Pet Sitter Confessional

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 addin...

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 diff...

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...

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 collar...

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 h...

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 adap...

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 no...

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. Main topics: Slow Growth Lar...

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. Main topics: Not be...

Have you decided to stay solo? It's a decision everyone faces in their business, and one that most struggle with from time to time. 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...

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...

Reports and analysts are saying 2023 is not shaping up to be a good year for the global economy. 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 i...

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 grow...

Summary 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...

How do you host a pet loss memorial service? Living in a 'death avoidance' society, many are uncomfortable with the idea of facing death and the passing of a pet. As pet sitters, we can position ourselves as leaders in the community of hurting people who have lost their pets. We can create safe spaces for them to grieve and find others to support them in their mourning work. Coleen Ellis, founder...

Have you ever wanted to give up on your business? Challenges happen, no matter how long you've been in business. Facing challenges means assessing how we are doing, so we can handle it appropriately. When we start feeling like quitting and giving up on our business, there are things we can walk through to gain clarity. We break down six things to ask yourself and work through and why you should no...

How do we secure both commitment and appropriate compensation from our clients? Kathryn Burge, owner of Lake Oswego Petsitting, joins the show today to share her onboarding process and what it takes to get a commitment from clients. Kathryn breaks down how to take a hard look at your business and ask, "What's changed?" to make sure we are getting the most out of our business. She has learned the p...

What does it mean to find a niche in your business? From services to clients, there are a variety of ways to target your business. While it does have benefits, it can come with risks you have to assess. We share the potential pitfalls that niching down can bring to your and your business. We also discuss how to overcome those and why finding your niche is so powerful. Then, Natasha O'Banion answer...

What are you willing to do to make your business run exactly how you want? Eleanor Oates, owner of Sitter4Pets, went as far as developing her own software to run her business. Eleanor shares how her corporate background helped her get off the ground in pet care and the importance of time management. After a car accident left her out of work for 7 years, she decided to do something new. She shares...

Have you hosted an event for your community? 🎉 We recently put on a pet loss memorial service in one of our service areas and learned a lot! This was the first event we have ever hosted so we were a little nervous. We share how we planned the event and what the main goal of it was. We also talked through how we plan to improve it next time, and give some things to think about if you were planning...

What does it mean to market to affluent clients? Sales psychology is all about knowing and understanding the needs of your clients, and providing appropriate solutions to them. Natasha O'Banion, business coach with Automated CEO, shares how to target affluent clients by having a well planned buying journey and being authentic. Natasha gives tips on identifying your ideal client, what their mentali...

It's been one year since we started hiring in our business! A lot has changed in our company since then so we discuss what we've learned. We share the importance of trying new things, leaning on your strengths, and what it looks like to grow company culture. Then, Natasha O'Banion answers, "How do I scale as a solo sitter?" Main topics Our hiring series Learning to move faster Have scripts! Freque...

Summary: What does it mean to fail forward? Lessons can be learned from our own mistakes, as well as through reading and engaging with others and new ideas. Janie Budnick, owner of 4 Legged Kids, shares how she has continued to learn and grow over the past 25 years in business. Janie's passion for well run (and fun) businesses is evident in how she describes the importance of good role titles. She...

Summary How do you deal with grief as a business owner? We don't always have the luxury of being able to not show up for the work. We have to find healthy ways of working through the grief process and giving ourselves permission to take guilt free time away. We walk through six things to consider when walking through grief as a business owner. Then, Natasha O'Banion answers, "What does it mean to...