set up follow-on digital products and online coaching.

7. Becoming a True Entrepreneur ([37:22]–[41:07])

Business Development: Self-taught in P&Ls and scaling, Josh switched hustle mindset (“stuffing money in the safe”) to building robust sales funnels and running paid ads for lead generation.
Digital Offerings: Transitioned to Zoom coaching and online courses for wider reach and scalability post-Netflix.

8. Funnels, Scaling & Products ([41:07]–[47:06])

Funnel Philosophy: “Fame doesn’t pay, funnels do.” TV exposure was used to drive clients into digital evaluation, courses, and mentoring—the latter scaling up to high-ticket and profit-sharing models.
Licensing and Franchising: Expanding through mentorship and future licensing to launch Cali K9 branches nationwide/internationally; already set up shop in New York via family and former mentees.
Multiple Revenue Streams: Physical products (Turbo Treats dog treats, training kits), digital courses, mentorship, and potential franchising.

9. Real Estate Investments ([48:41]–[50:16])

Reinvesting Profits: Inspired by a friend, Josh started buying and renovating homes and now develops property internationally—recently investing in Morocco.

“The dog money just goes into the real estate.” — Josh Leverette ([49:31])

10. Scaling Mindset & Future Opportunities ([50:16]–[53:44])

International Vision: Sees opportunities in underdeveloped markets, especially Africa; advises other entrepreneurs to become financially literate for growth.

11. Digital Marketing Mastery ([51:39]–[53:44])

Ads & Creative: Emphasizes testing, speaking directly to clients’ problems, content volume, and not being cheap with ad spend.

“You can't be cheap. If you want to go big, you gotta buy... You gotta buy the whole pound.” — Josh Leverette ([52:44])

12. Legacy, Family, and the Next Moves ([53:44]–[55:21])

Children & Brand Longevity: Plans to launch a large-scale app/platform, grow Turbo Treats as an acquirable brand, and keep legacy options open for his kids.

13. Practical Dog Owner Advice ([55:21]–[59:50])

Top Mistakes: Over-humanizing dogs and lack of structure.
Practical Tips: 15 minutes a day of consistent training, structure, and motivation through positive reinforcement are key.
Best Guard Dog Breeds: German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois, but the fit should depend on lifestyle—not just breed hype.

“If you treat a dog like a human, they'll treat you like a dog.” — Josh Leverette ([55:33])

Notable Quotes

On Building Trust:
“Social proof. You know, being able to be transparent online, show the testimonials, having those five-star Yelp reviews, having the celebrities, showing the results... that's what gets people to say yes.” ([21:55])
On the Power of Social Media:
“A picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million.” ([25:20])
On Celebrity Clients:
“If Steph trusts you, I'm gonna trust you.” ([29:17])
On Motivation:
“Dogs either like praise, food or toys, right? So we sell them the praise, we sell them the food and the toys and teach them how to praise.” ([57:20])
On Practical Training:
“15 minutes a day keeps a bad behavior away.” ([55:33])
On His Early Approach:
“I just was treating it like it was trapping, bro. I just... stuff that money in the safe.” ([37:51])
On Fame vs. Business:
“Fame doesn’t pay. Funnels do.” ([41:07])

Timestamps for Key Segments

Josh’s Background and Early Hustles: [05:27]–[09:13]
Mentors & Dog Training Foundations: [09:30]–[14:31]
Building the Brand via Social: [14:31]–[17:05]
Team Building & Scaling: [17:05]–[23:56]
Celebrity Breakthrough with Steph Curry: [26:27]–[29:29]
Netflix & Global Recognition: [31:42]–[37:22]
Digital Courses & Funnels: [41:07]–[45:41]
Product Lines, Licensing, and Scaling: [45:41]–[47:06]
Real Estate and Wealth Building: [48:41]–[50:16]
Advice for Entrepreneurs on Ads: [51:39]–[53:44]
Owner Tips & Dog Training Wisdom: [55:21]–[59:50]

Final Thoughts

Follow Josh Leverette:

Website: calik9.com
Instagram: @calik9
YouTube: Cali K9
Netflix: [K9 Intervention]

Learn more about business and entrepreneurship at Earn Your Leisure.

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Summary

Podcast Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Early Hustles ([05:27]–[09:13])

2. Learning Dog Training & Early Business Moves ([09:13]–[14:31])

3. Content and Social Proof ([14:31]–[17:05])

4. Scaling the Business Model ([17:05]–[23:56])

5. The Celebrity Effect ([26:00]–[29:29])

6. From Netflix to National Brand ([31:42]–[37:22])

7. Becoming a True Entrepreneur ([37:22]–[41:07])

8. Funnels, Scaling & Products ([41:07]–[47:06])

9. Real Estate Investments ([48:41]–[50:16])

10. Scaling Mindset & Future Opportunities ([50:16]–[53:44])

11. Digital Marketing Mastery ([51:39]–[53:44])

12. Legacy, Family, and the Next Moves ([53:44]–[55:21])

13. Practical Dog Owner Advice ([55:21]–[59:50])

Notable Quotes

Timestamps for Key Segments

Final Thoughts

Summary

Podcast Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Early Hustles ([05:27]–[09:13])

2. Learning Dog Training & Early Business Moves ([09:13]–[14:31])

3. Content and Social Proof ([14:31]–[17:05])

4. Scaling the Business Model ([17:05]–[23:56])

5. The Celebrity Effect ([26:00]–[29:29])

6. From Netflix to National Brand ([31:42]–[37:22])

7. Becoming a True Entrepreneur ([37:22]–[41:07])

8. Funnels, Scaling & Products ([41:07]–[47:06])

9. Real Estate Investments ([48:41]–[50:16])

10. Scaling Mindset & Future Opportunities ([50:16]–[53:44])

11. Digital Marketing Mastery ([51:39]–[53:44])

12. Legacy, Family, and the Next Moves ([53:44]–[55:21])

13. Practical Dog Owner Advice ([55:21]–[59:50])

Notable Quotes

Timestamps for Key Segments

Final Thoughts