How do you get better over time? Taylor Leedahl, owner and founder of Tiny Horse, joins the show to describe how to approach process improvement and how we can develop a healthier relationship with our businesses. Taylor shares how she got started in the business and the challenges she has faced along the way. We cover the development of new products, the importance of understanding customer needs, and how to keep mission creep from taking over a business.
March started with a bang! Spring conference season just wrapped up and Professional Pet Sitters week concluded as well. We share our experiences attending the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters conference. We talk through what to consider when determining if you should go to a conference or not. We also give an overview of Professional Pet Sitters week, and why customer service is central to what we do.
You pay for insurance, but is it protecting you? Running a business means we have to understand the risk we take on with the services we offer. As your business changes, so too do your insurance needs. Colleen Giles-Harris, Underwriter with Pet Sitters Associates, joins the show to walk us through the questions we need to ask about our businesses to make sure we are covered. She explains where the homeowners insurance comes into play during a claims process and why it matters the kind of pets you’re caring for. Colleen also shares how to properly document for a claims process and how to approach minimum-level of care concerns.
What’s your best pet sitting or dog walking tip? We asked, and you answered! Everything from how to deal with nervous cats, to when should you get a poop bag ready, you sent in your best tips. On today’s episode, we share the results and share some tips of our own. Thank you to all who submitted feedback!
How do you serve your community? From offering employment opportunities to serving specific needs, our businesses can be a huge asset to our local communities. LeAnna Quartuccio and Brandon Elkins, owners of Hyde Bark Dog Walking & Pet Care + Hyde Bark Play and Park, join us to discuss why focusing on staying local is so powerful. They work hard to offer appealing benefits to their staff, and walk through how they can make that happen. LeAnna and Brandon made a huge decision to open a doggy daycare to better serve their community. They share their lessons from that process and their training protocol to turn new staff members into professionals.
What mindsets and behaviors help a pet business owner thrive? Like high quality tools, the characteristics we exhibit should help us, instead of being a hindrance to our success. It starts with knowing yourself and the kind of business you want to run. Then, you can implement the best practices. We break down five essential attitudes of a thriving pet business owner and what it looks like to implement them.
How do you show up for yourself? Hard work and dedication are definitional of what it means to be a pet sitter. The services you offer should be connected to the passions you have in life. Emily Duhancik, owner of Pet Sitting & Care by Emily, joins the show to discuss what it takes to offer farm care to very particular clients. Her motivation comes from a lifelong love of animals, and a desire to be an excellent role model for her daughter. Emily shares how she designs an amazing client experience, where to get more experience with farm animals, and how she honors her feelings and emotions through the services she offers.
How do you market a new service? Whether you’ve created a brand new service, or reconfigured an existing one, getting it in front of your clients is the biggest hurdle. Sometimes, the same marketing tactics don’t work for a new service, so as business owners, we have to be aware of what our options are. We walk through why marketing a new service involves a mindset shift and why you should start marketing before you launch your service.
What’s it like being a parent in pet care? As a business owner, it can be overwhelming to consider adding a child and growing your family while also keeping your business running. There is so much to account for and many different business models you can try. On a very special roundtable Marissa LeJune, owner of Tail Swaggers, Amber Van Denzen Suarez, owner of Atta Boy! Animal Care, and Stephanie Brown, owner of Happy Trail’s Pet Sitting & Dog Walking Services, join the show to share their experience of raising their kids while running their business. If you’re just starting out in your business journey, or are a soon to be new parent this is for you!
How do you know it’s time to remove a service you currently offer? Sometimes you find yourself no longer in love with a particular service. It may be massively popular, or just a massive headache, but it’s time for a change. We walk through how, over the course of a year, we planned and removed a major service from our business. We give some of the lessons we learned and some points to help make it as easy as possible.
What does it mean to understand animal behavior? As pet care professionals, we need to make sure we are communicating well to our clients and are prepared for emergencies. Arden Moore, author and radio host, joins the show to discuss confounding behaviors for both dogs and cats. She also dives into how to make sure we have a great first aid kit and how emergency preparedness is all a mental game. Arden gives her best tips for pilling cats and discusses the importance of being a poop-ologist.
What fears do you have in your business? From financial insecurity to personal freedom, fear is a powerful driving force for many of us. Fear comes from both the unknown and the unplanned for, so taking time to assess what’s impacting you gives clarity for better decisions. We break down common fears of running a business and what we can do about them. We also give simple steps to start overcoming your fears and living a more focused life.
What does it mean to be empathetic in our business? Showing empathy allows you to connect with nervous clients. It also helps both clients and staff feel like they are understood and are not alone. Stephanie Castro, owner of Stay Home Pet Sitting, joins the show to share why the words we use help clients see the value in our business. She also explains how she’s growing her company culture, and what it means to make hard decisions.
Are you using A.I. in your business? Artificial Intelligence is a growing area of research and development. A.I. can seem overwhelming, but holds many promising tools to give clients more peace of mind. We break down what A.I. is and how it can help your business. We give examples of existing programs and also how we’re currently implementing it in our own business.
Have you thought about trademarking your business? Getting a trademark is a great way to protect your business and gain credibility. Jay Pattiz, owner of Pampered Pet Sitting and Cat Sitting at Home, joins the show to share what it took to gain a registered trademark for his business. Jay started the process when he was thinking of expanding, but has found many other benefits for him. Jay gives advice on how to plan for multiple month long pet care visits, and why having guest blogging is so powerful.
Does it matter what you call your services? The language we use in our businesses is a very powerful tool in both attracting the right clients and repelling the wrong ones. As a business owner, we need to use clear language in everything we do, including what we name our services. We break down some areas of possible confusion, and then suggest ways to overcome those to connect with your clients.
What does it take to completely transform your business? Creating a business that works for us means that sometimes we have to step back and realize we are capable of change. We can still serve clients with excellence, with an entirely new model of business. Michelle Kline, owner of Venture Dog Walking, converted her pet sitting business into a dog walking company. She shares the groundwork she laid to make it successful and outlines her communication strategy to both staff and clients.
How is your mental health doing? It’s a new year, so it’s a great time to assess how you are doing. With so much anticipation for 2023, hopes remain high for booming business. However, busy business doesn’t mean a happy heart. Life happens, which impacts you and your ability to run your business. We break down a recent poll we ran, what it says about the state of the industry, and how we can move forward!
Just as we work to educate clients, when we bring on staff, it’s our role to educate and mentor them in the career of pet care. Cassidy LeMair, owner of Cassidys Custom Pet Services, shares how she builds lasting relationships and partnerships with both staff and clients through her open and straightforward style. Cassidy details how she creates consistent customizable services and gives her insights into how she learns from her mistakes.
Do you appreciate your business? Many of us struggle to see the value our business brings to us, as we focus on the hardships and frustrations. Appreciating your business has to be a conscious effort every day and is influenced by many things. We break down what it means to be appreciative of your business, why it’s so hard, and what it means to stay content.
