President and Founder

Dara Forleo is the founder of multiple entrepreneurial businesses.

She started The Whole Pet Grooming Academy, an arts and sciences school specializing in training professional pet stylists. She and her husband, Lee, created Come What May Racing, a Thoroughbred racehorse syndicate operation based in Kentucky and the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Dara has been recognized as Educator of the Year, Emerging Business Leader, and a Pet Age Icon Awards honoree for her experience and long-term contributions to the pet industry. She recently was top in her Executive Education Women's Leadership Program class at Yale University and had a B.A. in Business from Ottawa University. Her insights have been featured in multiple publications, and she often shares her expertise, speaking at conferences nationwide.

Dara has honed her education and experience over the last two decades culminating in her mentor program for business owners nationwide. Having experienced firsthand how being a successful business owner can give life to your dreams as with her Come What May Racing passion, she is uniquely suited to help any entrepreneur do the same.

Hollus Gessler is the founder and owner of Wigglyville Inc. and a graduate of the University of Illinois, where she earned her degree in Advertising. Her passion for animals led her to start her career as a Veterinary Technician and Emergency Hospital Administrator, seamlessly combining her medical knowledge and business acumen.

In 2005, Hollus opened her first pet retail location, followed by a second in 2011. She recognized the growing demand for pet grooming services and expanded her business model to include grooming. After completing a comprehensive grooming academy program and apprenticing under a renowned local Standard Poodle breeder, Hollus became the lead groomer at her salon, where her expertise continues to shine.

Recently, Hollus co-founded Groomerverse with Lisa Herbold, a state-of-the-art facility that merges a pet grooming retail showroom and dedicated workshop space. In collaboration with the WPGA, Groomerverse will offer certificate courses and seminars, with Hollus also serving as an online business educator. She specializes in retail, marketing, customer relations and advertising, drawing from her extensive experience to teach and mentor others in the pet industry.

Beyond her business ventures, Hollus has been an active community member, serving on the board of her local Chamber of Commerce. Since 2019, she has been a vital part of the Illinois Professional Pet Groomers Association, where she currently serves as Board President, championing the interests of pet grooming professionals across the state.