242: Defining Your Company Culture with Riti Sobilo and Jen Austin
Brought to you by:
Time to Pet. Go to timetopet.com/confessional for 50% off your first 3 months.
Pet Sitters International. Go to petsit.com/psc to get access to online trainings today!
Summary:
Have you ever thought about going green in your pet business? ♻️ Maybe you've looked into it but thought it was too much work. It turns out there is much more to being eco-responsible than simply buying bio-degradable poop bags. When being eco-friendly is at the core of your business, the impacts go much deeper. Riti Sobilo, Growth Officer, and Jen Austin, General Manager, of Green Paws Chicago, share how to “go green”. We also discuss how to grow a great company culture through allowing your staff to embed their values and why they invest so heavily in their staff.
Topics on this episode:
What is "green"?
Sticking to their mission
Leaning the business
Leaning into your staff
Main take away? Build your culture by having a lens through which you make all of your decisions.
About our guests:
Jen Austin: Jen (she/her) grew up in the Chicago area and has lived in a variety of places including Madison WI, Boulder CO, Portland OR, and relocated back to Chicago in 2003. After 20+ years in the coffee industry, she is excited to combine her passion for dogs, being outdoors, business, and adding value to the community. Jen lives in Albany Park with her rescue pup named Pablo, a Shar Pei/Great Pyrenees mix.
Riti Sobilo: Riti (she/her) grew up moving internationally with her family, exploring places like India, London, and Singapore before arriving in Chicago. After spending the majority of her career in corporate America, she is thrilled to be joining a local business like Green Paws. She is a passionate animal lover and environmentalist who is now settled in the West Loop with her husband and a growing pack of pets. Her two spunky pups, Archie and Panda, are beagle mixes that have been loved on by the Green Paws family their entire lives!
Links:
Their website: www.greenpawschicago.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greenpawschicago/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/greenpawschicago/
Give us a call! (636) 364-8260
Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, & TuneIn
Email us at: feedback@petsitterconfessional.com
A VERY ROUGH TRANSCRIPT OF THE EPISODE
Provided by otter.ai
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
clients, people, pet, business, pandemic, dog, team, staff, green, membership, care, chicago, reedy, attract, company, services, paws, continue, pet sitters, offer
SPEAKERS
Collin Funkhouser, Collin, Riti S., Jennifer A.
00:17
Hi, I'm Meghan. I'm Collin. And this is Pet Sitter confessional, an open and honest discussion about life as a pet sitter brought to you by time to pet and pet sitters International.
Collin 00:30
Have you ever thought about going green in your personal life? Maybe you've had some Inklings or looked into it, but maybe you never thought it possible to do it for your actual business. It turns out that when it's at the core of what you do, and your culture, it's easier than you may think. Speaking of culture, culture really does drive our businesses, whether we are by ourselves, or whether we have a large team. And so today, we're really excited to have Reedy, the growth officer and Jen, the general manager of green paws Chicago, on to talk about their history of being a green business, the culture that it's built, and how they continue to invest in and nurture their staff. Let's get started.
Riti S. 01:10
Hey, yeah, thanks so much for having us, Collin. So I'm ready to be Hello, I was actually a client of Brene Paws for over five years, for some dog walking services. And I left the world of marketing and corporate finance behind to join the leadership team at Green paws. It wasn't something that I had written out in my life plan to leave a more stable, although less fulfilling environment for a struggling small business in the middle of a pandemic. But here I am, and as definitely the best decision I've ever made. I live in the west loop of Chicago with my two pups are GN panda. And after joining green paws and seeing all the cute cats we care for, I ended up adopting a kitten recently as well. So I've got a full zoo here. Yeah. So thanks, 3d for getting this started.
Jennifer A. 02:04
My name is Jennifer Boston. I am. I've been with green Paws for about three and a half years now. I came over. Similarly to reedy from a corporate background, I had been with a very large coffee company, I think you could probably guess what that was, for 24 years. So it was a it was definitely it was just that time in my life where I was ready for a change and a change of pace. And so I have a passion for operations and managing a team. And it was I was always interested in what it would be like to run a small business. And the opportunity presented itself and I have pup, same Pablo, he was a rescue. He's now six years old, but I was super interested in the pet industry. And so that's kind of how I got started. And it's definitely been, you know, a little bit of a roller coaster ride over the last few years with COVID and, you know, staffing and all the kinds all the challenges that have presented themselves over the last few years, but super, super fulfilling. And I feel like the the time that I've spent with 3d, the two of us have really been able to do some pretty exciting things that will, I think, you know, bring our company to a pretty exciting place in the upcoming years too.
Collin 03:45
I'm fascinated by both of your backgrounds you made each made a huge decision to leave the corporate world. What was it about pet care and a pet business specifically that attracted you to that?
Jennifer A. 03:59
Honestly, it wasn't, I mean, we're both animal people. And we joke a lot of times about how we have always been, you know, like dog moms and crazy in our own way, loving our pups, and now cats more than anything, but then we met the people that work at grandpa's, like the pet care specialist, and that's a whole nother level of people who really are making a career out of it. So I would say it's really just the camaraderie between the team it's just an energy between people that you can tell they're really just doing it because they're so passionate about animal care. And it's just something that you want to get on board with. That's what it was for me. Jen, what about you? Obviously there's a lot to be attracted to in terms of, of dog walking and pet care. I think there's a preconceived notion that that you know, it's all you know, strolls through the park. But I think for Me, you know, the what was super interesting was really running a small, small business, a small company, and the creative kind of entrepreneurial opportunity there and to make to make a big impact, and also, really, not really having a lot of rules to follow, I thought, I think it's been fun. And especially I think since COVID, in the last year and a half, we've really been able to kind of strip it down, rethink it, and then redefine it and do things differently. And I think that's been super exciting. So I really love the creative aspect of it.
Collin 05:47
I think that's an aspect that really does not get covered a lot is that as small business owners and operators, we get to be as totally creative as we want to be, because we are constantly adapting, changing, evolving, meeting and solving new problems of our clients, I think it's really important that you touched on that, Jennifer, and that the we do get to be creatives. Well, even though we might not consider ourselves to be that you also mentioned that you wanted to have an impact. And I know that that's kind of the foundation of what Greenpeace Chicago is all about. So could you could you tell us about the missions that Greenpeace Chicago brings as a business?
Jennifer A. 06:25
Yeah, I think, you know, obviously one of our biggest pillars, we put the green and green pause. By just trying to use that lens, as we make those decisions as we are making those creative decisions that we're empowered to make. I think we attract people to work for us who share those values around sustainability, animal welfare, we tried to do some community partnerships with animal shelters in Chicago, so that, you know, we're really approaching it as a love based service, you know, love for the people that we work with love for our team love for the pets that we care for. And, you know, I think, maintaining that as a core value, we attract people to work for us and people to become clients who appreciate that within authenticity. Yeah. And I would say I would, I would say that one of our other, I think one of my, my bigger passions in this business is creating an inclusive, diverse workplace, for our team. And really kind of fostering an environment where folks that really, really love animals and caring for pets. And making it kind of a feasible place for their them to work long term. And that also kind of balanced whatever else they have going on in their lives. A lot of our team are creatives, they're artists, they're musicians, they're comedians, and different different fields like that, that tend to match well with the kind of work we do as well as the schedule. So I think that I've spent in my time with green paws, really spent a lot of time and energy, figuring out how to attract that type of team member, as well as fostering an environment that's gonna help them meet their needs, as well as fulfill them, you know, in the ways that they're looking for for that. Yeah, I think that balance is really important for them. We've got, I would say, we've got individuals like my dog walker, who was one of the main reasons that, you know, I would probably wouldn't have cared as much as about grandpa's if he didn't care so much for our GM panda. But he's been with the company for eight years, right, Jen? And we've got individuals who have been, you know, quite a few that have been with us for over five. So I know one of the things you've talked about in the past on your podcast is, you know, WTO limit versus contracting, I feel like having w two employees has been so fundamental for us to, you know, offer access to benefits and do some of the things that, you know, I know, not everyone can do and it allows our pet care specialists to really treat this like a career.
Collin 09:43
Well, and to hear you talk about that, I think very fundamentally here is you are treating your staff like human beings, like people that you value, right? How revolutionary is that?
Jennifer A. 09:57
It doesn't have to be more complicated than that. Listen. Well, and I think, you know, I think it's sometimes little things and big things, right. So I think for us as leadership, you know, it's important to us that when our team is in the field, and they need help, that we show up for them, and we listen to them, we, you know, spend a lot of time and energy, kind of keeping in touch with them. But also, there's a certain amount of autonomy that they're allowed to have with their schedule. So we're not, we don't dictate the work that they have to do. We, we ask them, you know, what, and we take a lot of time during the beginning, to kind of get to know what it is that they're looking for, and how to balance the things that they have going on. And then we ask them, and continue to ask them, you know, will you accept this work? Or does this work with your schedule this week, and it's a little bit more communication, but honestly, in a very individual lies kind of work situation, it gives us that connection that they need to feel connected to us and supported by us. And it gives us the ability to understand when we need to check and adjust. Yeah, but echoing what Jennifer said, our team really is the best they have their creative in the best way they bring those passions, to the pets that they work with. And I do think that the, you know, the creative talents that they have outside of grandpa's is something that they celebrate, even at grandpa's.
Collin 11:35
Well. And that's, that's interesting that you you point that out in because what's your what is noting here is that these, your your staff have a life outside of green pause, that they have aspirations, they have goals, they have a mission for their life, and what they want to do and to see and to hear how you're kind of coming alongside them. Partnering with them cheering them on in their other endeavors, again, is really investing them hold it in them holistically, and valuing them again as as a person on their own.
Jennifer A. 12:08
Yeah, it's been super critical for us, especially in the last year, as our you know, I think probably jumping to another topic here. But I think it's relevant. As our business has changed, and the need and demand around, you know, in home settings and, and vacation care has become more prevalent. I, we've been able to actually bring back some team members that have made me moved on to the other full time jobs in their, in their career fields, and come back and actually come back, just as in home sitters, or they're doing some weekend work out or, you know, helping us fill some needs that haven't always been easy to to take on, you know, I think the volume of overnight sittings that we're doing this year is more than we've ever done. And, you know, that's not always easy for every pet care specialist, working full time, you know, during the days, so it's really been able is helped us kind of continue to drive revenue in a new and different way with trusted team members that we've known for years.
Collin 13:24
Well, yeah, because once you have that staff member and you know that you trust their work, and you have that reliability with them, they become a basically invaluable to the company, and that you can rely on them for those new services and use them to, to help grow in new and different ways. So as you've been growing out of the, in new ways out of the pandemic, what has staffing looked like for you, because I know, that's been a pain point for many businesses who have struggled to grow and attract people, for their companies.
Jennifer A. 13:55
You know, I think that's been we've been uniquely positioned in that, because our team is, you know, embedding their values within our culture, that we've gotten a few good referrals from our team. And, you know, we're trying to stay involved in the community. And, you know, I think that opens us up for some opportunities to bring people on who aren't looking on job boards or there aren't, you know, fixated on having a perfect resume, but they're the people who can bring the skills that we need to the table. I think that's been really important. But con, it's been hard, like it's rare cell seven has always been a huge thing in our industry and pet care. I feel like that's that's always going to be a thing. But we're our focus is to be able to attract individuals through those core values, more than or alongside some of those traditional job posting sites and, you know, other avenues is, yeah, you know, I'll weigh in here, that when I first started with green pause, you know, definitely staffing was an area that we needed to improve. And we needed to do it quickly. And that was a time when the unemployment rate was very, very low. And, you know, it was really a challenge to kind of differentiate, differentiate yourself in the field. So I would say, you know, our my work in the last few years has been around improving the quality of the connection with our team as well as their pay their benefits. And I would say, more recently, the biggest, I think the biggest, like kind of piece of work that reedy and I have been doing is building our network, building a network within the industry, especially in Chicago, but also within our, our neighborhoods. So I've become more active with the Chamber of Commerce, really has continued her relationship in some of the organizations she's been a part of in the past. And then we've kind of developed a women's lead network for pet care, folks in Chicago, we've also joined another network. And as we build these networks, and kind of build these relationships, so word of mouth gets out there. And I think we've been able to attract talent that way, from many different angles. And that's kind of what it takes these days to define great people.
Collin 16:45
Really, I want to go back and touch on a phrase that you said in the beginning of your answer, where you said that the you the company allows the staff to embed their values in your culture. And I'd love for you to expand on that and exactly how you allow staff to do that in the company.
Jennifer A. 17:03
I think, you know, that, that ties to what Jennifer was saying that having an inclusive culture is something that's really important to us, I think, the environments that I worked in, in a corporate background, and, you know, I'm a immigrant expat from India. So I remember what it was like, working in environments that were less warm, if you will. And I think, Jennifer, and I both really share those values of making sure that people can show up as their authentic selves, whatever that is, in a judgment free zone, the dogs and the cats are definitely not going to judge you. And it's really important that they, they get to do that. And so we've been trying to do some events. And I think that's, you know, inviting some of our team members to come help us lead events, it brings people together, they get to talk about it, and they get to, you know, just have their values around sustainability and the workplace kind of very well tie into to what we offer our clients.
Collin 18:10
Yeah, I know, we talk a lot about that term, empowering our clients. And I think that gets a little bit confusing as to what that means. But I love hearing that one way that you empower your staff is by letting them be themselves and letting them show up as they are and and making that part of the culture of green pause. And I can definitely I can definitely see how that in and of itself would as Jennifer was saying, I start just attracting people to the company that you maybe didn't even have to go out and ask for
Jennifer A. 18:44
Yeah, I think the LGBTQ plus community has been really big, well represented on our team especially in the last couple years. And you know, it's little things like making sure we have everyone's pronouns on our team bios on our websites and, you know, reminding clients to use proper pronouns when they're talking to our team, but also just like celebrating how they show up and you know, the pictures that they take with the pets and those types of things we we want to feature and celebrate you know, on our socials and as our brand is.
Collin 19:20
Have you heard of time to pet Dan from NYC food? As this to say,
19:25
time to bed has been a total game changer for us. It's helped us streamline many aspects of our operation from scheduling and communication to billing and customer management. We actually tested other petsitting software's in the past, but these other solutions were clunky and riddled with problems. Everything in time defense has been so well thought out. It's intuitive feature rich, and it's always improving.
Collin 19:46
If you're looking for new petsitting software, if time to pet a try. Listeners of our show can save 50% off your first three months by visiting tide pet.com/confessional Now I know part of The hiring process and the mission of green pause is in and of the same as you had mentioned earlier, but the green and green pause. So as a company, what does it mean to be green and eco friendly,
Jennifer A. 20:11
I would say it's been a pillar from the beginning. And I would say, like, our group has been around since 2007. So in those years, we've planted, I want to say, over 3500 trees, through different programs through the state's programs, through the Chicago Park District. One of the things we do and it's, we know that pets lives are limited within our lifespan. And so we like to plant a tree in honor of any of the pets in our care, that crossed the Rainbow Bridge, we, you know, we do a lot of different things, to just make sure that the business decisions that we get to make, we incorporate that as we can. And part of our culture. And it's, I wouldn't say it's something that we require or emphasize. But many, many of our team members are cyclists, and so they get around the route, then, and get around the city on bicycles. And, you know, for many different reasons, we do have, you know, a number of folks on our team that are just passionate about, about that, from an from eco friendly standpoint, some are also athletes, and some just, you know, prefer that method of transportation as being the most efficient way to get around the city. So that is a byproduct I think of, of that pillar, as well. And I think we do attract folks that are, you know, cities, cyclists, and like to kind of get around and, and be able to work that way. I think, also, it's just little things for us, that make a big difference. The, the poop bags that we use are biodegradable, and we know we end up spending a little bit more money on those, but those that's meaningful to us, but we're not creating unnecessary ways. And our office is completely paperless, we don't even have a printer, or paper in the office. And we've adjusted kind of continue to check and adjust, you know, decisions we make around anything like that. Anything that we might need to use, you know, hard copies for. So I think those are just some very simple things that we do. But we're always kind of measuring our decisions, our operational system systems and things like that, against how can we be more lean and, and more eco friendly?
Collin 23:07
Well, it sounds like that, again, you are leading on the quality staff that you have to celebrate the way they are living out a green and eco friendly lifestyle in their own lives. And, and making that part of the culture and seeing if you can integrate different components of that in the business as well. And so whenever you are marketing the business, do you find that when you send out marketing messages, or whenever you're posting on that, do, what's the response of clients, whenever they hear that you're not just a dog walking and pet sitting Company, but you are an eco friendly and Earth conscious dog walking and pet sitting company?
Jennifer A. 23:45
I think the response is pretty positive, I would say maybe allows people to feel connected to us, because we wear those values on our sleeves. But I wouldn't say it's a huge conversation point all the time. It's just something that, you know, we kind of look at each other at nod and say, you know, you're my people, you're part of my path. So I think, you know, for the most part, as we market ourselves. We always tried to maintain that. And, you know, like Jennifer said, it's our primary lens, I would say from from that marketing standpoint,
Collin 24:24
yeah, I can see how there would be this. There's the primary lens of like business operations, but it doesn't have to be the message that's hammered home every single time you're out there doing things because again, when it's just part of what the company is and what the company does, you don't have to go out and pound that gavel every single time you're talking with somebody or out doing meet and greets or or however you're messaging to your clients.
Jennifer A. 24:50
Totally and I will say when I'm creating content for our Instagram, I am like at 100 different shades of greens that I've used
Collin 25:00
It's gonna ask. I think I think that's important to remind ourselves of that no matter what the mission is of our business, it doesn't have to be the thing we're always pushing, because it's integrated in everything that we do. And so it just becomes part of how we operate and that messaging will get across, it just doesn't have to be as I don't think I think made people think of, oh, I have a mission that has to be just blatant everywhere. And it's no, no, it doesn't have to be it's just how you operate. And then that that, in and of itself is what gets the message across.
Jennifer A. 25:30
Yeah, that's definitely the case. For us. I would say,
Collin 25:33
Now, when it comes to things like prices, because I know when when when I and many others think of eco friendly and green, that tends to cost a little more we pay more for organic foods or recyclable things at the store. Do you have you had or have the prices had to change or fluctuate, given how you guys have chosen to operate?
Jennifer A. 25:55
I think that, you know, honestly, when it's since it's been built into our fabric, from the very beginning, there really hasn't been a change to get used to I think it's just been always how we've done things. But also, I wouldn't say that, you know, like, the only thing that I think I already mentioned was that the or poop bags can oftentimes be very, a little bit more expensive. But I think we're saving more money on other things. So I think I think it's pretty much a wash. In fact, I think that there are a lot of situations where like, really, we run pretty lean. So that really isn't, hasn't been a conversation that has been challenging. Now, I think overall, we're probably more likely to be saving money on some of those eco friendly initiatives like on supplies, and paper goods, and ink, and printers, all those types of things. Also, because a majority of our team is on their bikes, we're not, you know, spending money on gas and things like that, either. So yeah, I think working from home too, that's, that's been one of the decisions that we've made. lately. We're in the office probably once a week, these days. And, you know, we take it into account, but us having to, you know, the few members on our office team, we are the drivers, for the most part within screen pause. And that means that if there's an emergency, one of us can run out and quickly be there to assist a situation. But working from home, we're not, we're not making those choices to drive to the office unless we need to. And that obviously makes an impact to
Collin 27:44
Jennifer, you had mentioned that you run a pretty lean company. And I know that's a big thing in business is to have a leaning processes and look at ways to streamline things to get rid of waste and to reduce the amount of money spent on things. Do you guys have a process that you look and assess within internally with how things are going? And if you do? Could you walk us through an example of something that's occurred in your business where you have been able to lean and reduce in a new area?
Jennifer A. 28:15
That's a great question. I think that we do, we do have a process, I would say, on a monthly basis, at the very least. But really, and I spend a lot of time and energy kind of talking through if some if things are working or not working, and not being afraid to change quickly and pivot when we need to. I think that you know, it can be something as basic as, you know, checking in and adjusting our team's routes. So that, you know, the there being efficient. And it can be we have a so we our service area in the city of Chicago is fairly large. And so we have a series of UPS boxes that we keep these in different neighborhoods so that we're spending less time kind of running around with ease, and our team has quick and easy options for sharing keys and things like that. So that's something that, you know, occasionally like during over the last year and a half, our business has definitely changed. And, you know, hey, do we still need this lockbox in this neighborhood? We definitely need a new one in this neighborhood and kind of moving things around that way. I think that over the last couple years we've we used to spend a lot of time and money on marketing and you know our website and different areas around tech and we've definitely kind of pulled back on that we've done some training and development with our office team so that we can do most of that work in house now. So that's really made a big difference in terms of flow through in our business with less revenue than we used to have. To COVID That answer your question?
Collin 30:24
Yeah, it absolutely does. And I love that example of pulling more of the marketing and stuff in house and again, relying on the on the awesome staff that you have who you've already said, are creatives anyway, in their outside lives when they're not in in green pause. And, and again, looking at them going, Okay, what other skills can we utilize with these people and, and make it more more in house and not just rely on them more, invest in them more, but that also then saves the company money from not having to go to these external agencies or are hiring contractors to do the campaigns?
Jennifer A. 30:58
Totally. And, you know, the fact that they're, they have worked with grandpa's for as long as they have, they bring a different passion to it, I think, you know, the work that they do, is so much more connected to the history of the company and the type of care that we provide, then we could get with anyone outside of green bars.
Collin 31:17
Yeah, and I think, I think whenever you recognize that, and I think that again, when people are managing staff, or, or even looking at, if you have staff, or if you don't have staff, finding where that passion is, whether that's inside you, if you're a solopreneur, or which member of the team has that passion, and then not being afraid to approach them and say, Hey, this is a new thing that we're doing. Is that something you can try? What's it like then partnering with with staff in a new way? And how do you work through new things that you're giving them that maybe weren't in the initial job description from the get go?
Jennifer A. 31:53
Well, you know, I think with with certain, you know, we have one person that works with us in the office. And, you know, they're a great example, because originally when she was hired, she was hired, mostly just to, you know, work as a customer service associate, and was doing a lot of the customer service kind of communication and scheduling. And in my time with her, and within the last year, in particular, since we've been working remotely, and the business has changed a lot. You know, we've, we really spend time each month kind of sitting down with her and talking about what are the things that you're interested in, she really is amazing, and rises to the occasion whenever we need it. And there are certain areas that she prefers over others, but as she's kind of been able to dig, dig in and try new things. She's learning more about herself and what she wants to spend her time doing. So she's, you know, taken on, you know, the website, and she manages, we have kind of a, you know, a map where we have all of our clients laid out and helps make decisions about, you know, about routes that are in the field and that kind of thing. But she really has done an amazing job of being in tune with what what, you know, makes her happy. And we check in each month to make sure that we're able to kind of guide the work in that direction. Yeah, she's, she's a rock star. I mean, she has so many technical abilities, from, you know, managing the logistics of the operation. You know, like Dan was saying, a lot of people think about dog walking, as, you know, like, just leisurely walks to the park with you animals. But it's so much more than that. It's like juggling keys and making sure that you're getting from point A to point B in time. And, you know, her ability to navigate that the organizational logistical challenges of this business has, you know, continued to blow us away. And I think that's been really amazing. What recommendation
Collin 34:03
would you give to somebody who has some staff members, but doesn't quite know the other skills that they have? How do we start getting better in touch with our staff and letting them flourish with the passions
Jennifer A. 34:15
that they have just asked time to connect with them. And, you know, sometimes it's just taking the opportunity to meet them in the field and, you know, spend time with them sometimes reading and I have spent the day like, during the summer we did one day where we just went out and with a with a cooler, full of popsicles and met them in the field. And, you know, we schedule coffees with them from time to time and sometimes we schedule new meetings in the morning and we do whatever we can to make sure that we are you know that we have a good pulse on how they're doing and you know, the tone of attack or the tone of it. An email and PRS is everything going okay today and you know what's going on with you, or, or, you know, really recently had a marketing event that she was able to include, you know, two or three of our team members in that event. And that was really fun too. So it is just about making time to connect,
Collin 35:21
what that speaks to, again, is this humanization of the people and staff that we have on them and recognizing their value, not just to our company, but to as in and of themselves as people and getting to know them. And not necessarily always having these very strict or rigid, I am I a manager, I am owner, you our field staff, and knowing that it's okay to cross that and get to know them as a person, because not only does that help them feel valued at the company, but then that helps you get to know them so that whenever you do have things come up in the company, you know who to hand things off to, and again, better invest in them.
Jennifer A. 35:57
I think, actually, one, when we're interviewing people who have had other pet care experience, that's something that we'll hear, not all the time, but I would say probably the most common feedback that they have for previous employers is that they didn't like the feeling of being micromanaged. And, you know, constantly, you know, forced, or, I don't know, pressured on getting from point A to point B faster, when you know, unless you're actually doing it, there is traffic, there are things that come up, and the person who's navigating the route is going to be the only person who really knows how to get there and how they're doing every day. And so I think individuals who have come from environments where they have a lot less say in what work they do, and how many visits they do per day, those individuals have really thrived in our environment, where they appreciate that independence and that autonomy.
Collin 36:57
Yeah, there's that big word that keeps coming up autonomy and allowing that the staff to take agency over their work and to invest in the company with their passions that they share.
Jennifer A. 37:09
And I have to weigh in here that we take a lot of time time when we're selecting the team, right? So we don't, we don't bring someone on the team if we have any reservations whatsoever. And sometimes that means, you know, covering a route ourselves until we find the right person for it, which, you know, I think we do try to maintain a pretty healthy pipeline of people that were, you know, talking to about coming in, but I think at the end of the day, our standards are high. And our team knows that. And they're proud of that. And we can, you know, we we manage them to those expectations. So it's not like every day is no perfect, but our team understands, and they, they care a lot about what they do. And if they don't, then they're not a good fit for us.
Collin 38:13
How do you handle and manage your way through those days that aren't perfect? And when something goes wrong?
Jennifer A. 38:19
Well, I think, you know, I think we work? Well, as a tight knit team. I think we all lean in and really try to go into it with a solution oriented attitude. And, you know, I think that includes asking for help when we need it. And that includes delegating, and that includes sometimes just digging in and and getting getting it done, you know, I think is and then reflection afterwards, what needs to change, like, what do we need to tweak? What was the real problem here? And then, you know, moving forward, yeah, agree, I think that it really comes down to us keeping our lines of communication open throughout the day, and not being afraid to do some of that harder work and, you know, running out doing a few dog walks, I think a great example of that is illness, we've been, of course, extra cautious of any sort of illness the last couple of years and knock on wood, we've avoided any infectious exposure of COVID to our team, the entire pandemic. They've been pretty healthy. But even still, if someone's not feeling 100% We don't want to take the risk. And our team is really good about saying, Okay, I'll do you know, so and so's these few walks, and I'll do those cat visits. And Jen and I will run out and we'll do a few each as well. So that we've tried to find that balance where nobody is taking, you know the brunt of those difficult days and share the load a little
Collin 39:55
bit. You mentioned COVID And it's come up a few times during this conversation. So I would like like to touch on some of the maybe the lingering impacts on your business and some of the changes that you've had to undergo, what was 2020? Like, over at Green pause?
Jennifer A. 40:13
Wow. You know, it was one day at a time, like everybody, but I would say, you know, in the beginning, we, we, when we shut down for the first month or so a couple months, we did have a small group of our team that was servicing some of our clients that are doctors and medical workers, first responders. So, you know, it was really kind of just taking the temperature, but hey, you know, what are you guys comfortable doing? And what are you not comfortable doing? And we did the same thing with our clients as well, we spent out, you know, questionnaires, just saying, hey, you know, what, what, in order to feel safe, you know, what, what's important to you? What would you like to see, and I felt like, the answers we got pulled back from our team and from our clients was really the same, which was, you know, we just want to have personal space, we want, you know, a place to wash our hands. And we want, we don't want to have to be looking around for the leashes and harnesses. And, you know, we want to be wearing masks all the time, and all of those kinds of things. So just getting through that initial kind of adjustment period and wrapping our brains around, you know, what's actually happening? And what are the things that are meaningful in terms of staying safe, but it's also been communication about how we're feeling or like, whether it's a client that's not feeling well, or are someone on our team, if for some reason that they weren't, and being consistent about what that response looks like? So if somebody texts me in the morning and says, Jennifer, I'm not feeling well, then, you know, the first response is, yeah, you know, we're going to cover your route today. But also, you need to get tested, like right away, so that the protocol that we've put in place has been consistent and strict. And, you know, to reach this point, we really haven't had any issues of transmission whatsoever. And we're super grateful of that. But as the business has kind of come back, is different than it used to be we used to, I mean, our bread and butter was Monday through Friday, midday walk, you know, 90% of our business, it seems like was that, and now is vacation care. As you know, we have brought on, you know, dog walking clients that are looking for early morning, walk now or evening walk, or just two or three days a week, or weekends are important to us. So we really kind of approach building routes a little bit differently. And we're doing a lot more cross training on routes, as well. So that, you know, we might have two or three different pet care specialists taking care of one client, who gets four walks a day or, you know, seven days a week. So it's, it's really been just trying new things and listening to what the clients are asking for, and really doing our best to be able to meet those needs. Yeah, it was actually that in the first few months, that questionnaire that came out to the clients, it was like I want to say pandemic get in the middle of March, I want to say that communication came out, beginning of May, that questionnaire that was sent out to the clients was what opened the line of dialogue between myself and Jennifer, that turned into me joining the team shortly thereafter. So, you know, I think that communication was really important, because that questionnaire that was that we did with both the team and with our clients turned into a COVID agreement, which was, you know, have your leashes and harnesses at the door, stay six feet away, wear a mask, if you know, our pet care specialists are going to be wearing a mask and sanitizing before and after every visit. And how that's turned into a health and safety agreement that's not going anywhere for any clients, regardless of the status of the pandemic, because it's nice to have our team safe and healthy. And I think that that's a good thing to offer our clients as well.
Collin 44:32
Yeah. And so those kinds of changes that come in, you know, whether they are forced upon us or that's how we adapt and respond to them. Sounds like you've you've done that in a couple different ways. Other than the, the, the way, the sanitization and that that agreement what other things have stuck around that you're you're excited that has been put in place.
Jennifer A. 44:51
Yeah, you know, we I our meet and greet process is completely different than it used to be. We basically are doing virtual Meet and Greet In, in most situations, and then we do the pet care specialist, both will come by and meet the pup real quick and pick up the keys. So, but most of the information we're gathering from new clients, we're doing all of that virtually now. And we'd love it. I mean, it's just so much more convenient. I think our clients really like it too. We're able to talk with them for, you know, a good long time, at a time when, you know, and we don't have to be running around coordinating trips to people's homes. Yeah, I would say the other thing is like, we use that downtime. During the pandemic, when you know, as an office, we were a little quieter to transition our software and upgrade our software. And that was obviously, I mean, a huge undertaking to get multiple systems moved over into one kind of streamlined approach. But that has also helped our meet and greet process, because now we have a portal where clients go in and add information about the routines, and, you know, if we have to medicate the pet, then let us know what the dosage is and what all the details are. I think that that's something that we can see, as a office team, our field team can see it and the clients are all we're all kind of in one streamlined communication zone. And that's been really great as well, how long
Collin 46:23
prior to the slowdown had you been wanting to make that transition to a new software?
Jennifer A. 46:29
Very long time. And it was overdue. And I you know, there's so much there is only upside really, with the new software. You know, and us being able to do it with when, you know, we were less busy was was optimal. But now, the the client experience as well as the team experience as well as, you know, management experience, like we can just see so much more of what's going on, we can get involved in conversations with clients that, you know, we wouldn't necessarily have seen before. So definitely has opened up all the lines of communication in such a beneficial way.
Collin 47:10
Yeah, it does those kinds of changes where you don't have time, it's always too busy. You're worried about making big shifts, and, you know, ripping out the guts of the business and going oh, what kind of impact is going to have, whenever you do have that downtime? You know, I can imagine how much of a relief that was to everybody to finally get that done. And then to see the streamlining and, and all of the benefits that came from it
Jennifer A. 47:33
was huge. Yeah, it still has, we still have more projects are like excited to you know, it. Again, it lends to that creativity, we're able to think about how we want to adjust it now that we have these amazing tools. And yeah, that's just a fun. That's fun. When projects
Collin 47:53
are you looking for easy to access online trainings, ones that will help you build confidence, offer superior care and gain certificates, you can show potential clients. At pet sitters International, they offer online courses that allow new and veteran pet sitters alike to save time and money and learn at your own pace wherever you go. And as the economy picks back up, more pet sitters and dog walkers will open their businesses and more pet lovers will consider entering the industry. The pet sitters who separate themselves from the pack will be the ones who can demonstrate superior knowledge and credentials. Whether you're looking for training on how to get your pet sitting business off the ground, or you want comprehensive online pet first aid training, psi has you covered. When you sign up for psi courses, you can access it immediately. And once you finish the course you'll be able to download a certificate of completion you can proudly display in your office or when meeting new clients invest in ongoing education today. Visit pets.com/psc To get started. I did want to ask some questions about some services that green paws offer that I think are pretty unique. I wanted to highlight you offer a health and hygiene service. What are those? And how did that come about?
Jennifer A. 49:10
The health and hygiene services have been a part of the offerings agreeing pause for quite a long time before since before my timeless green pause. And I think that you know, I think it came from the place of trying to really meet our clients needs and grow the business. I would say you know the most popular we continue to offer you know the same services which include either teeth brushing, termination, you know, your cleaning that plan tick management, that kind of thing. But I would say by far the most popular one is teeth brushing and you know as a pet owner I know it's like it's not always easy to find time or to remember to brush your pet's teeth. But it's definitely one of one of those things that is Easy to offer us to offer. And it's easy for us to schedule it in conjunction with a dog walk. And our clients really like that convenience. And just knowing it's getting taken care of, we definitely try to do a little bit of training whenever we're bringing someone on or whenever a new pet care specialist taking on some of those health and hygiene services for the first time. And we like to go through our process for it. And I think the clients appreciate that. It can be a one stop shop. And you know, they think of grandpa's as a holistic provider for their pets care. Yeah,
Collin 50:37
that was the word that was coming to mind was this holistic approach to not just how you guys operate, but also for the care for their pets that these services are things that are really do benefit people. But as you know, like the flea and tick stuff, like I know, that's something that a ton of people always forget, they don't know what the schedule is, they are you know, but it's really important to know that you have somebody who can kind of offboard your brain and that process to know grandpa's is taking care of it. That's a huge relief for a pet owner.
Jennifer A. 51:07
I'm sitting here, even though I know that these are services I offer, but I'm thinking when was the last time I brought Turkey and pandas TV ons last time. Medicine. So to everyone listening, I'm sure maybe like
Collin 51:21
I'm doing right now actually, I'm scrolling through my calendar going Wait, when did I give Coby has to know you also offer membership plans. And I think this is a growing trend in the industry to have that as an option for people. So how are your membership plans structured? And what's been the response of those to your clients?
Jennifer A. 51:45
Oh, well, I can speak to this, this is really, I think it's really one of the biggest differentiators for us in you know, in the Chicago market is the membership plans, I clients really love that, that, you know, they're going to be a part of something, you know, we kind of pitch it to our, our prospective clients that hey, you're joining the green paws family, which is really true, it sounds a little bit marketing, but it's, it is really true, we believe that and the membership plans are really you know, that they've been part of our business model for a very long time. We we've, there's a lot of benefits to it, obviously, the having kind of a schedule and, and getting an end that's generally in the past has also included, you know, you're going to be seeing the same pet care specialist, the majority of the time and in return for kind of a set schedule, and they also kind of pay on a subscription model, which is, you know, at the beginning of the month, they receive a 21% discount for kind of setting things up that way and for that regular work. And for us, you know, we we appreciate, you know, having that, that business that we can rely on. And our team, kind of that's kind of how we structure a route is having some anchor members, and then the rest of our folks that are rest of our clients that might not be as regular kind of can build out their route on a more week by week basis. But the membership model, I think, you know, obviously the discount is the most significant aspect of that arrangement. But for the most part, I think it's just being able to count on a regular schedule, or rent and being very reliable. And, and most of the time seeing the same person each, each, each walk. So that's, that has been very critical for our business. And, you know, I think it never really was as apparent to me, as it became during the beginning of the pandemic, when, you know, we were unable to service most a lot of our clients in that waiting period during shutdown. And many, many, many of our clients reached out and said, Hey, we want to continue to support you to get you through this and continue to pay us when we were not servicing them. So on that kind of support that we heard from are met and that was our members that really all came forward for us. It was it was inspirational. Yeah. We've had a few members That continued to pay even up until the last couple of months, where they're just now starting to get comfortable to have someone come in and resume their memberships. But they've been paying us for their memberships for Wow, a year and a half. And that's amazing. I mean, talk about the support, that guided us through that pandemic, like that really was so heartwarming to see. And we tried to give back in kind, we had a few members who said, you know, I don't need my services, but please feel free to use the cost of my membership to service people who are, you know, out of work, or, you know, they still need help, but their pets or they can't afford it because of the pandemic. So, we kind of have this little fun that, you know, if someone, you know, lost their job because of the pandemic, and they want to go to a job interview or something like that, we want to be able to jump in and, and do that. So, I mean, I think that's been amazing.
Collin 56:00
Yeah, again, refocusing the, the values of this company of the company, and recognizing the value of people and going, No, we can be socially responsible with this as well and help others around us, even though they might not necessarily ask for it even know, it's a thing. It's just something that we, as a company find valuable and can do because of things like the membership program.
Jennifer A. 56:20
Yeah. And I'd say like, it's good, too, because it kind of sells itself a little bit. Individuals who want one or two walks a week, maybe we can get them to three, because they realize, oh, well, if I'm going to do a couple of walks a week, what's the third? For my pet, and then I get a discount on all of them. You know, I think from a marketing standpoint, like that, that becomes a relatively easy sell, it builds to their routine, there's been a lot of pandemic. I think, as a pet care industry, I'm hearing a lot of stories about the types of pups that are coming out of this, and what the effects are of being cooped up at home with their parents. And I think, you know, it's important to me that we continue to remind our clients that even if you're working from home, including us, because we're working from home for the most part, too, you know, you're not really able to pay attention to your pets during the day. I mean, when I was still at my corporate job, it I got to see for the first time how Archie and Panda waited at the door for Steve every day. You know, they just like how did for him, and I couldn't justify taking that away from them. And you know, you can see it like the dogs look up at you while you're on your zoom call. And they're like zoomies got me out of here.
Collin 57:42
Yeah, I can definitely see how when it comes to, we're in the we're in service business, we're in the service industry, we're in the business of solving people's problems and giving them peace of mind. And the number of people who have pandemic puppies, who maybe never had a dog before or didn't quite realize, let's just be honest, like, the amount of damage that they were doing for dog for not having it socialized, interacting with people or having at least trained or go through these normal processes that most puppies do. Being able to have something where you can go, I know, this is a concern of yours, you're having these issues, we have this that can help you along this pathway to a better behaving dog into a better relationship with the dog to
Jennifer A. 58:21
Yeah, I mean, innately as dog walkers, we have such a unique opportunity to say, we're gonna come into your house where your pet feels the safest, and give them a bunch of treats and love and positively reinforce this entire experience that makes it okay for maybe you to have your friends over and other things that might cause a dog anxiety when they're not used to it. You know, there's so many benefits to
Collin 58:47
that. And I know for our business, though, I many people tend a business owners, especially small business owners tend to be pretty price sensitive. And so we have trouble charging what we're worth or charging full price for things when our normal services. And I can imagine a business owner who would look at the the membership thing and go wow, that seems so expensive. I could quote unquote, I could never charge that much and have somebody pay for that. Do you ever have issues with with people and the price of those or are they pretty an easy sell once they realize what the benefits they're getting?
Jennifer A. 59:22
I think that you know, I can speak to the the change that we made because I think when I first got to grandpa's? I think we did. We were afraid to ask for more. And our our discount was I think it was enough to kind of interest folks and there was still enough demand for Monday through Friday dog walking at that time that it didn't. It felt like you know, a good investment. I feel like now that we have increased our price is quite a bit over the last year we did, we had not raised prices in, you know, three or four years prior. So it was well overdue. And when we did it this time, we, you know, it was the middle of the pandemic, we needed to, I think, and we kind of, you know, we again, we reached out to our members and explained and, and just said, Hey, this is where we're at, and we haven't done this in a long time. This is what our team is worth, you know, we had just Chicago was minimum wage had just gone up to $15 an hour. So we needed to be competitive. And, you know, I think we have always said, very honestly, we are not the most inexpensive dog walking service that you'll find, but we are the best, we really tried to be the best. And so you get what you pay for. And I truly believe that and we don't try to be irresponsible in terms of pricing, you know, our I, but I do feel like we're competitive. And when, you know, if somebody is interested in just a couple of walks a week, that's fine. It can be a little bit pricey for those folks. But if you know, they're interested in a membership, and the price ends up being very competitive. So I think it's about just helping the client break down, you know exactly what it looks like. And I think to Randy's point, sometimes adding a third walk a week, actually, you get you end up getting more for the same price. So there's the there's a pretty obvious tipping point there, that tends to make sense to most folks. And I think, you know, it's pretty easy to tell in the beginning, whether somebody is looking for something super inexpensive, or whether they're looking for something that's going to be super reliable and quality. And both things have a place in our industry. And, you know, I think we are proud of our standards. And and we're not afraid to ask for for the price. And we we didn't lose any clients when we raised our prices, either. So I think that, you know, I think, obviously, it's never an easy conversation. But I think we also, again, really, we speak to the quality of our team, and that, that that's what they deserve. Yeah, Couldn't have said it better myself. But it's, it's easy when, you know, we're trying to be understanding. And I think that communicating what we need, and why we're doing what we're doing, and really letting clients in to see what the business decisions that we're making that transparency has really been beneficial for us. And I think that's another learned thing that we started doing during the pandemic, and kind of has continued that it's been so valuable to take their input and their insight and pull for it. And people feel even more connected to the business. When we do that.
Collin 1:03:21
And listening to both of you talk throughout our entire conversation here. I've noticed that you're both very, very, very positive people, you're always looking for opportunities, and always looking towards the future. So I am very curious, what are you what excites you about the future, whether that's of the business or of pet care in general?
Jennifer A. 1:03:47
Both reedy and I are creative people. And I think we get excited just when we start talking about like, the problems that come up, and what can we do? What can we be doing differently? Or, you know, what are the roadblocks that exists? And I think that's kind of our nature to a certain extent, I think we also complement each other. Well, we're very, very different in terms of how we think and how we work, and then all of that, and I think that that chemistry is really exciting. We're also kind of dreamers in terms of, like what's possible, like, what do we think we could do? And is that that is conversation we have on a daily basis. So I don't know that we've got so much of a I think there's been so much check in adjust over the last year and a half. That it's it has been difficult to get to a point where like, hey, let's put some real like stake in the ground and, and some really firm goals but I think that we have been making small steps that are leading to a pretty exciting future and I think we're getting to the point where things be seem to be settling down a little bit more, and people are starting to kind of build their new routines. And as we, as we feel like things are a little bit more firm, then we'll be able to establish some really tangible goals. But at this point where I think we're just having a lot of fun, and, and really trying to, you know, do the right thing. And you know, keep it interesting. Definitely, I would say the big thing that both she and I spend time on into different areas, but also together is the community piece, the networking. And that has been so fun, and so exciting, and definitely a space that we're going to continue to move into. Yeah, totally echoing what Jennifer saying, I think we both know that the way that we get along, and the way that we approach problems together bringing different, totally different approaches. We don't take that for granted how well we work together. And it's a big love fest over here. And I think that that's, that's really empowered us to feed off of each other and to just have complete trust on how the other person handles the business. We both been able to take time away, like it's really important for me that Jennifer takes time to paint when she can paint because she was really good at it. And I know that she, you know, lets me travel and do some of the things that I want to do as well. So that that's been really amazing. And I think that that allows us to kind of fill ourselves up, and then pour that energy right back into the business. And yeah, we're Dreamers, we're definitely we're thinking about, you know, what a stable post COVID world looks like how we can continue to market ourselves, you know, some of the ideas that we've thrown around as our events have been more, I don't know, it's been so much fun to plan them. And we did dog Halloween recently, and the just getting dogs dressed up in costumes and getting to participate in that as it's so fun to be able to do things like that. So we want to do more of that. We thought about offering our clients the opportunity to let us plan their birthday parties, for their dogs. We want to do more Park cleanups with our team so that we have ways to get our team together and, you know, give back to the community. Yeah, we just we just want to say stay involved and make sure that we continue to be an open place for individuals to see us as who we are. Yeah, and I have joined the board of directors with our chamber. And we both have joined our marketing and events, group it with our chamber, and are growing the pet. The pet focus in terms of our the events and activities that the Chamber of Commerce is doing in our neighborhoods. So that's been exciting to
Collin 1:08:19
Yeah, sounds like assisting the global takeover of the pet industry. And that's amazing.
1:08:26
Yeah. Anybody? Know I? There's enough dogs and cats.
Collin 1:08:32
Yes, absolutely. That more than enough and on some weekends.
Collin Funkhouser 1:08:37
So I really love love that so much. And I want to thank both both both you really and Jennifer for coming on the show today. And for encouraging us to invest in our staff and help them to be their authentic selves, to help us to dream about the possibilities of how we want our businesses to look and then encouraging us to get involved and helping where we can. I know that there's a lot more out there and you you both have so much more experience and knowledge for people to tap into. So how can people best get connected and start picking your brains?
Jennifer A. 1:09:10
You can reach out to us directly through our website. There's a contact us form for pet parents, but you can also reach me at our sub below at Green pass Chicago calm and Janet J. Austin, Greenfield chicago.com. Or through our Instagram or Facebook. Oh, yeah. Yeah, man. That's the best way.
Collin 1:09:35
The social media thing. That's the thing, right? Yeah. That's perfect. And I'll have I'll have links to those in the show notes so people can get connected with you again. I have really enjoyed this conversation. And I'm so appreciative of both of you for coming on the show today. Thank you so much.
Jennifer A. 1:09:51
Yeah, thank you so much for it. Yes, it was a lot of fun. Thank you so much for having us.
Collin 1:09:57
What are the pillars that your business is founded on. We talked about with reedy and Jen that green paws one of the pillars was founded on them being a green company, that's just what they do. And now they have a lens through which they make all of their decisions based on for their company being green. And that, in turn is what drives the culture of their business. It talks a lot about the people that they're staffed on there is that how they just happen to be vegan, or they happen to ride their bikes, or they happen to have all these other interests and same to with their clients, it really doesn't seem to be a big selling point, people are just attracted to them for the kind of business that they have. And that's what we get to do with our businesses, when we have strong pillars that ground our business, to our core beliefs, our core values, and when we make decisions based off of those values, those core principles, that's where our culture comes from. That's when we start attracting the clients. That's when we start attracting the staff and building the brand that we actually want to have. It really does allow our business to have a much larger impact than we ever thought possible. We want to thank today's sponsors timed pet and pet sitters International, and we really want to thank you for taking the time out of your very busy day to listen to us. We know that is a hectic time of year for many pet sitters. So we hope you're able to take some time for yourself, relax and recover at the end of the day or in the middle of it whenever you have that time. And we'll be back again soon.
