Can you have profit first in your business? Wouldn't you need to be making 6-figures? What systems would you need to have in place to make that happen? We recently read the book, "Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz and wanted to share our initial thoughts about it. We break down who we think this system would be good for, and some of the things that don't quite fit with a service industry like pet care. Overall, we think it's a great system if you need something to control your money and understand the health of your business. Then, Natasha O'Banion answers, "How do I be a great first time manager?"

Topics on this episode:

• What is 'profit first'?
• What we did (and didn't) like
• Who is this for?
• Ask a Pet Biz Coach

Main takeaway: Your business is supposed to serve you, you are not in service to your business.

Links: Dave Ramsey Profit First Nation Buy the Book

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Pet Sitters Associates Promo Code: Confessional

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

Becky O'Neil, owner of Becky's Pet Care, left the medical field to pursue a career in pet care so she could spend more time with her child. After 20+ years in the industry, she has over 150 employees and has had to adapt, and adopt, new technology and business planning to continue to thrive and meet the needs of her clients. Becky shares what her definition of success is, and why it's so important to be running the business you want. We also discuss the upcoming NAPPS 2021 conference and what to expect from the speakers.

Topics on this episode:

• Business Planning
• Hiring
• Success
• NAPPS Conference

Main take away: People run their business their way; you need to run your business your way.

About our guest: Becky's love of animals originated in her childhood, spent on a farm in Pennsylvania where she helped raise and care for many animals including livestock, family pets, and horses. In 1998, Becky founded Becky's Pet Care, Inc. as a one-woman enterprise, which she nurtured to its current status as a leading pet care provider in Northern Virginia.

In addition to running her very active business, Becky enthusiastically supports various local and national animal rescue groups and participates in several local community organizations. She serves on the board of the Community Business Partnership in Alexandria, is President of her local PTA in Arlington, and as President of the Northern Virginia Professional Pet Sitters Network, where she also fulfilled past terms as Vice President and Treasurer.

Becky currently lives in Arlington, Virginia with her son, her daughter, and her black Labs, Teddy Bear and Rylee.

Links: Email: [email protected] Becky's Pet Care: https://beckyspetcare.com NAPPS 2021 Conference: https://petsitters.org/page/EventsTab

Full show notes and transcript

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

Do you have health insurance? Some believe it's not necessary or may be too expensive, but as entrepreneurs, there are many reasons why it's critical to have some level of coverage for you, and even your staff. Scott Dowling, insurance broker and host of Doxcost, breaks down the misconceptions around health insurance and how to find an affordable policy. Scott shares how health insurance has changed over the years and what our options are for health insurance as a sole-proprietor. We also discuss exactly what an HSA is and why it's one of the best ways to get coverage for less.

Topics on this episode:

• Basic health insurance terms
• How does it fit in with other insurances
• Choosing an option
• Common misconceptions

Main take away? Insurance may seem expensive, but the alternative is a massive risk for you and your business. Insurance is not gambling!

About our guest: Scott W. Dowling shares his 30+ years of insurance industry knowledge and experience to assist you in tackling your health insurance; making it work best for you, your family, your company and your employees. The head of CIGNA Group Insurance once remarked that, "He just won't take no for an answer!" Very true. I won't stop until I can help you get what you need to get the most value from your health insurance benefits.

Links: Email Scott: [email protected] Listen to Doxcost: https://doxcost.com Episode on terms: https://doxcost.com/hmo-ppo-epo-wtf-idk-nvm/ Compare plans: www.ehealthinsurance.com

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Pet Sitters International
• Time to Pet Promo Code: 50% off first 3 months

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

Summary Have you ever failed at something? More importantly, did you grow and learn from your last failure?

Instead of viewing ourselves as a failure when a plan doesn't go the way we thought, we need to look for the growth opportunities. On this episode, we break down the common problems entrepreneurs face when failure occurs, and how to face those failures to catapult ourselves into success.

From defining what a failure is, to setting appropriate goals, there are processes to make "failing" as beneficial as possible. Then, pet business coach Natasha O'Banion answers, "How do I have more fun in my business?"

Topics on this episode:

• Defining failure
• Success in failure
• Deconstructing what happened
• Ask a Pet Biz Coach

Main takeaway: Sit with the failure so you can see the success hiding in plain sight.

Links: Episode on Defining Success

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Automated CEO Promo Code: PSC20 for 15% off
• Palmetto Scoopers

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

How do you connect with your ideal clients? One of the best ways is blogging. Ali Smith, owner of Rebarkable, shares her story of blogging as a way to turn her business into a high value machine. She gives tips on what makes a good blog, getting over the fear of imperfection, and how to repurpose your blog. Ali discusses how to reach quality clients and having peace of mind in business.

Topics on this episode:

• Benefits of blogging
• Reusing topics
• "Gotta risk it for a biscuit"
• Building relationships
• Mental health

Main take away: You ARE an expert with advice to share.

About our guest:

Ali Smith is the founder of Rebarkable, she's recently moved from just outside of London, UK to Maryland, US and champions force free training methods. Ali, 32, is passionate about helping her clients get the best from their puppies and helping them avoid future issues by not just training them, but also helping puppy parents understand their dog so they're more capable of being a confident and adaptable family member. That thing for my business was blogging. I found that blogging turned my business from being low value (both to me and my clients) to being much higher value. The clients were better quality, the knowledge they had was better, and they were much more reliable clients in term of payment and had easier dogs. And that was down to the fact that they knew how I worked, they found me easily on google, and they knew who I was before I knew them. It was also really a good thing for my mental health and work life balance because my clients knew I was investing in my business and in them!

Links:

Rebarkable: https://rebarkable.com/about/

Rachel Spencer: https://www.publicityforpetbusinesses.co.uk

Rachel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/publicitytipsforpetbusinesses

Bella Vasta: http://bellavasta.com

Bella on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jumpconsulting

"They ask, You Answer": https://amzn.to/3xWbw41

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Pet Perennials Promo Code: Use 'PSC' when registering for a $2 off coupon on any purchases in the 1st 90 days
• Time to Pet Promo Code: 50% off first 3 months

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

More and more people are entering the pet care space. At a time when many uncertainties plague the industry, we're facing questions and challenges.

To overcome these, and help the industry stay around for a long time, we need to be reaching out and building everyone up. There is no reason to tear others down simply because they do things differently.

We should be inviting, mentoring, and educating. We share our thoughts on the importance of organizing and self-regulating, and why building community is crucial. Then, Natasha O'Banion answers, "How do you deal with all the phone calls?"

Topics on this episode:

• Slinging mud
• Building community
• Educating
• Coming to the table
• Ask a Pet Biz Coach

Main takeaway: Be a proponent for what you stand for and for what you are, not for what others are not.

Links: Episode on Industry Standards Pet Marketing Unleashed Website Templates with the code "PSC10"

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Pet Sitters Associates Promo Code: Confessional
• Automated CEO Promo Code: PSC20 for 15% off

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by not only physical clutter, but also perceived obligations and expectations? Minimalism is more than just getting rid of "stuff" and decluttering. It's a way of getting more connected with your "why" and acting in your values. Paul and Sandra, from Minimalist Journeys, share their journey into minimalism and travel house sitting. They help break down what minimalism is, and isn't. They also tell stories from nomadic house sitting and how to get better at receiving feedback!

Topics on this episode:

• Going nomadic
• Finding our values
• Implementing minimalism
• House sitting in New Zealand
• Receiving feedback

Main take away? We only have one life, so don't try living someone else's. Actions follow values, values follow your 'why'.

About our guest: Farewelling their well-paying corporate careers in Sydney in 2016, Paul and Sandra have made it their mission to help others experience more by living with less. They are passionate about intentional, minimalist living and mindful, sustainable travel. As Gen X digital nomads with no fixed abode, house-sitting has allowed them to get their animal-fix, experience different communities and reduce their living expenses.

With high-speed internet at most homes, both work on business projects, including their travel and lifestyle blog. Their lifestyle audience tends to be people who are at turning points in their lives, who are wondering what's next. Paul and Sandra help them find new inspiration and direction to create the life they love - by sharing their and other people's journeys on their website and more recently through online courses and by speaking at events. The couple's travel audience is looking for affordable travel experiences that are gentle on our planet and contribute to the communities they visit. Paul and Sandra help them truly experience a destination with well-researched travel guides and tried and tested itineraries - all easily accessible on their website.

Links: Follow their journey Kiwi House Sitters

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Pet Sitters International
• Time to Pet Promo Code: 50% off first 3 months

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

We all recognize that client expectations are changing. It's not just a generational thing, though that does play into it. New clients are finding they need a pet sitter more and more, and they're bringing a new set of expectations and learned experiences. Where do these expectations come from? We play a new commercial that hints at where new clients are headed, and the broader impact it will have on the pet sitting community. We share our thoughts on how to overcome unhealthy expectations and have a better balance with your boundaries.

Topics on this episode:

• The commercial
• The good, bad, & ugly
• Setting better expectations
• Ask a Pet Biz Coach

**Main takeaway: **The messaging that you win somebody with is the expectations that they come in with.

Links: Watch the full commercial here

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Automated CEO Promo Code: PSC20 for 15% off
• Palmetto Scoopers

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

Summary: Twin sisters in pet care share how they learn and grow together to solve problems and meet their client's need. Jen Adamo, owner of Jen's Happy Pets, and Christina Ranaldi, owner of Scruffy Puppy Pet Care, discuss their experiences hiring and managing staff, and what it's like learning from mistakes. They talk about giving grace, supporting your team, and understanding that issues will happen. We discuss the importance of learning from others and sibling rivalry.

Topics on this episode:

• Being observant
• Managing staff
• Partnering together
• Comparing yourself to others

Main take away: Even the best of pet sitters can make mistakes. Learn and grow from those so they don't happen again.

About our guests:

Christina Ranaldi - Scruffy Puppy Pet Care My name is Christina, I am the owner of The Scruffy Puppy. I live in Hazlet, NJ. I have loved animals all my life and have devoted many years to caring for pets from horses to hamsters. I have experience with many dog breeds from tiny fluff balls to larger "bully breeds." I love them all. I've worked as a groomer for many years and gained invaluable experience dealing with animals of all kinds. In my early years I had a horse, and worked on various horse farms. I currently have a 2 pups whom I love dearly. I love being around animals because they make me happy. I have a wonderful staff of dedicated, pet loving professionals! We are fully insured and want to provide professional yet personal care for your pets. Let us help you give them the care and attention they need when you can't be there.

Jen Adamo - Jens Happy Pets Hi, my name is Jennifer! Jen Profile Pic I have loved animals all my life and I've devoted many years to caring for pets from hamsters to horses. In my teen years I owned a horse, and worked on various horse farms. From there, I moved on to work at the SPCA animal shelter and gained invaluable experience in my position as assistant manager. I also worked as a vet tech at Community Animal Hospital. In this position, I was able to assist veterinarians and not only acquire more veterinary skills but increase my understanding of animal husbandry as well. My background in animal care and my incredible love for animals prompted me to open my pet-sitting business. I have experience with many dog breeds from tiny fluff balls to larger "bully breeds." My animal family presently includes two rescues, "Boomer" the dog and "Mittens" the cat.

Links: Scruffy Puppy Pet Care Jen's Happy Pets

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Pet Perennials Promo Code: Use 'PSC' when registering for a $2 off coupon on any purchases in the 1st 90 days
• Time to Pet Promo Code: 50% off first 3 months

Support Pet Sitter Confessional

Have you ever wondered how to grow a business organically and not take on extra debt? We break down what bootstrapping your business looks like from the ground up.

We discuss the critical expenses in a new business and, once you're making money, where you should consider reinvesting into your business. From websites and Google My Business, to licenses and continuing education, there are ways to save money.

Bootstrapping is the process you apply to your goals and objectives for your business. Then, Natasha O'Banion answers, "How do I become more mindful?"

Topics on this episode:

• What is bootstrapping?
• Where should I spend money?
• What should I invest in as I grow?
• Ask a Pet Biz Coach

Main takeaway: You DON'T have to spend a ton of money when you start. Instead, grow your business and become self-sufficient for long-term success.

Links:

Pet Sitter Recommended Resources

Pet Marketing Unleashed Website Templates on sale August 25-31 with the code "PSC10"

Are you a member of these Facebook groups? You should be!

• Dog Walker to Dog Walker
• Pet Sitter Support Group
• Dog Daycare Owners & Staff

Episode with Dox Design

Episode with Barketing Solutions

Episode with Pet Marking Unleashed

Pro Pet Hero CPR Training: Use Code CPR-Petsitterconfessional

Full show notes and transcript

Sponsored By:

• Automated CEO Promo Code: PSC20 for 15% off
• Pet Sitters Associates Promo Code: Confessional

Support Pet Sitter Confessional