All tagged meet

505: The Importance of Empathy in Pet Care with Lori Holt

505: The Importance of Empathy in Pet Care with Lori Holt

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How do you transition from a corporate job into full-time pet care? Lori Holt shares her journey from working in customer service to founding Stow Road Pet Sitters. She discusses the challenges of administrative tasks, the importance of empathy and trust in client relationships, and how her family plays a crucial role in her business. Lori also highlights the lessons learned from a dog bite incident that led to stricter client screening processes. Join us as we explore Lori's inspiring story of passion, growth, and dedication to exceptional pet care.

499: Be the Novelty with Cathy Duvall

499: Be the Novelty with Cathy Duvall

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What challenges come with running a pet care business in a rural area? In this episode, Cathy Duvall, owner of Goin' to the Dogs Pet Sitting, shares her journey of relocating from metro Atlanta to the North Georgia mountains and the unique adaptations required for rural pet sitting. Cathy emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries for personal health and business sustainability, and how learning to say no transformed her approach. She discusses the stark differences between urban and rural pet sitting, including slower growth and varied client expectations. Cathy highlights the importance of professional credentials and how educating clients about being bonded and insured builds trust and peace of mind.

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.

487: Keeping it Simple with Scott Black

487: Keeping it Simple with Scott Black

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How do you keep things simple in your business? Scott Black, owner of Personal Touch Pet Sitting, discusses the importance of personalized communication, screening clients thoroughly, and managing risks in the industry. He also emphasizes the significance of continuing education and balancing growing a pet sitting business while prioritizing quality and safety. Scott shares his thoughts on liability and risk management, setting boundaries, and managing client relationships.

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.

457: The Art of Compassionate Leadership with Ruby Ballesteros

457: The Art of Compassionate Leadership with Ruby Ballesteros

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What does leadership mean to you? 💪 Ruby Ballesteros, owner of RubyReds Pet Care, discusses her transition from a corporate background to pet sitting. Ruby emphasizes professionalism and leadership, and stresses the importance of viewing and presenting yourself as a business owner first, rather than just being a pet lover. She highlights her military background as influential in shaping her values and practices. Ruby also speaks about the art of building strong, trust-based relationships with clients, going beyond mere services, to ensure their complete peace of mind.

455: Effective Use of Google Ads with Maris Sonnabend

455: Effective Use of Google Ads with Maris Sonnabend

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How do you use Google ads effectively? Running an effective Google ad campaign takes more than just clicking a few buttons. It requires focus, trial and error, and a willingness to lean heavily into your brand. Maris Sonnabend, owner of House of Paws Pet Care, shares her experience of embracing a branding that isn’t for her but has enabled her to target a specific avatar. She walks through the importance of focusing on one guiding principle to keep everything you do focused and intentional. Maris also discusses her philosophy of testing to determine what will and will not work in her business.

445: When Life Happens with Jessica and Chris Milam

445: When Life Happens with Jessica and Chris Milam

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What do you do when life happens? The fact is, things happen that are out of our control, and our only roll is in how we respond. When running a business, we set policies that match the flexibility many clients need, or adapt to their requests if we want. In our personal lives, we respond by stepping up and showing our true character. Jessica and Chris Milam, owners of Fur Services Fur Pets, discuss what it means to live a life full of the right amount of crazy, love, and passion.

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.

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.

291: Staying Ambitious with Zach Shearer

291: Staying Ambitious with Zach Shearer

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What does it take to stay ambitious in business? Zach Shearer, owner of Zach's Pet Services, rejoins the show to share how much has changed since we last had him on. Zach talks about tackling large projects in the face of uncertainty and why surrounding yourself with experts is critical to your success. From his expanding kennel services to now grooming, Zach gives us some insight into the challenges they're facing and what he's doing to overcome them.

115: Back to Basics- The Meet and Greet

115: Back to Basics- The Meet and Greet

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The Meet and Greet is an essential part of being a pet care provider. It allows you to get to know the pet before you care for them. In the first of our Back to Basics series, we break down the why and how of a Meet and Greet in this world of Covid. Also, Natasha O'Banion answers, "How do I go from good to great?"

052- Kitchen Confessions

052- Kitchen Confessions

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On today’s Kitchen Confession, we discuss a recent meet and greet with a new client, how recent CDC guidelines are throwing a wrench in reopening plans, and how no matter what you have chosen to do with your time and your business, there is no judgement.

003- The Meet and Greet

003- The Meet and Greet

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If you're doing boarding or daycare, you definitely need to let the owner know if their dog is going to be around other dogs. Some owners do not want this and would prefer their dog be by themself and so they may have to look elsewhere for care. Other owners couldn't care less and Some owners may be a little bit timid, but be excited that their dogs will have a playmate.