Bella In Your Business: Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Podcast

I know with being six days away from Christmas that planning for your dog walking business in 2020 is probably the last thing on your mind. However, I strategically posted this before Christmas so that you have time to get your thoughts flowing.

I want to help you come up with a plan to grow and exceed your expectations for business planning in 2020.

Biggest Take Away You Don't Want To Miss

There's a major difference between planning for your dog walking business and goal setting. Where making plans can include a to do list that never stops growing, setting goals are concrete, quantifiable and specific. When you set a goal you need to give yourself an end date and start breaking down the processes necessary to get there.

Most importantly, you need to hold yourself accountable or get an accountability partner that can.

Show Highlights

90 Day Goals [4:20]

30 Day Goals [5:50]

Accountability [8:00]

What's so different about 2020? [9:10]

Where to begin [10:38]

Can you hire out? [13:35]

Links

Sign up for a 20 minute complimentary call with me

Join the Jump Mastermind

Get started with JazzHR 

Check out my Employee Handbook and Training Manual

Email me at: [email protected]

Let's Connect!

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’'

Transcript:

This is episode 176 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business.

So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. I know that with six days away from the actual Christmas holiday, business planning for your dog walking or pet sitting company in 2020 is probably the last thing on your mind. But I have strategically placed this episode right before Christmas because I know the next round of marketing that’s going to be hitting your eyeballs is all about New Year’s resolutions and planning for 2020.

So what do you say that I get your thoughts flowing on a couple of topics here and let you know how I do things, how I suggest you could do things, and some other different ways that you might not have heard about. There are so many different things that you have to think about with your business and planning because, let’s face it, if you don’t actually plan for your business, what happens is you start becoming very reactionary. You just start reacting to things that happen—crises, interruptions, and questions from your team—and you end up responding to everything instead of intentionally leading.

We have marketing and sales, staff and clients, advertising, growing lists, keeping staff and clients happy, learning about social media changes, networking locally, managing invoices, cancellations, schedules, balancing your books, and tracking your business’s financial health. There are so many things we have to juggle. And at the end of the day, most of us want to grow. I haven’t met a single pet sitter or dog walker who’s said they want to downsize. But how do we grow, and what does that really mean?

It makes me sad to see so many business owners whose companies are running them over. They’re flattened by the workload and barely keeping up. With 2020 coming, we have a clean slate—a chance to reset. But if you’re bringing the same mindset you had in 2019 and haven’t achieved your goals, this episode is for you. Let’s talk about different ways to plan and the difference between planning and goal setting.

When you plan, you’re focused on to-do lists—tasks to check off today, this week, or this month. But those tasks often multiply and don’t always connect to the bigger picture. They don’t help you build the life you wanted when you started your business. That’s why goal setting is so important. I’m a huge fan of 90-day goals. Research shows that our brains can better comprehend and stay motivated by shorter timeframes—like 90 days—rather than abstract one-year or five-year plans.

So start thinking in quarterly increments: first, second, third, and fourth quarters. Goals should be measurable—you’ve either achieved them or not by a specific date. For example, instead of vaguely saying, “I want to hire employees,” say, “By March 1st, I’ll have three employees doing 100% of the pet visits so I have nothing left on my schedule.” That’s concrete. Then break those 90-day goals down into 30-day milestones.

Maybe month one is setting up your employee handbook and training program. Month two could be interviews and onboarding. Month three could be training and full handoff. The key is to have a plan—not just wishful thinking. Stop saying, “I wish I wasn’t in the field,” and start acting toward the life you want—driving your kids to school, having Sunday dinners, taking that class you’ve been putting off. You can’t have those things unless you take control of your business.

The secret to making your goals actually happen? Accountability. You can make excuses to yourself all day, but when someone else is holding you accountable—a mastermind group, a friend, or a coach—it changes everything. You need someone to ask, “Hey, you said you’d hire three new employees this quarter. How’s that going?” Accountability is where the magic happens.

Now, what’s so different about 2020? You’ll see lots of puns like “Hindsight is 20/20,” but I don’t believe you need a new year to become a new you. You can make that change any day. Still, this is a great time to reflect. Write down what you want to change—business, personal, health, relationships—everything. Do it with a pen and paper, not a phone or laptop. There’s something powerful about writing by hand; it unlocks creativity and flow.

After listing what you want to change, write why you want to change it and what it would mean for your life. Be honest and vulnerable. Then write what you want—not just what you don’t want. Many people never define what they truly want, which keeps them running in circles. Also write what you can’t control and learn to accept it. Acceptance is the first step toward transformation.

Next, consider what you can hire out. Start small. If you’re writing your own employee handbook but it’s taking forever and you’re not confident in your writing, outsource it. Buying a ready-made handbook could save you hundreds of hours. Think about what drains you—scheduling, emails, social media—and delegate it. You can’t do everything yourself. You can’t be walking dogs, managing clients, handling invoices, and posting on social media all at once.

You cannot build or scale your company alone. Be realistic about that when setting your quarterly goals. Think about your fiscal goals, your time-off goals, and your health goals. Put the “big rocks” in first—plan the most important things like vacations, family time, and rest before filling in the rest of your calendar. You deserve time off. You can have it, but only if you set intentional goals and boundaries.

Think about your financial goals too—both business and personal. Are you saving money every month? Are you operating from abundance or just scraping by? If you’re struggling, let’s fix that. Saving money creates options, stability, and freedom. You shouldn’t be earning less than a manager at McDonald’s when you own your own business.

Finally, think about your health. Do you need to move more, take a class, or just breathe again? Dream again. Write down what needs to change, what you want, what you can’t control, and what you’ll do to move forward.

Last month, one of my bucket list goals came true—I got to speak in London, something I’ve always dreamed of. That moment reminded me that you can truly achieve anything with the right mindset and perseverance. The “how” is easy once your mindset is right.

I hope this episode inspires you to dream again, plan intentionally, and take control of 2020. Don’t let it just be hindsight—make it your best year yet.

We’ll take a short break for the holidays and be back in January. I hope you had an amazing 2019, and just remember—you can do it. I believe in you.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

I want you to think of all of your pet business systems. Now, think about a time where maybe you told your staff to do something and gave them all of the direction needed to do it but for some reason, they didn't do what you wanted them to do. Do you know what caused the problem?

Today I brought on a very special guest, Liz Illg, to share the importance of systems and processes for your pet business.

Liz is the Owner of Puff & Fluff Grooming and Pet Sitting with five locations in Phoenix area. Not only has Liz turned her passion for animals into a thriving business, she is an expert when it comes to creating an environment of growth for your business as well. In fact, as an Operational Strategist, Liz specializes in working with small business owners and entrepreneurs. She can assist with everything from streamlining systems to creating manageable training and operational manuals. Liz received her Bachelor’s in Business from Arizona State University and her Master’s in Education from Northern Arizona University.

Transcript:

This is episode 175 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business.

So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and I want you to recall a time where you wanted your staff to do something. You thought that you actually understood that you gave out all the instructions, but for the life of you, you can’t understand why they cannot just do what you want. Well, today I have a guest who is going to help solve this problem and a lot more that you might not have even realized you had.

If you’re in the mastermind, you may have heard of her. If you’ve been to Paradise, you may have met her, but she has been changing pet sitters’ lives left and right the past 60 days. So I had to bring her on the podcast and give her all to you. Without further ado, Liz, welcome to the show. Liz shared that she owns five pet grooming businesses—actual storefronts—in the Phoenix area and has expanded to five locations in the last six and a half years. When we first met, she had just started, with only one location, doing everything herself.

She talked about running 12- to 16-hour days and how exhausting that was. When asked how she managed to grow, Liz explained that she was originally the operator—doing it all—but realized that to grow, she needed to delegate. Before delegating, however, she had to document everything. Without documented processes, delegation was chaos.

She shared a story about her “nightmare” moment—driving between her first and second storefronts when both managers called her about the same issue at the same time. She was juggling two phone calls, two crises, and realized she had failed—not because her managers were incapable, but because she had no documented processes to guide them. That moment became her turning point.

Liz realized that as a CEO, she had to take full responsibility and own the problem instead of blaming her staff. As she grew, it became clear she couldn’t be the answer for everyone’s questions. It wasn’t fair to them or to her. Her team wanted clarity and empowerment, not constant dependency. She began building systems and processes so her business could run without her constant involvement.

She explained that as she grew, she wanted to empower people around her—to create a culture where staff felt ownership. Systems should function independently, not rely on constant human oversight. By developing structured training, clear expectations, and standardized systems, Liz saw everything change. Her employees felt empowered and connected, and the culture improved dramatically.

We then discussed the difference between handbooks, training manuals, and processes. Liz explained that handbooks and manuals are foundational—they establish credibility and outline company standards—but processes are the step-by-step instructions that make those standards actionable. A handbook might say, “Log into Precise Pet Care daily to check your schedule,” but a process explains how to do that, step-by-step, including where to click, what to check, and how to record notes.

She emphasized that creating processes isn’t just about rules—it’s about guiding your team through an experience, just like you do for your clients. Processes can be turned into infographics, videos, or interactive guides because people learn differently. Some are visual, others prefer text or video. Assuming everyone learns the same way sets teams up for failure.

We talked about the importance of strategy in developing processes. Liz helps clients define what their ideal process should look like. Often, business owners don’t realize they lack one until they start talking about it. She helps them design experiences for both clients and employees—from onboarding to everyday operations—to make interactions seamless, enjoyable, and consistent.

She also shared how she helps pet business owners transform their existing manuals into living, breathing systems by adding assessments, safety protocols, and visual resources. Each business has a “secret sauce,” and strategy brings that to life.

Bella shared how, during a mastermind session, they reviewed ten companies’ client signup processes on Zoom. Despite using the same software, some made signups effortless while others made it frustrating. The experience was eye-opening—proving that even when tools are the same, processes determine customer experience.

Liz agreed, explaining that internal systems are just as important as client-facing ones. Disorganized internal operations lead to frustration, high turnover, and burnout. A good system makes employees feel supported, confident, and independent. When staff can easily find answers, retention improves.

She then talked about bringing processes to life. It starts with onboarding. New hires should be guided through an outline of what to learn, not overwhelmed with a massive handbook. Learning should be interactive, reinforced with ongoing monthly training. She compared it to how we consistently engage our clients—why not engage our teams the same way?

We also talked about writing style. Liz explained the importance of technical writing—clear, concise, and action-oriented. Processes should eliminate “word vomit” and emotional commentary. They should be short, specific, and easy to follow. For example, when writing a process for lockboxes, include images, links, and a one-sentence explanation for each step. Employees should be able to follow it without confusion.

She reminded listeners that technical writing avoids personal “why” statements or unnecessary flair. Keep it factual and professional—this is not a blog. Anyone should be able to pick up the document and execute tasks accurately, even if the owner disappeared tomorrow.

Processes are “living documents.” Businesses evolve, and systems must evolve with them. At least once a year, business owners should review and test their processes to ensure they still work. Updates should maintain consistent tone and clarity across all documents.

Bella shared how, when she was in the NICU for six months with her daughter, her company ran smoothly because she had everything written out step-by-step. Liz agreed, saying that documentation ensures survival—whether for vacations, emergencies, or scaling operations.

Liz explained that many pet business owners hire her to help with this because she brings structure, technical expertise, and an outside perspective. Her process starts with a kickoff call where clients share their current materials. In just two to three hours, she gathers everything she needs, then creates a complete outline and strategy. Within two weeks, she delivers the first draft. Together, they refine it until it fully reflects the client’s voice, systems, and brand.

She also creates infographics and diagrams to make workflows visually memorable. These materials build confidence for training new hires and standardizing operations. Business owners present them proudly to their teams, knowing they now have clear, professional systems that empower others to succeed.

Finally, Liz shared her free download—a brain dump exercise that helps business owners identify every “hat” they wear. The list includes accounting, client onboarding, staff coverage, marketing, content creation, culture, cleaning, and dozens more. Once identified, each area can become its own documented process or delegated system.

To connect with Liz, visit LizIllig.com or follow her on Instagram @LizIllig. She offers 30-minute discovery calls to brainstorm ideas and build strategies tailored to each business’s unique goals and structure.

Bella wrapped up by emphasizing that no two pet businesses are the same. While they share common goals, their experiences, operations, and values are unique. That’s why customized systems—like those Liz creates—are essential.

This has been another episode of Bella in Your Business. Please don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tag us online with your biggest takeaways. And remember—when life gets you down, always keep jumping.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

Do you think it's impossible to maintain self-care for pet sitters over the Holidays?

Tis' the season for a booming business, kids asking when Santa will come multiple times a day, family festivities and holiday cheer. Yet, you're stuck worrying about your business, keeping your head above the water and possibly planning for 2020.

Don't let being an entrepreneur ruin your holiday spirit, instead tune in as I hand out some advice on how to maintain self-care for pet sitters over the Holidays!

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want To Miss

As pet sitters, self-care is something that needs to be taken more seriously. The Holiday's are full of hustle and bustle but it's imperial that you remember you are the most important person in your business.

Treat yourself as such.

The best thing you can do is allow yourself time to relax and properly schedule block in your calendar events/times that you want to focus on self-care.

Whether that's

Reading a book

Decorating the house

Spending time with friends/family

Getting a massage

Whatever it may be, make yourself a priority this holiday season.

Show Highlights

Time for Family [1:00]

Time for Yourself [5:15]

Plan Ahead on Gifts [9:20]

Decorate Your House [15:10]

Remember Why You're in Business [16:25]

Links

Client gift ideas 

Staff gift ideas 

Where to get beautifully handwritten cards 

Hiring Tips for Finding Staff During the Holidays

Interested in where I get my shipping bags? Click the image below!

Let's Connect!

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’'

Transcript:

This is episode 174 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business.

So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. It's December, and my goodness, the business is popping. Your kids are excited and asking every single day, “Where is Santa Claus?” And you, my friend, are just fretting over keeping your business alive, figuring out what you should be doing for 2020—if you're even thinking that far—and just trying to keep your head above water so that you don't drown.

What's going on, everybody? This is Bella Vasta, and today I'm going to talk to you all about your self-care for the holidays. I really hope to plant a few seeds in your brain and give you permission that it is okay to care about yourself. After all, many of you listeners are caretakers at heart, which is why we are in the field we are, but oftentimes we forget about ourselves. So today we're going to talk about taking time for your family, taking time for yourself, thinking ahead about gifts for everyone, decorating your house, and remembering that the reason you're in business is so that you do have this freedom.

Let’s first talk about carving out time for your family. Maybe you want to carve out an hour for holiday activities once a week or look ahead on the calendar. Something I recently downloaded that I really love is called Facebook Local. It's a separate app that's basically the whole events section of Facebook. If you're like me, you always find out about events the day of, an hour before, or right after they happen. You see your friends posting about them and think, “My gosh, I am not that Pinterest mom or that crafty mom that plans ahead.” Whether or not you have kids, it's rare we actually look ahead for events and things that are coming up.

My best tip is to download Facebook Local and look around at events in your area, then put them on your calendar. It doesn’t mean you have to go, but at least it’s in the back of your mind. When you open your calendar at the beginning of the week, you’ll remember, “Yeah, there was that Santa trap I really wanted to go on.” Another thing is to carve out a few dinners a week. If you have a family, do it with them. If you don’t, call up friends or relatives you haven’t seen for a while and say, “Hey, I know it's busy, but I really value our relationship. Want to grab dinner, lunch, or coffee on this day?” Making the effort goes a long way for relationship-building.

If you have a spouse or significant other, plan date nights too. It doesn’t have to be fancy. One of my coaches, Trevinia Barber, shared that she and her husband would just go to the Hallmark store and read cards to each other—it was their bonding activity, simple and fun. You could also go for a stroll to see Christmas lights or go sledding if it snows where you are. Even in Arizona, where I live, you can drive a couple of hours north to find snow and go sledding—it’s worth the memories.

Another great idea is baking cookies. Whether you’re good or bad at it, the process is festive and fun. Turn on holiday music and go for it. If you’re not a baker, go to YouTube and find a two-minute video tutorial—it’s easy! And if you’re on a diet, you can always package the cookies in tins from the dollar store and give them to clients or neighbors. You can spread joy and make memories.

Now, let’s talk about taking time for yourself. I want to give you permission to spend time and money on yourself this month. No one else is going to take care of you except you. The holidays are also one of the toughest times of year for many people. It’s when more people experience loneliness or depression. If you’re feeling that way, please don’t go through it alone. Email me at [email protected], message me, or call me. Please know that you are not alone. Remember, social media only shows the best posed moment of someone’s day—it’s not real life.

Take care of yourself by getting a massage. If you’re uncomfortable with a full-body massage, try reflexology. It’s a relaxing hand and foot massage that’s affordable and doesn’t require you to disrobe. If you have a little downtime between clients or a canceled appointment, Google “reflexology near me” and treat yourself. If you do, take a selfie and tag me—I’d love to see it!

Another idea is to read a book or feed your mind. I personally prefer audiobooks on Audible because I can listen while cooking, driving, or waiting for my daughter after school. Find a way to pour into yourself and learn something new. Or grab a Groupon for an activity you wouldn’t normally try—something new and fun.

Next, think ahead about gifts. My mother used to keep a shelf in her closet for gifts she’d find throughout the year—something on clearance she’d buy and stash for Christmas. You can do the same. For your clients or friends, plan early so it doesn’t become stressful. Make a list of who you want to give gifts to—personal and business. It doesn’t have to be expensive; even small, thoughtful gestures can make someone’s day.

There’s a website called Punk Post that creates beautiful handwritten cards for just a few dollars. You pick the message and the card style, and they handle the rest—it’s such a cool, personal touch. Or check Etsy for personalized ornaments or gifts you can have made and mailed directly to clients or loved ones.

Batch your efforts—buy or make multiple items at once. When I had Bella’s House & Pet Sitting, I loved going to HomeGoods and grabbing pet toys and treats under $5.99. I’d stock up, then divide them among clients for the holidays. It made gift-giving easy and affordable. If you’re mailing gifts, grab resealable poly mailer bags from Amazon—they’re cheap and make shipping fast and simple.

Now, let’s talk about decorating your house. It’s never too early! I’m recording this November 20th, and my Christmas tree is already up. Plan time off. Plan your traditions. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Treat holiday time like an appointment with your most important client—yourself.

Put the “big rocks” in first. Imagine filling a jar—you put in golf balls first (the big priorities), then smaller marbles, then sand. The big rocks—your family, your health, your rest—must come first. Everything else will fill in around them.

We all have business goals, family responsibilities, and personal challenges. But in the middle of the holidays, it can feel like too much. You may want to hide until it’s over. But I encourage you to take a deep breath, put on some music that makes you happy, and remember—you have this business because you wanted freedom. Don’t let your business run you. Take that freedom; it’s yours for the taking.

This has been another episode of Bella in Your Business, hopefully in your head and heart today too. I’d love to hear your feedback—email me at [email protected] and tell me what resonated or what you’ll take action on. I love knowing how these episodes impact you. Right now, I’m sitting alone in my office, talking into a microphone, hoping I’m making a difference.

Remember—when life gets you down, always keep jumping, and don’t forget to subscribe. Bye now.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

One of the best ways to gain exposure to your pet sitting or dog walking company is to host or participate in a holiday pet event. But oftentimes we have no idea what to do, where to do it, or just feel like it takes way too much energy.

When I used to have my company, Bella's House & Pet Sitting for 14 years, I would participate and host many events.

These events gave me an opportunity to get my name out to the community and a good excuse to walk up to people and talk about my company in a way that didn't seem sleazy.

Through a lot of trial and error, my events became very successful.

With a little bit of my magic, I'm going to show you how hosting a holiday pet event can be successful in your hometown area too.

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want to Miss

Hosting a holiday pet event doesn't have to be overwhelming! With my list of holiday pet events you can copy, you too can host an event with all sorts of:

Prizes

Giveaways

Photographer

Alcohol sponsors

Rescue groups getting piles of money

Signs prominently hung outside of businesses with your logo on them.

The Holiday season is the perfect time to host events and spread awareness of your company.

Show Highlights

Yappy Hour/ Mutt and Mingle [2:03]

Dog Walking Club [3:10]

A Dog Hiking Club [4:48]

Dog Park Date [5:40]

Santa Paws [7:14]

The main purpose of the events [8:26]

How to have a howling event in your town [9:13]

Links

How to Have a Howling Event in Your Community 

Freebie! Attract Your Ideal Clients Through Their Own Yard Sale  

Let's Connect!

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’'

Transcript:

This is episode 173 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business.

So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. It's the holiday season and I'm trying something new with the podcast today. I hope that my audio mix actually works here, but gets you into that jingle jangle. Today we are actually talking all about holiday pet events that you can copy in your own town or city. One of the best ways to gain exposure in your pet sitting or dog walking company is to host or participate in a holiday pet event. But oftentimes, we have no idea what to do, where to do it, or just feel like it takes too much energy.

When I used to have my company, Bella's House and Pet Sitting, for 14 years, I would participate in and host many events—so many that it became kind of automatic for me. I wanted to share a lot of that with you today, at least the ideas for it. These events became known in the community and offered me a lot of exposure and reason to just walk up to people and talk to them about my company in a very non-sleazy way. These events were successful and, through lots of trial and error, I got them running very smoothly. We had all sorts of prizes, giveaways, and even a celebrity photographer at one of the events taking pictures of people and their pets. It was Joe Lance from one of the seasons of America's Next Top Model. It was all the rage and really cool.

We also had alcohol sponsors, rescue groups getting piles of money from us, and signs prominently hung outside of businesses with my logo advertising the events. The holidays are the ideal opportunity to host events, and I'm going to show you some of the magic you can create in your hometown. The five holiday pet events I'm going to talk about today are Yappy Hour, Mutt and Mingle, Dog Walking Club, Dog Hiking Club, and Santa Paws.

The Yappy Hour or Mutt and Mingle hosts the happiest of happy hours. It’s a lot of fun to go to a local bar with your dog—especially during the holidays when everything’s decorated and everyone’s jolly. It can be indoor or outdoor and it’s a great way to get your community together with their pups and strike up a conversation about your business. All you have to do is find a local bar or venue to host the event, get a liquor sponsor through the venue, designate a photographer, decorate for it, and chat with all the attendees. You can add cute decorations like dog treats in shot glasses and host a raffle or giveaway.

Next is a Dog Walking Club. This doesn’t have to be just a holiday pet event—it can be a year-round, once-a-month event. Humans and their dogs walk all together in a pack, creating a community where you can get your brand out there to relevant people. It’s typically a one- or two-mile loop that works best in subdivisions or apartment complexes—anywhere you can walk in a big circle. You may even be able to do a loop where you pick up and drop off people along the way.

The biggest advantage to this is the advertising that comes with it at each apartment complex that agrees to participate. If you have five apartment complexes, you can schedule stops every ten minutes or so—picking up more people at each one. By the end, you’ve created a moving community event that brings visibility and connection. I also like including coffee at the end of it. Set up a little coffee station or gathering space—it helps people mingle and creates more opportunities for connection.

Another idea is a Dog Hiking Club. If you’re more of an off-the-beaten-path kind of person, this might be a better fit for your community than a typical neighborhood walk. This works great in rural areas where hiking trails are accessible. Find trails that are suited for large packs and dogs of all breeds and ages. If you’ve taken my advice in the past and created a blog with the best dog walking trails in your area, start there. You could even reach out to existing hiking clubs to partner for an event with a twist—dogs!

You could also plan a Dog Park Date. Create a holiday pet event within your community and invite your clients to the dog park. Some dog parks are great; others not so much, so use your discretion. Get creative with the event—host a raffle, a flyball contest, or, if it’s winter, a snowball-catching contest or a “find the treat” game where treats are hidden in the snow. This event is perfect to meet new people and to reach pet owners who are already at the park. It allows you to create a memorable, happy experience that people will associate with your brand.

Another idea is Santa Paws. As we come into the Christmas season, taking pictures with Santa is something almost everyone loves, no matter what they celebrate. You could even create a Hanukkah-themed setup. By hosting this event, you can partner with a local pet store, have a trainer dress as Santa, and hire a photographer or do it yourself. Order backdrops on Amazon—they’re under $50—and make the pictures available on your Facebook page to drive engagement. Invite everyone, with or without pets, and plaster your flyers everywhere. You might even get featured in the local paper or magazine.

The main idea of these pet events is to bring more exposure to your brand. Not everyone will be ready to buy your services immediately, but getting to know you and what you stand for will make your business memorable when they do need your services—or when their friends do. Remember, these events aren’t about how many people show up; the real value comes from all the promotion leading up to it. Flyers, social posts, and partnerships all spread your name throughout the community in a fun, positive way.

If you’re looking for more step-by-step guidance, I actually have an entire class called How to Have a Howling Event. This course teaches you everything from A to Z—how to make flyers, what to say to people, how to get partnerships and free stuff for your events. You can find it at jumpconsulting.net under “Store” or in the podcast notes for this episode.

So go on out there, spread some holiday cheer in your community, and don’t be afraid to host some pet events. They don’t have to be massive—they can be small, intimate gatherings. Remember, the real return on your investment is all the promotion and goodwill you generate. Happy holidays!

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

The idea of being human is so obscure when you think of it. Obviously we are all human. However, nowadays it's becoming more and more necessary to prove that you are human. Especially when it comes to the internet and consistent technological advances.

How do we remain human in a fast-paced technological world? 

The answer isn't as simple as we would think. Remaining human has a lot to do with identifying who we are, what we represent and what we want our clients to see. Then, it's about transferring that human quality not only in face to face contact but through our social media as well.

Thankfully, Bryan Kramer, the founder of the H2H movement as well as Keynote Speaker, TED Talk Speaker,  Coach, and CEO of H2H Companies, a Business Performance Coaching Company, came on the show to teach us more about human to human interactions and how you can build trust in your business on social media. 

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want to Miss

What makes us uniquely human is the way we talk and interact with others. Living in the land of automation has left us with the necessity of differentiating ourselves from online robots and the way to do that is to sound more human. Remaining human is going to be the key factor in building trust in your business!

How do we remain human? How do we make sure we aren't taking all of the new apps and programs too far?

Your Purpose. 

Your purpose is made up of an equal balance of your inspiration, your vision, and your innovation.

Make sure to prove you're not a robot and listen in to this week's podcast with Bryan!

Show Highlights

What is H2H? [0:52]

How to figure out who we are as a human [3:30]

Our why and our purpose [5:05]

How do we remain human in a fast-paced technological world? [7:42]

The different ways we share in person vs. social media [11:02]

How can we find out what traits we innately have? [12:34]

6 categories of sharers [13:41]

Body language and first impressions [17:25]

What does an agreement look like? [21:35]

How do we get away from not delegating and trusting? [25:16]

Links

Find out what category of sharer you are!

Join the H2H group

Check out Bryan at SMWL19

Want free coaching with Bryan?

Share the Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 172 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business.

So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I've got a treat for you. Brian Kramer is with me, and you guys may not know him, but I know that you're going to be a follower and a fan in his groups probably by the end of this episode. I first met Brian about a year ago, and he was the nicest, most approachable guy—rightfully so because he actually started the H2H movement.

What is that? Human to Human. He's also a keynote and TED Talk speaker, coach, and CEO of H2H Companies, a business performance coaching company. Brian, welcome to the show. Wow, that was quite the intro. Thank you. You're welcome—you deserve it! So what is H2H all about? Let’s start from scratch for our listeners who might be used to hearing B2C or B2B.

We used to look at different ways of talking with our customers—business-to-business usually being professional services or higher-end companies, versus business-to-consumer or consumer-to-consumer products. However, at the end of the day, we’re all talking to the same people. We all buy in the same way, have the same emotions, and are moved by the same things. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling—it’s how we feel. The more human we are, the more likely we are to trust each other.

When I first presented this idea, social media was just beginning. Now we’re on the cusp of AI, machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, and more. When I started, it was revolutionary that anyone could access the customer directly. Now it’s table stakes. So today, the real challenge is: how do we tell the humans from the automation?

Bella explained that when she saw Brian speak at Social Media Week Lima, he did something risky—he ditched the slides and called up two people from the audience for a live exercise. What developed was a deeply personal, emotional interaction that moved everyone in the room. Brian shared that the goal was to help participants find their “why”—their purpose. When we find what truly sparks joy in us, everything else becomes easier. Not easy, but easier. Instead of staring at the mountain ahead, we start building it one Lego block at a time.

In that exercise, Brian helped the participants discover their purpose live on stage by listening deeply and guiding them inward. One woman, Sarah, initially gave answers centered around others—her daughter, her circumstances—but he gently turned her focus inward. Bella noted how relevant that is for pet sitters and dog walkers, who often give so much of themselves in caretaking roles.

Brian explained that understanding ourselves first helps us stay human in a fast-paced, tech-driven world. With AI, automation, and endless tools, it’s easy to lose the human touch. The key, he said, is to balance inspiration, vision, and innovation. Too often, people focus only on innovation—the latest tools—without the other two. When you bring all three together, your purpose aligns naturally.

Remaining human in a technological world means constantly inspiring with vision. If you only focus on tools, you’ll burn out or lose your audience. That’s especially clear on social media—people who share only curated or repetitive posts end up blending into the background.

As humans, we’re multi-dimensional—we share happiness, sadness, joy, surprise, anger. But online, we often show only one side. To be more authentic, Brian recommends applying the “rule of thirds”: one-third personal, one-third about others, and one-third tips or news. This mirrors how we share in real life and makes our content feel more natural.

He also talked about six types of “sharers” based on a New York Times study:

The Altruist – shares from the heart.

The Early Adopter – loves to learn first and share quickly.

The Connector – brings people together.

The Careerist – shares thought leadership.

The Boomerang – asks questions and engages.

The Selective – shares privately (often introverts).

When you understand which type of sharer someone is, you can assign tasks or roles that align with their strengths. He offers a quick personal brand quiz at briankramer.com/personal-brand-quiz that identifies your type—it only takes about 30 seconds. Bella noted that this would be a fun and useful exercise for teams to better understand each other.

They then discussed body language and trust in sales—particularly for pet professionals meeting clients face-to-face for the first time. Brian emphasized intimacy—Into Me You See. Many people lead with professionalism and structure, but true connection requires emotional presence. In the pet industry, clients are handing over their “family members,” so creating that intimacy is essential.

To build trust, Brian advised asking open-ended questions before talking too much. Understand the pet’s needs deeply before offering services. This shifts the interaction from selling to serving. He introduced the concept of “agreements” rather than “expectations.” An agreement involves mutual understanding—both sides consent to it. Expectations are one-sided. Agreements can cover practical details (like feeding times or communication frequency) but also the how of communication. This keeps relationships strong over time and prevents assumptions.

Bella pointed out how this ties back to being human—teaching staff not to sound robotic, but to engage empathetically. Brian agreed and suggested practicing “agreements” during staff meetings. Have team members pair up, make small agreements, then discuss the experience as a group. The learning, he said, is in the debrief—sharing what worked and what didn’t.

He closed by reminding business owners that delegation starts with self-trust. When you practice open communication and agreements within your team, trust naturally grows.

To connect with Brian, visit briankramer.com or join his Facebook group at h2hhub.com. It’s a vibrant community focused on leadership, marketing, and human connection.

Bella wrapped up by encouraging listeners to join the group and continue the conversation. If you loved this episode, share it or leave a five-star review. And remember, when life gets you down—always keep jumping.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

Its that time of the year again! When September/October hit and everything turns into all holidays, all the time. The time when every store is confused about what to celebrate first with multiple isles of Halloween, Thanksgiving and the MASSIVE Christmas section.

I think we can all admit that September through December, Holiday preparation takes over.

What's wrong with that, right? The holiday season is loved by so many! But not everyone has to deal with the stress of trying to hire during the Holidays. We get burnt out trying to find staff during the holidays because people are either only seasonal or not applying at all! Then we get burnt out and it results in an altogether disappointing feeling.

Take back your Holiday season!

Dive in with me as I discuss tips and mindset shifts that we all need in order to take over hiring during the Holiday season.

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want To Miss

Finding staff during the Holidays can and needs to be taken advantage of! What you need to do is first, check your mindset, make sure you're going in with a positive, go-getter mentality. Second, streamline your process now! Don't wait until you're in extreme need of staff. You need to set up a process now, create a fast system, delegate the hiring tasks, and find your ideal Holiday candidate.

You can take back your Holiday!

Show Highlights

Embrace hiring in the Holidays [2:07]

Streamline your process [3:06]

Create a fast system [5:52]

Delegate [6:25]

Find your ideal candidate [7:44]

Should you hire for long term or seasonal? [11:30]

Links

Get started with JazzHR

Join the Jump Mastermind

Share the Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 171 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business.

So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today we're going to talk about something that not a lot of people like to talk about—and that is hiring tips during the holidays. Yes, yes, yes, the holidays are upon us. It is about the beginning of November as this podcast episode is coming out. Things have been jingling and jangling in Costco, in the supermarkets, in the malls, and everything already. The Hallmark Channel is coming out with 60 days of awesome shows. If you're like me and you like those sappy love stories, yay, finally! But one thing that we don't like during the holidays is hiring, right? We get really burnt out. We really hate all the hiring that we're doing. And it's really disappointing because what happens is that people are either in it for the seasonal work or they don't apply at all. And here we are, busy pet sitters and dog walkers trying to figure out what the heck to do because we need people to work for us. Am I right or am I right?

Okay, so today I'm going to give you some awesome tips and mindset shifts that you can actually get going so that you don't have to burn yourself out and hate the holidays because we can take advantage of this. Seasonal people are really great for pet sitting and boarding because they're always home on the busy days. Now, I remember when I used to have my pet sitting company of 14 years, Bella’s House & Pet Sitting, I always loved hiring during the holiday season because the people that I hired for the holiday season were there for pet sitting and they were only there for that time when we had this major influx. And when you have this major influx and you need people to help come on board, they're there during the holidays, during the three-day weekends, during spring break, during school vacations—so it actually works out great.

I want you to try to embrace the fact that the people that you can hire during those times are actually really good. Now, the caveat is if you're actually a dog walking company, because if you're a dog walking company, it's not going to work as well because your dog walking probably drops off during this time since a lot more people are staying home from work. But if you're a pet sitting company, go ahead and embrace the fact that people are looking for seasonal help because chances are if you're like just about everyone in the United States, your January numbers kind of start dropping. And that's pretty typical in our industry.

If you're new to the industry, know that your pet sitting business will typically drop in numbers in January and February, which is actually perfect timing to be working in the Mastermind with me on your goals—because that's what we talk about in January. Side note: this whole month in November, we're actually talking about hiring. Funny enough that we're talking about hiring on the podcast, right?

So I want you also to think about the fact that everybody is busy. You included—you’re busy. The people that you're trying to hire are going to be busy. So I highly recommend that you check out one of my partners, JazzHR. There's going to be a link in the bottom of the show notes here for you. All you’ve got to do is go back to the podcast episode or just ping me anywhere online and I will get it to you. With my recommendation, you actually get $100 off, which is totally bomb.com, if I may say so myself.

All right, so the thing about JazzHR is that it moves the process along really fast. I was just talking to someone on a coaching call today and they told me that their hiring process actually takes two to three weeks. You guys, that ain't gonna cut it because what happens is people lose momentum. They lose the excitement for it. We need to move them through that in four or five days and get them to go through three to five different phases of that hiring process. It is like dating. It is not just about you wanting to marry them—they also need to marry you. So I want you to think about what both of you are getting from each side of the equation. And JazzHR can really help you streamline that workflow.

Now, the ninja tip for this JazzHR thing—I actually want to read it to you from one of my Mastermind members. A brand-new feature came out with JazzHR recently, and that's texting. Now, you might say, “Bella, I can totally text from my own phone,” but honestly, who wants the creepos—the creepy people—actually texting your phone after you've rejected them? Probably not. So we’ve got to think ahead about safety and stuff. And so what JazzHR does is, for $29 extra a month, they actually allow you to text the applicant. Now, you might think this is dumb and they’re just trying to get extra money, but honestly, some of my people have tested it out, and here’s what they found out.

One sitter said, “I’ve been using the text option for a month and a half. It really does help with the drop-off of applications. Turns out that sometimes the surveys end up in spam or they have questions about entering their social security number. If I don't receive a response in 24 hours, I shoot them a text message making sure they've received everything I sent.” She said she would rate this a must-have for the industry where you need to get someone in place within the next two weeks. It’s only $29 a month to text 50 applicants—like heck yeah!

So you guys, I love how this sitter actually went out and tested it. And true to what JazzHR has been saying, most blue-collar jobs see a very high rate of increase when hiring through text communication. So since we’re talking about hiring tips during the holidays and you’re busy and your applicants are busy, that text message ninja tip might really help. So take a look at it. If you’re a JazzHR customer and you have no idea what I’m talking about, go ahead and reach out to me and let’s have a conversation.

So you also don’t have any extra time, so you have to make sure that your process is written out and mathematically gradable. I was talking about this on my coaching call today too. This person was looking to scale their business and they’re already at a quarter million dollars a year. What happens, though, is people end up plateauing out. When they plateau, they stall—they can’t keep growing. And most of the time it’s because they’re too involved in their company.

So in order to fix this—and JazzHR is the backbone for it, though you could manually do all of it (but I don’t recommend it)—you make those hiring processes happen in phases. Phase one, two, three, four, five. In phase one, all you’re doing is looking for someone whose character or personality would fit your company culture. At the end of the day, we are pet sitters and dog walkers. You can teach anybody to do this, but you cannot teach them how to have a good attitude. So I always say, “Hire for attitude, train for skill.”

Keep that in mind, okay? So while you’re going through all of these different questions and phases, it’s important to have a number system. This will help you save time during the holidays. If you answer five questions for me and I grade them on a scale of one to five, I can just add it up and then either move you to the next phase or not, based on the score I’ve already determined. You can also have other people on your team push applicants through phases and grade them so you, the business owner, don’t even have to get involved until the very end.

The other tip I have for you is to go where your avatar hangs out. If your avatar is hanging out at pet holiday parties,...

A lot of growing up has revolved around knowing your worth and the value of yourself. But, what about knowing the worth of your business? Or how the way you perceive your worth and value affects the way your potential clients see your business?

Many times, we don't recognize how smart we are and therefore, we are not charging what we are worth. 

Knowing your worth and the value of your services directly impacts how potential clients see your business in a HUGE way. How do you begin to understand the worth of yourself and your business?

This week, I had the opportunity to speak with Angus Nelson, the Director of Development for Golden Spiral Marketing, as well as, the host of the "Up In Your Business" podcast and has spoken for brands like Walmart, Whole Foods, BMW, Coke, & Adobe. Angus dove deep into what makes up your worth as a business and how you can continue to grow and expand that worth. 

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want to Miss

It's so easy to not charge what you're worth and that's simply because sometimes it hard to identify the complexities we feel within ourselves. If we have negative thoughts regarding the business or our own capabilities in succeeding and growing the business, it is so easy for the potential clients to see that. At that point, we are giving them the arsenal they need to reject us. 

To know your worth, it's best broken down as an acronym.

W- Who is your ideal client?

O- What Opportunities are you presenting?

R- What is your Relationship with clients?

T- How are you Thinking in regards to the business?

H- Where is your Heart?

Show Highlights

What is a statement of worth all about? [2:20]

Real world example of the effects of how you value your business [5:30]

Brand phrasing and the relationship it develops with a client [9:35]

What happens if we don't reject clients that don't see our worth? [11:27]

How to provide amazing customer service [14:40]

The importance of consistency in your business [17:57]

How your uniqueness sets you apart [20:19]

Your Thinking [24:10]

How to achieve self development as an entrepreneur [27:50]

Links

Angus's Freebie

Jump Consulting Mastermind

Snap Chat glasses

Share the Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 170 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business.

So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I've got Angus Nelson for you. Angus is the Director of Development for Golden Spiral Marketing, helping business-to-business tech companies own their market. He's also the host of Up in Your Business—I love that name because it’s close to mine—and has spoken for brands like Walmart, Whole Foods, BMW, Coke, and Adobe. Angus is kind of the real deal. On a personal note, I met Angus a little over a year ago at Social Media Week Lima, Ohio, and was blown away by his presentation. He takes you to church. He had the entire room hooting and hollering—it was an experience. I love when speakers leave the room with a heart change, and he was so knowledgeable. I also got to meet his daughter at Social Media Marketing World, and he’s just someone you want to start following because he’s got lots of awesome truth. Without further ado, Angus, welcome to the show.

Angus explained that the premise of worth is understanding that our entire world is based on an exchange of value. From the earliest barter systems of chickens and goats to today’s cryptocurrency, everything has an assigned worth—even if we can’t touch or see it. In business, our services and products have value to people, but we must first deliver that value properly. Many times, we don’t charge what we’re worth because internally, we hold limiting beliefs about our value. Those limiting beliefs often show up in our marketing—they’re projected into the copy, tone, and overall message, unconsciously giving customers excuses not to engage with us.

Angus gave a vivid metaphor: if a brain surgeon offered to operate on you for $62 because it would take 62 minutes, you’d laugh. You’re not paying for time—you’re paying for expertise, years of study, and the value of that knowledge. The same principle applies to pet sitters and dog walkers. You’re not just spending 20 minutes with a pet; you’re bringing expertise, care, and trust. You know how to engage with animals, how to treat them with love and respect, and you’ve invested time and resources to gain that knowledge. You’re not charging for what you do—you’re charging for what you know.

He explained that when business owners don’t recognize their own worth, they project that lack of confidence into their copy. Instead of leading with “I’ll come for 20 minutes for $20,” lead with empathy and understanding of the customer’s pain points. Speak to their fears—what keeps them up at night. Have they worried about their pet’s safety? Have they had bad experiences before? By voicing those concerns, you’re creating emotional resonance and establishing trust. You’re inviting them to say, “That’s me,” and to choose peace of mind over bargain pricing.

He also shared the acronym WORTH:

W – Who is your ideal client? You have to be willing to say no to clients who don’t align with your value. If they’re haggling or trying to lowball you, they’re not your client.

O – Opportunity. What opportunity are you presenting to your customers? You’re offering your knowledge, your reliability, your professionalism, and your care.

R – Relationship. Build trust and connection through consistent engagement—email updates, helpful tips, and personal touches. Customer service is your greatest marketing tool.

T – Thinking. Get rid of limiting beliefs that hold you back. Recognize that you are amazing, capable, and deserving of success. You project who you are to your market.

H – Heart. Love what you do, love your customers, and love their pets. The more you care about them, the more they’ll care about you.

They discussed how customer experience backs up premium pricing. Delivering great service means creating memorable experiences—from small gestures like handwritten thank-you notes and dog treats to consistent communication through email or text. Regular updates like “Wag Wednesday Tips” or “Pawsitive Moments” show consistency and build trust. Consistency signals reliability, and reliability creates loyalty.

Angus emphasized that customer service becomes your most powerful marketing. Take photos and videos during walks, show your genuine engagement, and use those visuals to tell your brand story. Use customer testimonials and, importantly, use their words in your marketing copy. The language your happy clients use to describe your service is gold—it connects emotionally with new customers.

He also encouraged business owners to stop comparing themselves to others. Each person has a unique energy, humor, and style that no one else can replicate. Ask trusted friends or clients what makes you stand out, then lean into that. Capture your unique voice and translate it into your brand and marketing.

They also discussed mindset and personal development. Being an entrepreneur can be isolating, so Angus encouraged finding mentors, coaches, and communities for accountability and growth. Everyone needs connection and accountability to move forward. Mentors can help you see past your blind spots and push you to level up. Surround yourself with people who challenge and inspire you—not those who make you feel small. “If you hang around chickens, you’ll be a chicken. If you want to be an eagle, hang out with eagles,” he said.

He reminded listeners that in storytelling, you’re not the hero—your client is. You’re the guide, like Yoda to their Luke Skywalker. Your role is to help them succeed, to make their life easier and their pet safer. That’s what true service looks like.

Finally, Angus shared a resource for listeners. You can visit goldenspiralmarketing.com/bella to download a detailed competitive analysis worksheet. It helps you study your competitors’ messaging, social presence, and positioning so you can find how to stand out. It’s in-depth and perfect for business owners ready to refine their brand strategy.

Bella closed by thanking Angus for his wisdom and energy, encouraging listeners to join the Jump Consulting Mastermind for accountability and support. She reminded everyone that when life gets you down—always keep jumping.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

Since marketing was invented, the need for graphic design has been ever-growing. However, graphics aren't used to simply sell your business like they've been used in the past, instead, they represent your business.

Graphics are the foundation of your brand.

They not only represent how you present your company but also whether or not potential clients feel a connection with your company, whether your company can be taken seriously to not only clients but possible employees.

Today, I partnered up with Annette Mcdonald, the founder of Easil, an online DIY Graphic Design solution for brands and teams, as well as, MD of Copirite, a leading design, print & digital agency located on the Gold Coast, to teach you a little on how DIYing bad graphics could hurt your pet sitting brand. 

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want to Miss

Today's DIY graphic design programs have us feeling like graphic designers in training, but oftentimes we mess it up. Without the right knowledge, there's no way for us to definitively know what makes a good design good or a bad design bad. Sometime's we can be thinking it looks perfect while it may not actually be representing our business the way we want it to.

To best grow and represent your business, it's important to have graphics that are clear, concise and consistent.

Tune in while I dive into Annette's twenty years of experience to bring you tips and tricks on making your designs stand out!

Show Highlights

What the quality of design says about your pet sitting brand [1:36]

Brand Style Guide and Voice Style Guide [2:30]

Evoking emotions in your design [5:15]

How DIYing bad graphics could hurt your pet sitting brand[8:12]

Using design to make a positive impact [11:30]

7 Deadly DIY Design Sins [15:15]

How design is different from print to digital [21:48]

Links

Read the blog

7 Deadly DIY Design Sins

Better Marketing with Bella

Share the Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 169 of Bella in Your Business. Does creating graphics and videos for your business just make you want to bang your head against the wall? Or maybe you actually really like doing it, but by the end of the day you have no more creative juices in your brain or just seem to always be running out of time. Well, I've got a solution for you today. For a select few of my clients, every month I give them Instagram story graphics that come with captions, square videos to post on their social media, cover videos for their Facebook pages, video outlines so they know what to say or what to write in a blog, two emails to send to their clients, a content calendar showing them exactly when to post it all, and group and private coaching sessions. This program is called Better Marketing with Bella and has been proven to help so many pet businesses. Fill out an application at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. That’s jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. Hope to see you there.

Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump!

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I've got a special guest for you. Her name is Annette McDonald and she is the founder of Easil, an online DIY graphic design solution for brands and teams, and a leading design, print, and digital agency located on the Gold Coast in Australia. She has over 20 years of proven experience in the advertising, graphic, and print industry.

Annette shared that each design element—whether print, web, or social media—adds layers to a business’s image and builds trust step by step. While the tone may differ slightly across platforms, consistency is key. A business should use a brand style guide and voice guide to ensure that fonts, colors, imagery, and tone remain cohesive. A brand style guide contains visual assets—colors (three to six), two to three fonts, imagery, and logo variations—along with instructions for placement and usage. A voice guide, on the other hand, defines the brand’s personality and writing tone so that anyone communicating on behalf of the business sounds consistent.

Bella pointed out how specific shades and tones matter for maintaining brand uniformity, and Annette agreed, emphasizing how little details make a big difference. Together they discussed how a consistent visual and verbal identity makes customers feel connected to and confident in a brand.

When asked about emotion in design, Annette explained that emotional connection has become essential. For pet industry businesses, designs should convey care and compassion because customers are entrusting something close to their hearts. A professional yet warm tone communicates trust and peace of mind. Bella noted that even unrelated industries use pets in their marketing because animals naturally evoke emotion, to which Annette agreed, adding that pet imagery is universally engaging and builds immediate rapport with audiences.

They then discussed the pitfalls of poor design. Annette shared that cluttered, unbalanced graphics can cheapen a company’s image. In design, less is more. Clients often want to cram too much into one graphic, but that overwhelms viewers. A good design conveys one clear message and evokes a feeling. Additional details can be expressed in captions or follow-up content. Clutter—whether in a workspace or a graphic—creates discomfort, while simplicity invites engagement. Bella noted that Facebook’s 20% text rule for ads reinforces this concept.

Design consistency across multiple touchpoints—website, print, and social media—builds brand recognition and trust. Annette explained that iconic brands like Apple succeed because their simplicity is intentional and professionally crafted. Simple, well-designed visuals convey clarity and confidence, while cluttered or inconsistent ones cause confusion.

They discussed how to make a lasting impression through thoughtful design. Every customer interaction—website visit, social post, or printed brochure—should leave the person feeling exactly how you intend. Write down the emotions you want your brand to evoke, review your materials regularly, and ensure those feelings come through clearly.

Bella asked what makes a good design, and Annette introduced her concept of “The Seven Deadly DIY Sins”:

Font Envy – Don’t copy fonts from other brands. Use no more than two or three fonts that align with your brand personality.

Spacing Greed – Don’t cram too much into one design. Leave “white space” (any color) around elements to give them room to breathe.

Sizing Sloth – Resize graphics for each platform; don’t reuse the same image everywhere.

Color Gluttony – Don’t overuse colors. Stick to your brand palette for consistency.

Filter Lust – Don’t over-filter images. Authenticity is more relatable than perfection.

Drop Shadow Wrath – Use shadows lightly and purposefully. Less is more.

Proofreading Pride – Always proofread before posting. Typos in graphics undermine professionalism.

Bella and Annette laughed about overusing effects—comparing drop shadows to too much bronzer—and emphasized how proofreading can make or break a design’s credibility.

They also talked about designing for print versus digital. Print is shifting toward smaller, high-quality runs with tactile finishes like soft lamination that evoke sensory experiences. Because these printed pieces are tangible and permanent, they require more expertise and attention to detail than digital graphics.

Finally, Annette explained that a brand should have a suite of logo variations for different applications: horizontal, stacked, round, and watermark options, all sharing the same colors and style. This flexibility allows for appropriate use across different media without distorting or rearranging the logo.

Bella wrapped up by sharing her excitement that Annette is now the lead designer for Better Marketing with Bella (Semester One, 2020). Together, they’re raising the bar with strategic, emotion-driven designs that bring all of these principles to life. Bella encouraged listeners to apply for Better Marketing with Bella at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing, explaining that returning clients renew first, waitlist members get second priority, and any remaining spots open to the public.

She highlighted that the program provides branded graphics, Instagram stories, captions, GIFs, emails, cover and square videos, and content calendars customized with each client’s colors, logos, and fonts. Annette noted that professional designers typically charge between $50–$200 USD per hour, and while DIY tools are great for small tasks, investing in expert design pays off long-term through consistent quality and branding.

Bella closed by encouraging listeners to prioritize professional, cohesive design as a long-term investment and thanked Annette for joining the show.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

My social media process is always evolving and it has come a long way.

I am constantly evaluating what is working, what isn't, and where I can streamline my system or create processes. This is necessary for any business owner who is on social media.

Depending on the talent you have working for you, the depth of the process, and the ever-changing algorithms, things that worked last year probably won't work this year.

I'm sharing how my process has evolved, along with how some other leading social media ladies streamline their processes. You are going to see many different ways to do this, proving there's no one right way.

It's important to figure out what works best for you!

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want to Miss

Streamlining your social media is a must in keeping relevant and consistent amongst your current and potential clients. But, it's not as simple as producing mass content, you'll need to analyze if you're reactively posting content or strategically posting. When it comes down to it, you're going to need assistance, whether that's through an assistant or learning and utilizing the many apps designed to make your life a bit easier.

Catch up on the tools experts, Kelly Noble Mirabella, Jen Cole, Liz Illg, Annette Mcdonald, and I, use to streamline our social media!

Show Highlights

Bella's past to present streamlining process [3:30]

Kelly Noble Mirabella's favorite tools [5:48]

Jen Cole's most important programs [10:20]

Liz Illg's helpful tips and tricks [12:53]

Annette's content planning strategies [16:16]

What to look for in a Social Media Manager [20:26]

Links

Read the Blog

Check out Mike Alton's article, "How To Create 26 Pieces of Content From a Facebook Live"

Get started with Agora Pulse

Better Marketing with Bella

Share the Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 168 of Bella in Your Business. Does creating graphics and videos for your business make you want to bang your head against the wall? Or maybe you actually really like doing it, but by the end of the day, you have no more creative juices in your brain or just seem to always be running out of time. Well, I've got a solution for you today. For a select few of my clients, every month I give them Instagram story graphics that come with captions, square videos to post on their social media, cover videos every month for their Facebook page, video outlines so they know what to say or what to write in a blog, two emails to send to their clients, a content calendar showing them exactly when to post it all, and group and private coaching sessions. This program is called Better Marketing with Bella and has been proven to help so many pet businesses. Fill out an application at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. That’s jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. Hope to see you there.

Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump!

Do you ever get stuck in the moment of having to create social media—like having to create the graphics, the videos—and it just kind of feels like, great, I just posted this, but now I have to start all over again and create even more content? It’s the last thing you want to do because quite honestly, your life is so busy. You’re taking care of your family, taking care of the business, and God forbid you take care of yourself. You’re kind of brain dead by the end of the day and don’t really have a lot of creative energy left to create stuff.

Well, what if I told you that you didn’t actually have to create more stuff—you just had to use what you already have? Today I’m going to show you how to streamline your social media process so that you’re not spending a ton of time and are getting more out of the content you’re already producing. I’d venture to say that many listeners probably don’t get as much juice as they can out of their social media content. Social media is a process, and it’s always evolving. I’m constantly evaluating what’s working and what’s not and where I can streamline my systems or processes. Honestly, it changes every quarter. It just keeps evolving, and it’s necessary for any business owner who’s active on social media. Depending on your team, the depth of your process, and the ever-changing algorithms, things that worked last year probably won’t work this year.

I’m going to share my process—how it’s evolved—along with insights from other leading social media experts on how they streamline their systems. You’ll see that there’s no one “right way,” but rather what works best for you. In the early days, I was publishing two blogs a week. I started by answering your questions using the Big Five formula by Marcus Sheridan for the most important keywords I wanted to rank for. I met with my local virtual assistant to discuss topics, gave her a verbal outline, and she’d type and expand on them. She followed my SEO instructions—basically, make Yoast go all green, add pictures, and schedule the post.

As things evolved, I reduced posting frequency to one blog a week, then two a month. We had answered so many questions and published about 300 blog posts together, but I realized we were being reactive rather than strategic. That’s one thing to consider: are you posting reactively or strategically? Around that time, my friend Mike Alton published a great article on how to create 26 pieces of content from one Facebook Live. I instantly created a spreadsheet to implement it but realized it was too complex to delegate. Instead, I selected a few key actions and focused on those.

Our social media process now includes a checklist for each blog—featured image, proper alt tags, Yoast optimization, internal links, formatting, graphics, and so on. For Facebook Lives, we built a process that includes getting captions from Rev.com, writing a title and description optimized for Google, trimming the video if needed, and boosting it within 24–48 hours. It’s all about having a clear, written process that anyone can follow.

Kelly Noble Mirabella, official trainer for ManyChat, shared her top tools for streamlining social media: Google Calendar, Trello, and Agorapulse. She uses Google Calendar to block out time for content development and research—if it’s not on her calendar, it doesn’t happen. Trello helps her stay organized with ideas, strategies, and collaborations. She uses it to storyboard client strategies, manage to-do lists, and collaborate via integrations like Asana or Google Calendar. Agorapulse, her “secret weapon,” allows her to schedule posts, monitor brand mentions, and maintain an inbox-zero approach across all social channels, saving time while staying responsive.

Jen Cole from Depict Media, co-owner of a social media management company, shared her favorite tools: Google Drive, Canva, and Agorapulse. She uses Google Drive to share and collaborate with clients, Canva for creating consistent branded visuals, and Agorapulse for scheduling, hashtag management, and monitoring comments—all of which simplify and streamline her workflow.

Process expert Liz Illig offered tips for building social media systems: create a content calendar, implement themes, and use scheduling apps. She recommends Google Sheets for planning posts, developing content around themes (like National Pet Safety Month), and automating posting through tools like Buffer or Hootsuite. She emphasized that consistency and planning are key to effective social media management.

Finally, design expert Annette McDonald, founder of Easil, shared three core strategies: use templates, reuse and repurpose content, and batch creation. She advised using professionally designed templates for efficiency, repurposing graphics across platforms (resizing for Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook), and batching content creation monthly to save time. She also recommended storing brand colors, fonts, and assets in design tools for quick access.

Every process looks different, but the most important thing is having a system. Without it, social media becomes an afterthought, leading to inconsistent messaging and visuals. With strategy and planning, you can batch your work and focus on engagement instead of daily content stress.

If this all feels overwhelming, consider hiring help. Look for someone who understands your business, knows how to adapt to social media trends, creates engaging captions, and understands posting strategy. You don’t have to be the expert—you’re the pet care pro.

That’s why Better Marketing with Bella exists—to handle this for you. Each semester, participants get custom-branded graphics, videos, captions, GIFs, story templates, content calendars, and group coaching to master their marketing. If you’re interested, visit joinjumpconsulting.com/marketing or email me at [email protected] for an exclusive coupon.

It’s been another episode of Bella in Your Business. I hope I’ve given you a lot to think about. When life gets you down, always keep jumping.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.

Today, I am going to explain to five strategies to show up on social media when you just feel like you don’t have the time.

Let’s face it, I’ve never, ever had anyone come to me and say…

“Oh, I have all this time, and I need to do something.”

These tips are going to be quick and dirty because I know how busy you are.

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want to Miss

Showing up on social media is as simple as making it a priority in your business! We all have a tendency to carve out time for things we deem important, why are we not doing the same for showing up on social? Find out what it is that's holding you back from scheduling time in your calendar dedicated to social media. Don't be afraid to recycle your posts.

If you're struggling with the creative and the strategy look into Better Marketing with Bella and see how Bella can help boost your social media marketing.

Show Highlights

Find time for things that are important [2:20]

Recycle your posts [3:30]

Schedule time in your calendar [4:15]

Use scheduling software [5:00]

Hire someone for the creative and the strategy [6:58]

Quick Recap [8:58]

Links

Read the Blog

Get started with Agora Pulse

Better Marketing with Bella

Share the Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 167 of Bella in Your Business. Does creating graphics and videos for your business just make you want to bang your head against the wall? Or maybe you actually really like doing it, but by the end of the day you have no more creative juices in your brain or just seem to always be running out of time. Well, I've got a solution for you today. For a very select few of my clients, every month I give them Instagram stories, graphics that come with captions, square videos to post on their social media, cover videos every month for their Facebook page, video outlines so they know what to say or what to write in a blog, two emails to send to their clients, a content calendar showing them exactly when to post it all, and group and private coaching sessions. This program is called Better Marketing with Bella and has been proven to help so many pet businesses. Fill out an application at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. That’s jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. Hope to see you there.

Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump!

Hello and welcome, you guys. My name is Bella Vasta, the coach with Jump Consulting, and I am going to explain to you today five different things that you can do to show up on social media when you just feel like you don't have the time. Because let's face it, I've never had anyone come to me and say, “I have all this time and I need to do something.” So we're going to get right to it, and this is going to be a lot of fun. It's going to be quick and simple because I know all of you are busy. Go ahead and shout out and let me know where you're watching from if you're watching the replay or where you are in the world. I always love to know that, and also say hi to me!

The very first thing is we always find time for those things that are important. I really like to take this to extremes—if there was a funeral going on, we're going to stop everything and get there. Now that’s a little extreme, I know, but basically, I want to say that if you really want to do something, you're going to find the time. So let's just acknowledge that first. If we're not finding the time, what is the reason? Do we not really want to do it? Do we not really see the value in what social media can do? What are you doing where you could easily be recording? Maybe you just got off the phone and could say, “Hey guys, I just got off the phone with a brand new cat client. She usually never has a pet sitter, but her grandmother passed away on the East Coast, and she needs to fly out. The only thing she's really concerned about is her cat. We were able to help her by doing X, Y, and Z.”

So tip number one is to find the time, seize the moment, and figure out the different things that are going on in your life right now that you could leverage. The second tip is to recycle your posts. You’ve put amazing effort and energy into creating them. You can go into the insights of your Facebook page and see by the chart which posts have performed well. Go back into those posts and reshare them, or copy and paste them and schedule them to come out again. Your insights show what your community is reacting to—so don't be afraid to recycle.

To quickly recap: number one is to find time and seize the moment. Number two is to recycle what you’ve already created. The third thing is to schedule time in your schedule like you would a pet sit. I know that many of you would never actually miss a dog walk or a pet sit, right? So make your social media presence a priority. That can be 10 or 15 minutes a day, every other day, or once a week—something consistent. But if you aren’t scheduling it like something that you absolutely need to do, it's going to be really hard to show up on social media when you feel like you don't have any time.

So again, to recap: number one is to find time, number two is to recycle your posts, and number three is to schedule it. Number four is to use scheduling software. There are tools like Hootsuite, Later, and others out there, but the one that I really love is AgoraPulse because it’s like the Lamborghini of social tools. It takes care of all your inboxes and even lets you do social listening—which means any time someone mentions your name, your company’s name, or your area, you get an alert. I don’t suggest you allow AgoraPulse to send email notifications because that can get overwhelming, but the social listening feature is very helpful.

The fourth tip, again, is to use scheduling software. Some people say, “I don’t want to use scheduling software because it won’t show up on social media.” That’s simply not true. I have case studies to prove it. Posting from a third-party platform doesn’t hurt your reach. Maybe two years ago it did, but social media changes every few months. Things that worked before don’t necessarily work now. Facebook even allows you to schedule posts directly. If you carve out 20 minutes on a Monday, you could schedule everything for the week.

That being said, you can automate the posting, but you cannot automate the engagement. You still need to check in, comment, and talk with people. The fifth and final tip is to hire someone for the creative and the strategy. Because okay, you can do all these things, but how do you come up with ideas when your brain feels like it might explode? You've got so many projects, clients calling, employees asking questions, your kid tugging at you, your spouse wondering what's for dinner—there’s just so much happening.

That’s where Better Marketing with Bella comes in. It’s been an incredible solution for so many people since January 2017. We only open the doors twice a year. First, people already in the program renew. Then we go to our waitlist—you can get on it at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. After that, if any spots are left, we open to the public—but that rarely happens.

To recap all five tips: find time for what’s important, recycle your posts, schedule time for social media, use scheduling software, and hire someone for the creative and strategy (Better Marketing with Bella can help with that). Right now, we’re offering Better Marketing with Bella at the lowest rate ever. If you’re in the Mastermind, it’s an even better deal. I had to convince my team to offer it at this rate. We’re giving participants vertical videos, square videos, graphics with captions, emails, video outlines, Instagram and Facebook story templates, and GIFs.

The only way to avoid paying full price ($447) is to join the waitlist at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. Waitlisters get a hefty three-figure discount, and Mastermind members get an even deeper one. The doors open in October, and the program grows every year. It’s not public—it’s invitation-only. So if you’re even a little curious, fill out the form to save your seat.

These are five ways to show up on social media when you don’t have time. It’s difficult, but I can take care of the creative side for you. I had my own company for 14 years, and I started Better Marketing with Bella because I missed doing it. Every semester, we have four group coaching calls and one private call, and I get to pour my ideas into you—like how to leverage holidays creatively and efficiently.

Let me know if you have any tips for showing up on social when you don’t have time, and don’t forget to apply for Better Marketing with Bella. It takes five minutes and saves you hours every month. Some people in the program say it feels like Christmas every month when they get their deliverables. So go check out jumpconsulting.net. There’s a search box—you can find anything you’re looking for. I’ve got over 165 podcasts, 200 videos, and 600 blogs, all answering the questions pet business owners ask me. I love you guys. Always keep jumping.

So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode....