303: Facing Fear with Hope with Nicole Packin
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.
302: Considerations for Being a Full-Time Pet Sitter
On this episode, we discuss all the things you need to think about BEFORE you decide to quit your day job, and why having your end goal in mind is crucial. We share our story on why this was the best option for us, and discuss the practical implications of focusing primarily on your pet business. Then, business coach Natasha O’Banion answers, “How do I fire a client?”
301: Wedding Services with Regina Richardson
Have you thought about offering wedding pet attendant services? It's a growing niche in the pat care world as pet owners look for more ways to include their furry family members in the biggest day of their life. Regina Richardson, owner of Furry Ventures Pet Care, joins the show to share how she provides wedding services. Marketing these niche services is quite unique, so Regina gives some great advice on attending wedding shows and building relationships with venues. She also walks us through how to handle special requests and make the day as special as possible for everyone.
300: Listener Questions
We’ve hit 300 episodes! On this episode we talk about why we started the podcast and answer some listener questions! We discuss how to take days off, addressing clients that question your prices, how to meet your money goals, and what to do about a biting puppy. We’ve learned and grown so much for hosting the podcast, so we share our biggest lessons from the last 299 episodes!
299: The Key to Great Communication with Chrissy Neumyer Smith
Are you great at communicating with your clients? Chrissy Neumyer Smith, host of the Creating Great Grooming Dogs podcast, sheds light on what it takes to ask great questions of our clients. Chrissy explains the importance of using the right words and definitions for clear communication so we can give the right care. She also gives us the four questions we should ask everyone before we start services with them, and how it's ok to assume the dog may have issues that need to be addressed. Chrissy shares the relationship between behavior issues in dogs and burnout in the pet care industry, and what we can do about it!
298: How to Answer Client Questions
How do you handle answering questions from clients? As a business owner, we field hundreds of questions every week about our business. From policies and procedures, to situation specific details, we never know what the next question will be. Today, we discuss 5 things it takes to answer questions well and to make your client’s feel like they’re valued and heard. Natasha O’Banion, from Automated CEO, answers, “What does building client loyalty look like?”
297: Evolving as a Business Owner with Michelle Sabia
How do you grow in the role of being the founder of your company? Many of us feel uncomfortable using such formal titles in our businesses, but words have meaning for a reason. Michelle Sabia, owner of Paws and Claws Pet Sitting, discusses what it's like growing into new roles in her business. She shares how her expansion into a brand new market has been going, and how she has been trying to break her addiction of working 24/7. She also encourages us to get more involved in pet sitting organizations.
296: 5 Best Practices for Surveying Your Clients
Have you surveyed your client’s recently? With the economic turmoil we’re facing, it’s important to stay on top of how your business is doing. We don’t have to ever assume why a client continues to use us, we can ask! The power of client surveys is that they give you direct insight into the thinking of your clients. We give you five things you must do to get the most out of your surveys.
295: Making Your Photos Shine with Caitlin McColl
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 to know when you've got the best shot. Caitlin also shares how we can showcase each pet’s personality in the photo.
294: How to Budget for Your Pet Business
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. Then, Natasha O’Banion answers, “How do I see the long term view for my business?”
293: Decide to be the Leader with Julie Fredrick
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 her business better and why more growth isn't always better. She also encourages us to start being a leader in the industry.
292: How to Handle Inflation as a Pet Business
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 months ahead to make sure you’re positioned to weather the storms.
291: Staying Ambitious with Zach Shearer
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 challenges they're facing and what he's doing to overcome them.
290: Creating an Exceptional New Client Experience
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 O’Banion answers, “How do I hold myself more accountable?”
289: Investing for Retirement as a Small Business with Joshua Winterswyk
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 assets.
288: What to do When a Client Disagrees with Your Business Decision
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 answers, “How do I break bad habits in business?”
287: Continuing to Adapt with Miguel Rodriguez
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 her 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 also shares how he uses social media as his only marketing tool, and why we should be reading more!
286: Balancing Time, Scope, & Cost in 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 discuss the connection between what the client wants and the realities of running a business through the project management triangle.
285: From Finances to Felines with Wendy Thomson
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 for in a good hire for business.
284: 20 Ways to Make Extra Money in Your Pet Business
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 streamline client communication?”