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523: From Touch to Trust: Building Better Dog Relationships with Garrett Stevens

523: From Touch to Trust: Building Better Dog Relationships with Garrett Stevens

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What are the silent ways dogs communicate with us? In this episode, Garrett Stevens, owner of Stevens Family Kennels and Dog Language Center, dives into the four pillars of dog language: touch, space, movement, and energy. He emphasizes the importance of non-verbal communication in understanding and managing canine behavior. Garrett also shares practical tips for conducting behavioral assessments and creating a balanced, calm environment for dogs. Ultimately, he reminds us that between a stimulus and a response, there is a space where meaningful change can happen

511: From Numbers to Strategy with Anne-Marie Kaden

511: From Numbers to Strategy with Anne-Marie Kaden

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How do you navigate the financial uncertainties of running a business? Anne-Marie Kaden, from Tiny Paws Bookkeeping highlights the importance of regularly monitoring financial health and utilizing key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure your business adapts and thrives in changing markets. She emphasizes managing labor costs effectively, planning for cash flow variations, and leveraging historical data to make informed decisions. Through strategic financial management, business owners can better prepare for seasonal fluctuations and unexpected expenses, ensuring sustainability and growth. Anne-Marie's insights offer valuable strategies for maintaining financial stability and maximizing profitability in any economic environment.

507: Hospitality and Heart with Ken Botts

507: Hospitality and Heart with Ken Botts

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Does hospitality translate from restaurants to pet care? Ken Botts, owner of Creekside Critters Pet Sitters, shares his journey into the world of pet care. He discusses the importance of community engagement, effective hiring practices, and the parallels between providing excellent service in restaurants and pet sitting. Ken emphasizes the role of heart-driven hospitality in building trust with both human clients and their furry companions.

497: Certification to Self-Care with PSI's President Beth Stultz-Hairston

497: Certification to Self-Care with PSI's President Beth Stultz-Hairston

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How has the pet sitting industry evolved over the past 30 years? In this episode, Beth Stultz-Hairston, President of Pet Sitters International (PSI), discusses the organization's remarkable journey and its impact on professional pet care. She highlights PSI's commitment to supporting pet sitters through education, certification, and professional standards. Beth addresses the challenges faced by pet sitters, including time management, hiring, and self-care, and emphasizes the importance of adapting to industry trends. Beth underscores PSI's dedication to enhancing the professionalism and success of pet sitters worldwide.

493: Seeking Genuine Engagement Over Vanity with Kate McQuillan

493: Seeking Genuine Engagement Over Vanity with Kate McQuillan

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Are you engaging with the right clients? Kate McQuillan, owner of Pet Sitters Ireland and Pet Business Owners, emphasizes the importance of market research and understanding your audience. She highlights how local content can drive meaningful engagement and how a consistent blogging strategy can significantly impact business growth. Kate stresses the value of genuine customer engagement over vanity metrics and the need for efficient operations to meet client expectations.

491: Continuously Evolving with Debbie Solis

491: Continuously Evolving with Debbie Solis

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How are you evolving as a business owner? Debbie Solis, owner of Personal Pet and Home Care, shares her 28-year journey in the pet care industry, starting with her deep-rooted caregiving spirit and balancing roles as a mother and entrepreneur. She discusses the challenges she faced, including burnout and the need for personal growth, which led her to seek counseling and start delegating. By adopting new technologies and building a supportive team, Debbie transformed her business practices and achieved a more balanced life. She emphasizes the importance of self-care, adaptability, and continuous learning for long-term success.

485: Creating Client-Centered Services with Hannah Alsup

485: Creating Client-Centered Services with Hannah Alsup

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What does it mean to create a client-centered pet care service? Hannah Alsup, from Three Dog Pet, explores how to incorporate a wide range of services to meet the unique needs of each client. From pet sitting and personal assistance to dog training, Hannah explains how personalized communication and flexible services can empower clients to make informed decisions about their pets. She also touches on the importance of setting boundaries for both clients and staff, while offering tips on integrating mental stimulation and training into pet care routines.

481: Evolving with Heart with Reilly Kahat

481: Evolving with Heart with Reilly Kahat

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What does it take to transform challenges into a thriving business? Reilly Kahat, owner and founder of Pet Fit, shares his transition from a dog walker to the owner of a flourishing pet care service. Following an unforeseen business closure that left him questioning his next steps, Reilly leverages his deep affection for animals to build a community rooted business from the ground up. He explores the importance of adaptive branding, the move towards a membership-based model for consistent service, and the cultivation of a supportive team dynamic. Reflecting on the hurdles faced, including navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic, Reilly illustrates how setbacks were not just obstacles but opportunities for growth and deeper community engagement.

477: Turning Over A New Leaf with Kirsten Kruska

477: Turning Over A New Leaf with Kirsten Kruska

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What does it mean to reinvent yourself? Kirsten Kruska, co-owner of Pet and Plant Pal, explores the journey of career reinvention after a pivotal health challenge forced her out of dog grooming. Kirsten shares how she transformed her expertise in pet care and horticulture into a flourishing business. Emphasizing health & wellness, Kirsten shares how her commitment to physical fitness and overcoming injury shaped her approach to business and life. She also discusses ethical entrepreneurship, highlighting her dedication to ethical practices rooted in Buddhist principles, and how these values distinguish her services. Lastly, Kirsten discusses the importance of knowledge sharing, from grooming advice to plant care tips, illustrating her belief in education as a cornerstone of her business model.

475: Creating a Business to Prioritize Yourself with Shannon Hendon

475: Creating a Business to Prioritize Yourself with Shannon Hendon

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How can you navigate the twists and turns of life through fostering community? Shannon Hendon, founder of Ocala Pet Sitting, takes us through her 18-year saga of transforming challenges into opportunities. From altering her career path away from vet school to implementing cool new services like kitty cam rentals, Shannon's story is a masterclass in adaptability and passion. She also discusses the power of community, the evolution of her business model as she adapted to personal challenges, and her dedication to setting new standards in the pet care industry.

461: Keeping Control of Your Calendar with Jessica Stavros

461: Keeping Control of Your Calendar with Jessica Stavros

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Jessica Stavros, owner of Salina Prosper Petsitting, shares her journey from starting in the pet sitting industry 19 years ago to adapting her business model to fit her life's various stages, especially motherhood. Emphasizing the art of setting boundaries and saying no without guilt, Jessica discusses the importance of managing a solo business in alignment with personal life demands.

447: From Leashes to Lattes with Alisha Riley

447: From Leashes to Lattes with Alisha Riley

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What does it mean to embrace change while staying focused on the client experience? As your business grows, you may face necessary changes that push you out of your comfort zone. Transform any doubt in your abilities into motivation to learn, grow, and discover new methods. Alisha Riley, the owner of Alisha’s Pet Playcations, exemplifies this. She restarted her business after relocating across the country. In her journey, she discusses the importance of integrating oneself into the community and leveraging personal connections through your network. Additionally, Alisha shares her decision to start a coffee shop driven by a very special mission.

443: Being Serious About Business with Kerri-Ann Griffith

443: Being Serious About Business with Kerri-Ann Griffith

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How do you help potential clients see the value you provide? Connecting with the right clients is an art form as you refine who you are for, and who you are not. More than simply selling yourself, it’s about connecting at an emotional level with a client’s needs. Kerri-Ann Griffith, owner of Nashville Kitty Sitter, joins the podcast to explain how she runs a boutique business, while also finding clients who have never used a professional service before. Kerri-Ann shares why emergency planning is so important, and how it helps you become a better business owner. She also talks about how she uses her show business background to make the most of her meet and greets.

439: Gaining Confidence by Doing Hard Work with Abby Strong

439: Gaining Confidence by Doing Hard Work with Abby Strong

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Can you transform a simple passion into a thriving business? Abby Strong, founder of Auntie Abby's Pet Sitting Service, shares her journey from a part-time pet sitter and full-time nanny to a thriving business owner. Abby shares the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from working solo to leading 21 pet sitters and dog walkers, emphasizing the importance of tackling hard tasks and taking pride in one's work. She discusses balancing the multifaceted role of a caretaker, the customization of pet care services, and the significance of building strong client relationships. It’s not just about growth, it’s about personal development and finding fulfillment and taking pride in our hard work.

433: Pizza, Pets, and Planes with Lauri Partanio

433: Pizza, Pets, and Planes with Lauri Partanio

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How can a pet care company make a profound impact on a community? In today's episode, Lauri Partanio, owner of Professional Pets Florida, highlights two innovative initiatives. First, "Pizza for Pets", collaborates with local eateries to feature at-risk shelter animals on pizza boxes and takeout bags. This effort alone has saved 39 animals from euthanasia. Additionally, Lauri introduces her "Flight Nanny" services, ensuring pets are transported safely to their new homes. By tuning into the needs of clients and partnering with local businesses, Lauri redefines community engagement through pet care.

429: Being a Problem Solver with Kevin Johnson

429: Being a Problem Solver with Kevin Johnson

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What problems are you solving for your clients? Kevin Johnson, owner of Planet Paws Pet Care, views his entire role as being the problem solver for his clients. Kevin transitioned from being a defense attorney to running a successful pet sitting business. He emphasizes the importance of communication skills in building trust with clients and identifying their pain points. He believes in being a problem solver and guiding clients to the right services, even if it means referring them elsewhere. Kevin also highlights the value of networking, joining the chamber of commerce, and filling gaps in the market. He and his wife work together in the business, with her focusing on marketing and business operations. Kevin participates in events to raise awareness of his business and engage with the community.

425: A Touch of ‘Know, Like, and Trust’ with Kelly Hester

425: A Touch of ‘Know, Like, and Trust’ with Kelly Hester

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How do you make an excellent client onboarding? A well executed client onboarding not only sets the tone and expectations for the client, but also set the relationship up to last for years. Kelly Hester, owner of Kelly’s Kritters Dog Walking and Pet Sitting, joins the show to walk through how she translated her decades of corporate work into running her business. From exceptional customer service to formally documenting everything, she provides several great best practices. Kelly also explains her process for onboarding clients so that both she and the client understand exactly what is going on.

423: Building Trust with Clients from the Start with Kimberly Layman

423: Building Trust with Clients from the Start with Kimberly Layman

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Are you running the business you thought you’d be? Kimberly Layman, owner of Kimberly's Kritter Care, shares the process of refocusing her company to better align with her passions after experiencing burnout early on in the pandemic. She outlines her personalized onboarding strategy of phone calls and in-person meetings to set clients at ease. In addition, Kimberly explains how she structures clear expectations around communication preferences upfront to avoid issues down the road. She also details her strategic approach to obtaining reviews through timely and specific follow-up requests.

415: Fostering Relationships Through Your Software with Mike Grenier

415: Fostering Relationships Through Your Software with Mike Grenier

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What drives close relationships in your business? We should view everything we do as an opportunity to foster relationships with our clients, including our software. Mike Grenier, co-founder of Time to Pet, joins the show to share how they prioritize problem-solving. Mike emphasizes the importance of adhering to guiding principles while not being afraid to pivot in response to market changes. He describes the process of building a niche business and how his early days running a pet sitting business with his wife influenced their approach to software.

409: Growing the Pet Care Industry with Jamie Migdal

409: Growing the Pet Care Industry with Jamie Migdal

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Do you see yourself as playing a vital role in the health of the pet care industry? To ensure a robust future, we can all be ambassadors for professional dog walking and pet sitting. Jamie Migdal, founder of Fetchfind!, joins the show to share her vision for the future of pet care. From collaborative approaches to pushing the limits of our own education, Jamie believes we can all make our mark on the legacy of pet sitting. She also discusses how in order to decrease competition, there needs to be an increase in the consumer base. By being advocates for pet owners, we help bring more people, pets, and profits to our businesses.

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