Summary:
Is it ever ok to judge yourself? When we become aware of our weaknesses, we’re better able to understand where we need help, and strengthen ourselves over time. As pet care providers, we often find ourselves questioning if we’re on the right path in life. Colleen Pelar shares why it’s important to judge yourself while staying kind to yourself. She also walks us through how to properly grieve the loss of a dream or vision we had for our life, so we can embrace what we do have.
How has your 2022 been? For many, it’s been the biggest year they’ve had in a long time. For others, it’s been a trying time as they work to rebuild and restructure their business. We reflect on how 2022 has gone and why listening to client feedback is one of the best ways to improve your business. We also give some of our biggest lessons we’re taking into 2023. Share your biggest win with us!
What’s the hardest part of being a pet sitter? The challenges certainly change as we grow and evolve as a business. Our role as the business owner and entrepreneur is to overcome them. Justina Allen-Yancey, owner of Justina’s Pet Sitting, joins the show to share how she approaches challenges. Justina works on her training and services to market guilt free pet parent lifestyles to her clients and focuses on being reliable. She also talks about the gear she loves for winter and how she specialized in rabbits and guinea pigs.
How do you build relationships with other businesses in your community? As a service industry, we rely heavily on social media and partnerships with other businesses to stay top of mind with potential clients. Today, we break down how we’ve been approaching other businesses in our service area to start fostering long lasting relationships. We also give some easy ways to start a conversation, so you don’t feel awkward about asking for their help.
What inspires you to try new things? The loss of pet is an earth shattering moment in the life of a pet owner. Erica Messer, owner of Wolfie’s Wish, took the tragedy and turned it into her inspiration to help others. Erica started a product line to help pet parents grieve the loss of their pet. Erica breaks down how she dove into product development, found a manufacturer, and works on her marketing. She also shares how she makes the most out of trade shows and is focused on building a community of resources for everyone.
What kind of technology do you use in your business? The world of tech is almost endless, with new things being developed all of the time. Today, we break down some of the most underutilized technology business owners should be taking advantage of. In pursuit of saving time, money, and providing better quality services, technology can provide a lot, but we have to make sure we know why we’re adding it.
Are your finances organized? As we come to the end of the year, we start having an eye on tax time. Bookkeeping is the process of organizing both your expenses and income in an logical manner. Lindsey Roberts, owner of Harquin Bookkeeping, joins the show to break down common misconceptions of bookkeeping and what we should actually be tracking as a small business. Lindsey also shares what the different requirements are for services vs products, since many of us added products to our business in the last year.
How can undercharging damage your business? While there are clear benefits of raising your prices, we tend to ignore the damage of undercharging. Undercharging impacts everything from your quality of life, to the perception potential clients have of your business. We break down 5 ways not charging enough can impact you and your business, and give some ways to start changing our mindset around what we charge.
What does it mean to be premium? How do you let that influence everything you do and provide to your clients? Brandi Hendrix, owner of Bayou City Pet Sitting, shares how she works hard to delight her clients in unexpected ways. From seeking out the latest information, to thinking through the problems her client’s face, Brandi wants the best for her clients. She shares how she implements GPS collars in her services and the impact that has on her business.
Once you have contact information from your lead magnet, what do you do with it? Use email to have a conversation with your customers. Email is a great marketing tool, but it can help your business in other ways, too. More than just a marketing ploy, email is a great way to build trust with your clients. We break down what kind of content to include, how to shape an email marketing campaign, and how often to use your list.
Do you recognize the value of the skills you have? Most people get into a pet care because they find it ‘easy’ and are predisposed to excel. Ashley Carr, owner of Ashley’s Pawsome Pets, shares how she turned a natural skill into a business that has served clients with excellence sine 2014. Ashley gives her perspective on taking on challenges from regulations, and how she uses her community to adapt and strengthen her business. From hiring to training, Ashley walks through how she grows her team.
What is a lead magnet and why should we be using them? Lead magnets are a way of getting information from your client, or potential client, in exchange for something valuable to them. There are best practices to be mindful of when implementing one, and things to avoid doing. We walk through the different types of lead magnets, how to promote them, and how to assess if they’re working for you or not. We also break down 5 easy to implement ideas for a lead magnet you can start using today!
How do you provide personalized care? Katie Kenton, owner of Katie’s Kennel, shares her experience of business growth. Katie is committed to focusing on her community and making connections with her clients. As a new mom, Katie has found a new way to balance her personal life and work, and works hard to stay in tune with what her brand is and the voice of her business.
What does your marketing say about you? Not only does our messaging need to attract clients, it also needs to repel some as well. By being up-front and honest about who you are and what you do, you’ll have potential clients realize you’re not a good fit before they even contact you. The power of your messaging means you have to be very intentional about what you’re putting out.
Alicia Obando, owner of Pitter Patter Parenting, joins the show to share why she has stayed unapologetically solo. She walks us through how she markets herself effectively and how she’s set her policies to support being a solo sitter. Living in a society that says we need to always go bigger and “better”, Alicia pushes back by changing her mindset about the kind of services she offers.
What is a not-to-do list, and why do you need one? As small business owners, we have a lot on our plate and things that demand our attention. Being pulled in too many directions means we lose focus on the important things. Building a not-to-do list, we remove obligations from our days and are better able to refine what our actual duties are, while also breaking bad habits that waste time and money.
Finding your niche is a great way to establish yourself as an expert and the “go to” company for that need. It also means dealing with much more particular, and sometimes demanding, clients. Lauri Partanio, owner of Professional Pets Florida LLC, has made it her mission to meet the needs of medically needy and senior pets. Lauri explains the way she’s partnered with pet-friendly companies to grow awareness and be a member of her community. She also shares how she has implemented lockboxes for her clients, and the freedom it brings.
Monetary policy and interest rates are slowing the economy down, and most suggest a recession is in the work in the next 12 months. How do we digest this data and apply it to your business? What does this mean for the pet services industry? We break down several key questions for you to think through in your business. We also address the very real need for a support network and the psychological toll a recession takes on small business owners.
What does it mean to run a ‘local’ business and how do we foster a love for it? As business owners and entrepreneurs, we have to seek out things that inspire us; whether they’re another business owner or something else. Laura Breakstone was inspired by a small pet supply store that gave her the idea for her business. She shares how she’s maintained the local feel of her company, even as she’s grown. Laura has used a very specific marketing tool to great success, and gives her insights into why it’s so effective. She also walks us through her most popular services, and how she finds what to offer her clients.
Why is dog walking and pet sitting such a mental burden? It’s not just the worry of meeting a client's expectations or concerns about missing a visit. We break down how the pet care industry is the perfect storm of task switching, multi-tasking, and distractions. Becoming more mentally prepared takes planning and reviewing not just your schedule, but also every visit. Also, standardization of visits and routines (to the extent possible) helps control the environmental impacts of going from client to client.
