Bella In Your Business: Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Podcast

Have you ever felt like you were struggling alone in your pet business? Do you wish you had more of a "village" to rely on? I've been there too. In this week's empowering episode, I share my reflections on the power of community and why having the right support network is critical not just in business but in life.

What if I told you that surrounding yourself with positivity could unlock more success than working alone behind closed doors ever could? I dive into the science and psychology on why community shapes our mindset, performance, and even our brain itself.

You'll hear inspiring research on village living and how our ancestors collaborated within tribal support circles rather than isolating themselves. I share my thoughts on how the physical architecture in modern neighborhoods discourages human connection despite our innate need for community.

Want to know the single most important thing you can do today to grow your pet business? I'll reveal it in this game-changing talk. You won't believe how a simple shift in mindset can attract new opportunities practically overnight.

I'll also get candid on how I personally overcame dark times by tapping into community and why I owe so much to the power of shared experiences. Join me for a thoughtful, uplifting discussion on why we thrive when we support others without losing our sense of self. Make sure you check out this episode of Bella In Your Business!

Topics & Key Points:

Community impact and building support networks

Community support and village living

The importance of communities for emotional support

The power of community and mindset for success

Community support and isolation in modern society

Timestamps:

[ 2:06] Support and village living

[3:45] The importance of communities for emotional support

[5:04] The power of community and mindset for success

[6:36] Community support and isolation in modern society

[11:31] Personal growth and transitions in life

[15:26] Building and maintaining a supportive community

Notable Quotes:

[2:32] " The problem is, is that this day and age, we've kind of gotten away from that. And, you know, our humanity essentially has been, has been, has been built off of villages off of communities."

[4:18] "communities provide a critical physical, emotional and psychological support system that helped get us through life's toughest moments."

[17:44] "A mistake we often make is waiting until the crisis hits before seeking community. I can't stress this enough, but you are who you surround yourself with."

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 mins call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Episode 367: Breaking Free from Isolation, Strategies for Pet Industry Entrepreneurs

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta. And today, today today, oh my gosh, you guys had such an overwhelming response to all the isolation podcasts, the one that we had on with Tracy and Kathy, the one that I told you and my CEO board and what I did and do to stay out of isolation. That was powerful. And so because of your response, I thought we would end the year with more things about, you know, just impacts of community on people, which is what we're going to talk about today. And building community within your business, which is what we're going to talk about lat next week, to round out the final episode of 2023. I struck a nerve. I hear you guys, I see you guys. Thank you so much for reposting and resharing Leia, and Becky, there were a couple of others of you right now. I just really appreciate it. You know, it means a lot to know, that this stuff is striking a chord with you. So I want to keep going with it. I know we talked about hiring last week. But no, we're going to change the course and listen and give the people what they want.

So I I want to get into it today, um, you hear me speak so much about the importance of who you surround yourself with and to step out from isolation and lean on others. So I want you to like honestly, like think back. And oftentimes when I have like a really big idea or decision or thing that I'm trying to wrap my head around, what I do is I catastrophize it, and I make it like big. And then I also minimalize it to like the most simple, very version of it, that's what I'm about to do, I want you to think back to like, like caveman days, I want you to think back to the beginning of civilizations, and just, you know, prehistoric stuff. And when people lived in villages, where the entire community helped each other out, you know, one person would have a skill, and that would be what they contributed to the community. Right? Oftentimes, it wasn't just, you know, these are my children and only my children, it was like the whole village raised the children, which is where that whole saying, you know, it takes a village, right? The problem is, is that in this day and age, we've kind of gotten away from that. And, you know, our humanity essentially has been, has been, has been built off of villages off of communities. And I think that after 2020, and even before 2020, honestly. But I think 2020 kind of shifted that balance, I think that it kind of made us aware of how important community work was. But I think it also, you know, made people go into a tailspin and also made us kind of start thinking about what are we looking for? Who do we need to be around, or some of us just got knocked down and never got back up? Or never made the intention to build back up that community.

And you know, in my own micro life, and that would be the CEOs that I was talking to you about two episodes ago. But you know, what if we still lived in villages where the entire community helped raise our children or help support us, or someone went out and hunted all the meat, and someone else made the baskets to carry the meat back? You know, what if we never felt alone, when we are handling hard parts of our business today? What if you did have a group of people to help support you and not make you feel so alone? And it's not just excuse the French ear muffs if your kids are listening, it's not just a bitch fest online. It's not people complaining about stuff. It's people saying, Hey, I have this challenge. And here's a couple of ways I think I could do it. How should I do it tagging and knowing what people's strengths and weaknesses are? Have you ever thought about communities being so important to your business? Well, communities provide a critical physical, emotional, and psychological support system that helps get us through life's toughest moments. And as business owners, tough moments can come by often. And this doesn't just have to be in business. This can be a mom's group or dad's group. This could be a support group for addiction. This could be a support group for maybe a family member who has Alzheimer's. There are so many different, there's a group or community for everything. I used to be a Facebook group expert, where I was on a lot of really big stages talking about this very thing. How there's a Facebook group for everything. You'd be surprised. You'd be really surprised actually, the Super Bowl um was touting Facebook or Meta take a Superbowl ad out? I think it was in 2020. Actually, or no 2019. It was. And they were talking all about? No, wait, let me say no, it was 2020 because I was on stage at Social Media Marketing World in San Diego, in March of 2020. Talking about this, yes, it was, it was February 2020. And, they featured a whole bunch of Facebook groups, and they were the most obscure bizarre Facebook groups ever. It was like, I have a wart on my left arm Facebook group like it was so crazy. But because of the randomness of that all of those people felt supported and seen and heard, and, and they had a common thread, you know. And so I feel like, when you have a community, you don't feel alone. And the most powerful tool that every single one of us possesses no matter how much money time, or resources we have, we all have the same tool, and it is called your brain, it is called your mind. If we all have it, then it is the power, the most powerful thing ever. It can trick you into 50 ways to Sunday, or you can leverage it and you can grow with it. And you could harness it, and you can understand it and you can be conscious of it. And you can mold and you can create these new neural pathways and be extremely successful. There is a reason why some people are successful, and some people aren't. There's a reason why. And I'm not talking about business guys, right now I'm talking about anything, talking about mental strength I'm talking about mental toughness something that I keep reminding myself, of every time I get down about stuff. But let's bring this back down into our micro group. And that is why pet business owners need their communal quote-unquote villages. In the past tight-knit communities cared for each other during the good and the bad. This village mentality ensured no one suffered alone, especially during vulnerable times.

It wasn't like they got to go sit in their heart and be alone. Like people were in your business literally and figuratively. community shared joy and milestones and mourned losses, they got together around the fire and, and, and sang songs and beat on the drums and all of that stuff. All right, I'm talking so basic. And I hope I'm not minimalizing it because there are lots of different ways....

Have you ever fumbled your way through an interview with an undesirable pet sitter or dog walker? Have you ever wondered how to hire the perfect pet sitter or dog walker? Where do you even start with crafting the right interview questions? In my latest podcast episode, I spill all my secrets on crafting the perfect interview questions to find the most qualified candidates.

I emphasize nailing down a candidate's schedule and lifestyle early on. As small business owners, we can't afford unreliable employees, especially when it comes to caring for precious pets! My top tip? Get straight to the point with direct questions.

Delve more deeply into problem-solving abilities by sharing realistic scenarios. Their responses reveal crucial glimpses into their expertise, judgment, and compassion under pressure.

As we stride into 2024, now is the perfect chance for pet owners to level up their interview skills and set higher standards. By investing in a selective hiring process, we propel our businesses into a more profitable and harmonious new year!

Reach out anytime for a free 20 minute call with me to help guide you in the right direction.

Topics & Key Points:

Interview questions for pet sitters and dog walkers.

Using behavioral questions in job interviews.

Assess candidate knowledge and resourcefulness.

Improving interviewing skills and business success.

Timestamps:

[1:35]Using behavioral questions in job interviews.

[6:46] Interview questions to assess candidate knowledge and resourcefulness.

[8:30] Interview questions for pet sitters.

[11:32]Improving interviewing skills and business success.

Notable Quotes:

[04:39] " So when we talk about behavioral questions, it's much better to talk about a previous time that they had, and then for them to reflect on it. "

[06:04] "Now, the interesting thing here is that, you're gonna find a pattern, you're gonna understand, they like working alone, they don't like working alone, they like being micromanaged."

[10:30] "There's not really a right or wrong answer here, right. But the real thing that you're testing for, is their problem solving skills and ability and how they explain to you how they reach their conclusion."

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 mins call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta. And today I'm gonna give you some tips on how to perfect your interview questions. When interviewing pet sitters and dog walkers. I think this is a really important topic. And I could never talk about hiring enough. Because I see so many people just kind of lost on how to interview people, they get in front of somebody, they either do all the talking, or they go off of their gut feeling. Or they feel like okay, yeah, I like this person. And then they say that hiring doesn't work. And then they give hiring a bad name, then they say that there's no one to hire in their area, no one wants to work for this certain amount of money, or no one wants to have a good work ethic. And that's just simply not true. So today, I'm going to try to reframe our brains or give you something different to look at maybe a new strategy to try. And we're going to kind of take it from there. Things to consider, if you will.

So the first one is all about asking about availability. Now, that sounds pretty easy, right? Like, Bella, why are you including that? Duh. Um, because here's the thing. It's not up for them to tell you what their availability is for you to like, kind of be a detective and understand, is this going to work for us long term? What I mean by that is, let's say it is now March, and you're hiring someone, and maybe they are a school teacher, or they go to school when you sit there and you hire them for a certain timeframe. And you know, that the school schedule is going to change, it's up to you to say, you know, is your schedule going to change? Is it are you going to be more available or less available in the summer? Alternatively, maybe you hired them in June, and you know, that their school teacher or they're in college, or they're going to be going back to school? What does your schedule look like in September, or October, right? Those kinds of things are, you have to think about how or what is going to affect their life and ask them about it because they might not be thinking as far ahead as you are. And if that happens, you're gonna come back, and you're just gonna be like, Oh, my gosh, they said that they could, you know, have this schedule for a long time. Well, like, let's cast it in and explore. What does that look like, in September? What does that look like in July? Maybe they're hightailing it out. And they're going to be on a month-long vacation because they don't get to do too many vacations during the school year. You just never know. There could be other situations too. Like, maybe you live in a place where they're snowbirds, which means, where it snows in their primary residence, they move for months at a time to another part of the country, where it's there's no snow and where it's nice and sunny and bright. We have a lot of them in Arizona. So if you have a snowbird that you you know, hire maybe in January, what does it look like in May and June, are they going to go back to Michigan, or wherever they came from, you know, so to really, truly get to understand where people are, their availability, and and predicting if it's going to change is going to be something that is going to be pretty important. Those are just two different life examples.

There are more, but you have to understand that, you know, sometimes people aren't intending to elude you or misrepresent themselves. It's just simply something that they, you know, didn't know to think about. So another one is asked behavioral questions, okay. Now, the difference between this and you guys is, there's a lot of people that try to get the same outcome, but they're like, you arrive at home. And I don't know why everyone asked this, if you ask this, please do not ask this question. You arrive at a home and a dog is lying on the floor, panting obviously, in distress. What do you do? Don't do done? Well, if they're the kind of employee that I want to hire, they're gonna say, I'll call you and ask that question is a great question for independent contractors, people who you cannot tell what to do, people who have to take it on as if it were their own. But employees know it's not good. So when you say like, you know, you give them a situation and find out what would they do? The real answer should be, I'm going to look at the handbook or manual, or I'm going to do whatever it is that you taught me to do, right? And so when you do it that way, it's when or when you think of it that way, it's gonna change your whole perspective. So when we talk about behavioral questions, it's much better to talk about a previous time that they had, and then for them to reflect on it. So maybe something like tell me about a time you had to handle an aggressive dog on a walk. What did you do? Or tell me about a time when you had a co-worker you didn't like What did you do? Tell me about a time when you had a tight deadline, and a lot of personal obligations. What did you do? Those are questions like situational, behavioral, how did your behavior act, and it's going to help you understand a lot better. who they are.

In addition, if you want to get crazy, one of my favorite ones, and this is more again, it's behavioral and situational. It's Tell me about your last job. And the answer is it? What did you love about your last job? And they answer it? What did you not like? Or wish you could change about your last job? Then you did it for the job two times ago? Okay, so tell me about the job before that. What was it? Okay, what did you like about it? Okay, what are some things you would change about it? Okay. What about the job before that? Because you have the resume? Tell me about that job. What did you like about that job? What do you wish you could change? Now, the interesting thing here is that you're gonna find a pattern, you're gonna understand, they like working alone, they don't like working alone, they like being micromanaged. They had a problem with all their previous bosses, or they, you know, or they, they, they couldn't find anything wrong, which also kind of could be a problem. Um, you're gonna find a pattern, you guys. And so when you ask behavioral questions, and they are something about the past, like, what did you do? It's so much better than if you arrived someplace, what would you do? Because it's really easy to manipulate that answer into what they think they want you to hear.

Okay. So when you're relying on previous experiences, it changes the perspective a little bit and therefore will change the answer as well. Okay, another one is to ask questions that test the knowledge. So you want to make sure your potential candidate knows about the dogs are walking, or the pets that need to be sat? And so when you do it, you, I would say like questions like attention to detail, or like, how much of a not researcher but like, how much do they understand things. In that respect, what I mean is, when they go into people's homes, they're gonna have to be knowledgeable about what the run of the house is, like, what the pets are, like, what their, what their routine needs to be like....

Ever found yourself surrounded by wagging tails and soothing purrs, yet feeling a bit like a lone wolf in the world of pet entrepreneurship? It's like being in a room filled with adorable companions, yet the business journey can be surprisingly solitary.

In this episode of "Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast,"  we continue our discussion on isolation and its impact on business owners. Today, I want to share with you some practical tips and personal insights that can help you combat isolation and thrive in your entrepreneurial journey.

First and foremost, it's crucial to prioritize personal growth. As business owners, we often get caught up in the day-to-day operations and forget to invest in ourselves. But by taking the time to learn and develop new skills, we can break free from old patterns and beliefs that may be holding us back.

So, if you're a business owner feeling isolated, I highly recommend giving this podcast episode a listen. It's packed with valuable insights and practical tips to help you overcome isolation and thrive in both your personal and professional life.

Topics & Key Points:

The reality of isolation

The consequences of isolation, such as depression and poor decision-making

Taking action against isolation

The power of relationships

The importance of how we handle our thoughts and feelings

Support and resources to Jumpers to help combat isolation

You're not alone

Timestamps:

[02:15] - The causes of isolation

[06:10] - The impact of isolation on business owners

[08:31] - Strategies to overcome isolation

[10:41] - Dancing for energy and creativity

[12:51] - Conscious effort to cultivate relationships

[15:59] - Different types of relationships

[21:02] - Taking control of your thoughts and feelings

[22:04] - Reaching out for support

[23:07] - Sending love and support during the holiday season

Notable Quotes:

[00:07:08] "Something I've learned this year is that our feelings are not facts. And, you know, you might feel a certain way, but feelings are temporary.”

[00:07:35] "Isolation means fewer new ideas and less energy. The individual may lose motivation and have trouble envisioning goals."

[00:10:19] "Taking time off and having new experiences. This is a really great time of year to do that, even if it's just for a night or a day or a weekend."

[21:00] "It's what we do with those feelings that matter. And so I ask you today, what are you going to do that's going to change the course of your life and make you more in charge of your life and your thoughts and your feelings?"

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 mins call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Voxer App

Neuroplasticity: The Ability Of The Brain To Reorganize Itself. How To Build A Better Brain

Episode 366: Overcoming Isolation, Real Stories of Hope and Resilience with Kathy and Tracy

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta. And today, we are going to continue talking about isolation. It's a pretty big topic that I have, it's been placed on my heart because so many times I've been talking to people. And I've been hearing this theme, reoccurring, and you know, this is my chance just to be in your ear and talk to you, I don't take it lightly. I honor and cherish the moments that I get to sit here and speak to you. Even though I don't get to see all of you who download it every week, which is typically over 1000 people.

In our last episode, Tracy and Kathy were so vulnerable and courageous to just kind of speak about their own experience with this. And I thought it was really important, you know, to kind of take it from a place of our peers, but also do a little bit more talking on it. Because sometimes we might not even realize this is what we're doing. And it's a really important time of year to do it. We just had Thanksgiving. And you know, social media can be the bane of a lot of people's existence, you're I said, you're gonna tell you to, you know, attract employees and clients on social media and you're scrolling to either get away from life, you're scrolling to be entertained, you're scrolling to catch up on people, but then, you know, it also kind of plays a role in our mental health. And I am no exception to it. I've had my battles that I've been very open with, you know, having a 12-ounce baby going through a divorce, you know, really kind of put a little blip in my step for a while. And then being on an ever-constant healing and growing journey, which I encourage everyone to be on is also interesting. Something I've realized is that as you level up, as you grow up, as you learn more about yourself, that also means that you have to shed a lot of things in your life. And sometimes you're not ready to shed those patterns, those beliefs, those habits, those behaviors, which we did talk about episodes ago. And during that call, sometimes isolation happens. Isolation happens for several reasons. It could be just, you know, depression or mental health, it could be a shame, it could be fear, it could be guilt, it could be a lot of different reasons why it happens.

Today, I want to dive into what happens, when that happens, what causes it, and what we can do to overcome it. So I'm first gonna start talking about, you know, causes that may lead to a business owner, that start isolating, and I have a feeling that this is going to touch a lot of people and I just want to encourage you if you feel anger by this if you feel like ooh, Bella, what are you doing right now I just want to talk about business, I encourage you to just try to open your mind and listen. Because chances are what I've learned in my own life, is that when things kind of feel a little uncomfortable to me, most of the time, it's because it's scraping up against something that is a thorn in my life, it is something that needs to be healed. That may or may not be the case for you. But I hope to kind of challenge you a little bit today. So sometimes we start isolating because we have stress, the responsibilities of owning and managing a business can be tremendously stressful, trying to juggle many roles in the pressures on our own. It can cause us to withdraw and feel, you know, overwhelmed because we just want to avoid that overwhelming feeling. It could also be like a work-life imbalance.

Business owners often struggle with working extremely long hours and having little separation between their work and personal lives. And we might just start isolating because we're just so busy with all of it. It's kind of like a tornado. We also might start isolating because we have a lack of a support system that supports system entrepreneurs. We kind of lack it because we're so involved in the turmoil or the tornado, keeping our business going right. We we let all of those relationships from mentors, peers, and maybe groups of people you hang out with professionally or socially and it causes loneliness, right? We also might have antisocial tendencies. Sometimes we're naturally more introverted and antisocial. And so success and attention may cause them to seem isolated due to more discomfort with social expectations.

Control. Sometimes we isolate ourselves because we want to feel like maintaining control by not delegating or reaching out to others. insecurity, impostor syndrome, impostor syndrome, and feelings of inadequacy are common among entrepreneurs. It's very common. I've even experienced, you know, imposter syndrome. And I'm pretty sure our last podcast, Tracy and Kathy talked about that as well. So isolating may be an attempt to avoid exposing any pre-perceived weakness. Sometimes there are life situations, or it's just kind of how our biological makeup is. We have depression or anxiety, and pre-existing mental health conditions like depression and social anxiety can be exasperated by the stresses of owning a business, owning a business. Or maybe we just failed, maybe we just fell flat on our faces. And the failure can be humiliating. Or we have that guilt, shame, and fear inside of ourselves. And it causes us to withdraw, due to shame, or loss of self-confidence.

And so all of these things, and I'm sure I've missed them, and please, you know, feel free to reach out and let me know where, where, if there's something else that I missed that we can continue the conversation, but, you know, when this stuff happens, it does impact a business owner, it does impact us. And I'm going to tell you more about what I did in a little bit. But you know, I'm also speaking from experience here, sometimes, because of all of this, you feel depressed. It is, you know, we're alone in our thoughts, we have less social interaction mirrors to mirror back to us, what we need to see or what we need to draw out of ourselves, anxiety levels rise, because we are without the normal positive social interactions, what they call cognitive distortion. So spending large amounts of time alone can lead to distorted patterns of thinking. Something I've learned this year is that our feelings are not facts. And you might feel a certain way, but feelings are temporary. And when we don't realize that when we're caught in a rut, it distorts our thinking. It also causes us to lose our motivation. Inspiration is often sparked by collaboration with others or just listening to others. Isolation means fewer new ideas and less energy, and the individual may lose motivation and have trou

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Well, buckle up because we've got some incredible Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales coming your way! I was going to take the week off from the podcast, but so many of you asked about these deals I knew I had to pop on! This podcast will self-destruct come Monday night, so grab these deals while you can.

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You can get your hands on our coveted employee handbook and training manual package for a huge discount! Mastermind has a special going on.. for life! And if you're looking for personalized guidance, my business coaching services are available at unbelievably low prices during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

Now, I know what you're thinking… "Bella, this sounds too good to be true!" But believe me when I say, we're not messing around here. These deals are seriously too good to pass up. And here for a limited time!

So, what are you waiting for? Head over to my website and grab these deals before they're gone. Trust me, your business (and your wallet) will thank you.

Have you ever found yourself surrounded by the hustle and bustle of your business, yet felt an undeniable sense of isolation? As business owners, we often paint a picture of success, but behind the scenes, many of us wrestle with a profound and sometimes lonely journey.

In this episode of "Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast,"  we have a really important topic to discuss - the feeling of isolation among business owners. It's something that many of us have experienced at some point, and it can be really tough.

Our guests today, Tracy  and Kathy , are here to share their personal experiences with feeling stuck and alone in their businesses. They know firsthand how challenging it can be to navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship without a support system.

Tracy and Kathy found solace in joining a mastermind group and community. They talk about how connecting with like-minded individuals who understood their struggles made a huge difference in their lives. It gave them a sense of belonging and support that they had been missing.

One of the key takeaways from this episode is the importance of reaching out to others. It's so easy to get caught up in our own negative thoughts and feelings of isolation, but by opening up and connecting with others, we can challenge those thoughts and find a renewed sense of purpose.

Practicing gratitude is another powerful tool that Tracy and Kathy discuss. By focusing on the positive aspects of their businesses and lives, they were able to shift their mindset and find joy in their work again.

So, if you've been feeling isolated in your business, know that you're not alone. There are people out there who understand what you're going through and are ready to support you. Take that first step and reach out - you never know how it might change your life.

Topics & Key Points:

The feeling of isolation experienced by business owners

Positive impact of joining a mastermind group and engaging with a community

Personal experiences of isolation shared by Tracy and Kathy

Challenging negative thoughts and the importance of community and friendships

Changes experienced after reconnecting with a mastermind group and better marketing program

Benefits of being part of a mastermind group and attending events

Importance of gratitude, accountability partners, and like-minded individuals for support

Rediscovering passion and purpose in business after getting out of isolation

Encouragement to reach out to communities and seek support

The importance of not isolating oneself, especially during the holiday season

Timestamps:

[00:01] Feeling of Isolation and Its Impact

[03:03] Voices in Your Head and Negative Self-Talk

[05:33] Reaching Out and Connecting with Others

[08:51] The feeling of isolation and the impact of joining a mastermind group

[09:32] The positive impact of getting out of isolation

[13:53] The importance of gratitude and community in combating isolation

[17:30] The feeling of isolation and reaching out

[18:21] Overcoming isolation and inspiring others

Notable Quotes:

[00:32] “Because once we isolate, we start thinking about all of the things and we get stuck in our head, and it just is like a vicious cycle that just goes down, down, down, down, dow”

[04:34] “I felt like everybody else knew what they were doing, which made me feel worse. It made me feel like I was completely out of it, and everybody else knew the answers, and I just didn't.".”

[14:46] "It always gets better. I mean, it's just...I'm kind of maybe hardheaded, but sometimes I just forget that. And I kind of was going through a period like this recently, actually, and I just always, always feel better when I talk to you.”

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 mins call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome, everybody to another episode of Bella in your business. My name is Bella Vasta. And today I'm joined by two special guests, two guests that I have known for quite some time who courageously accepted to come onto the podcast today. And I'm so excited because I know that every single one of you listeners is going to be able to relate with them. And it is my goal that you don't feel so alone in this world. It is not only something that every business owner struggles with, it's honestly something that I've struggled with. And that's called isolation. Once we isolate ourselves, we start thinking about all of the things and we get stuck in our heads. And it just is like a vicious cycle that just goes down, down, down, down, down. And whatever you believe whether it's universe or God or the devil or whatever, it's bad energy. And it's not good to do. And it's something that has been coming up in many of my conversations lately, reoccurring, isolating, isolating, isolating, when someone finally gets the courage to step out and do a 20-minute call with me or join the mastermind or just post on a board. And then they realize I'm not that alone. And my problems aren't actually that unique. And so today I have Cathy Perez of Golden Tales Dog Walking Up in Colorado, and Tracy Murray from Capitol Hill DC saving Fido Dog Walking to join me on this podcast to talk all about isolation. Welcome ladies. Tracy, how are you today? I'm good. I'm glad to be here. Thanks, Bella, thank you so much for being here. Kathy. How are you? I'm very excited to be here.

Yeah, you guys are both in the mastermind and better marketing, which is why we've gotten to know each other so very well, we have access to each other daily, which is pretty cool. But I noticed something about each one of you guys at some point during our relationship where you were Go, go go and involved evolved, evolved. And then all of a sudden, there wasn't. And without relenting. I kind of kept bugging you both and asking what was going on. Where are you? What are you doing, like Miss you what's going on? Because I think of all y'all like, you know, my friends, like, I want to know what's going on. So I want to kind of go through this podcast, we have got a couple of questions here for you. And as you guys are listening, I want you to think about do you feel this way too. And can you relate? So the first thing that I want to go to? And Kathy, I'm gonna go to you first, what are some things that you were telling yourself or feeling? Versus when you started participating? More like when you were in that isolation? What are the voices in your head? Can you share those with us?

Yes, so I was feeling stuck. I wasn't sure in which way to move my business forward. And kind of hopeless, not having that source of direction, not knowing exactly what to do next. So many of the listeners feel stuck, and hopeless, not knowing which direction to go in. Usually, that comes with being overwhelmed Tracy, how were you feeling? When you were, you know, isolating every single word that Kathy said, was probably squared. I just felt like I didn't know what I was doing. I felt like everybody else knew what they were doing, which made me feel worse. It made me feel like I was completely out of now. And everybody else knew the answers. And I just didn't. And that was a horrible feeling.

I felt that way due to impostor syndrome. Muito. Like, you know, everyone else has got this together and you don't right, I think everyone has felt that way. And I think the difference between that and being a jumper is you're gonna feel that way. I always say it's okay to feel the emotions. It's what you do with them that matters. And so what happened when you started reaching out? Or when you started connecting with people? How did that change what was going on in your head? And, and I guess there's a question before that. Why didn't you reach out? Why were you just keeping to yourself when you feel like those isolating moments? Tracy, we'll start with you.

I guess the biggest one was shame and embarrassed because I just felt like I was the only one going through that. I felt like people would look poorly on me. And then I would just basically look like an idiot. And impostor syndrome. Everybody always talks about that. But it's so true because you just get the feeling that everybody knows what they're doing and that you just don't and you don't have a link and you're just lost. It's a pretty bad feeling. Yeah,

it is. It is. And the voices in your head often kind of tell you like, Be quiet.

Don't get in the way right They get back all that kind of stuff. Don't let people know, don't let people know what you're going through, like everybody else is being quiet about it or not admitting it. So like, if you just try harder, that's the other thing. Just try harder on your own. Don't bother other people just keep trying to figure it out, you're not doing enough, you know, all of those negative voices, just say them out loud. They sound silly, but when they're in your head, you just succumb to them. And it just makes you just think things. So the group has been so helpful in getting me out of that,

hustle culture, right?

Yes to doing everything at once. Kathy, what about you? Why was it telling you that you should isolate those voices in your head?

So I can relate a lot with Tracy, I was feeling lost. I felt shame. Like, I knew what I had to do. I just wasn't doing it. And I didn't want to bring anyone down. I didn't want anyone to feel bad for me, or you know what I was going through. And that kept me down....

Hey Jumpers! In the business world, few things are as simultaneously crucial and daunting as hiring new talent. If you've ever been in a position where you had to recruit and onboard new employees, you're likely familiar with the mixed emotions of this responsibility. The mere thought of hiring new talent can send shivers down the spine of even the most experienced business owners. But, here's the twist. What if we told you that hiring might not be the colossal, nerve-wracking endeavor it's often made out to be?

In this episode of "Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast," I am thrilled to welcome back  Tiffany Lewis. She is the amazing owner of Pet and Home Care.  Today, we dive into Tiffany’s incredible journey, starting from being a dog walker to running a business with over 50 employees. It's truly inspiring to see her build her empire and find success in hiring new talent.

Tiffany opened up about the challenges she faced when transitioning from independent contractors to having a full-fledged team of employees. She also highlights the significance of having a formalized hiring process and how it has made a huge difference in her business. Oh, and let's remember the perks she offers her employees - they're a game-changer.

If you're a pet business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is a goldmine of valuable insights on hiring new talent. Tiffany's journey and her tips on managing a team effectively are definitely worth listening to. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this one!

Topics & Key Points:

Challenges faced in hiring and transitioning from independent contractors to employees

Importance of having a formalized hiring process and employee benefits

Tiffanie's experience of initially hiring friends and the challenges of mixing business and friendship

Transitioning from independent contractors to employees and its benefits

Tiffany’s  more formalized hiring process

Building a strong company culture and its effects on the business

Importance of creating a healthy workplace and being a supportive boss

Ways Tiffany takes care of her team, such as structured onboarding and providing benefits

The belief that it's not just about the money, but also about taking care of employees.

Timestamps:

[00:09] Tiffany’s  journey from dog walker to building a team

[03:05] Transitioning from independent contractors to employees

[05:33] Formalizing the hiring process and employee benefits

[10:12] Tiffanie's transition from a reactionary approach to hiring to building a conscious culture.

[11:10] The importance of treating employees well

[13:53] Tips for starting a pet care business

Notable Quotes:

[05:32] “Switching to employees was a huge benefit because now I have more protection and my employees have more protection, which also makes them more loyal.”

[08:54] “In the beginning, I was just kind of hacking it together, finding people that met my requirements, doing some vetting. And then we would, you know, train them. So the big difference between now and then is our training and onboarding process is much longer now, but it's good because we're doing much more vetting.”

[13:52] “Don't waste time in the paper world, get digital as quickly as you can. Switch to digital right away. Don't waste your time setting up paper calendars.”

[15:48] ”We're trying to create a work environment. It's an independent company type of job. So trying to create a work environment. So we've had a few offices over the years. We've tried, but then for a long time, we went officeless. But then when the pandemic happened, that was a big eye-opener. I need my team to work together. I want them to feel like they're a team”

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 mins call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Tiffany's previous appearance  on the show

10KSB Apply

Connect with Tiffany

LinkedIn

Website

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta. And today we have a special guest for you. I want you to meet Tiffany Lewis. If you do not know her already, she is from pet and home care, and she started walking dogs in the Potomac neighborhood when she was just a junior in high school. With the combination of hustle and word of mouth, her little side gig after school turned into a full-time job. But she doesn't need to her client list had grown to a point that Tiffany had to hire her first team member and today, pet in-home care employs more than 50 pet sitters resort attendants, and office staff spread out all across Maryland's Montgomery County, and Frederick County. She's also joined us here in Arizona for the jump into paradise pre-COVID. And also how to sit in better marketing with Bella. We also love watching her grow, grow, grow, and also be a part of pet care team training. And she was the first person I thought of when I wanted to bring you guys some inspiration about this hiring thing. We all pretty much hate hiring until you figure it out. And then it's not as big of a deal. And so with Tiffany having so many employees and having such a long time in our industry, I knew she'd be the perfect person to talk to us today. So without further ado, Stephanie, welcome to the show.

Thank you so much for having me back on. I appreciate it.

Absolutely. So why don't you fill in the gaps a little bit for our listeners? I kind of told them how it started. But tell us a little bit more about how it got started and how you realize that you know you couldn't do it on your own, you need to start building a team.

Sure. Well, it was the late 90s when professional pet care wasn't a thing yet. And I kind of fell into some a dog walking gig. And that led me to overnight sitting. They didn't want to take overnight sitting on as a service. They thought it was too much liability. And they handled all those plants to me. So here I am 1617 years old, sleeping house to house caring for all these different animals. I loved it, I got to hang out in nice houses and get paid to sleep basically. And that's really what started the business wow, there's a huge demand for not only overnight care but pet sitting and dog walking in my hometown of Potomac, Maryland. So while I was in college, I was you know, hustling on the side doing the pet care. And then it got to the point where I dropped out of college, I did not graduate. I was so busy. And I just came to realize that this is what's important. And I'll go back to school. Well, I never did. I just started hiring. Yeah. When you started hiring, did you immediately go to employees? Was it ICs? How did you know who to hire? Like, were you scared? Like what was? Do you remember what that initial hiring was? Like? Absolutely. So at first, I would not think it took me to forget which year it was you might be right about 2002 when I was working on Easter because, of course, I worked every day. And I had 30 visits that Easter. Oh, my word. This is not possible. I can't see my clients, so I better start getting some help. So quickly, I realized that yes, I need help. And

I started with my friends, which you know, is great in a way because I knew I could trust them. But also, as you probably all know, when you mix business and pleasure, it usually does not end up well. So I had some friendship struggles because people don't like being told what to do, especially when they're your friend. So we moved past that I started hiring friends friends and their relatives got some distance. And yeah, we started as independent contractors. My CPA back then was like, yeah, it's a gray area, you know, it's fine. And I believed him. And so 567 years, I only hired independent contractors. And then it all happened one day when the hammer came down, an independent contractor that quit, because her car broke down. She couldn't work and filed for unemployment. Well, the flag was raised. You're not an employee, but we think you should have been an employee. So after a very long, expensive investigation and lots of fines, I switched CPAs and found a guy who knew what he was talking about and then moved everyone to employees. I thought that was the end for me. I'm like, I can't afford this. This is so difficult. People don't want their taxes taken out. No, I was wrong. We did pull it off. We could afford it and people love being employee

You don't want to have to worry about their taxes at the end of the year. So it turned out that switching to employees was a huge benefit. Because now, you know, I have more protection, and my employees have more protection, which also makes them more loyal. So, in addition to having employees, we have a whole slew of employee benefits. And so that is helping keep the team and grow the team, we really can retain and recruit top-level talent because of our benefits and you know, employee status.

I think that's amazing. I'm, I'm gonna go off script here with you because all of that was just really great. And I know, you know, people are hidden in fear a lot, right? Like either they throw away they throw around the word audit, or people are knowingly operating with ICS not sleeping at night, wondering like, what's going to happen? And here's proof right here. You guys like this isn't a mythical creature. This is an actual person on my podcast right now, who has also been audited and realized that they needed to switch and I think something you said important, Tiffany,...

Hey Jumpers! If you're a business owner in the pet industry or any industry for that matter, you know that finding the right team members can be a real challenge. But today, we've got a treat for you. We're about to dive into the world of the hiring process, employee retention, and creating a thriving company culture.

 Welcome to another episode of "Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast," Today, we have a special guest, Becky Lea, the owner of Paws Around Motown. Becky is here to share her experience and insights on improving the hiring process for her business. 

Becky starts off by sharing her initial struggles with hiring. Like many business owners, she found it challenging to find the right candidates and wasted a lot of time on the wrong ones. But she didn't let that discourage her. Instead, she decided to revamp her hiring process and make it more efficient. 

Becky managed to reduce her hiring time from a whopping 10-14 days to just five days.  She explains that implementing a thorough hiring process was key to this success. By carefully screening candidates and conducting multiple interviews, she was able to find the perfect fit for her team in a shorter amount of time. 

Becky's story is a great reminder that continuous improvement is crucial for any business. She encourages fellow entrepreneurs to always be on the lookout for ways to refine their hiring process and create a better experience for both the business and the employees. 

Topics & Key Points:

The struggles of hiring

Transitioning to a new hiring mentality

The significance of a systematic hiring process.

The steps to a successful hiring process

Building a strong company culture

Focus on enhancing the onboarding process and creating a positive first-day experience

Efficiency in hiring

The importance of continuous improvement

Why you should surround yourself with important people in business

Timestamps:

[06] Introduction of Becky Lee and her pet business, Paws Around Motown

[02:08] Becky's initial struggles with hiring and flawed criteria

[03:29] Transitioning to a new hiring process and finding quality candidates

[06:58] Importance of community and support and Mastermind program

[08:52] The need to continuously evolve the hiring process to adapt to the changing job market

[10:56] Enhancing the onboarding process

[16:04] Mistakes in hiring

[18:41] Why post your employees on social media?

[20:38] The hiring process and the power of networking

[21:28] Constantly making changes and assessing for the future

Notable Quotes:

 [02:09]” I was investing a huge amount of my time at a time that I did not have. And was spending a lot of time looking through candidates, setting up interviews, and then they wouldn't show up.”

 [04:12] “Everybody that we hired during that hiring blitz, they're still on board. So not only did we find quality, but they have lasted and been happy employees.” 

 [07:36] “I feel like I never feel isolated in my business, which is a huge part of being an entrepreneur. But it's because of the tribe I've built and the people that I have around me to support me who you surround yourself with is everything. It's everything in business.”

 [08:52] “I think it's important to realize that the climate in hiring has changed. And so it's important to always evolve to what that climate is. People are not just looking for a paycheck anymore.”

 [16:43] “You really need to hold your new employees hand through the early stages so they're trained, but you got to check in with them. You've got a status with them.”

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 mins call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Listen to Becky back on episode 322

 Joey Coleman's Never lost an employee again

Connect with Becky

Paws Around Motown

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta. And today I'm joined by Becky Lee, the owner of a dog-walking and pet-sitting business called Paws Around Motown. Becky, how are you? I'm good. How are you? Good. For those of you guys who have not met Becky before, why not? She first got involved in the pet industry in 2014 and quickly made a name for herself by working hard and soaking up as much information as possible. In the summer of 2021, I traveled to Chicago for an intensive session to work on improving our hiring process and building community on social media. during that session, we created a 10-step hiring process and worked on setting timelines to help Becky find the best candidates for her business. After implementing the strategies she learned from the intensive Becky was able to improve on her hiring process and build a strong community on social media. As a result, her business has been significantly growth and success. I wanted to have Becky on here today because I know that one of the biggest challenges many of you guys have is hiring. And it has not always been easy for Becky. And I'm sure there are still times when it is not easy. But there are many things that she has done to systematically create a system that essentially she's been able to hand off to other people to help her with it. And then also be able to understand where she needed to tweak or expand on it as time evolves because things do evolve. And so I think you guys are going to love this episode. And if you want to hear more from Becky back on Episode 322, she came on and talked more about marketing and, and how she's been able to also systematize her marketing. And so you're probably going to want to keep hearing from Becky because she's an amazing success story that will help give you the motivation, honestly, because business is tough. Business is tough. So Becky, take us back, like explain to our audience. What was hiring, like, what did you do when you started, and what mistakes would you tell your former self if we were talking to her right now?

So I was investing a huge amount of my time, a time that I did not have. And I was spending a lot of time looking through candidates and setting up interviews, and then they wouldn't show up. Or, you know, so I'd be sitting there waiting, or I would hire people and they would last anywhere from like one to 60 days, which was a huge expense. And then you know, a big mistake was looking for people that had a pulse that loved animals. And that was my criteria and that does not work.

I feel your pain because so many of you just described so many people out there even listeners, you know, who are just banging their heads against the wall. And they're like, Okay, like just Do you have a car and will you show up? You know, because the job markets are hard. So like when was the first like how did you transition out of that mentality? Was it scary? And when was the first time that you realized like, Okay, this is working like this new shift like talk to me about the shift and like how you felt about it because it I'm sure it wasn't just as easy as jumping.

No, no, it was super scary. I know that a lot. Have the steps in the process that we outlined and that I kind of continue to implement. You know, I thought people wouldn't do them, and it would take me too long to get somebody on board. And that's not, it's not true. So I would say about 12 to 15 months ago, we did a hiring Blitz. And it was easy. So we need this as a little clip. Hiring was what was easy.

And, and everybody that we hired during that hiring Blitz, they're still on board. So not only did we find quality, but they have lasted, and then happy employees. And so when we have people leave now, it's more for life-changing events than it is because of the job. Right. So, and in all honesty, we can onboard clients more seamlessly and quickly, because we have the staff to always be able to take them on. And so the, and also it helps because we can, like, show how we that our staff, and how people continue on and that this is, you know, we've always we have quality for them, we can kind of showcase our hiring process to those potential clients.

Yeah, that's fantastic. We talked about that a couple of episodes ago, about systematizing it and then also talking about it, because not only is it great for the clients to see what you go through for your employees, because, you know, they have a big trust question. But it also builds trust with that new employee when they're like, Oh, this is what we got to go through. It's not just like, Okay, I did this next thing, okay. Now do this. Okay, did that. Okay, now do this. Okay, I did that. And it's like, when does this end? You know, and when people comment on Oh, my God, I can't believe that you're having us do all our air having me do all these things. It kind of solidifies the process to me, because if you, you know, our clients trust us with everything. And if they can't hop on camera and talk for 60 seconds about why they're amazing, or why we should or should not hire them or fill out a questionnaire, then they're not somebody that I want on my staff, you know?

Uh-huh. Yeah, I think that takes a lot of confidence to say that because I think when you haven't done that before, it's often very scary. So let's talk quickly about so we had the intensive, but then, I mean, this month in the mastermind, we're going to be talking about hiring the whole month of November. And so what, how has that helped you not being isolated with that hiring thing? Okay, Bella,...

Feeling Overwhelmed by Marketing? Here's How to Get Back on Track

In this week's info-packed episode, I am talking about one of  the biggest pain points for pet business owners: marketing. Endless hours fiddling in Canva, constantly second-guessing your messaging and visuals, trying to learn new skills that keep changing - it's frustrating and exhausting!

If you feel like you're just tossing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, you're not alone. I am here to tell you how you can succeed, jump on over to Better Marketing With Bella to see everything I am talking about.

Drawing from my personal experience and the success stories of past clients, I break down exactly why DIY marketing often falls short and how to create an effective strategy.

Don't believe me? Give the stories a listen and see how you can be a success too.

Topics & Key Points:

Overcoming marketing struggles

Wearing many hats in business is challenging

Spending time creating content takes away from other tasks

Trial-and-error marketing is inefficient

Developing a cohesive strategy

Consistent, quality content builds trust

Social media creates confidence in your brand

Marketing channels work together to attract clients

Proof the program is effective

Timestamps:

[03:41]Michelle from Paws & Claws

[05:28] Leia from Wonder Pups

[08:45] Morag from York Professional Pet Sitting and Dog Walking

[11:39] Two programs for you

Notable Quotes:

[08:32] "And so she said she was getting 15 to 20 more leads every month after seeing Google ads. And she said proof that done for you marketing fuels the real growth"

[10:00] " So, better marketing with Bella also provides a spark for your own ideas, Kathy said that the content we created, made her think of new things to try on her own"

[10:45] "Now she understood what her strategy needed to be, and could be a better leader to that social media person on her staff or the office manager"

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 min call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Episode 360

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome, everybody to another episode of Bella in your business. My name is Bella vasta. And last week, we talked all about the consistency of your brand, how you're showing up. And if people are recognizing you, well, this time, I'm going to actually solve that problem, because most of you are probably like, okay, great, I need to be consistent. How do I be consistent, and I get it, because things are busy, you've got a lot of hats that you're wearing in your company, you're trying to be all the things you're trying to do customer service, you're trying to do client retention, check on your churn, be a good leader to all of your employees, probably be innovative, and keep up with your website. Just do all the things not to mention everything that you have to do yourself as being a mom or a dad or just a good, you know, person in your relationships. There's a lot of things to do. And today, I want to try to inspire you because I have a feeling some of the stories I'm going to share with you today. You are that person. And I want you to kind of consider that. Because if you're listening to this episode, if you're one of the 1000s that listen every single week, thank you. But I want you to really think about how can you help streamline your business? Guys, you've heard me say this before, there's only two things that you're going to be solving in your company. And you have to solve them systematically. That's getting more clients. And that's getting more employees. Everything else is just systems and process. They're not ongoing, trying to bring in, bring home the bacon, if you will.

And so I want you to think about your marketing, and it being a major pain point. And this goes without notice that yes, our doors are open for better marketing with Bella right now, better marketing with Bella is an excellent program. I started it, January of 2018. Because after I sold my company in 2016, I missed doing marketing. Marketing is just something that naturally comes to me, you can show me a picture, I can give you a title for it. And it has been so fun creating and organizing everything for you guys via doing graphics every month and videos every month, and blog ideas and real ideas and emails so that you can stay top of mind awareness. All of this stuff is very important. When it comes to your brand, your consistency and showing up these kinds of things. When you show up like that. And consistent people begin to trust you, people begin to know you. And I have story after story after story about how this has translated into clients and employees. I have jumpers that have people waiting to work with them. I was on a call last week you guys with a person who they there's this this man that wanted to work for them. And they said I don't think you have enough dog walking experience, go work at the rescue and walk dogs. They literally did that. And this guy is giving them updates every single week because he so badly wants to work for this company. This is possible. All right. If you're struggling with hiring, if you're struggling with getting more clients, what you're doing is not working. And I really want to encourage you to take, take a leap, take a leap and partner with me. Because when you have me on your side, I'm going to fight tooth and nail for you because as I've said before, your success is my success. Don't believe me? Let's take a look at some of the stories I have for you today.

So marketing is obviously a major pain point for so many business owners and finding like you know, you can have endless hours fiddling in Canva. Okay, what template, what color? What font? What a message? What should the caption be? When should I post it? These are all things that yeah, you can go in Canva and go spend your time doing that. But what other like revenue generating activities could you be spending your time on instead of in Canva? Stop trying to DIY it with no strategy. So Michelle with paws and claws, her marketing efforts were totally scattered before joining our program. As she puts it, she was just lost. But now Michelle has a whole content roadmap and a community of fellow pet pros to guide her when she she went from isolated which is something we've talked a lot about in recent episodes, to an overwhelmed to support and strategic with her marketing. There's nothing worse than being isolated and floundering around and hoping that you're making a difference and you're spending your time in the right way. Because that's the thing. You're either spending your time meaning you give away it and don't get anything in return or you're investing you're putting it back and you're going to get something back from it. And that was definitely something that Michelle All saw and why she's been in the program for many semesters, Nicole and Leah were very similar. And you heard Leia on maybe four weeks ago. And they had the similar challenges. Nicole was putting in the work but not seeing results. And Leia felt like she was tossing spaghetti against the wall to see what might stick. But our program completely changed it for them to lay adjoined actually, she she found out because I have this, like $7 marketing course out there. And she was she went through the course and followed some of the people that were in that course, and realize their secret sauce was our program. And so she joined and now she has more free time. And as she said on the previous podcast, if you didn't hear it, she doesn't even know her camera password anymore. That is remarkable. Imagine not ever having to really go into Canva anymore. Because our program takes away all of that for you all that creation, all that that that creative mentality, that creative energy, then I'm sure you're pretty burnt out and overwhelmed, and don't really have much of it to begin with. And if you do you want to put it into Halloween with your kids or getting that surprise for your loved one, not into what should go on a graphic. And is it good enough, Nicole, she was spending tons of money on Google AdWords, and I love this story from her. And now her phone's ringing off the hook. And the only thing that changed was her social media feed. Because you guys, you have to understand that social media is a secondary source. It's not like someone's gonna see a graphic online, and they're gonna call you. That's not how it works. And if that's what you're looking for, this program is going to sorely disappoint you. Rather what it does, it's a collective feeling. So someone might Google dog walker Scottsdale, they might find your website, they might find everyone else's website to that's a whole nother story. And then they're kind of interested. So they're going to take your invitation on your website to go check out your Facebook or your Instagram. And guess what happens when they go there. They're going to have a feeling, what is the feeling that they have, if they're going to your feed right now. And all they see is pictures of pets with their names on them. That is not going to do anything for you. That is useless. Okay. Unless it is that pet parent, looking at their pet on your feed with their name, or Oh isn't vital, cute, that's not doing anything, you're literally spending your time wasting your time. But if you have great graphics and videos combined with those cute pet photos combined, that's the important part....

Imagine this: a pet owner is searching for a reliable service for their beloved canine companion, and they stumble upon your business's website, social media, or storefront. What sets your brand apart? What impression do you leave on their minds? Are you tired of feeling like your pet business is just blending in with the crowd? Do you want to stand out and make a lasting impression on your customers? If so, then consistency in branding is the key!

In this episode of "Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast," I want to talk about something super important for all you pet business owners out there: consistency in branding. Trust me, it's a game-changer!

Doors  for Better Marketing With Bella are currently open if you're looking for more guidance and support in your marketing journey.

And remember, consistency is key! So, let's get out there and make our pet businesses shine.

Topics & Key Points:

The importance of consistency in branding.

Consistency in tone and voice.

Consistency in online presence.

Testimonials and results from the "Better Marketing with Bella" program.

Examples of consistent branding from Starbucks and McDonald's.

Dangers of using AI for marketing and its impact on consistency.

Guidance and support available through the "Better Marketing with Bella" program.

Building relationships with your community.

Showcasing your personality and uniqueness.

Having a schedule for posting and creating content

Working smarter, not harder.

Timestamps:

[00:01] The importance of consistency in your pet business brand

[01:45] Creating a professional brand with consistent elements

[05:48] Consistency in tone, voice, and online presence

[08:58] Consistently showing up in emails

[09:59] Building personal relationships in the community

[11:58] The power of brand consistency

Notable Quotes:

[02:31] “Consistency is key when you are creating a brand for your business. Consistency, it matters how you look”

[02:11] ”What are your colors? Are you using your actual color numbers when creating or someone else is creating designs for you? Not just that, but you also use the same font.”

[05:15] “When you're sharing blogs or social media posts, emails, any marketing consistency in your tone, in your voice is imperative.”

[07:27] “Just as brand consistency creates trust, it can also create distrust.”

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 min call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Episode 361: The Dangers of Using AI to Market Your Pet Business

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of Bella in your business. My name is Bella vasta. And today we're going to talk about the importance of consistency in your pet business brand. Yes, I know this might automatically give you a little bit of an anxiety but I'm here to walk you through it and give you some actual act, things to think about, and some action items to take away.

But before we do that, I want to let you know that the entire month in the mastermind is devoted to marketing because guess what the doors for better marketing with Bella are open. If you seen my Instagram feed instagram.com forward slash Bella vasta. Or you've seen our jump consulting Facebook page Facebook.com/jumpconsulting, you will have seen all of the testimonials and the feedback and the results that people are getting this program you guys is on fire. I know you have a lot of options when it comes to marketing, you could do it yourself, you could hire someone who does not necessarily have a proven track record in the pet industry. But we're here to take care of it all for you to figure out what the creative is because at the end of the day, let's let's admit that most of us are stressed out overworked, overextended, and you don't have a creative bone in your body.

Let us take care of that. And then let us show you how to use it and get it really out in your community and be partnering and connecting with other thought leaders, that's only going to help get your brand out there. Now when we're getting our brand out there, we don't want just pictures of dogs, we want someone to understand when they see it come through, it's your voice. It's your logo, it's your colors, it's your style. And they automatically know before they even read anything by the look of it that it is you. And that's what we're here to talk about today. So if you're interested in better marketing and Bella, you want to find out the two different levels that we have, we have a very small level where we just give you basic stuff that you can add your own logo to that is called the Chihuahua plan. Or we have the golden plan where we give you the full monty. And that is everything taken care of for you. All you have to do is schedule it to go out and then continue doing the stuff that you're doing. But what we do is make you look like a professional brand. And not just some random person posting pictures of a dog hoping that it sticks.

So let's get into it. Today we're going to talk about first the consistency. When it comes to your brand. The look of it is highly important. What are your colors? Are you using your actual color numbers when creating or someone else is creating designs for you? Not just that, but are you also using the same font? And what are your signature fonts? Do you have a primary and a secondary? Are we keeping consistent with that? Is your logo consistent everywhere you see it? Consistency is key. When you are creating a brand for your business consistency. It depends. It matters how you look for example, without even seeing the name, you know the Starbucks logo, and you know the colors and you know immediately what it's all about or how it feels. Same thing for the Golden Arches. Those are extreme examples. But you can be just like that, anywhere they advertise its consistency down to every single detail. That's what I want you to start thinking about am I consistent with my brand. When deciding on your brand, make sure the logo, your fonts, your colors are what you use every single time. I want you to think about a local company that you absolutely love and why there is a local Italian restaurant called oregano is here in the Phoenix area. And they have the funniest sayings and slogans they're very punny, if you will, and that's their brand. And it always emotes this emotion of like internal giggling, which automatically makes you feel good about their brand. When people see your feed. Do they just see dog pictures? Or do they know it's your brand and interested about reading or hearing more about what you have to say?

What some examples I got two really great ones, dog dogs who originally joined better marketing with Bella and stayed for a few years. They learned so much they were able to start doing this internally with their staff. And now they are there kicking it. They are so good to go look up dog dogs. That is one prime example of a great unbranded company. Another fabulous company is Becky from paws around Motown. You want to go look her up too. And she has been doing an amazing job again at I mean, when I first met her, she didn't even know how to do an Instagram story. And a couple episodes ago, we had her on the podcast. So you might want to go back and listen to that. And it was absolutely amazing. So I even had this rebrand that I did and I know a lot of you guys are doing a rebrand or a few of you have been doing rebrands and it's really important to think about your font, your color, your consistency. For those of you who remember, jump used to be red and black and red was a pretty bold in your face, like color. And let's face it, I'm pretty bold. And so the while that reflected me I also wanted to soften up the brand a little bit and that's when we change to blue and and yellow as a primary with the accent of that hot pink that you see. And so these were like really specific things that we talked about and And then also brought in different elements that we use, we use the same swish mark or the same checkmark or the same arrows so that we have consistency throughout the brand. It's not just the colors, it can also be the elements and the embellishment.

Let's talk next about tone and voice. When you're sharing blogs, or social media posts, emails, any marketing consistency in your tone in your voice is imperative. If you come across as upbeat and bubbly 50% of the time, and then put out ads that are blunt, direct and sound completely different from the previous ones. Your brand will literally become inconsistent, people won't know what to expect, there is something to be said for when you know a brand and you see a brand and you see consistency through it that all of a sudden, you start to to subconsciously start trusting them. This type of inconsistency creates distrust, and distrust from no new clients read or listen less revenue. And so last week on Episode 361, we discussed the dangers of using AI to market your pet business. This is an example of what I meant. If you don't know how to train your AI correctly with the tone in the voice might come off different with each output and creating inconsistencies across the brand. You create your tone in your voice for your brand that you'd like to represent who you are, and make sure it stays consistent. So listen, I did an actual training in the mastermind on how to get your AI to reflect this. When we give out all of the captions, the emails,...

Is your pet business considering the leap into the world of AI-driven marketing? While it may seem like an enticing prospect, promising enhanced customer engagement and increased profitability, have you ever paused to wonder about the hidden dangers that could be lurking beneath the surface? In the realm of promoting pet-related services and products, using artificial intelligence can be a bit like walking a tightrope.

In this episode of "Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast,"  we will explore the rising trend of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing. AI presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses. It's not a one-size-fits-all solution, and understanding its nuances is essential. Introducing Magai, an affordable AI tool suitable for small pet businesses looking to harness AI's power.

AI isn't a magic fix; it requires quality content input. While it excels at data analysis and predictions, it can't create compelling content on its own. Training the software to align with your brand and audience is vital. Customize it with your brand voice and values.

However, remember not to rely exclusively on AI-generated content. Human touch is crucial for customer engagement. Use it as a supplementary tool, not a replacement.

Consider outsourcing marketing tasks to experts to balance your workload. Embrace it's potential while staying true to your brand and maintaining personal connections with your customers.

Topics & Key Points:

Understanding AI: AI is not just a buzzword; it's a tool that can revolutionize your pet business. But it's crucial to understand it and use it correctly to avoid pitfalls.

AI in marketing: I've shared some insights on the potential dangers of using AI for marketing a local pet business. Remember, AI is programmed to target a global audience, so it's essential to tailor it to your local market needs.

The Magic of Magi: My friend Dustin Stout's creation, Magi, is an affordable AI tool that's worth exploring. It's a great way to familiarize yourself with AI and stay ahead of the curve.

AI training: I've dedicated a month in our mastermind group to AI, with guest speakers providing training on leveraging AI in business. It's a treasure trove of knowledge you wouldn't want to miss!

The importance of strategy: Whether it's AI or social media, having a well-thought-out strategy is key. It's not about just doing it; it's about doing it right.

Timestamps:

[00:02] The dangers of using artificial intelligence to market your pet business

[01:01] The benefits of using artificial intelligence in marketing

[0831] Understanding the limitations of artificial intelligence

[10:28] Training AI to understand your voice

[11:25] The dangers of generic AI marketing

[13:22] Better marketing with Bella

[19:45] The tough lesson of not putting in the work

[20:41] The importance of staying positive and resilient

Notable Quotes:

[00:52] “I want you to be aware of the dangers of AI so that you're not encountering them in your business and ultimately not gaining new business or new employees.”

[07:19] ”When you're posting things online and you're blogging because you feel guilty and you think you should blog because it's something that you quote unquote should do, make sure that you're doing the right thing.”

[19:45] “I don't want you to end up also then you turn into one of those people that say, 'Oh, it doesn't work.' No, you don't work respectfully, you don't work, and that's really tough.’’

[18:26] “You need a strategy. Once you start aiming for a target, that's when stuff starts falling down from the sky. And it is amazing and fun.”

Resources:

Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast

Join Mastermind

Email Bella: [email protected]

Sign up for a 20 mins call 

Better Marketing with Bella

Magai

BMWB

Connect with Bella

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Did you love this episode?

If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping.

Transcript:

Welcome to Bella in your business. My name is Bella Vasta, your host, and today, we're gonna continue on a topic that we started talking about a little bit ago. And that's artificial intelligence, also known as AI. Now, hopefully, by now, I've been spoken about it. I'm sure you've heard about it from other sources as well. And I want to make sure that we are all on the same page here. Because of what I've been reading online in some places, I don't know if we are, and I am here to help stop you from making drastic mistakes that could hurt your business. So today we're talking all about the dangers of using artificial intelligence to market your pet business. Now, I am not fear-mongering, I am just saying do not do this wrong, because it is easy to do it wrong. But it is so so so easy to do it right. So there are dangers, and I want you to be aware of them so that you're not encountering them in your business, and ultimately not gaining new business or new employees. Because I've seen this also backfire when people are trying to hire. And this month in the mastermind, we're talking all about marketing. And I'm even giving a presentation on how to market your business on and offline. AI is going to be a part of that. So if you know me, you know how passionate I am about this subject. And I'm excited to present to the group. The Q&A portion at the end is probably my favorite because these members bring challenging questions that will move their business forward. So if you're in the group, stay tuned, because I'm looking forward to it. If you're not in the group, come on and join us because what do you have to lose?

Before we get started, I also want to do a quick thank you for being a part of an A listener of over 361 episodes of Bella in your business. It's kind of amazing. When I started this in my closet when Olivia was in the NICU, I never thought that fast forward to 2023 I would be 361 episodes in. Now you guys like anything you do in life, but I was not as consistent with it. When it first started. It was not every Thursday like it is now. But shortly it did become pretty routine. And if you've listened to all the episodes, and I know there's a lot of you that have been binging on Bella, thank you. You'll know that I did a lot of interviews with a lot of different people for the first half of all this. And then about two years ago, I started doing these solo episodes, which seemed to land better with you guys. But as always, I love hearing your feedback. I just got off a call on Friday with a gal who has rolled the entire team listened to it and then they discussed so it's pretty cool when I hear that I love it. So don't be bashful, shoot me an email Bella at jump consulting dotnet if there is something that you want to hear about. So thank you, thank you for being a part of this. And I mean our downloads just keep going up and up and up every week. I love watching getting those KPI stats back. So like I predicted, artificial intelligence is everywhere and is blowing up. And as a side note, my friend Dustin stout created this thing called Magi M A G AI. And if you go to jumpconsulting.net/magi, you can get 30% off for the first three months now it starts at $9 a month. So, guys, we're talking about less than Starbucks. There is no reason why you can't use this thing. In the mastermind. We have shown you how to get it to learn your voice and then save your voice. Because chat GPT is just an assistant all the time. It doesn't matter who you are unless you teach it every single time. But Magi also comes preloaded with things like HR, sales, marketing, and a rapper, there are so many personalities in there that you can turn on and it is hilarious. I recommend that you try out Magi's jumpconsulting.net/magai you also can create photos with it and pictures I mean Leonardo is in there and this might be above your head but just to go and have one of these things like chat GPT last I checked was $20 a month Leonardo is like 10 or $15 a month, all of this stuff and you can get them all in one spot for $9 a month at the starting rate a no brainer. Please go check it out. But like I predicted you know it is getting more and more and it's really important. I cannot stress this enough. You guys get in there and play around get your feet wet now before it keeps growing. gets more and more complicated to understand the basic foundation of how AI can help you right now. It's only going to help catapult you into the future and make you so much farther ahead than everyone else. Oh my goodness, I'm getting excited again.

Okay, so I devoted an entire month in July in the mastermind group to artificial intelligence. It's the first time since we started in 2018, that I have changed up our rhythm and put AI in it and it's going to stay and it's funny because it's become an undertone. In every single other month topic that we use. We had guest speakers Kelly Noble Mirabella, and Dustin to come in and teach trainings on how to leverage it. We also had some past episodes, Episode 352, which were easy ways to use artificial intelligence in the pet industry. We discussed how AI can be leveraged in business, debunking AI misconceptions, Magi and advanced AI tools, the power of 100 days, and then working smarter, not harder. In Episode 346, we talked about the ins and outs of artificial intelligence to save you time and money, about staying up to date with the advancements and how to, talked about the different AI tools and software available examples of how it can be utilized, and so much more. I'm not even gonna go through all of it. But listen, if you want to get more, this is the first time you're hearing about AI on this po