453: No Matter What it Takes with Athena Karvellas
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National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. Learn more at www.petsitters.org.
Where does your value come from? Athena Karvellas, owner of Pet Sitting by Athena, shares her journey from veterinary technician to pet sitter and business owner. She reflects on the emotional transition from dealing with pet trauma in a clinical setting to forming close, nurturing relationships in pet sitting. Athena's story is one of finding her true calling and the fulfillment that comes from directly impacting the lives of pets and their families. Athena walks through how she connects clients to her passion through her onboarding process and the partnerships she builds.
Main topics:
Going independent
Finding your value
Selling what you believe
Building partnerships
Main takeaway: Selling what you believe and do is about communicating why you show up every day
About our guests:
My name is Athena Karvellas, owner of Petsitting by Athena LLC. My passion has always been helping and serving animals since a very young age! From volunteer work in middle school, to a kennel keeper and dog bather in high school, a Vet Tech post college graduation, and now petsitting, I’ve never truly known another love like the one I have for furry friends. With this business I hope to continue to be the person people trust with such an important piece of their family. Being reliable, affordable, and high quality are the three most important components of my business. I can’t wait to keep growing!
Links:
bookings@petsittingbyathena.com
https://www.instagram.com/petsittingbyathena/
https://petsittingbyathena.com
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A VERY ROUGH TRANSCRIPT OF THE EPISODE
Provided by otter.ai
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
pet, booking, people, pet sitter, love, day, dog, work, client, business, hard, families, feel, find, athena, instagram, burned, give, sound, life
SPEAKERS
Collin F., Athena K.
Collin Funkhouser 00:02
Welcome to pet sitter confessional. Today, we're brought to you by time to pet and the National Association of Professional pet sitters. What happens when we let our passion fuel us? What happens when we begin to value our experience and let it drives our business? Today we have Athena Karvellas, owner of pet sitting by Athena on the show, to talk about what it means to find our value. She also talks about how we can be better at selling what we believe to potential clients. And why thinking outside the box when it comes to partnerships is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. Let's get started. Yes,
Athena K. 00:40
absolutely. Thanks for having me. So, I started with pet care from a very young age. You know, when we were little, we always had dogs coming in and out, we worked with a local rescue in Oakland, New Jersey, called robbery and we are fostering dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, rabbits, hamsters, squirrels, I mean, you name it, we probably had it in our house. And that was from when I was, you know, 567 years old. And ever since then, I knew I wanted to be in pet care, and it never straight after that, um, you know, I worked at a kennel, I worked as a dog be there for a few years in high school, or five or six years. And then I was a veterinary technician got my license, and that worked in the ER, ICU of an animal hospital, which was very rewarding. And then I decided, you know, what I, I want to keep helping these families and these animals without taking home, the trauma of of the things you would see in that job. And that's when I hopped on like a bunch of pet sitting apps and started to just watch for random families. And over time, I just decided I want to do this myself, I want to, I don't want to go through these the secondary apps, I don't want to be like the third party. In these conversations, I want to be the person that they call firsthand. And I want to make these relationships myself and I want it to get as personal as possible. You know, on certain pet sitting apps, you can't exchange phone numbers for security. And I just How do you invite me into your home for for 10 days, but you don't know my phone number. I mean, it's very stressful, I feel like for a lot of owners to have that trust. And that's kind of why I wanted to go on the side myself and start my own business. So that I mean, there's no filter with me and my clients. So and I love it. I love it in that way. I mean, they they crack up at are the way I am in our relationships. And so it's great. I love it. I love it.
Collin Funkhouser 02:41
Well, and you said a phrase there about you wanted to help families without taking home the trauma. And I think that is incredibly powerful to to understand that, you know, as that text that world like you never really see a pet on their best day. Right? They're never like the most stoked to see you as an individual. But you still want to help them and you got this passion. So you're you kind of have this passion and this trauma of bumping up against one another. But but there's pet sitters, you know, we still do deal with quite a lot of stuff.
Athena K. 03:13
Right? Right. But I think like, like, like you said it was, you know, you never see these animals on a good day. Versus as a pet sitter. It's very rare to have those bad ones. But having that experience, at least for me personally having that medical background, and having the experience of how to take my emotions out of it and go straight into critical care. In that level, it makes it very easy for me to transition to okay, we're not just running around the yard, like now he's hurt, what do I do? That sense of panic doesn't come to me anymore, because I'm so used to being with critical care patients in the emergency room. And so I'm able to also provide that sense of comfort for families. And you know, they're, you know, I had this this couple, they went on their honeymoon in Italy for three weeks, and I watched their two dogs here in my home. And that's a long time. It's almost a month. So God you know, everything was fine. But God forbid something happened to them. They're across the world, what are they going to do? You know, even if I call them the time difference, like I don't know what they're doing. I don't want to disturb their honeymoon, honeymoon, especially. So having that level of knowledge going into these bookings. Not only as Yeah, he looks hurt, let me bring him to the vet. If there's something standing in between, you know, me and the vet like the owners not answering which bet do I take him to what takes their insurance, I'll know what to do. And I have the supplies to do it. And that I feel like also adds a level of trust and comfort for the families that I work with. And it's just I think it's I think it's much more rewarding. You know, because especially like even as a vet tech, you know, you're dealing with these families on their worst day versus now you're dealing now I'm dealing with these families who are excited for their trip just big question mark on what the heck they're doing for pet care, and you get to see their face light up of like, great, I have this awesome trip, everything's dealt with, I know my pets in a good place, let's just go enjoy, you know, there's not that level of also sadness attached to the rewarding pneus of it. And that's also what I love about it.
Collin Funkhouser 05:18
Yeah, because now you can get personal on a whole different level instead of personal like helping basically coach and be there to help them mourn and go through the trauma experience and go through the stages of grief, you're helping them in an elated process, and also calming those fears and letting them know, hey, if something does happen, here's what I do. Here's how I'm going to handle that. But it allows it just changes that dynamic of that relationship entirely.
Athena K. 05:43
Right? Exactly. I love it. I absolutely love it. Well, and
Collin Funkhouser 05:48
it is it that is part of kind of the emergency preparedness that a lot of us think about of one, it's yeah, having the tools, the resources around us. But it is also very much a mindset shift that we have to have on right, we have to have the proper mindset. For those situations. It's not just having a pet first aid kit in our car, we don't just have to know how to use it. But we have to be mentally able and ready and prepared to to use it. And to think clearly in those and set those emotions aside. And that's an aspect where we don't we don't get to practice that, right. We don't get to practice those. We practice and all these great scenarios in our homes or online watching a training or going to an in person thing. But but being able to practice in the moment, it's not something that most of us do. It is it is hard to be prepared for the situations of knowing exactly how I personally am going to react,
Athena K. 06:42
right? It's very different to think about how you would be it's like being in fight or flight. Like if you were to you know, if something crazy were to happen to you like you, you know, God forbid you're abducted, like you can sit here and say, This is how I would respond, I would know to do this. I've watched enough TV, I've done research. When you are in that moment, you have no idea how your body and mind are going to respond, especially in emergency situation, because your body's instinct is fight or flight. And for a lot of people that's freeze, and you have no idea what the hell you're doing. Art so so Exactly. So having that component of that doesn't really go off for me anymore. Obviously that alarm of hey, this animal needs help goes off. But that sense of like, I need to panic and shut down and I have no idea what to do. That never happens for me anymore. So I you know, that's why a lot of I get a lot of senior dogs, I got a lot of epilepsy ridden dogs, I get a lot of you know, puppies that just recovered from worms or, or different kinds of things just that are more high risk of a medical issue. Because they read on my website that I do have the vet tech background and license. So it provides a blank, okay, like if something were to happen, you know, this dog is 16 years old, you know, I'd rather her go to Athena's than some kennel, where if something were to happen, they probably wouldn't notice for a good amount of hours. In which case it's just far too late. And then we're across the country and it's just you know, so. So I love having that that component added to it for the families I've you know, I love it.
Collin Funkhouser 08:20
Yeah, it was against this reminder of doing the skills one time is one thing, but Nin going in order for me to like again, that fight or flight responses is huge of going not just do I have to combat that. But I have to do something against the grain of what my body is telling me to do. So that's where the training the rehearsal, the practice comes in so that when your brain starts to go, you can you can focus on I know what I do, because I've practiced this I might not have you know, practice for this exact scenario. But my hands know what to do. My body is going through the motions to get this accomplished. And that's not something that we can take for granted of yeah, oh, I did that course one time. I don't need to worry about it anymore. I got it on my website, but like okay, you'll practice
Athena K. 09:05
those lend it? Yes. Yeah. Every every day for almost three years so it's yeah, it's it's a very it's an important piece to it. I think I think you know, either way whether you have medical background or not you can you're you can be the most valuable Pet Sitter there is I mean, there's it doesn't like I think it's just a good addition although it's not like a make or break I found that it's it's it's helped me a lot gain the trust of families because, you know, like, for reasons I said, you know, whether it's a senior dog or or something like that, I think it's a great addition I've I really enjoyed instilling that into my bookings. And there's been times where I've had to and hasn't steered me wrong so far. So I'm, I'm really glad that I can provide that for the families that that sense of comfort, because you never know, stuff happens,
Collin Funkhouser 09:55
though, is that something that you intentionally bring up during a A conversation with a client or do you wait to see? Are they concerned? Right? Because I was doing a meeting a couple days ago and the person was like, So tell me about, you know, what, what, what if, right? And if everything was going swimmingly until she started to think of some trauma or some some the worst case scenario, she was like, oh, okay, we got to switch over and tackle this do wait for those moments, or do you try to get ahead of those a little bit? No,
Athena K. 10:22
I definitely wait for those moments. I mean, it's on my website. So if they found me through there, then you know, it's in my Instagram bio. So they they definitely know it probably before the meet and greet anyway. But it's not something that my main focus is being a pet sitter, you know, my vet tech experiences in the past, it obviously still applies to when I'm pet sitting, if it has to. But it's not I like to focus on the current and you know, what they need for me in that moment, but like I said, if they ask like, hey, you know, because there's 1000 times that they say, you know, my dog does need medication. I'm like, Are you comfortable doing that? And I'm like, Am I comfortable? That's my life. So it does come up, like all the time. But on an intentional basis, it's more of just like, hey, are you comfortable with this? And it's me saying, Yeah, this is actually my experience, if you're interested to learn more about that, too. And that's kind of how that conversation gets going. But it's, yeah, usually more casual way.
Collin Funkhouser 11:18
I think it is. I think that's a really great approach instead of coming up, basically, you know, because I had tried to do that of like, but it always feels like you're just kicking down the door and be like, Hey, did you think of these these 100 terrible things to know? Well, now you have a good night, right? It's like, exactly. Like, it's like, okay, well, let's, let's ease it to this and build that relationship. Forward. Yeah.
Athena K. 11:45
That is too freakin funny. Yeah, that's so true. So true. I don't know. I think, like, like I said, I think it's important to, you know, I think experience is great. But right now, I'm so focused on building this pet sitting world. And I think, I think a lot of the time to like, I've gotten a lot of questions of like, well, if it was so rewarding, like, why don't you still do that? And then I have to get into that conversation of like, all the reasons that I stopped being a vet tech, and then they'll, you know, they could sit back and think then why are you still in pet care? That sounds horrific. And like, you know, so then I feel like it would just bring up more questions if I started with that. You know, and then and I also don't want it to sound like yeah, I'm only a pet sitter, because being a tech didn't work out. Like, I think that's a huge other reason that I don't really lead on like that. Because the reason I am not a tech is because I fell in love with pet sitting, I started pet sitting to pay my way through vet tech school. And once vet tech school ended, I had built such an amazing clientele, that I just never went back. And I mean, I've been here since so, you know, unless I start with that it can sound very misguided, and very misleading. So I just try to avoid it until it comes up. And they're like, Hey, do you have that experience? Or are you comfortable with this? And then if it's applicable, then that's where I kind of get into it.
Collin Funkhouser 13:07
Yeah, yeah, it's definitely that that positioning that transition, it is hard to tell our stories, isn't it? It's because we it's not that we're trying to be disingenuous, but we have our own reasons. And at the end of the day, we don't need to be explaining all of our life decisions to our clients before it's it's like, oh, this is me now. This is the skills I have. This is how I can serve you best. This is what I love. Right, right. Like, and just letting that represent itself instead of having to feel like we have to justify everything up into that point.
Athena K. 13:39
Right? Exactly. Definitely. Have you heard
Collin Funkhouser 13:43
of time to pet Christiane from writing cats and dogs as this to say, becoming
13:48
a time to pet client has been a game changer for us. We can give our pet services clients real time, cloud based information they never imagined they'd be interested in. And most importantly, to me personally, I can better manage my company and look forward to more and not a small thing. Time to pet is responsive to my requests for new features, and modifications to existing one.
Collin Funkhouser 14:12
If you're looking for new pet sitting software gift time to pet a try, listeners of our show can save 50% off your first three months by visiting tiny pet.com/confessions. Well, I know you because of your background and your experiences, you bring a lot to the table and you do have a part on your website. And it's it's it's just labeled value and skills. And I love that you use the word value because that is something that just personally it's hard to connect with of going yeah, what value do I bring? What do I have? And so I was curious, how do you how do you take your value? Or maybe I'll just start there did you did you ever struggle with with your personal value or what you were bringing to the table? Yeah,
Athena K. 15:00
I mean, when I first started, I saw these, you know, and social media has a big aspect to do it that I feel like, it's so easy to judge ourselves and our value based on with with living in such a social media riddled age. I mean, everything is online. So when you look up, you know, where I started with, you know, three followers, one of them being my mom. And then I look on these Instagram pages. Yeah, right, like my biggest fan. And then I see these other Instagram pages, they have, you know, 10,000 followers and, you know, booked all the way till 2026. And I'm looking, and I'm like, how am I and I started to put my value into, well, I'm just like, you know, I'm from a very small town, I have only been doing at that point this for a few months, versus these people who have been in this business for 30 years, they have hires, you know, they have employees, they have, you know, they're on Indeed, like, these are these big people. And I started to really compare my value in that way of, I don't think I'll ever get that big. And it was very hard. I did it. But it was very hard to transition that mindset into, but they started somewhere, too. And that takes time. And it takes patience, and it takes hard work. And it takes every single day waking up and choosing to do this, regardless. Because listen, you can love something. But creating this business, I mean, it's you're putting a lot of time, a lot of energy, a lot of money into it. I mean, you have to you can love it all you want. But you have to wake up every day with the intention of I'm going to continue doing this with all that I have for as long as it takes to get to where I want to be. And that's when I started seeing my value more as not only a pet sitter, but as a person, because I saw the drive that I had, you know, I had to sit in the bank for seven hours on one day, I don't want to be in the bank for seven hours. But I sat there and I actually enjoyed every minute of it. Because I'm like, this is where this is going, like I'm excited. This is exciting. And I it just it's been so rewarding. So I think the I started seeing my value when I realized, okay, not only do I have this experience, but I have such a passion for just animals, just anything animal related, it is just my favorite thing. And it's, that's my family, my whole life. My friends, my family have called me the animal whisperer. Because even animals that would like go to bite, my three aunts would come and lick me, it was just it's like a it's like a joke in my family at this point that like the most vicious dogs don't even like look at me twice, and they just like me. So not only do I have this passion, but this skill set. And then I also have the drive to make it the best I can for the owners the best I can for the pets, and you know, do a good job in the process. So I really, I think it took me a little while but I definitely got there to see that value in it. For sure. I
Collin Funkhouser 17:56
know you. You've had some writings on your on your website or videos on social media you'd written I've never seen my life any differently than having a career where my role was caretaking for family members like that, that specificity there. And that's where a lot of us find ourselves have no, this is where my this is where my life is. And it's it is going no, no. There's there's no way I can, I can not fail, right because of this. And I'm going to do everything I can to see this through because this is where everything aligns. And that's exceptionally powerful to be able to say, No, I have skills. I have passion. I have drive. We'll succeed basically. Yeah.
Athena K. 18:40
Yeah. And I told my fiance like when I was first opening it as an official LLC, he, you know, he was realistic about it. He's like, Listen, if you don't, it's a lot of money, if you're not making back what you're spending on now insurance and advertising marketing, if you're not making it back, it's going to be a money pit for you. And is that something you're willing to do? I said, Yeah, I'm willing to do that. Because I don't It's not like it's not about that for me. I just want to make it the most comfortable. And I want to make it the most, you know, the most successful that it can be and there's like I said in that paragraph that you just read there's no other way that I'd see my life. And I'm and I'm gonna keep doing it until it gets to exactly where I see it going, no matter what that takes. And because I just love it that much is just it's not even a question. And before it even became relatively I'd say it's been pretty successful so far, but you know, before it became that I was you know, I went months without booking anything it would be you know, one booking in December and then not another till March or April. There's still bills coming in in January and February. Yeah, they don't stop just because you didn't make a booking but that was a risk that I took because, you know, I couldn't easily hopped off the gigs and just, you know, went and got a nine to five I with with the experience that I do have I could have went back to and I, I saw, like you said I saw it through until it worked. And it absolutely did with with the time and patience for sure
Collin Funkhouser 20:10
that that finding our confidence in ourselves right getting back to that, that where does our value come from? Is we at some point, we have to connect with ourselves again, and really look at who we are, right? I don't know if you've ever had that moment of, of where you're staring at yourself, like in the mirror, and you're like, oh my gosh, like who is that person? And like, do I? Am I okay with who that person is where we are today. And how we're doing and going, can I at the end as we can I love that person that staring back at me. And then I can take my confidence forward. But it does start with us. Because when we're in the meet and greets, when we're sitting in the bank for seven hours, it's like, I'm not here because I want to be here. But I'm here because I'm choosing to be here because I see that there's an end goal here. And it's understanding that that we ourselves like going, I have I have value, and I'm worth it. And I'm worth I'm worth the hard
Athena K. 21:06
work, basically. Yeah. Yeah. And it's hard to because it feels almost like cocky. And you don't want to feel like that. Like, there's that fine line of like, When am I asserting my value to these families and telling them I am the right person? Because I know what I bring versus I just sound like tool like, like, now you're just annoying because we get it you love what you know. So then that also creates like, especially for someone like I'm very young, like I have my fair share of anxiety. So of course, I started overthinking. And I'm like, oh my god, I just sounded so like annoying and cocky and bratty II and I never want to see anyone ever again. So it's like finding that other line of like, where is that? dunzo point of Okay, stop. We get it, you know,
Collin Funkhouser 21:55
where's the period? Go with my? Yeah, exactly. So
Athena K. 22:00
it's hard. But yeah, it's all it's all confidence. And I feel like a lot of it's fake it till you make it to like even if you don't feel as confident that you're going to succeed, a lot of it is just like, keep doing it, pretend you're doing good. Eventually, you're going to you know, it really is it sounds so dumb, but fake it till you make it helped me a lot.
Collin Funkhouser 22:18
Yeah, well, because when you are in that, when you are faced with that client, that prospective client who has those fears, who has those anxieties, that you know, deep down, you can solve like you are a good fit for them. But if we feel bad about ourselves, if we are questioning our our business, you know, the perspectives of what's going on, if we feel insecure walking into that, that it's harder to connect with the clients pain points and and speak to them. Because instead of going, I I've got this, I hear that I hear the frustration, your voice, I hear the concern that you have about how your pets going to do while you're away and they just started insulin. So having to step in and constantly hold that hand, proverbially or you know, going or making literally whatever you do going, it's going to be okay, if we're like, hey, you know, it's probably going to be fine. Like that doesn't quite have the same. The same effect? Yeah,
Athena K. 23:15
definitely, definitely. It's a lot of it's confidence, if you like you said, if you show that owner that listen, this is what I know, I'm meant to do. And I'm going to do anything I can to make sure that it's most comfortable for you, your pet and me all in one, which is hard. But if you show them that you can do that, and you want to do that. Not only can you but do you truly want to be in this house right now for 15 days, you know, and finding that person that does want to do it and will do anything to make it the best for you and your pets. You know, that's a lot of it's a lot of you need a lot of competence to be able to communicate that. You know, even if you feel that way, it's hard to speak that because then you're sitting there for an hour just talking about your passion that they didn't ask for their answer. What are you going to do while you're here? So um, so yeah, it's it's a lot of trial and error. And a lot of it's just over time, but just practice makes perfect. The more meet and greets you do I remember the first meeting good I ever did I, they probably thought I was off my rocker because I sound I had no idea what I was talking about. I knew I was in the right place and what I was doing, but it's nothing like if I were to go to a meet and greet in an hour, you know, it just takes time and practice.
Collin Funkhouser 24:26
Yeah, and that can be incredibly frustrating. Athena of going. I was supposed to be here, but I don't know what I'm doing. Right? That's honestly the story of my life every single day of like, No, I'm supposed to be here. And it's but it's hard, right? And I don't know what I'm doing. And I'm confused. And there's a lot happening that it's beyond my scope and understanding. But gosh,
Athena K. 24:48
I can I know I can do it. Yes. Yeah. And
Collin Funkhouser 24:51
that's that can be incredibly frustrating time until we get that experience to catch up with that passion and that thing, and then we can start really seeing a lot of the things paying off and A lot of times we quit. Just before we get to that point,
Athena K. 25:04
right? Yeah, definitely. Yeah, you can't get discouraged. I mean, it takes takes time, especially because it's so like you guys have talked about I've, you know, I've listened to a bunch of your podcast episode. And it's so competitive. So competitive, and especially right now, this day and age, I feel like there's a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners and people opening up their own stores and shops and cafes. And so it's definitely very competitive in that aspect of, you know, not only do I have to sell what I believe, but you know, now I have to compete with the 10 other people she just interviewed. And you know that it's something that adds more of that pressure when you're going into the meet and greet because you know, you're just an option. And there's 10 More of you where that comes from. So now you have not only have to sell originally what you do, but now how much you love it. And also now that why you're the better suit versus the 20 other people that are going to come up when they Google petsitting in your area. So it's a lot but again, like it takes and you know, it just takes practice and time and getting to learn more about yourself. And, you know, yeah, you could I love pet sitting but I really before I went into these meet and greets, I had to figure out I need to find a perfect way to explain. Yes, they know I love pet sitting hence why I do it. But why am I actually here? Like why? What makes that love so strong, that this is my life. And to be able to communicate that without talking their ear off is a challenge, but it takes time and practice. And just doing it over and over and over again.
Collin Funkhouser 26:41
Yeah, you had mentioned earlier you had said this phrase of of not only can I do it, but to do I want to do it right. Do I want to be in this house for the next 15 days? And I don't know if you've ever had a client like apologize to you for the masking things. And and at first I thought like, what, like you're paying me to be here like why do you like what? Because they they view it as such a burden and rewrite, we have to convince themselves of like a genuine This is where a lot of that personal attention comes from of like, oh, I want my attention to my business to be personal. How do you make that happen? No, the client, Sally, whoever, you know, John, I, I want to be nowhere else. Then here with Baxter. Right? Because I believe in this so much. That's an exceptionally powerful thing to convey to somebody of No, no, you're not a burden here. It's not that that I have to be here. I want to be here. This is where I need to be. And that's, that is definitely that personally, that's a mindset change that I have to make a lot of times, oh gosh, here's another Ah, but it's also convincing somebody so other times to have like, oh, no, this person genuinely is happy to show up and scoop the poop. You're like yes, yeah, I am. Yeah,
Athena K. 27:56
yeah. As weird as it sounds, I wouldn't be doing anything else right now. Yeah, it definitely. I mean, I mean, you hit the nail on the head, for sure. It's, I found, especially like younger generations, I feel like we're so full of like, people pleasing. And I found that like, so many people struggle with that. And I as I got older, I realized I started to struggle with that. So, you know, when I when I like you said when a client says, you know, listen, I'm sorry, she does take these medications with why you're keeping her alive. Why are you apologizing for keeping your baby alive, like that is a beautiful thing that this there's some morbid people out there that will see a sick dog and throw it in a shelter because they don't want to deal with it. Don't apologize for doing the best you can for your dog. And I am happy to continue to do that while you're not here. Because I want to also keep this dog alive because I love him too. So it's Yeah, as is just I feel sorry for the people that feel like it's it's a burden because you know, yeah, it uproots your whole schedule when you have a booking that's you know, I've had I've had 26 Day bookings where I was away from my house for 26 days you know, I have pets of my own I have friends I have a fiance my mom you know so those are things that are were also really hard at first to adjust to being away from them and but if I if I didn't want to do it I would have said no I saw it 26 days from before I even came to this meet and greet let alone booked with you. So it goes to show how much I really do love it for what I'm sacrificing doing it you know?
Collin Funkhouser 29:33
Well I know scheduling is a big almost I'm not gonna say headache right? It's a big thing that we have to do right or maybe I'll go ahead and say headache right it's it's it is a chore that we get to do I guess but like how how do you navigate that with with your cuz I know you offer a wide variety of services and and then also still having a life outside of this and making sure that you aren't burning yourself out.
Athena K. 29:57
Yeah, I can I When we struggled that, first with that I, I burnt myself to a crisp. I mean, I didn't see a friend, one friend for a five month period. Over the winter, I mean, I did nothing besides work. And for someone who was at the time, honestly, I was 21. I was I had to really sit back and reflect and be like, this is not, this is not okay. Like I had a, I had a problem with saying no. And I had a problem with declining people, because I didn't want them to not come back to me in the future. And I didn't want them to think that I didn't take it seriously. But then I also have to remember like, I am a pet sitter for people that are booking trips that are going out with their friends going out with their families, leaving for the holidays. I'm like, so why, if this is my job, why aren't I allowed to take that time to go away with my family? See, my friends have a night out? Why am I working for people that do that, but I'm not allowed to. So that was very hard to navigate. But I had to say that to myself a few times and come to that realization because I all of a sudden realized my life was just work and work alone. Especially you know, and it's also very hard when you you know if I have you know, for example, I have Skittles boarding here. If I get an offer to go house it this weekend. I found it very hard at first to say no. And there will be parts of me like trying to finagle well. I can split it, I could I can't do the first two nights, but I could do the first three nights if you can find coverage for the first. And I'm like Athena stop, like, you're not there, you're not going to end their world. Like just, you know, you can say no, and because I I burned I mean I burned. So I think I'm a lot better at it now. But it's like you said it is a headache. It's especially because there's such a need, and especially during the holiday season. I mean, I love it. Like right now I'm jam packed. And I wouldn't change it for the world. But it's definitely hard to navigate. Because you know, it is the holiday season I want to be with my fiance, I want to see my mom, I want to go to the city to Rockefeller Center. I want to do all those stupid, touristy things that everyone loves. I want to do it. But um, yeah, you know what, it's not even about what's more important, but it's just finding that good balance in your life, that work life balance. And I feel like you would think we'd be so much better at it, especially for me, like, as a business owner, like, technically, yes, I am my own boss, I can make my own hours. And I can say no when I want. So you think my work to life balance ratio would be significantly better than it is. It's not, because it is just me in it. So can't, can't just take off, it's never going to stop coming in. So I think you just have to work on being intentional of looking at your calendar and saying, By this time, I'll have done six bookings in a row, I deserve a five day break. So don't book anything. So I chunk out that time in my calendar. And I leave that to me, whether that's sitting and rotting on my couch and binging One Tree Hill for five days, or that going on a trip with Hunter is I get to choose what I do in that time. And I won't book a thing. So I think being intentional about my time and breaks in between has been really helpful. Not burning out again.
Collin Funkhouser 33:26
Nathan Scott, tell you what, you know.
Athena K. 33:29
I love him. I love him. I'm so happy you said
Collin Funkhouser 33:37
it is your because we do struggle with that guilt. Because we do have that passion again, see previous, you know, 20 minutes about the passion and why that's so important to to connect with. And then and then we expect ourselves to say no, like, it's easy. Like when we only singularly want to be here with this one dog are this one cat? Let me say no to that. Are you crazy? And the answer is yes. Because if you don't say no to this, you might not be able to show up the next day. Because there's nothing more of you left.
Athena K. 34:06
Right. And if I'm burnt out from too many bookings at once, yeah, it might slow down. And I only have you know, if I just gave myself a crazy morning, I have way too much than what my time can handle. I'm going to come home to Skittles and not have the energy to go take her outside and play fetch for an hour like she does every day. I might not remember Hey, she needs her 10 o'clock medication or her vitamin, you know, I might not like you said I won't be able to show up for who I'm showing up for in 100% accuracy and 100% energy that I want to be showing up with. And that's where it gets you really have to make that line because then you're just half you know, half budding every single thing you do you know, I'm showing up at a 40 50% because I couldn't say no. Versus Yeah, I have, you know, a few less jobs today, but every single one Have them I can give 100% Because I give myself that grace and that space of not doing too much at once. And I think that is so much more beneficial than just I think it really is. That's where quality versus quantity comes in.
Collin Funkhouser 35:13
For sure. Well, in recognizing that it's not just scheduling for the business, it's scheduling everything, right, as you mentioned, like there's there's life outside of that that's important. That is buried
Athena K. 35:22
in April. And I don't so deep into planning, opening this business and maintaining the business, but I'm like, how did we go from 10 to five months until my wedding? Like, I'm not finished planning, but I've dove so deep into work that I forgot that I have this whole other thing to finish up and do. How do you just not remember that? So? Yeah, definitely. I mean, real life is never going to stop. So for sure. You're, you're right about that? Well, so
Collin Funkhouser 35:54
how are you handling that? That you know, that time with your with your clients? And you know, are you just pre announcing that or just blocking time off and saying no, or what's that? Look, that process would like planning for that?
Athena K. 36:07
For the wedding? You mean? Yeah. Yeah. Congratulations,
Collin Funkhouser 36:09
by the way.
Athena K. 36:10
Thank you. So yeah, I mean, I, I just block it off on my calendar and make sure like the week of I booked nothing. I don't want any other responsibilities that week, except for to get married. And, but I do plan on like, on social media, I think in December, I'll probably say, Hey, listen, there's this week in April, getting married. Love you all. Don't hit me up. I will be stressed enough. So, um, I actually have gotten requests for like the week before. And this one person asked me for the week before and I had said yes, absolutely. But as long as I am home by Friday, because Monday, my wedding wedding week starts and family is going to be flying in and out. I just I absolutely need to be home by that time. Because sometimes, you know, they extend the trip or flights get delayed. And you know, especially nowadays, so I'm like, as long as I am home. Latest Sunday. Yeah, I will. Absolutely. I'm happy to do it. But yeah, so I'll probably just make an announcement on Instagram, just, you know, but I don't think I need to mention it until I get asked for it. Because I'm like, oh, yeah, you need January. Cool. By the way, April. What is the why? Like, why?
Collin Funkhouser 37:23
All right, well, and especially if you're not getting requests that far out, it is that fine balance between like, look, if I communicate this now this early, no matter what it is in our business, right? This is just a principle of like, there is such a thing as communicating change or something too early, where it's so far out, people are like, I don't know, whatever cool, like and then you'll just have to take like obnoxiously repeated verses. Okay, let me wait a little bit longer. It's more relevant and a timescale that works for them, where they're actually thinking that far ahead, as opposed to six or five months out, a lot of people aren't there. So going,
Athena K. 37:59
and then you make an Instagram post. And but then it you know, it's November the wedding is not till April, so I'll post it, but then I'll post hundreds of other things after that. And then the post is just gone. So there, I'm like, Yeah, I post on Instagram, or like, when last year like I didn't, I don't remember. Like, I don't see it. So you know, you have to kind of that's another thing, I think, just kind of have to be careful with how you when you announce things, how you announce them and making sure that you know, as many people see it as possible, whatever the announcement is, and just doing it in a timely manner. That is enough time in advance to make Plan B happen, but but not too much time in advance where they miss it. And they completely forgot about it. Yeah, it's kind of like an invitation like, like literally a wedding invitation like when is too early, but when it's too late kind of thing. Yes. Yeah.
Collin Funkhouser 38:49
very apropos for
Athena K. 38:53
full circle moment.
Collin Funkhouser 38:54
Did you know that naps the National Association of Professional pet sitters is the only national nonprofit professional pet sitting association dedicated to raising and abiding by industry standards. Naps provides pet sitters with the tools and resources to own and operate successful pet sitting businesses. And a major part of that is there in person petsitting conference this year, March 1, do Third, the bloom and grow your business held in Savannah, Georgia. Their goal is to bring together industry leaders with session topics that are idea focused and on a wide range of subjects to foster learning inspiration and provoke conversations that truly matter. Registration is still open, if you can believe it or not. It is $225 to attend. Visit naps website@petsitter.org. For information regarding the membership, certification and complete conference details. I know you're really you're really active on on Instagram. Is that where you find a lot of engagement with potential clients or how are you using that? Yeah,
Athena K. 39:59
I, I like to use it just to post cute pictures. I don't know I, I've gotten I want to say like half. Like half of maybe like 40% of the bookings I get are through Instagram like they'll find me on Instagram will DM me on Instagram? Or they'll message me on my website and say like, Hey, I saw your Instagram posts like but yeah, I don't know I enjoy it i i love taking pictures and like, especially with the pets and me with the pets and pets doing something cute I just and then I just have all this cute media that I have nowhere to put. So I'm like I can either make 1000 Page Gallery on my website that people are not going to take the time to scroll through. Or I can post one at a time. give people time to see it. Love it, enjoy it. Talk with their spouses about hey, do we want to use this girl she looks like she's having fun with this dog. And then I'll post the next one and let that digest and that's definitely how I use it to even like announcements if I'm doing a sale or a you know if I'm free a specific block of time that I haven't booked yet. Make sure you grab those. I think Instagram is so popular same with Tik Tok. I found Tik Tok to be way more popular, but I prefer Instagram.
Collin Funkhouser 41:16
Okay. Well, I know you posted a recent announcement of a cool partnership that you have with with a with a puppies and tattoos dog grooming thing. Yeah. Talk to me about how that relationship started.
Athena K. 41:29
Yeah, so I had, I have a lot of friends and family who bring their dogs to that place to get groomed. And so I was like I you know, when I really started, like engaging into my Instagram more and like trying to grow it, I follow them on Instagram. And I was like, why am I not like I want to be able to give, especially during the holiday season, it's so everything's so expensive between dinners and travels and flights. And, you know, in these winter months, it gets so expensive. And people are always looking for ways to save money or get something in return for what they're paying. And I just wanted to give more. And I wanted, you know, I could easily be cheap, or I can be or reasonable, I should say, or I can be reasonable and still offer an extra emphasis of how much I appreciate you booking with me and how much I appreciate you trusting me and so I'm like, What could I do? So then I'm like, why don't I offer if it's like seven plus days of a service. I offer a free group. And I feel like that was such a good way to give back because brooming has gotten so expensive, so many different places. So I was like, Let me think about who I can ask to partner with. And I thought of puppies and tattoos because I heard amazing things about them. I've brought dogs there in and out myself. Never mind because mine only get screwed. Like once every six months. He like barely grows hair. So all of my all my friends and family loved them. So I'm like, let me ask him like, he's awesome. I love this guy. So I DM him and I'm like, Listen, do you want to do want to do this with me? Like, I think it'd be a great way to give back during the holidays, get some exposure for you, for me, etc. And he was like hell yeah, like, let's let's do it. And, you know, he made a little Instagram post. And since then we've been in pretty much daily communication. And it's gone great. It's gone. Absolutely great. And I think because they trust me as the pet sitter, like people don't even ask, like, what grooming shop is it I want to call like, they're just like I trust you just bring my dog, like, have fun. So that feels really cool that they don't even have the time they don't even ask who the person is grooming their dog. They're just like, well, it's you. So I assume you wouldn't send my dog somewhere terrible. Which feels really nice. Well,
Collin Funkhouser 43:51
I want a great time to run that to going into the holidays where people are booking longer trips, right encourages them to book it is a bit of an extra perk. And so is that something that you are, I guess, are you paying for portions of that are kind of how
Athena K. 44:05
I pay for the whole grooming? Okay, myself. Yeah. So as long as they book seven plus days of consecutive days of any service, it could be seven days of just drop in walks, you know, for 30 minutes. As long as it is a seven plus day of like a consecutive service. I treat them to grooming I pick up the dog I drop off the dog, I'll send pictures and the whole thing is on me or on petsitting by a fiend I should say so.
Collin Funkhouser 44:34
Yeah, that personal business distinction. Yeah.
Athena K. 44:37
So um, so yeah, I mean, it just feels really special is because I listen, I think especially right now we're living in a really hard time financially. And it's, it's a lot for people. I mean, even for me like just to bring my dog grooming, or just to bring my dog to the vet. You're you're spending so much money I'm on top of, you know, I want to take my family on a nice trip to Disney for the winter. Now I gotta pay for Disney, I gotta pay for flights that have tripled in the last five years. Now I got to pay for a hotel, which is doubled in the last five years, you know, now I have to pay for a pet sitter, which is, I think a lot of people are extremely overpriced, without, you know, trying to sound terrible. So it's a lot of money. So I love getting opportunities and like building these partnerships and ways to not I don't want to sound corny and saying like, give back but just kind of offer some sort of kind gesture and relief. I'm not even in a way of like, oh, like, I do this for you, you do this for me, like, boom, we're even just in a way of like, I'm going to show you how much I appreciate you. And I'm going to do something really nice for you. Because I know how hard all of this probably wasn't how expensive all this was, let something be my treat, like, Let me treat you to just something that you don't have to worry about when you get back home. And that's kind of where I wanted to go with that. And it's gone great sense, especially
Collin Funkhouser 46:08
when you're able to partner with another local business and drive exposure to build that community with them. Because when we do look for ways to how do I how do I expand or maintain my business through unstable or you know, or very costly economies? It's okay, I need to increase increase my value add my value proposition to my clients and, and sometimes, you know, without decreasing my prices, that's, that's a fine line to walk of going, Okay, I don't want to decrease prices, because I do need them because I have my own bills, right, like we talked about, I have my own things to pay for. So what things can I do that are maybe non monetary or whatever ways to to give back or make this more of a value to them? Right, and especially hooking it to those extended visits, that's where you start to be able to do things like this, like if you would have done this with like, yeah, free room, when you book a walk, it's like,
Athena K. 47:03
Ah, now I'm just
Collin Funkhouser 47:06
know that you just can't that's that's not financially feasible for you like you would make nothing and you'd make less than nothing actually, so. So being able to go, okay, by the time we have these long bookings, I do have this takes us knowing our numbers, right, and knowing what we need, what business expenses are, and all these things are going okay, what do I have leftover to make this actually work for this client? If that's something that they want? And knowing that, you know, I'm sure not every client takes you up on it, but the offer is there. So you do get a little leeway with that as well. Right,
Athena K. 47:39
exactly. It's, and it's funny, because I found, like, like you said, not every client takes it. But like, you also have to really be careful financially, like you said, because you know, some people, they have two or three dogs that I'm watching. So yeah, you get the free groom, but I'm paying for three of them plus tip, you know, plus, you know, then right when that booking ends, I'm gonna get an insurance quote, you know, Bill, I'm gonna get, you know, I gotta pay for more advertising. And so you have to make sure like, am I getting out as much or if not more as I'm putting in, but still being able to give back and offer these discounts deals are free things because I because I care about these people. So it's like finding that balance of like, Am I doing more for them than I'm doing for myself? versus where is it an equilibrium of both of us are profiting both of us are gaining and both of us are very happy and satisfied. Finding that equal measure is is very hard. So I did have to sit with it for like about a month and really write out monthly expensive expenses, numbers, profits, losses, and figure out what can I offer in the best way? Make sure I don't go underwater, but make sure it's something that people want to grab.
Collin Funkhouser 48:53
Yeah, well, and to can this scale, right? Okay, maybe I can do this one time. Can I do this? 100 times, right? Can I do like, because that's what would we think about things like this? It's like, okay, if in the best case scenario, this blows up beyond our wildest dreams, is it? Is that going to bury us because we can't we can't keep up with what's happening here is also maintaining some sort of realism of like, okay, what's the what's the constraints?
Athena K. 49:17
Right, and like, where do I stop like so that's why we made an announcement like he worded it in the caption of like, this holiday season. So like, kind of giving that exposure of like, eventually this will end grab it while you can but it's not like you know, if I if you know, some some dogs I've been watching or cats I've been watching them for three plus years. Like my some of my first clients are still my clients. So what every time they book with me, they're gonna get a free grant, where would that put me if they get a free groom every single time. So it's, yeah, you really have to weigh out what you're doing with that before you do something like that. It's not all complicated, but it's definitely something to Considering you really have to think about it before expanding that horizon, for sure.
Collin Funkhouser 50:04
Well, I just I think it's great that the partnerships there because a lot of us look to oh, well, maybe if they booked seven days, I'll throw in a free walk, or if they booked seven days all do this other thing. But by partnering with somebody, it makes it really it. changes that have really does have exactly what you're proposing. I, I feel like it makes it a much bigger thing as
Athena K. 50:27
well. Right, right. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I also do like a, if you are referred by a friend, or like, if you refer a friend, then you get, like, 24 hours of service free. So like, I get texts all the time of, you know, Hey, my friend, Sally texted me, she gave me your number. She said, you're great with her dog. You know, in that case, I would text Sally and be like, Hey, I heard you referred, John. You know, if you'd like a free walk, next time I walked nugget, I'd be more than happy, you know, because I really I appreciate what you're doing for me and for the business. So yeah, and I feel like it also brings that that personal level to add even more, because I don't know, I feel like I'm just able to do something for them. Because I'm very adamant about, I guess, just keeping, like I've said this whole time, just that personal relationship. And I feel like there's nothing more personable or personal than being able to say like, yeah, I can give you this back. And then some and I can, I can show you how much I care about you and your dog by offering you way more than I thought I could like, it's like being I'm sure like a like a, like a father or a mother of like, you know, when people say like, I just want to give my kids the world and then some. Like, that's how I feel as a business owner. And it sounds so corny. But that's truly how I feel. And so being able to weigh out, like, damn, I can offer these people this, like, I appreciate the fact that when you see your friends on a night out, you're mentioning the fact that Athena is with your dog and you love her. And that makes me feel so warm. So then of course in my head, I'm like, well now like Does she know that I love her? Like how do I show her that I love her too. So being able to find those ways to show that it's so special. And
Collin Funkhouser 52:23
it takes running the business? Well, again, I would have to bring it it does have to take come back to that again, all the passion, all the love in the world is is great. But if you don't have a well run business, you don't have those those line items and didn't sit with it for a month or understand exactly what you were getting into. It's harder to do that and do it. Well. If you're like, well, if my prices aren't set the way they are, if I don't have my budget set the way it is. I don't know what I can spend, I don't know what I can give back. And then I'm left going well, I guess I just won't, right? Because that's where a lot of us find ourselves like, well, I don't know. So I won't. And instead of being able to go now, what can I do what's realistic for me? And then I'll do that I could confidently do that. Again, this competence coming back in and going. I've looked at the stuff I've looked at my business. I'm confident what I can do. And I know it's going to impact them.
Athena K. 53:11
Right. Exactly. Yeah. It's a lot of thought. It's a lot of there's a lot of thought that's why like a lot of people like wow, you you watch dogs for a living. That's so fun. That must be so easy. Like you just get to be with puppies all day. I'm like girl, I am drained. Like these are 16 hour days, sometimes like these are 1617 hour days, at most times, like there have been times where I've went to bed at four in the morning and I'm up at eight for a booking and I'm working all day like it's a lot that goes into it that people don't know you are the manager of a brand you are you are doing advertising you are running marketing, you are running three or four or five to 10 social media pages. You know, there's next door, Facebook, Instagram, tik, Tok, Yelp, Google, you know, you're running ads for them. You're you're you're your own banker at some point, because then you got to weigh out what did I spend today? What am I able to spend tomorrow without losing? What am I making tomorrow and profit from what jobs? Oh, now I have to confirm all those jobs. Okay, let me text the owners let me enable time like you're doing then you're on top of all of that behind the scenes stuff you're in the field actually working with sometimes not so easy. If dogs and you're still having to keep it professional even though you are stressed out of your mind. Because you're tallying up numbers in the back of your mind that walk like there's so much that goes into it that people don't see. And if you don't have the head to make sure that you can show up for every component in the exact way that has to be done. It gets very hard, very fast. Show
Collin Funkhouser 54:34
up for every component because a lot of times it's easy to go well, I'm just gonna disappear over here into the social media pages. I'm just gonna disappear into the actual field work right? I'm just gonna disappear into the CPA. I'm just but unless you're able to show up for all of them what rear where are the hats? Well, right they might not all fit exactly because we're they're not all right in our forte. That's lame that about myself. Right? Right. But the hat still has to go on my head at the end of the day. Right and And showing up going out, I'm gonna wear this to the best that I can until I'm able to hopefully pass that off delegate, do something different with that. But until that time comes, I need to be here. And I need to be able to have the boundaries in place the the time off so that I can recharge watching One Tree Hill or whatever that is for you. This is beneficial to me because I can, I don't have to think I don't have to be on today, I can just be. And that that kind of, of active work, when we're not actually doing anything is critical to us being able to show up the next day, and then the next day and be creative as well. Because like this partnership, if you were completely burned out, if you were stretched too thin, if you were going ragged, that never would have been something that you could have thought of, but because you have space in your day, you can see these connections, you can think outside of the box, when sometimes it's hard enough for me to just think on a given day, let alone natively go right. But that's part of the success of my business is my ability to do that.
Athena K. 56:00
Right, exactly. And I think like, it ties right back to that balance. Because you, you know you, you can burn out so easily doing one job, you know, you're working a nine to five, nine to six, you burn out, you've been working so long, you've been working so hard, whatever. And there is no like, describe this credibility to that, I mean, not trying to invalidate that in any way, because I've been in the nine to five or the 10pm to 8am In my case, and I've been there and it's burning just one job, but we're doing 10 to one person, you know, we're doing we're doing 1011 jobs daily, by ourselves all through this. And it's, it's it's a challenge. I mean, if I were to have opened this business two years ago, where I was two years ago, it would have flopped before it even left running. I think just because I was so burned out from being a tech and you know, if you had given me this idea, and then showed me the ropes about it, I would have been with that I'm good over here. I'm not good. But I'll I'll figure it out. You know, now I'm at a place in my life where I can confidently show up for those 10 rolls daily. But if you're not at that point, you you, you know, that's why I feel like I'm at a good transitional period into into growing this finally, because I have that I'm not a tech anymore. And I'm just focused on petsitting, which is what I love. I don't have a family yet. I don't have kids, I have a fiance who also works full time. So he does his own thing. And, you know, right now he's getting his master's degree and whatever. So we're, we're doing our own thing. And we're still in that, you know, we're not in the, the annoying, like finding a home process or, you know, I'm planning on getting pregnant this year, what do I do with all my jobs, like, I'm not in those periods where I have to show up or like 20 more things than I would have to right now. Which is why I felt this was such a good time to dive into those 10 rules a day because I have, if I wasn't doing it, I wouldn't be doing anything I have the time. So I felt like this was a good point to start that. So unless that's like my advice to people that like you, you know, unless you're at that point where you can show up for, you know, 10 responsibility 10 different job requirements a day like 10, you know, 10 to 15 people's rolls by yourself, then it's just it'll just become a really fast and failing money pit that you cannot get out of.
Collin Funkhouser 58:29
It is a commitment, isn't it? It is something of going okay. i And that's where a lot of us find ourselves going. I just wanted to take care of dogs. I just wanted to be with cats and what what are you talking about what I gotta do now I got to what it's going well, in order for you to do that, legitimately and, and professionally. And in an upstanding way. Here are things that we have to do now everybody's going to manage them, they're going to take them on, they're going to tackle them accomplish them in a unique and diversified way. And that's what's so wonderfully beautiful about being our own business owners is because we can go oh, we all kind of generically have the same 1015 hats and roles, but we're all going to do them differently. And I absolutely love it. It's perfect because it fits our own personalities. But at the end of the day, we do have to do them to get to the other work. And that that is a tension that many of us experience as we walk through and and until we can embrace those and go, these are important. These are sometimes almost even more critically at mission critical to the success success of my business than just doing a good dogwalk I until we reached that point. It's kind of hard to to progress well. Right. Yeah, absolutely. I think that I really want to thank you so much for your time today for coming on and, and talking with us about this and and encouraging us to dig deep and find that right and find those reserves of tackling those big things and embracing ourselves so that we can be confident in our own abilities to bring that to our clients. And I think that's absolutely. If nothing else, like that alone will help a lot of us understand that what we do is important, but to compare to others is going to be detrimental to us. And that's that is something we have to work through. So if people want to get in touch with you follow along with your business, see all your adorable photos that you post on Instagram, everything? How best can they do that?
Athena K. 1:00:28
Instagram is the is I think that one of the best ways that's just the business, same pet setting by Athena. If you want to get in touch, you know, booking wise that booking that pet sitting by athena.com, website petsitting. By athena.com. I mean, if you Google petsitting, by Athena, there's going to it's going to lead you to 20 different apps and sites that are just all mine. So any one of those it's so easy to get in touch, I feel like in this modern technology world, so yeah. petsitting by Athena on really any form of social media should should absolutely lead you right to me.
Collin Funkhouser 1:01:01
Okay, perfect. Well, I will have links to everything in the show notes, people can click right to that, and start getting in touch at the end of this was an absolute joy and pleasure. Thank you for today, Athena. Thank you.
Athena K. 1:01:13
Yeah, you too. Thank you so much for having me. I really I had a blast. It was very fun.
Collin Funkhouser 1:01:18
Do you value you? Do you value your experience? Do you value your history? Who you are your take on things your personality? Do you value? You really take a moment to sit with that? And make sure that you understand what that answer means? I didn't ask what value do you bring to your clients? Didn't ask you what value do you bring your community or to the pets? Or how do you serve them? Well, it starts with us. Before we can do anything for a client before we can help anybody or serve a pet Well, we have to value ourselves. That's where it starts. And when you see that your value stems from you being who you are no more no less, just exactly that perfect amount. That unlocks an immense power and confidence and forward momentum that will help you tackle over what ever comes your way. We want to thank today's sponsor is tied to pet, the National Association of Professional pet sitters for making today's show possible. We really want to thank you so much for listening and for being here and supporting the show. We hope you have a wonderful rest of your week and we'll be back again soon.
