Are you scared AI will steal the soul of your pet business? If you’re a pet sitter or dog walker clinging to the belief that AI is cold, impersonal, or "not for you," this episode will rock your world—in the best way possible. I'm diving deep into how pet business owners can use AI not just to save time, but to get their life back, serve more clients better, and still sound exactly like YOU.

I’m walking you through mindset shifts, real-life applications, and why AI is actually the most powerful way to keep your personal touch while finally getting off the hamster wheel. It’s part pep talk, part strategy session, and totally packed with love, truth, and a little kick in the pants (you know how I do).

By the end, you'll either be running toward the future or realize you’re already getting left behind. Let’s fix that.

In This Episode, You'll Learn...

AI Doesn’t Erase Your Personal Touch—It Enhances It

You Can’t Use AI Well Without a Solid Foundation

Burnout Is Optional, Automation Is the Cure

AI Isn’t a Threat to Your Business. It’s a Tool for Leadership

You’re Either Using AI Or Competing Against Those Who Are

Timestamps

2:35 – Why pet industry resistance to AI is rooted in burnout, not values

4:58 – What AI actually requires from your business before it can help

9:15 – The 2025 way to handle tough client convos without losing your mind

15:54 – How AI is a leadership move (not laziness or cheating)

22:55 – The truth: AI won’t take your job—but someone using it might take your clients

Notable Quotes

"AI is not here to replace your heart—it’s here to amplify your humanity."

"Pet business owners can use AI to work smarter, not harder—and still be more you than ever."

"AI is not the enemy of authenticity. Burnout is."

Resources & Links

Try Magai: My favorite AI dashboard. Use code BELLA25 for $25 off/month

Jump Consulting on YouTube

Connect on IG: @bellavasta

Ready to talk it out and get unstuck? Book a complimentary 20-min strategy call.

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Transcript

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. First, thank you so much for all the subscribes and likes — when you hit that like and share button, it really helps. It's the best thing you can do for any creator. I've seen it in the stats and I genuinely appreciate it.

Something new: you can now watch the video version of this podcast on Spotify and YouTube. We’ve created an omnipresence where you can either listen or watch. This shift was by request, and let me tell you — it’s a labor of love. It’s 7:01 AM, my daughter’s in the other room playing, and we just wrapped up birthday weekend — hers and mine. I’m exhausted and recording this in hair and makeup, even though pajamas with no video would be easier. I hope you appreciate the video and if you do, please like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review. We're coming up on 450 episodes — wild. I started this when she was in the hospital over a decade ago. If you have suggestions for the 450th episode, send them in — this podcast is as much yours as it is mine.

Today I want to talk about AI and the concern around losing personal touch. I hear this a lot. But I want to go at a pace that aligns with where most pet sitters and dog walkers are. I’m ready to sprint, but I know we need to get on the same page before opening Pandora’s box. AI requires everything to be written down — emails, SOPs, handbooks, job descriptions — because it needs something to be trained on.

You also have to understand that AI is just a tool — practically free — but not always right. You need to know when and where to insert personal, human touch. And here's the blunt truth: from July 22, 2025 forward, if someone you hire doesn’t know how to use AI, they’re falling behind. That might sound harsh,