In this episode, Jo & Vicky are joined by Cat Topham who talks about her experiences of living with autism and working as a dog trainer. Cat shares a fascinating insight into the impact autism has on running a business. Including, how being autistic is both beneficial and challenging when training dogs.

Cat covers finding clients that fit with what you have to offer, dealing with social media when it´s all a mystery to you, being more understanding with clients and adjusting the way you communicate with them. She also explains how she manages where her energy goes to avoid burnout.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Autism is a bit like a breed difference e.g. terriers' and collies’ brains are wired differently, so they have different behaviour traits.

• There is no point in ignoring difference, you have to adapt your approach e.g. if noise overwhelms you, recognise that and reduce your exposure to noise.

• All business owners benefit from learning to manage their time and energy better day to day to avoid burnout.

• Dogs don´t require you to mask how you are feeling, which is part of the reason neurodiverse people have such a strong connection to dogs.

• Many autistic people become obsessed with things they are passionate about. This makes them very knowledgeable about those things.

• Cat´s autism makes it hard for her to read people. She shares examples in the podcast.

• Seek out the right clients for you, people who want what you offer.

• Autistic people spot patterns, so can very easily pick up on precursor behaviours e.g. a dog's muscles tensing or ear moving just before it is about to do something.

• Being diagnosed as autistic empowered Cat. She understood herself better and found it easier to adapt to the challenges she faces, while further strengthening the abilities autism enhances.

• Social media does not come naturally to Cat, as it doesn´t for many dog trainers.

BEST MOMENTS

“The average neurodiverse person takes in 40% more of what's going on around them than a neurotypical person…that in itself is more tiring.”

“I only have 3 hours a day to speak to people face-to-face  because  communication is so much harder.”

“Many neurodiverse people have a connection with dogs.”

“As a neurodiverse person, it isn't like excuses. You just want accommodations in certain situations.”

“I just hate doing It (social media), that's the problem and I'm not bad at it.”

“The way I would speak is very, very direct. I have to be very careful to not be interpreted wrong, like to say the wrong thing.“

“Running a dog training business, isn't really about dogs, is it? … It's about people”

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.instagram.com/chtopham

https://www.valleydogs.uk

SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS

https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness

Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com

Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity/

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Meet Jo and Vicky! They bring a combined 25 years of expertise in the canine industry. Jo, with a background in corporate business, and Vicky, a dedicated advocate for rescue organisations, form an unstoppable team. Beyond the mic, their lives are a whirlwind – managing two successful businesses, pursuing a full-time university degree, and parenting two little ones under four. Each of their homes combined is a lively menagerie, housing five dogs and an abundance of chickens.