What does it mean to understand animal behavior? As pet care professionals, we need to make sure we are communicating well to our clients and are prepared for emergencies. Arden Moore, author and radio host, joins the show to discuss confounding behaviors for both dogs and cats. She also dives into how to make sure we have a great first aid kit and how emergency preparedness is all a mental game. Arden gives her best tips for pilling cats and discusses the importance of being a poop-ologist.

Main topics:

• Confounding behaviors
• Mental game of preparedness
• Misconceptions of first aid
• Pilling Cats

Main takeaway: We can't prepare for everything, but attention to detail, and the right resources, will set you up for success.

About our guest:

Arden grew up in a Brady Bunch-like family in a town called Crown Point located near Chicago in Northwest Indiana.

During her first year in high school, she cajoled the editor of the local weekly newspaper into hiring her to be a sports writer. As a corn-fed Hoosier, she valued her Midwest roots, but knew she needed to experience other places. Her insatiable curiosity led to spending the next 20 years chasing stories as a reporter and editor for daily newspapers in Indiana and Florida. This is where Arden honed her amazing interviewing and writing skills!

From there, she entered the publishing world at the family-owned Rodale Press. At Rodale, her "day job" was senior health writer for the book division, but she also moonlighted as a writer for their new magazine called Pets: Part of the Family.

That is where Arden realized that she could tap her love of writing and interviewing to help people become healthier, and to tout the power of her other lifelong passion, pets. Pets and people — that's what Arden is all about.

Fast forward to today, and Arden has done just that, in her trademark edu-taining style. Today, Arden happily shares her home in Dallas with her wife, Julie, and their furry Brady Bunch of three cats, three dogs and an overworked vacuum cleaner.

Links:

Previously: https://www.petsitterconfessional.com/episodes/240

www.ardenmoore.com

www.petfirstaid4u.com

www.propethero.com

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ardenmoore352

Dr. Justine Lee - https://drjustinelee.com

Cat Behavior: https://amzn.to/3POdgGq

Dog Behavior: https://amzn.to/3HYc5Ck

https://catvets.com

https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com

The Lion in Your Living Room: https://amzn.to/3vb32qc

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What fears do you have in your business? From financial insecurity to personal freedom, fear is a powerful driving force for many of us. Fear comes from both the unknown and the unplanned for, so taking time to assess what's impacting you gives clarity for better decisions. We break down common fears of running a business and what we can do about them. We also give simple steps to start overcoming your fears and living a more focused life.

Main takeaways:

• What is fear

• Fear of failure

• Lack of control

• Fear of injury

• Overcoming fears

Main takeaway: Talking to someone about your fears can help you process them and find a way to move forward.

Links:

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Pet Sitters Associates Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com Code: Confessional

What does it mean to empathetic in our business? Showing empathy allows you to connect with the nervous clients. It also helps both clients and staff feel like they are understand and not alone. Stephanie Castro, owner of Stay Home Pet Sitting, joins the show to share why the words we use help clients see the value in our business. She also explains how she's growing her company culture, and what it means to make hard decisions.

Main topics:

• Empathy to staff and clients
• Converting from social media
• Fearful clients
• Importance of core values

Main takeaway: Because of the empathy you have for the clients and their pets, this allows you stick to your core values and make the hard decisions that need to be made.

About our guest

Hi, my name is Stephanie Castro and I am a huge animal lover that ditched my comfy Investment Banking graphics job in the pursuit of entrepreneurship. My goal is to make pet owners and their fur babies happy and stress-free while being in their own homes.

I am crazy about my four-legged babies, Canelo + Eleanor! When it comes to his well-being, I am a Mama Bear who will make sure they are safe, happy, and healthy. I know I take good care of them, but what happens if I need to work long hours or go out of town? Traditional kenneling is not acceptable for me – caging up my animals and exposing them to other pets' illnesses will never be a solution for my furry family.

This is when I realized that pet owners need a solid reliable pet sitter that could take their worries away. In June 2014, I decided to dedicate my entire time to my true love – animals.

Links:

https://linktr.ee/castro713?fbclid=PAAabvXI2VxOwbpBtLWGCna3pb06o1Wh3C1mgwdpZY0Lmr5xybp-XVR7tIyvE

Recent podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/addicted-to-winning/id1578566648?i=1000586950623&fbclid=IwAR2HBoxAqnHqcN9If-qOHe34NEDBKQ03Myj5YyIVNeBfC-gDplIb5Opk7Jg

My email

[email protected]

Instagram - personal

https://www.instagram.com/stephc0509/

Instagram - business

https://www.instagram.com/stayhomepetsitting/

Pet Lovers Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/stayhomepetsitting

[email protected]

https://www.stayhomepetsitting.com/home

https://www.instagram.com/stephc0509/?hl=en

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Time to Pet Visit: https://timetopet.com/confessional Code: 50% off first 3 months

Are you using A.I. in your business? Artificial Intelligence is a growing area of research and development. A.I. can seem overwhelming, but holds many promising tools to give clients more peace of mind. We break down what A.I. is and how it can help your business. We give examples of existing programs and also how we're currently implementing it in our own business.

Main topics

• What is A.I.?

• Business implementation

• How we're using it

• Is it right for me?

Main takeaway: We've just entered into a new wave of possibilities powered by A.I. From photos, operations, and content creation, it's important to stay in the know about how it can help you and your business.

Links:

Invoxia: https://venturebeat.com/games/invoxia-unveils-smart-dog-collar-to-monitor-your-pets-heartbeat-and-location/

Furbo AI: https://shopus.furbo.com/pages/dog-camera-ai-dog-recognition

Google Route Planning: https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/google-cloud-optimization-ai-cloud-fleet-routing-api

ChatBot for chat box on your website: https://www.chatbot.com/pricing/

NeuralText for marketing: https://www.neuraltext.com/?via=uniteai#pricing

Google Model: https://cloud.google.com/ai-platform/training/pricing

IBM Watson: https://www.ibm.com/watson

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Pet Sitters Associates Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com Code: Confessional

Have you thought about trademarking your business? Getting a trademark is a great way to protect your business and gain credibility. Jay Pattiz, owner of Pampered Pet Sitting and Cat Sitting at Home, joins the show to share what it took to gain a registered trademark for his business. Jay started the process when he was thinking of expanding, but has found many other benefits for him. Jay gives advice on how to plan for multiple month long pet care visits, and why having guest blogging is so powerful.

Main topics:

• Working towards retirement
• Long term care
• Guest blogging
• Getting a registered trademark

Main takeaway: Only trademark if you absolutely love your name and logo.

About our guest:

Grew up in the St.Louis area. US Air Force shortly after high school return to St. Louis after enlistment attended Community College, transferred the University of Central Missouri got Bachelors Degree. Worked in the Financial Service Industry for over 20 years including Accounting, Insurance, Tax Examiner, and Certified Financial & Credit Counselor. Started our Pet Sitting business on May 1, 1997. Married to Jill for 40 years, have a son Brian who is a staff member at the University of Denver. My interests outside pet sitting include Pickleball, Tennis, Bicycling, and fitness. A passionate fan of Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Cardinals, and St Louis Blues. I love listening to music and Queen is my favorite band.

Links:

Previously on: https://www.petsitterconfessional.com/episodes/129

Jay's website: https://www.warrensburgpetsitting.com

Cat's at Home Pet Sitters: https://www.warrensburgpetsitting.com/cats-at-home-pet-sitters/

660-747-3554

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National Association of Professional Pet Sitters

Register for the March 2023 Conference NOW at : www.petsitters.org

Does it matter what you call your services? The language we use in our businesses is a very powerful tool in both attracting the right clients and repelling the wrong ones. As a business owner, we need to use clear language in everything we do, including what we name our services. We break down some areas of possible confusion, and then suggest ways to overcome those to connect with your clients.

Main topics

• What is a drop in service?

• Clear communication

• Example terms

• 5 factors to consider

Main takeaway: Naming things is important. It allows for clear communication and understanding of a specific object, concept or idea.

Links:

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Pet Sitters Associates Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com Code: Confessional

What does it take to completely transform your business? Creating a business that works for us means that sometimes we have to step back and realize we are capable of change. We can still serve clients with excellence, with an entirely new model of business. Michelle Kline, owner of Venture Dog Walking, converted her pet sitting business into a dog walking company. She shares the groundwork she laid to make it successful and outlines her communication strategy to both staff and clients.

Main topics:

• When the idea to switch happen

• Leaving money on the table?

• Focusing on core strengths

• Communication with staff and clients

Main takeaway: Your business should provide the services you want to provide, in the way you want to provide them.

About our guest:

Michelle Kline is the classic example of dog fanatic turned dog professional. A lifelong devotee to dogs, Michelle entered into the industry in 2017. Michelle is now the owner of Venture Dog Walking - an on demand daily dog walking company in Winston Salem, NC - and DogCo Launch - a consulting company helping other pet care businesses grow and scale. When she's not pursuing business opportunities, you can find Michelle and her husband hiking with their two dogs, Winston and Ronin, or trying different breweries across the state.

Links:

Pet care business: https://venturedogwalking.com

Coaching: https://dogcolaunch.com

80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less

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Pet Perennials Visit: petperennials.com/pages/gps Code: 'PSC' when registering for a $2 off coupon on any purchases in the 1st 90 days

How is your mental health doing? It's a new year, so it's a great time to assess how you are doing. With so much anticipation for 2023, hopes remain high for booming business. However, busy business doesn't mean a happy heart. Life happens, which impacts you and your ability to run your business. We break down a recent poll we ran, what it says about the state of the industry, and how we can move forward!

Main topic

• Our poll
• Personal life
• Mental health
• Keeping your boundaries

Main takeaway: Stay connected. Stay together. Stay strong.

Links:

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Pet Sitters Associates Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com Code: Confessional

How do you mentor staff? Just as we work to educate clients, when we bring on staff, it's our role to educate and mentor them in the career of pet care. Cassidy LaMair, owner of Cassidys Custom Pet Services, shares how she builds lasting relationships and partnerships with both staff and clients through her open and straightforward style. Cassidy details how she creates consistent customizable services and gives her insights into how she learns from her mistakes.

Main topics

• Mentoring staff

• Making custom services

• Mental awareness

• Lasting Partnerships

Main takeaway: We don't learn from being great all the time.

About our guest:

Hello, my name is Cassidy and I am the owner and operator of Cassidys Custom Pet Services in Southern California. I started this business with a passion and drive to support my community and their pets. After years of dog walking/pet sitting on the side, working with families and their pets, and constantly consuming education on training and pet care I decided to make it my full time job. Inspired by my own dogs that thrive with in-home care I set out to bring this same level of love and reliability to the community. Our focus at Cassidys Custom Pet Services is to create a partnership with our clients that emphasizes one on one custom care for their pets. Where they can receive enriching experiences that support them throughout the days and years we get to work with them.

Links:

Website: https://www.cassidyscustompetservices.com/

On Instagram

Check our Facebook

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Time to Pet Visit: https://timetopet.com/confessional Code: 50% off first 3 months

Pet Perennials Visit: petperennials.com/pages/gps Code: 'PSC' when registering for a $2 off coupon on any purchases in the 1st 90 days

Do you appreciate your business? Many of us struggle to see the value our business brings to us, as we focus on the hardships and frustrations. Appreciating your business has to be a conscious effort every day and is influenced by many things. We break down what it means to be appreciative of your business, why it's so hard, and what it means to stay content.

Main topic:

• Why is appreciating your business hard?

• What does it actually mean?

• Staying content

Main takeaway: Appreciating your business as the business owner means recognizing and valuing the role that your business plays in your life and the impact it has on others.

Links:

Episode on staying content

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Pet Sitters Associates Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com Code: Confessional