Your pet business content your way Rachel Spencer

In this bonus episode, I'm sharing key takeaways from the Business of Pets event organised by the Pet Industry Federation.
This covers range of topics including the importance of having a mentor, the value of a strong support network, the need for a business plan, and the significance of knowing your numbers.
Plus the power of storytelling, the impact of customer confidence on the pet industry, and the role of influencers in promoting pet brands.
You'll also learn about the innovative products and brands showcased at the event.
Key topics in this episode:
Having a mentor is crucial for business success and personal growth.Building a strong support network is essential for overcoming challenges and avoiding loneliness.Creating a business plan and knowing your numbers are key to growth and profitability.Storytelling is a powerful tool for connecting with customers and building a brand.Customer confidence is growing in the pet industry, but affordability is still important.Influencers play a significant role in promoting pet brands and driving sales.Attending industry events and investing in them can lead to valuable insights and connections.Innovative pet products showcased at the event include bone broth, CBD-infused treats, and grooming tools.Investing in professional photography can enhance brand image and attract media coverage.The pet industry is constantly evolving, and staying informed and adaptable is crucial for success.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Be first to know of any future Pet Industry Federation events
I can't stress how valuable it is to attend events like this and meet like-minded people, if nothing else to realise that you're not on your own in experiencing challenges.
Going out and seeing other entrepreneurs will leave you feeling inspired, and you learn loads of things you can implement in your pet business.
To find out more, visit: https://petfederation.co.uk/
Finally, mentoring and coaching came up so many times and if you're reading this and you're looking to work with a qualified and accredited coach or mentor, hi, I'm here to help.
I have the ILM Level 5 Accreditation in Coaching and Mentoring and am currently studying for ILM Level 7 certification in coaching executive and senior leaders.
You can work with me one-to-one and I also run a VERY affordable membership, Pets Get Visible, where you can join two, one-hour, group coaching calls each month.
This is just £30 a month and you can get 50% off your first month.
Further reading
Why I trained as an accredited coach and what this means for your pet business
Is my Pets Get Visible pet business membership right for you?
How to choose the right pet business membership
The NatWest Accelerator and how it can help your pet business


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Would you like support in growing your pet business and to feel part of a community by joining a membership?
It can be lonely and overwhelming as a solo business owner, and there are always new skills and challenges to figure out.
Being part of a community of other people who are in your industry and are experiencing the same thing can be valuable and that’s where memberships come in.
Over the last ten years there has been a rise in online communities, and there are many different pet business ones you can be part of.
It might be solely for people who do the same as you, such as a membership for dog trainers, or a broader membership where people who offer products and services for pets come together.
When joining a pet business membership, it’s key to choose the one that’s right for you, and in this episode, I’m exploring the key things to consider.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
0.35 - Episode overview and what to expect
1.15 - Why be part of a membership
2.21 - Studies into the benefits of being in memberships
3.16 - How being in a pet business membership can help
4.40 - How to find the right membership and things to consider and expect
6.52 - Researching pet business memberships
8.30 - Checking the reputation of the membership owner
10.30 - Checking the coaching style of the membership owner
15.10 - Will the delivery style in the membership suit you?
16.15 - Is this a community you want to be part of?
18.23 - What to expect from my pet business membership Pets Get Visible.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Pets Get Visible membership includes:
Learning resources library with templates, worksheets and videos on marketing topicsMonthly live workshops on visibility and publicityMonthly forward planning resources and content inspirationBi-weekly coaching calls for personalised support3 monthly co-working sessions to get content createdPrivate community Facebook group for support and collaborationDirectory listing on the top UK pet blog, The Paw Post
All for £30 per month, providing an affordable way to feel confident and consistent with their marketing.
You can get a 50% discount on your first month, meaning it's just £15 - join Pets Get Visible for just £15.
Plus, read or listen to Is my Pets Get Visible membership right for you?
Or if you’d prefer one-to-one support, book a call and let’s chat.
Related posts
Sarah Mills from Albie's Boutique interview
Why I trained as an accredited coach and what that means for your pet business
How to write a press release for your pet business


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Can playing to your strengths rather than focusing on your challenges help you feel more comfortable with self-promotion?
Sasha Louise Smith, a life coach supporting dog professionals, says embracing what makes you unique can help your business thrive, on your own terms.
Sasha has worked in the dog industry since 2015, as a walker, trainer and dog boarder.
She decided to train as a coach after experiencing burnout and benefiting from a mentor herself, Christina Cass from Epic Dog.
Now an accredited coach, Sasha specialises in supporting neurodivergent clients, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, to help them navigate the challenges they face.
From managing hyperfocus and loss of interest to dealing with Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, Sasha shares practical strategies to play to your strengths.
Whether you have an ADHD diagnosis or simply find yourself constantly starting new projects only to abandon them, this chat will help you see your differences can be your superpowers.
Sasha's approach is all about embracing your individuality, creating systems and processes that work for you, and tapping into the support you need to thrive.
In this episode, you'll gain lots of great advice about making life easier and being kinder to yourself as a business owner.
Listen in on the player link below and connect with Sasha on social media on the links at the bottom of this post and let her know your thoughts on this chat.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
1:53 - Sasha's background as a life coach and small business mentor in the dog industry since 2020.
2:31 - Why Sasha set up her own pet business in 2015 and how her rescue work, especially with border collies, developed her practical skills.
4:59 - How finding a mentor in 2018 after a breakdown impacted her business and led her to step away from the training aspect of her dog business.
5:57 - Why Sasha decided to focus on coaching and community support and joined Epic Dog as their community manager.
6:44 - Supporting trainers in the 2020 lockdown and how this shaped her decision to expand her skills and qualifications to help business owners.
11:23 - How Sasha's ADHD diagnosis in 2021 shaped her training experience and inspired her to seek out the right qualifications for her coaching and mentoring.
14:56 - Sasha's advice on how to go about finding the right coach or mentor.
10:25 - Sasha's personal experience of mental health challenges and how she went about gaining a formal ADHD diagnosis.
24:12 - The three different types of ADHD and Sasha's approach to working with neurodivergent clients.
29:57 - Common challenges Sasha's clients face, like starting and losing interest in projects, experiencing Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, and feeling overwhelmed.
34:36 - Sasha's perspective on the diverse qualities her clients bring to their businesses and why a neurodivergent diagnosis can be empowering.
37:05 - Sasha's advice on finding the right ways to take care of yourself and your emotional wellbeing, and why it's okay to ask for support, whether through coaching or therapy.
39:24 - Why you don't need a diagnosis to access educational resources if you're relatiing with some of the topics Sasha talks about.
43:06 - Why it's okay to not be firing on all cylinders all the time and how your mental health can impact your capacity.
44:35 - How to connect with Sasha on social media if you'd like to learn more.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Find Sasha on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Coachingbysashalouisesmith
Sign up for Sasha’s newsletter here: a href="https://mailchi.mp/coachingbysashalouisesmith/stay-in-touch" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Are you looking to approach content creators to feature your pet business?
In this podcast episode, I'm talking about why thinking 'What's in it for them,' rather than 'What's in it for me,' will drastically improve your pitch success rate.
One of the exercises I do with my clients is to ask them to create a ‘wishlist’ of publications where they’d like to be published.
Regularly, people will get in touch and say, ‘I want to be in this magazine or on this podcast or work with this blogger.’
It might be a brand they’d love to collaborate with and they want to know the best way to approach it.
And the key to success is to think, ‘What’s in it for them?’ What is in it for the journalist, content creator or brand in featuring or working with you?
In this episode you'll learn how 'What's in it for them' works as a pitching approach, and how you can use it to improve your success rate.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
0.10 - Intro
0.30 - Pets Get Visible sponsors this episode - find out more here: Is my Pets Get Visible membership right for you?
2.01 - What 'what's in it for them' means
3.26 - Building and nurturing relationships
7.07 - Respecting time and value exchange
9.29 - Why you shouldn't be surprised if you're asked for money
10.00 - What is a value exchange?
13.21 - Using the personal touch in pitching
14.49 - Rachel's pitching examples
18.35 - Pitching examples from pet business owners Wendy, Kerry and Louise
23.46 - Conclusion and next steps
Links mentioned in this episode:
If you’d like a pitch framework, you can download my free podcast pitching guide here.
And for further, personalised support on your ideas, come and join Pets Get Visible.
Your first month is only £15 and you can get started here.
Further reading on this topicIs my Pets Get Visible membership right for you?
How to pitch yourself as a podcast guest
How to be the perfect podcast guest
Working with bloggers and influencers with Vicky Gunn
Best podcasts for the pet industry
Visibility lessons from Sunnyside Cottage


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Would you love to secure press coverage for your pet business and need some story inspiration?
You’ll find plenty in this blog post and episode of the podcast where I’m sharing my top 20 favourite stories from five years of helping clients get in the press.
To celebrate the 200th episode of the Your Pet Business Content, Your Way podcast, I’ve rounded up a selection to show what journalists look for.
Since I began working with small businesses supporting them with approaching the media, there have been over 1,000 pieces of coverage.
From local outlets to the BBC Breakfast sofa and This Morning, I hope listening and reading these examples will show you what’s possible.
And if you’d like to chat about working together, head to the ‘work with me’ section for a range of options to suit all budgets.
Listen to this episode or head to my website to read many of the examples in the blog post here: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/top-20-pet-business-stories/
Key topics and timings in this episode:
2.28 - How this podcast started at Publicity for Pet Businesses.
3.53 - What made me train as a coach.
7.00 - How you can pitch to the press yourself and why I feel so passionately about showing business owners how to do this.
8.03 - Story number 20 ‘Meet Carla Finzel, the district nurse for pets.’
9.40 - Story number 19 ‘Kate Taylor on why dogs should be allowed everywhere like children.’
12.20 - Story number 18 ‘Karen Boyce the puppy queen of Wales.’
13.38 - Story number 17 ‘Doreen Potter, the Cumbrian dog trainer giving Romanian rescues a home.’
15.07 - Story number 16 ‘Supporting your cat coming out of lockdown with Wendy Thomson in the Warrington Guardian.’
16.14 - Story number 15 ‘Katie Gwilt The Kat Lady in Total Grooming.’
18.23 - Story number 14 - ‘Helen Motteram on the mental health crisis facing our dogs in the Daily Mirror.’
20.14 - Helen Motteram shares what it’s like to be on the BBC Breakfast sofa.
22.11 - Story number 13 - ‘Caroline Wilkinson as a doggy agony aunt in the Guardian.’
23.02 - Caroline on how publicity has helped her business.
24.09 - Story number 12 - ‘Not all breeders are Cruella De Vil with Rebecca Walters.’
25.23 - Rebecca talks about what it was like being in the press sharing her mission.
29.15 - Story number 11 - ‘How to train your dog for social media stardom with Kerry Jordan.’
30.15 - Kerry talks about being in her local lifestyle mag Cumbria Life.
31.33 - Story number 10 - ‘A crisis can bring out the best in us - Suzanne Gould.’
32.44 - Suzanne talks about how being in the spotlight has helped her stand out as a dog trainer.
36.16 - Story number 9 - ‘Meet lockdown hero and Menopaws story Louise Humphrey.’
37.31 - Louise shares how PR has positioned her as a pilates and canicross expert.
38.29 - Story number 8 - ‘Jo Sellers on being a prisoner in her home in Take a Break.’
39.52 - Jo on what it was like being in a real-life women’s magazine.
41.20 - Story number 7 - ‘Emily Thomas why more people are turning to canicross and lots more.’
42.56 - Emily on raising her profile as an authority in canicross.
44.52 - Story number 6 - ‘Meet Zoe Willingham - the animal lover who lives with over 100 pets in the Daily Mirror.’
47.38 - Zoe shares what it’s like to be in the press.
49.27 - Story number 5 - ‘Becky Baker on The One Show and post-puppy blues.’
50.54 - Becky on why you’ve just got to ‘go for it!’
52.09 - Story number 4 - ‘Sarah Jones and her mission for dogs in yellow to get the space they need in the Daily Mirror.’
55.23 - Sarah shares what being in the media has done for anxious dogs.
56.07 -...

Do you find yourself worrying around how much engagement you have on your social media accounts?
This is a topic I find comes up repeatedly on social media, in Facebook group conversations, and in the coaching calls I run in my membership.
Pet professionals who are doing a brilliant job of caring for animals and supporting their clients, making brilliant products that make a difference.
Yet they become tied up in knots with social media, trying to keep up with the ever changing demands of platforms run by billionaires.
Social media is an incredible free tool to get your work seen, but it can also cause a lot of stress and frustration.
One thing I wish wasn’t a cause of this is engagement. 
In this podcast episode, I’m talking about why I would LOVE for you to let go of any concerns you have around this, so it doesn’t hold you back, and so you can show up as the brilliant pet pro you are.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
1:23 - The challenges pet professionals share about social media engagment
2:38 - What is social media engagement
5:24 - Why worrying about it can hold you back
7:10 - Why normal people don't care about social media engagement
8:35 - Would a lack of engagement stop you from buying?
9:24 - Even social media experts struggle to get engagement
10:13 - Remember, you're a pet pro, you are not a social media expert
11:51 - Worrying about a lack of engagement means you’re not getting seen
13:36 - People can discover you on social media and then come OFF social media to find out more about you
15:09 - It takes 10 to 15 touchpoints for people to decide to buy from you
16:42 - Pet parents need to know the available choices
19:08 - You want to dilute the aversive messages that are out there
20:25 - Social media is a little bit like quicksand
21:09 - Remember that people are lurking
22:24 - Engagement doesn't pay the bills and an engaging post may generate no money
24:29 - You're winning just by showing up as research shows many people don't even bother
25:22 - Be brave and post what you really want to say and you might surprise yourself
27:11 - Sometimes it's just having a little confidence boost
29:01 - Podcasts to listen to if you'd like to feel inspired
31:15 - Final thoughts on posting and feeling confident
31:40 - How I can support you in feeling more ok with self-promotion
Get 50% off your first month in Pets Get Visible here: https://publicityforpetbusinesses.mykajabi.com/offers/7Hvpvxzr/checkout?coupon_code=PGV50
Links mentioned in this episode:
Creating meaningful content with Aileen Stevenson
How to feel more comfortable and confident promoting your pet business
If you’re not visible who misses out?
Stuff the social media rules and do things your way with Colette Adwin
Putting your passion and personality into your marketing with Alex McCann
Why I trained as an...