DogCo Secrets

Michelle Kline
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Entrepreneurship

Ready to scale your pet care business? Practical advice you can implement easily and quickly to 10x the growth of your business, musings on the current state of the pet care industry, and all the tips and tricks I've learned from coaching over 200 companies in the last two years.

  1. 2d ago

    Winning Your Mindset with Sam Evensen; Walk the Walk | Ep. 157

    Sometimes the biggest thing standing between you and the business you want to build is yourself. In this episode, I sit down with Sam Evensen to talk about a year of significant change in her business, including transitioning from independent contractors to employees, redefining her role as an owner, and developing the confidence to make decisions that once felt incredibly uncomfortable. One of the things I love about conversations like this is getting to explore not just the operational changes that happen as a business grows, but the personal growth that has to happen alongside them. Sam shares what it looked like to navigate difficult team conversations, rethink her responsibilities, and recognize that some of the things she had been avoiding were actually the very things that would move her business forward. We also talk about comparison, the value of community, and why getting outside your own industry bubble can completely change what you believe is possible. 🧠 Key Takeaways - Sometimes the discomfort of staying where you are is greater than the discomfort of making a major change. - Getting out of your own way requires trusting yourself enough to take action, even when the outcome isn't completely certain. - Rumination can feel productive, but eventually you have to recognize when thinking has become a substitute for taking action. - Transitioning to employees can create opportunities to delegate responsibilities, establish clearer standards, and approach your business differently. - Stepping back from daily operations allows you to develop a better perspective on your business and your role as a leader. - Comparing your business to others doesn't have to create shame or discouragement. It can help you discover new possibilities and identify strategies worth adapting. - Staying within your own industry bubble can limit your understanding of what your business could become. - Seeing what other pet care companies are accomplishing can help you develop bigger goals for yourself. - Changing your relationship with your team requires communication, clear expectations, and sometimes difficult conversations. - A stronger business structure can create opportunities to raise the standard of care and develop your employees more intentionally. - Growth often requires doing the uncomfortable things rather than continuing with what feels familiar. 💡 A Thought to Take With You One of the biggest things I hope you take away from this conversation with Sam is the importance of doing the uncomfortable thing. Sometimes the decisions we're most hesitant to make are the ones that open the door to the next season of growth. You don't have to have every step figured out before you move forward. You just have to be willing to take the first one. 🚀 Ready to Grow Your Pet Care Business? If you're ready to move beyond the day-to-day responsibilities of running your pet care company and start building something more sustainable, I'd love to introduce you to DogCo Launch. We help pet care business owners develop stronger operations, build better teams, and create businesses that support the lives they actually want to lead. Learn more about DogCo Launch at https://dogcolaunch.com/mastermind. -M

  2. Oct 23

    3 Reasons You Should NOT Work with a Business Coach | Ep. 156

    Business coaching can be an incredibly valuable investment, but it's not automatically the right move for every business owner at every stage. After working with more than 300 clients and investing in coaching for her own development, Michelle Kline shares three mindsets that can prevent you from getting the full value out of a coach or business coaching program. In this episode, Michelle explores why trying to prove you already know more, measuring success by how much information you consume, and being unwilling to experiment with new ideas can limit your growth. Through practical examples from her own coaching experience, she explains how to stay curious without blindly following advice, turn what you learn into meaningful action, and remain open to testing new approaches that better serve your pet care business. 🧠 Key Takeaways Don't approach coaching with something to prove. You don't need to agree with every recommendation, but you should remain curious and thoughtfully consider what you can learn. Apply advice to your own context. No coach will understand your business as well as you do, so evaluate strategies against your goals, circumstances, and experience. Measure success by implementation, not consumption. Watching every training or working through an entire resource library isn't the goal. Focus on what you need to learn and apply right now. Use coaching while you're implementing. Bringing real-time questions and challenges back to your coach can help you adapt strategies to your specific business. Keep a running list of questions. Capture issues as they arise throughout the week so you can make better use of coaching calls and office hours. Be willing to try unfamiliar approaches. A strategy may feel uncomfortable or foreign without being wrong for your business. Test changes strategically. You don't have to commit to a new approach forever. Set a reasonable testing period and evaluate whether it moves you toward your goal. Separate what works for different services. A client onboarding process that works beautifully for pet sitting may create unnecessary friction for recurring dog walking clients. Stay focused on the outcome. Coaching is most useful when you and your coach work together toward the results you want, rather than making the relationship about proving who knows more. 🚀 Ready to Grow Your Pet Care Business? DogCo Launch helps pet care business owners build stronger systems, make strategic decisions, and move toward their business goals with coaching, practical resources, and community. Learn more about DogCo Launch and explore the next steps for your dog walking or pet sitting business at dogcolaunch.com/mastermind. -M

  3. Oct 19

    How to Make Your Pet Business More Profitable by End of 2026 | Ep. 155

    With roughly eight working weeks left in the year, there's still time to make meaningful improvements to your pet care business's profitability. But rather than trying to overhaul everything at once, Michelle Kline shares three practical areas to focus on before the end of 2026: holiday pricing, reengaging former clients, and improving operational efficiency. In this episode, Michelle explains how to evaluate your profit margins against industry benchmarks, why retaining existing clients can be more profitable than acquiring new ones, and how seemingly insignificant amounts of wasted employee time can add up to substantial costs. Whether you're running a small dog walking company or scaling a larger pet sitting operation, these strategies can help you make better use of the time, team, and client relationships you already have. 🧠 Key Takeaways - Understand your profit benchmarks: Michelle recommends a 20% to 30% profit range for team-based pet care companies where the owner is out of the field, with higher margins potentially achievable depending on the business model. - Review your holiday fee structure: Consider applying smaller surcharges to services surrounding major holidays and higher fees on the holidays themselves. - Protect your existing bookings: Honor fees already agreed upon with clients while evaluating pricing for new Thanksgiving and Christmas bookings. - Reengage former clients: Reach out personally to clients you haven't served this year. Some may simply need a friendly reminder that you're available. - Prioritize retention over acquisition: Reconnecting with existing clients can reduce the marketing and onboarding costs associated with bringing in new customers. - Keep outreach personal and low-pressure: Focus first on restarting the relationship rather than immediately pushing clients toward recurring services. - Manage employee time carefully: If you pay your team hourly, monitor routing, visit durations, and the time spent on activities that aren't directly billable. - Recognize the cost of small inefficiencies: A few extra minutes per visit may seem insignificant, but across a large team, those minutes can add up to dozens of hours each week. - Think about long-term profitability: Improving operational efficiency can help your team serve more clients without proportionally increasing your labor costs. 🚀 Ready to Grow Your Pet Care Business? DogCo Launch helps pet care business owners build more profitable, sustainable companies through practical strategies, systems, and coaching. Explore the program and learn more about growing your dog walking or pet sitting business at dogcolaunch.com. -M

  4. Oct 16

    Breaking Business Bottlenecks | Ep. 154

    If you're trying to grow your pet care business but keep hitting a wall, your first instinct might be to focus on getting more leads and attracting new clients. But what if lead flow isn't actually the problem? In this episode, Michelle Kline explains why many dog walking and pet sitting businesses struggle with hidden operational bottlenecks that prevent them from growing, increasing profit, or creating the freedom their owners want. Michelle breaks down why there is no universal formula for scaling a pet care business and how to start identifying the real constraints holding yours back. From administrative processes and standard operating procedures to staffing and day-to-day logistics, she shares two practical ways to recognize when your business may have a deeper operational issue rather than a lead-generation problem. 🧠 Key Takeaways - Business growth isn't always about increasing revenue. It can also mean greater profit, more control over your schedule, or more freedom from day-to-day operations. - There is no single formula for scaling every pet care business. The right strategy depends on your goals and your business's specific constraints. - Operational bottlenecks are often hidden beneath the surface, making them easy to overlook. - Many pet care businesses assume they need more leads when their actual constraints involve administration, team structure, standard operating procedures, or execution. - Pet care is logistically complex, requiring the right person to be in the right place at the right time while managing unpredictable variables. - If you're afraid to market because you don't know whether you can handle additional business, lead flow may not be your primary bottleneck. - If you've had to turn away work because you couldn't staff it, it's worth investigating the operational constraints behind that limitation. - Identifying the real bottleneck is the first step toward dismantling it and moving your business in the direction you want. 📣 Free Webinar: Identify the 12 Core Bottlenecks in Your Pet Care Business What is actually constraining your business right now? Michelle has identified 12 core bottlenecks that commonly affect pet care business models, and she's hosting a free webinar to explore them in greater depth. 📅 Date: October 22, 2026 🕕 Time: 6:00 PM Eastern 🔗 Registration: https://www.dogcolaunch.com/breaking-through-bottlenecks You can also find registration information through Michelle's social media or the Grow Your Daily Dog Walking Business with DogCo Launch Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/917885736018212/  -M

  5. Oct 12

    Your 90 Day Plan To End 2026 Strong | Ep. 153

    We're coming off the DogCo Business Summit, opening enrollment for 2027, and heading into the final stretch of the year. In this episode, Michelle Kline shares a different approach to finishing the year well: instead of chasing another big goal or launching something new, what if you focused on the small, consistent actions that actually move you forward? Michelle breaks down her approach to building momentum through the end of the year, from identifying the daily inputs that support your biggest goals to tracking your consistency and protecting time for reflection and rest. She shares examples from her own health and business goals, including how to turn a long-term vision into specific daily commitments. Whether you're feeling energized by everything you want to accomplish or overwhelmed by how quickly the year has gone, this episode is a reminder that you don't necessarily need a new strategy. You might just need to execute the one you already have. 🧠 Key Takeaways - Why the final quarter of the year doesn't need to be about launching something new - How to identify the daily actions that will move you closer to your biggest goals - The difference between measuring outcomes and tracking the inputs that create them - Why consistent execution can be more powerful than constantly setting new goals - How to build accountability by tracking your daily commitments - Why entrepreneurs need to resist the temptation to abandon consistency when it starts feeling boring - How to plan meaningful end-of-year reflection and rest before setting goals for the year ahead - Why your next year's goals should reflect a genuine commitment to the work required to achieve them 🚀 Ready to Scale Your Pet Care Business in 2027? DogCo Launch is now open for 2027 enrollment! If you're looking to grow your pet care business alongside a community of ambitious owners, learn more about the program and explore whether it's the right fit for you. The enrollment process includes a complimentary scaling audit conversation with an experienced DogCo client, giving you an opportunity to discuss your business, explore potential solutions, and learn more about the program. Learn more at dogcolaunch.com/mastermind -M

  6. Oct 2

    How One Experience Can Change Your Trajectory | Ep. 152

    Running a pet care business can be so independent that we get used to working without much connection to other owners. As the DogCo Business Summit begins, I’m sharing why bringing people together matters to me beyond the visibility or business opportunities a conference creates. In this short episode, I talk about the community gap I see among pet care business owners, how meeting in person can deepen relationships we’ve built online, and why those connections have become such a meaningful part of my own experience with DogCo. My encouragement is simple: get out of your comfort zone and spend time with people who understand your day-to-day life, share your goals, or are further ahead on the path you want to take. 🧠 Key Takeaways - Independent work can make it easy to overlook the need for community - The value of an industry event goes beyond its immediate business return - Digital community and in-person connection can support each other - Spending time together can deepen relationships with fellow owners and teammates - Those relationships are worth nurturing throughout the year, not just during a conference - Seek out people who understand the day-to-day realities of your business - Make time for owners who are further ahead or working toward similar goals - Getting out of your comfort zone is part of making meaningful connection a priority 🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit As this episode goes live, we’re kicking off the 2026 DogCo Business Summit. If you’re not joining us this year, I hope to see you in 2027. Keep an eye out for next year’s event and make room for time with people who understand what you’re building. Learn more about the Summit 👉 dogcosummit.com -M

  7. Sep 28

    Should You Pay Per Piece Or Hourly For Your Pet Care Team? | Ep. 151

    Should you pay your dog walkers and pet sitters per visit or by the hour? I’ve used both models, and while I prefer hourly pay for most team-based pet care businesses, there are situations where I would leave a working per-piece model alone. In this episode, I explain how pay structure affects labor costs, the applicants you attract, and compensation for training and additional responsibilities as your company grows. I share what changed when I moved my own team to hourly pay, plus what to consider before changing yours. These are general business principles, not legal or state-specific HR advice. Please verify the requirements for employee pay, time tracking, and mileage reimbursement in your state before making changes. #PetCareBusiness #EmployeeCompensation #DogWalkingBusiness ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 - Hourly vs. per-piece pay and important considerations 2:12 - A hiring resource for owners starting to build a team 3:20 - My experience moving from per-piece to hourly pay 4:52 - When I would leave a working per-piece model alone 5:58 - Comparing per-visit payouts with hourly labor costs 8:27 - How pay structure can influence the applicants you attract 9:44 - Anchoring compensation to time instead of individual tasks 10:55 - Paying trainers for assessments and follow-up work 11:55 - Building a pay structure that supports employee progression 12:46 - Digital Summit tickets close September 30th 🧠 Key Takeaways • Evaluate your pay model through labor costs, compliance, hiring quality, and employee retention • Switching to hourly pay reduced labor costs by about 12% in my own business • A compliant per-piece model that supports healthy labor costs and a stable team may not need changing • Compare per-visit pay with its hourly equivalent, accounting for drive time and service volume • Consider how your compensation structure communicates the type of job you are offering • Clear expectations around availability help you understand staffing capacity and plan for new clients • Hourly pay anchors compensation to working time rather than a separate payout for every task • Additional responsibilities should come with additional pay, including when employees become trainers • Training assessments and follow-up work need a clear place in your compensation model • Think ahead about how field, trainer, admin, and management pay fit together as your team grows 🚀 Join Me Digitally at the DogCo Business Summit In-person ticket sales are closed, but digital tickets are available until September 30th for the DogCo Business Summit, October 2nd-4th, 2026, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I’d love for you to take advantage of the education and bring new ideas back to your pet care company. Explore your digital ticket options 👉 dogcosummit.com -M

  8. Sep 21

    How to Get the Most Out of Investing In Education | Ep. 150

    Getting your money’s worth from business education doesn’t mean consuming every lesson or implementing every idea. I’ve seen pet care companies get more out of a program by focusing on a specific problem they need to solve, rather than trying to absorb everything at once. With the DogCo Business Summit approaching, I’m sharing three ways to get more value from conferences, coaching, and workshops: define the changes that would make the investment worthwhile, build relationships you can keep nurturing, and learn what not to do. I also explain why I recommend choosing three implementation priorities after an event, how ongoing relationships with other entrepreneurs have helped me, and what your experience as a customer can teach you about running your own pet care business. #BusinessEducation #EntrepreneurNetworking #PetCareBusiness ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 - Getting more value from business education 1:40 - Why consuming everything isn’t the goal 2:39 - Solving a specific problem instead of absorbing every lesson 4:33 - Turning conference notes into three priorities 5:54 - What would make the investment worth it? 7:57 - Building one or two lasting business relationships 10:13 - Finding nearby entrepreneurs through your community 11:02 - Learning what not to do 11:55 - What being a customer can teach you about your business 🧠 Key Takeaways • Define the specific changes that would make an educational investment worthwhile • Use coaching programs as ongoing resources rather than a checklist to finish • Take good notes during a conference, then choose three implementation priorities • Trying to implement every idea can create overwhelm instead of progress • Focus on one or two relationships you can realistically nurture after the event • Follow-up conversations can extend the value of your business connections • Learn from what did not work for other owners, not just their success stories • Pay attention to the clarity of the communication and service delivery you receive • Study other businesses with curiosity rather than becoming overly critical 🚀 Join Me at the DogCo Business Summit If you’re ready to turn business education into a clearer plan for your pet care company and connect with other owners, I’d love to have you join us at the DogCo Business Summit. Digital tickets available 👉 dogcosummit.com -M

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About

Ready to scale your pet care business? Practical advice you can implement easily and quickly to 10x the growth of your business, musings on the current state of the pet care industry, and all the tips and tricks I've learned from coaching over 200 companies in the last two years.

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Kline
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    157
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Michelle Kline
  • Show Website
    DogCo Secrets

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