471: Supporting Our Clients Through Anticipatory Grief with Erica Messer
What is anticipatory grief and how can we help our client through it? In the complex landscape of pet care, we face the delicate issue of anticipatory grief among pet owners—a pre-loss mourning filled with anxiety and sorrow. Erica Messer, founder of Wolfie’s Wish, discusses the critical need for pet care providers to offer support and practical resources to our clients. She advocates for early conversations about end-of-life decisions, emphasizing the importance of self-care for both owners and ourselves. She reminds us that in addressing anticipatory grief, our actions resonate more profoundly than words, fostering a supportive community for both pets and their owners.
405: Thriving Through an Emergency with Amy Sparrow
What kind of emergencies are you prepared for? While we may focus on natural disasters, lost pets, or medical emergencies, what about you? After going through a severe medical emergency, Amy Sparrow had to make drastic changes to her business, Fur Kid Sitting & Services. Amy shares how having a multi-year business plan allowed her to accelerate a brand new business structure. From growing a network, to addressing your personal risks, Amy stresses the importance of getting a plan in place today. She also explains why it’s critical to give back to the community.
347: Managing a Crisis with Cheyenne Williams
Have you had to handle a crisis in your business? From personal issues to extreme weather, we’re tasked with handling whatever comes our way. We often don’t recognize the toll it takes on us mentally, physically, and emotionally. Cheyenne Williams, owner of Shiney Day Specialized Pet Care, shares how she tackles the mental toll of natural disasters, why paying attention to your mental health is crucial, and resources available for those struggling.
341: Making Wolfie's Wish with Erica Messer
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.
322: No Such Thing as a No Risk Niche
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 answers, “How do I hire seasonal help for the Holidays?”
313: Troubleshooting Cat Behavior Issues with Molly Kelsey
How do we empower our clients to live better lives with their cats? As cat care becomes a larger part of pet services, more clients are looking for help. Molly Kelsey, The Cat Counsellor, joins the show to give us insights into feline behavior. Cat communication is all about body language, so not only must we understand it, but we also must be willing to teach out client’s about it. Molly has advice for troubleshooting common cat issues but ultimately, we have to realize it’s up to the owner to decide how much work they’ll put into it.
271: Equipping Your Clients with Tami Guy
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 membership opportunities, she dives into what it means to help pet parents live their best life with their pets.
145: Building Your Community with Lyndsay Shackelford
Growing community has become increasingly more important over the past year. While it may look different for each of us the principles of connecting with a broader group of people and cultivating relationships remain the same. Lyndsay Shackleford, owner of dogs of charm city, joins The show to talk about what it means to be a community focused business.
082- Cat Care for Pet Sitters with Dr. Kathryn Primm
Dr. Kathryn Primm, owner of Applebrook Animal Hospital and host of multiple podcasts and radio shows, joins us for a show packed with amazing advice for those of us who don’t have a lot of experience caring for cats. She shares the importance of fear free in animal care and how to bond with those really shy cat clients.
078- Keeping Kids Safe Around Dogs with Alicia Obando
Alicia Obando, owner of Pitter Patter Parenting, joins us to share her mission to keep dogs and kids safe together. Whether it’s a brand new puppy meeting a baby, or a pet sitter bringing their kids to a drop-in, we all have a role to play in keeping kids safe and the dogs happy.
073- Heidi and Hope Pet Services
Heidi Lewis, owner of Heidi and Hope Pet Services, joins us to share what moving to a new city and starting a dog walking company is like, what Covid has looked like in Naples, FL and some of her all time favorite resources.
056- All things cats, with Stacy LeBaron
Cats can sometimes get a bad wrap, especially with those who don't care for them regularly. Stacy LeBaron, host of the Community Cats podcast, joins us to cover why that is, how to care for different temperments of cats, and so much more.