Pet Sitter Confessional

What makes a great pet photo? The photos we send to our clients are a snapshot into their pet's lives while they're away. Caitlin J. McColl, founder and co-President of the Pet Photographers Club, joins the show to share how to get the best photos possible for your clients. The best camera is the one you have on you, so Caitlin gives us tips for making the most out of our cellphone. We discuss how...

Summary: Why do you need a budget? With everything going on in the world, it's more important than ever to know exactly where your money is going and wrestle back some control of our finances. The principles of budgeting apply to both your personal life, as well as your business. We break down 5 reasons why having a budget will help you and then dive into how to apply the principles of budgeting....

Have you decided to be a leader in the industry? Julie Fredrick, owner of The Pet Sitter of Boise, has been running her pet sitting business since 2003, while still holding down a full time job. With a team of over 35 employees, she spends her time focusing on giving the best possible service to the right clients. Julie shares how her background in operations and process improvement helps her run...

How are you handling inflation and high gas prices? Prices on everything continue to rise and businesses are feeling the pinch more and more. Unfortunately, most economists aren't seeing any bright spots in the future. So how do we tackle these concerns and make sure our businesses continue to operate and provide us a living? We break down four things you should be considering in the days and mont...

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 challen...

Do new client's enjoy the onboarding experience with you and your business? The benefit of focusing on the details is that existing clients also benefit from any improvements you make. As a business, we should make the experience of interacting with our company as magical as possible. Collin shares a recent experience of having routine lab work run, and how not to handle new clients. Plus, Natasha...

Are you saving for retirement? 💰While it can seem daunting and like it's far away, it is critically important to get started as early as possible. Joshua Winterswyk, from RPA Wealth Management, talks all about saving and investing. He breaks down the options for self-employed individuals and how to have a long-term mindset around money. He also shares a holistic approach to managing your risk and...

Summary Have you raised prices, brought on staff, made a policy change, and a client disagreed with the decision you made? Whether a new client or an existing client, it will happen eventually. It can be tough to get negative feedback on our businesses, so how do we properly (and professionally) handle it? We discuss the options and how to keep your business moving forward. Plus, Natasha O'Banion...

Summary: How do we continue to pivot, adapt, and overcome challenges in business? Miguel Rodriguez, owner of City Dog Pack, joins us to share how he continues to apply lessons from Covid to the way he operate his business. From slimming down the number of staff he oversees, to tackling dog training and coaching via Zoom, Miguel has learned to let things go that don't help him on his mission. He al...

Summary: How do you handle when a potential client's expectations don't match up with how you run your business? From policies to pricing, there are a million reasons it could not be a good fit. We've learned that while customers think hierarchically, business owners have to think wholistically when it comes to balancing the demands and expectations we have on ourselves. On this episode, we discus...

How do you manage your finances? Wendy Thomson, owner of My Three Cats, spent over 20 years as an accountant. She credits her background with her ability to get her business off the ground quickly during Covid. She joins the show today to share her experience of growing quickly, why we need to understand our finances, and why she decided to start a cat only business. She also shares what she looks...

2020 taught us we shouldn't put all our eggs in one basket, which is why add on products or services are so great. On this episode, we share 20 way to make extra money in your pet business. Keep in mind though, that not every add on is good for every business and there are questions you need to ask before bringing something new into your business. Natasha O'Banion answers the question, "How do I s...

What does it take to merge two pet sitting and dog walking companies? Therese Villemure and Lindsay Licata believe it takes passion and sacrifice. Owners of Suburban Pets, they share their individual journeys into pet care and what prompted them to merge in 2018. From policies to software, there is a lot to consider! Therese and Lindsay give advice for how to make the most out of the relationships...

Summary: Do you ever feel like you're on a roller coaster? We know business is never static and there are things we can do to try to manage the business side of change. We cannot ignore the emotional toll the ups and down take on us though. We break down how to start preparing to embrace the emotions from the high and lows that happen, and how to make sure we don't get derailed. Natasha O'Banion a...

What fuels you? Dog walking and pet sitting is hard grueling work that takes a toll on our bodies. If we are not eating the right foods or finding the right balance, we are potentially signing up for a lot of health problems. Alex D'Elia, owner of Olox Nutrition, joins the show to talk about how to fuel our bodies well with the right nutrition. While it depends on your lifestyle, activity, and gen...

Do you have potential clients contact you for services you don't offer or advertise? How do you convert a potential client from one service to another? It's all in how you communicate with them! First, you have to make sure you are both using the same terminology. We break out 5 steps in communicating that can help you when faced with converting a client to a service you actually offer. Plus, Nata...

What does HR mean to you? Human Resources is all about how we treat the people in our company. Even if you're solo, having an HR mindset helps you treat people well. The pet sitting industry has quite a few challenges when it comes to HR. Kim Ottone Tank, owner of Apronstrings Pet Sitting, shares how to approach the unique nature of HR in pet care. Kim helps us understand why we should take HR ser...

Do you have a strong brand for your pet business? Why should we be concerned about it? Our brand is being built as we operate our business so the process of strengthening our brand is purposefully steering it to better position our business in the market. We share 5 ways to start building a stronger brand today. Plus, Natasha O'Banion with Automated CEO answers, "Should I take business and marketi...

Summary: Pet sitting is a global community, with different flavors and markets across countries. Alexiane Arcens joins us to share what being a pet sitter is like in South Africa. She shares what challenges she and other sitters face in Johannesburg. Alexiane encourages others to price according to their skills and why client education is a big hurdle. She has endeavored to raise the bar in South...

Chances are, you're probably using social media for your business. How is it working for you? Social media can be overwhelming and feel like it's actually not getting you any business. While social media has many upsides, we discuss some of the pitfalls and how to avoid them. We also break down six common mistakes to avoid when using social media for your business. Then, Natasha O'Banion, Automate...

The lessons from the pandemic continue to highlight the importance of self reflection and knowing your 'why'. The last couple of years have taught Heidi Lewis that she wanted to run a different kind of business. As the owner of Heidi and Hope Pet Services, she set about defining her boundaries and understanding what she didn't want to do anymore. She has focused on converting clients from overnigh...

What do you stress about? As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate. Stress and anxiety can be a big part of running a business, but they don't have to be! Use it as a tool to propel your business forward instead of it holding you back. We discuss the difference between fear and anxiety, some common stressful situations, and how we can start overcoming the anxiety they induce. Then, Natash...

We all have our own way of joining the pet care industry. Abagail was given hope when she started as a dog walker for a company, but several years later found herself taking over ownership of it. She now runs Pack Pals NY and talks about her experience of growing into a management role and what it means to see change in yourself, without losing yourself. She shares what it means to fight for legit...

We all think we want to grow and grow our businesses. Just growing without a plan means we're spending a lot of money and having a lot more headaches than we should be having. If you feel like you're wasting time on tasks in your business and looking for a better way, you're ready to scale. When we scale our businesses and processes, it means we can grow with less headache. We break down several e...

How do you equip your clients? What tools and resources do you provide them so they'll be the best pet parents? Tami Guy, owner of Creatures Pet Care in Kalamazoo, uses her background in zookeeping, and educating, to teach her clients all things pet care. Tami shares how she continues to learn from her staff when it comes to running her business. From equipping them with knowledge to providing mem...