All tagged employee
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.
What does it cost to be a business owner? While there are certainty financial obligations involved, there are many more demands on us than if we didn’t run our own company. When we can identify the costs, we can better prepare for them, set boundaries and policies to control them, or remove them from our plates entirely through delegation and hiring. We break down five major costs to understand in being a business owner, and how to overcome them.
How much is your time worth to you? As busy business owners, we often get caught up in the grind and hustle of our day-to-day operations. Ultimately, we have to step back and ask what truly matters in our lives. Shade Long, owner of Complete Pet Care, joins the show to share the learning curve she's experienced over the last two years. From managing massive business growth amidst overwhelm, to refining her onboarding process, she's finding ways to strike a better balance. Shade explains why it's not all about bursting at the seams and emphasizes that you can run the business you want while also having a life outside of it.
How do you deal with the sudden death of a client’s pet? As pet business owners, we will have client’s pets that pass away. We do our best to plan and prepare, but what about an unexpected death? We find ourselves reeling and wondering if we could have done more. We have to continue running our business, while looking for ways to find space and time to recover. On this episode, we walk through the implications at the personal, staffing, and business levels.
Are you a numbers person? Whether you’d describe yourself as one or not, you run a business, so understanding your numbers is critical! Some people think it’s too complicated, others may have an emotional block to diving into them, but the fact remains that you will struggle to make sound decisions without drilling into your books. Anne-Marie Kaden, owner of Tiny Paws Pet Sitting & Tiny Paws Book Keeping, joins the show to share her passion for bookkeeping. She walks us through how good record keeping and number crunching helped her own pet sitting business, and why even knowing a little can be game changing for you. Anne-Marie discusses the different accounting methods, how to choose the right one for you, and even some best practices for using accounting software.
Do you have an exit plan from your business? While it may feel like you’ll be working for the rest of your life, you will stop working eventually. Having an exit plan means taking the time to step out of your business in some way. Joshua Winterswyk, Certified Financial Planner with RPA Wealth Management, shares the strategies for exiting your business well. Josh walks through the various options you have as the business owner. He also discusses why you should build a strong team to guide you through the process.
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.
Running a business means managing risk! We look for health insurance, liability insurance, and auto insurance, but what covers work related injuries? While the exact coverage and requirements are different for each state, workers compensation has some fundamentals everyone should know. We break down 5 of the most common questions we see about workers compensation. Plus, business coach Natasha answers, ”How do I get better at implementing my plans, instead of just thinking about them?”
Nicole Packin, owner of Miami Pet Concierge & The Packin Method, joins the show to share how she worked through her fears and self doubt in starting her business. Nicole ran her business for 15 years, then decided to set up in a brand new location, several states away. She gives us some insight into what it's like operating across state lines and why it's critical to stay fresh and up-to-date as a business. Nicole also shares how HOPE is the key to running a successful pet care business.
So, after everything we have learned and experienced through hiring, what are our major takeaways? We discuss it in this episode. Hiring has certainly been a major growth opportunity for the business as well as our personal mindsets. We share some of our mistakes, lessons learned, and how we can do better next time. Natasha answers, “I’m solo, do I need to care about company culture?”
It’s now time for you to bring your new hire into your company and help them feel like they belong. You need them to feel valued and part of your company, which takes time and intentionality on your part. Onboarding and training staff can feel daunting, but planning out the first six months to one year for them will help you make sure they’re on track and you don’t miss anything that will leave them hanging. Then, Natasha answers, “How do I become a better manager?”
What happens after you post your job ad? Should you be doing anything else? 🤔Turns out, there are a LOT of things you need to have in place and think through. From insurance to team communication, we break down what you need to do before bringing on staff. Having a manager mindset will allow you to anticipate problems and remember that you are the authority. Then, Natasha answers, “What else can I have my staff do?”
Have you ever posted a hiring ad? In the current job market it’s more critical than ever to nail the ad posting so you get what you need out of your hire. With more people switching jobs and careers than ever before, your ad has to connect with what they’re looking for and help them see a future with your company. We break down the ads we’ve placed and what you should consider before you post yours. Then, Natasha O’Banion answers, “How do I set good goals?”
Have you thought about hiring? We have. A LOT. We recently hired for the first time and will be doing a series of episodes on what the process was like for us. Hiring isn’t always the answer to our struggles in business, so we break down some of our reasons for deciding it was time to hire. We also give you some questions to think through if you’re on the fence. Then, Natasha O’Banion answers, “How do I get over my fear and make big changes?”
Becky O’Neil, owner of Becky’s Pet Care, left the medical field to pursue a career in pet care so she could spend more time with her child. After 20+ years in the industry, she has over 150 employees and has had to adapt, and adopt, new technology and business planning to continue to thrive and meet the needs of her clients. Becky shares what her definition of success is, and why it's so important to be running the business you want. We also discuss the upcoming NAPPS 2021 conference and what to expect from the speakers.
When you are ready to hire, you’ll have to decide whether to hire an employee or bring on an independent contractor. Kim Ottone-Tank, owner of Apronstrings Pet Sitting, has been following this discussion for many years. Kim shares what the major differences are and why it’s important to know what the best fit is for your business. She also helps us understand what some of the pros and cons are for each, and how we have to set up our pricing to make sure we’re still making a profit after we hire.
Kim Ottone-Tank, owner of Apronstrings Pet Sitting, has been providing pet care since 1990. After 30 years in business, Kim shares her experiences of weathering the ups and downs of the economy and how 2020 was totally different. Kim also gives her advice for hiring employees, and why switching from independent contractors is something she’s really passionate about. We also discuss working with family and being an early adopter of technology in pet care.
Going the extra mile means something different to everyone. From making clients happy, to settings ourselves apart, going above and beyond can meet various goals in our business. We discuss ways to go the extra mile while maintaining healthy relationships. On the Ask a Pet Biz Coach segment, Natasha O’Banion answers, “How do I set my pricing if I’m looking to hire?”
Robin Bennett, from the Dog Gurus, joins us to talk all about safety and day cares! Whether you’ve been operating a daycare for 10 years or haven’t eve started yet, Robin has something for you. From being careful about zoning in your area to screening dogs, Robin shares some great information that we can all learn from.
Taxes can be a major headache, but they dont have to be! Listen in as the founder of JETRO and Associates discusses simple steps you can take to make tax time a LOT easier.
