Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Russell.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
How Mold Dog Knows Came to Be
Nearly 30 years ago, I accepted what I thought was the pinnacle of my broadcasting career, moving from San Francisco to Fort Myers, Florida, to become the lead evening news anchor in a thriving market. What should’ve been a dream assignment and a big launching pad, quickly became a nightmare. Not long after arriving, I began suffering from severe migraines, crushing head pressure, and strange health symptoms no doctor could explain.
Bound by contracts and career commitments, I pushed through for a bit, hoping it would pass. It didn’t. The pain and suffering continued until I had no choice but to step away, return to California, and face the heartbreak of walking away from a career I loved…feeling lost, financially strained, and defeated.
Back home, some symptoms eased in a dryer climate, but others lingered. I managed to return to broadcasting for a time, but my health (seemingly random symptoms) continued to decline. The unrelenting stress of the newsroom only made things worse. Years later, after countless doctor visits, moves, and lifestyle changes, and eventual re-exposure, I finally discovered the truth: toxic mold exposure had been the culprit all along. By then, the illness had changed nearly everything–my body, my line of work, and my sense of identity.
That revelation sparked a deep passion in me for health, healing, and helping others. Together with my husband, Dr. Rodney Russell, a holistic functional medicine practitioner and chiropractic physician, we began connecting the dots between environmental toxins (namely mold) and chronic illness. What we discovered was staggering: countless people suffering silently from mold-related conditions, often misdiagnosed or completely dismissed. Today, it’s become a major focus within our practice. The number of patients testing positive for mycotoxins is through the roof—proof that this issue is far more widespread and misunderstood than most realize.
Out of that understanding, Mold Dog Knows was born, a North Texas–based canine mold detection company built on compassion, science, and prevention. Our mission is simple: to help people identify and address mold before it destroys their health, home, or peace of mind. The reason this is so important is the lack of reliability with a traditional mold inspector that can miss the often invisible toxic mold hiding behind walls, in floors, ceilings and HVAC units.
Building this business since December 2023 has not been easy. I’ve faced mold re-exposure myself and continue to walk through recovery. Healing is multi-layered and ongoing, and yes, there have been times I’ve wanted to quit. But my passion for helping others, and my faith in God and the strength He provides, keep me going.
What sets Mold Dog Knows apart is our combination of world-class K9 leadership and verified third-party certification. Under Steve Antommarchi, an international law enforcement K9 Instructor and certifier, founder of Next Level K9 Texas, and 2025 Gold Medalist at the World Police & Fire Games, our teams (10 K9 teams in 7 states and growing) operate with unmatched precision and integrity. Together with the American Working Dog Association (AWDA), we helped create the first-ever third-party K9 mold detection certification whereby bringing accountability to an unregulated industry. (We have the only 3rd party certified K9 teams in the US and no, we do not certify our own teams. This, versus the others teams out there that have zero oversight and are self certified offering zero validation on detection.)
Today, I see every deployment as more than a service, it’s truly a mission. It’s a way to give people answers, hope, and a path to healing that I once so desperately needed myself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh goodness, it’s definitely not a smooth road. It’s been more like a roller coaster with no seatbelt at times! The illness itself has been grueling….migraines, occipital neuralgia, intracranial pressure, brain fog, weight fluctuations, and MCAS…all of it has been incredibly complex, frustrating and humbling. Some days it feels like two steps forward and one step back.
But I’ve learned that healing isn’t linear. Continuing to challenge myself, staying consistent with detox protocols (which are tough with my genetics), keeping my mindset in check, moving my body, and giving it all to God, those are the pillars that keep me grounded. And honestly, having a mission and purpose through Mold Dog Knows has been one of the greatest motivators to keep pushing through.
One of the parts I love most about this work is connecting with our clients. Every single person who calls us has a story, often filled with frustration, fear, and exhaustion from not being believed or finally realizing that mold has been the missing link in their health struggles. I absolutely love hearing those stories and walking beside them through that process. There’s something powerful about being able to meet people at such a raw, human level, to see them, to understand their pain, and to help them find hope again. Those conversations can move me to tears because it’s not just business, it’s heart work. We’re touching lives in a way that goes far deeper than detection. It’s about restoring trust, healing, and a sense of peace that many haven’t felt in years.
On the business side, it’s been an education in the deep end. I’ve never managed employees or contractors at this level – or handled a budget this size. I wear about fifteen hats on any given day, swinging from finance and HR to contracts, marketing, client relations, and even social media. That’s a far cry from my broadcasting background!
And to make things even more interesting, we’re building this in a brand-new industry. There’s no roadmap—so we’re paving the way as we go. We’re creating standards, defining policies, managing K9 handler teams, structuring fair pay, setting billing systems, and ensuring compliance in a space that’s largely unregulated. It’s massive when you step back and look at it all.
An interesting turning point came in November 2024, just as we were nearing our first year in business. Overnight, we went mega-viral with a reel on social media—reaching millions of people. My small team woke up to more than 650 service requests in a single day! It was both exhilarating and overwhelming; truthfully, it almost broke us because we weren’t equipped to handle that kind of response. But as I’ve learned time and again, God had other plans. That moment forced us to grow, restructure and refine our systems, and build the foundation that ultimately led to the success we’re experiencing today.
And here’s the truth, I wouldn’t trade it. I’ve slowly brought in a rock-solid team who fills in the gaps where I’m still learning, and I rely on them deeply. It’s taken faith, grit, and humility, but every challenge has shaped me into a stronger leader and deepened my belief that purpose is found in perseverance.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I answered most of that in the first long form question.
I am truly a creative, though it’s being expressed in a very different form with the “creation” of Mold Dog Knows and it’s stretching me-BIG TIME! I am a writer, a journalist, a visionary, a connector at my core. I’m hoping we can get the business stabilized enough where I can really focus on what I love to do! I see that as doing more in marketing and production while really connecting with our clients – telling their stories while, encouraging and supporting them in their journey.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I believe the most important quality behind my success is empathy rooted in lived experience. Having walked this journey myself, and still walking through it, I can deeply connect with our clients. I know what it feels like to be sick, scared, and searching for answers, and that allows me to offer more than just a service. I get to give people something priceless: hope. I love encouraging and empowering them to stay the course and not give up, even when it feels impossible.
Mold illness isn’t just a health problem, it’s a life crisis. People lose their homes, their finances, their careers, even their marriages. Many lose their sense of identity, and tragically, some lose their lives. That’s why I take this work so personally.
Also I believe my connection to true healing, which comes from years of walking alongside my husband, Dr. Rodney Russell, in building our functional medicine practice (www.DrRodneyRussell.com), has been pivotal to our success. There, I’ve witnessed real recovery through root-cause medicine—something only about 5–7% of doctors truly understand when it comes to mold and biotoxin illness. That unique blend of personal experience, compassion, and medical insight is what fuels everything I do and defines how I lead.
Pricing:
- Please expand on this question.
- Prices vary based on the location and size of home.
- Starts at $795
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.molddogknows.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/molddogknows/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoldDogKnows/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoldDogKnows/videos
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@molddogknows
Image Credits
Bee Silva on the professional shots.
