Pet Sitter Confessional Pet Sitter Confessional, LLC

How has the pet sitting industry evolved over the past 30 years? In this episode, Beth Stultz-Hairston, President of Pet Sitters International (PSI), discusses the organization's remarkable journey and its impact on professional pet care. She highlights PSI's commitment to supporting pet sitters through education, certification, and professional standards. Beth addresses the challenges faced by pet sitters, including time management, hiring, and self-care, and emphasizes the importance of adapting to industry trends. Beth underscores PSI's dedication to enhancing the professionalism and success of pet sitters worldwide.
Main topics:
History and Evolution of PSI
Pet Sitting Industry Challenges
Certification and Professional Standards
Trends in Pet Care Services
Future Opportunities and Celebrations
Main takeaway: As your business grows, the business side is often not the most fun side for anyone. It becomes a juggling act, and if you're not prepared for it, it can become extremely difficult really quickly.
About our guest:
Beth Stultz-Hairston has worked in the pet industry for nearly two decades and began her career with Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s largest educational association for professional pet-sitting and dog-walking businesses, in 2004.  She has served as the PSI President since 2020. Beth is also the editor of Pet Sitter’s World magazine and author of The Professional Pet Sitter’s Startup Guide. She has also written for multiple pet-related blogs and publications. She regularly writes for The PSI Blog and was awarded the Certificate of Excellence from the Cat Writers Association and selected as a 2017 Muse Medallion winner. Beth received her B.A., English, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She pursued her studies in compassion fatigue through Divine Mercy University and Regent University. She is a member of Green Cross Academy of Traumatology and has obtained certification as both a Compassion Fatigue Educator and Compassion Fatigue Therapist.
Links:
petsit.com/wellness
petsit.com
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Full show notes and transcript
 
Sponsored by:
❤️ Our AMAZING Patreon Supporters
Time to Pet
Visit: https://timetopet.com/confessional
Code: 50% off first 3 months
Pet Perennials
Visit: https://petperennials.com/pages/register-for-a-business-account
Code: 'PSC' when registering for a $2 off coupon on any purchases in the 1st 90 days

Is your business memorable? With a more crowded market than ever, we discuss strategies for making your business stand out and why it's crucial for success. We share the importance of defining the terms you use and the importance of offering unique services. Your clients are looking for feelings and emotions, so you should be connecting at that level with them, not in technical jargon. Learn how to differentiate your business and leave a positive, memorable impact on your clients.
Main topics:
Strategies for being memorable
Offering unique services
Engaging with clients
Building emotional connections
Main takeaway: Be known more for your passion than your policies.
Links:
Buy PSC Merch
Give us a call! (636) 364-8260 
Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Email us at: feedback@petsitterconfessional.com
Full show notes and transcript
 
Sponsored by:
❤️ Our AMAZING Patreon Supporters 
Pet Sitters Associates
Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com
Code: Confessional

How are you navigating the challenges of business ownership? Joette White, owner of Park Cities Pet Sitter, shares her journey from being fired to successfully owning and growing a pet sitting business. She emphasizes the importance of staff management and trusting employees to foster growth. Joette highlights how personal growth and learning from failures have shaped her leadership style. She discusses adapting to challenges, especially during the pandemic, to strengthen the business foundation. Joette stresses the need for clear leadership and allowing space for staff to develop their strengths and confidence
Main topics:
Business Ownership Staff Management Personal Growth Pandemic Adaptation Leadership Challenges Main takeaway: If you don't give people the opportunity to fail, then they can't grow.
About our guest:
Joette has served on the Board of The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, helping to educate others in the industry about best practices.  Her company has won a multitude of local awards including Angie’s List Super Service Award for 5 consecutive years, “Best of Dallas” by D Magazine, and “Best of’s” from WFAA Channel 8, Dallas Voice, and The Dallas Observer.  Park Cities Pet Sitter was also awarded the prestigious NAPPS 2017 Business of the Year–this is a national award given to a pet sitting company that demonstrates outstanding business practices and vision in maintaining and growing their business.
Joette is married and is a mother to two boys.  Animals have always been a huge part of her life. In addition to “herding” the four Park Cities Pet Sitter office cats (Carl, Kruzer, Henry and George), Joette also has a sweet rescue dog named Phyllis and a short-haired rabbit named Toofus at her home. She strongly believes in giving back to her church and community, and does so by working with local shelters, as well as through education, training, and fund raising activities.
Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joette-white-43814b24/
Email Joette: joette@pcpsi.com
Website: https://www.pcpsi.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkcitiespetsitter Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/park-cities-pet-sitter-inc- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PCPSI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Park-Cities-Pet-Sitter-Inc-300134640612 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCQVE7LfCLlayBOB9I8XWSA
EOS - entrepreneur operating system: https://www.eosworldwide.com
Buy PSC Merch
Give us a call! (636) 364-8260 
Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Email us at: feedback@petsitterconfessional.com
Full show notes and transcript
 
Sponsored by:
❤️ Our AMAZING Patreon Supporters
Time to Pet
Visit: https://timetopet.com/confessional
Code: 50% off first 3 months
 

Are you struggling to stay top of mind with your clients? We share our effective client engagement strategies, from personalized interactions to consistent communication. Discover the power of community outreach by building relationships with local businesses and participating in events. While in-person marketing is important, enhance your online presence through live social media sessions, email marketing, and SEO-friendly content. As always, it’s about exploring a variety of marketing strategies to ensure your business remains visible and relevant, even during slow periods.
Main topics:
Client Engagement
Community Outreach
Online Presence
Marketing Strategies
Main takeaway: People don't need you until they need you. We have to remind people that we’re still there for them.
Buy PSC Merch
Give us a call! (636) 364-8260 
Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Email us at: feedback@petsitterconfessional.com
Full show notes and transcript
 
Sponsored by:
❤️ Our AMAZING Patreon Supporters
Pet Sitters Associates
Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com
Code: Confessional

Are you engaging with the right clients? Kate McQuillan, owner of Pet Sitters Ireland and Pet Business Owners, emphasizes the importance of market research and understanding your audience. She highlights how local content can drive meaningful engagement and how a consistent blogging strategy can significantly impact business growth. Kate stresses the value of genuine customer engagement over vanity metrics and the need for efficient operations to meet client expectations.
Main topics:
Market research
Local content
Blogging impact
Customer engagement
Efficient operations
Main takeaway: People are looking for engagement, not just likes and shares. It's about building relationships.
About our guest:
Kate McQuillan is the dynamic founder and driving force behind Pet Sitters Ireland, a premier pet sitting and dog walking business in Ireland. Since its inception in 2010, Kate, alongside her husband Michael, has grown the company into Ireland’s largest pet care service, renowned for its commitment to providing in-home pet care as a superior alternative to kennels. Passionate about pets and driven by a vision to create a service that pet owners could trust, Kate has built a business that prioritizes the comfort and well-being of pets in their own homes.
In addition to Pet Sitters Ireland, Kate also founded Pet Business Owners, a platform dedicated to supporting and mentoring other pet care entrepreneurs. Through this venture, she shares her extensive knowledge in marketing, blogging, and business strategies, helping others to achieve success in the pet care industry.
Kate’s expertise extends beyond business operations; she is a prolific blogger and a recognized authority in the pet care community. Her innovative approach to marketing and unwavering commitment to excellence have earned her numerous accolades, including the Best Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Business in Ireland. Living in the peaceful countryside south of Dublin with her husband and their beloved pets, Kate continues to inspire and lead the way in the pet care industry.
Links:
https://www.petsittersireland.com
https://www.facebook.com/PetSittersIreland/
https://www.instagram.com/petsittersireland/
https://www.youtube.com/user/petsittersireland
https://twitter.com/PetSittersIre
Free EBook: https://petbusinessowners.com/customers
https://petbusinessowners.com/
Buy PSC Merch
Give us a call! (636) 364-8260 
Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Email us at: feedback@petsitterconfessional.com
Full show notes and transcript
 
Sponsored by:
❤️ Our AMAZING Patreon Supporters
 
Time to Pet
Visit: https://timetopet.com/confessional
Code: 50% off first 3 months
 
Pet Perennials
Visit: https://petperennials.com/pages/register-for-a-business-account
Code: 'PSC' when registering for a $2 off coupon on any purchases in the 1st 90 days

Are you embracing growth? We explore the relationship between personal growth and business adaptation. We are always growing; every phone call, dog walk, and client interaction contributes to our internal changes and makes us stronger. Embracing both internal and external growth is essential to a better business, whether it's updating your SOPs or rebranding to better meet client needs. We also talk about the importance of resilience building, turning challenges into opportunities, and thriving amidst constant change.
Main topics:
Personal Growth
Business Adaptation
Internal Changes
External Growth
Resilience Building
Main takeaway: Challenges build resilience; they are opportunities in disguise.
Links:
Buy PSC Merch
Give us a call! (636) 364-8260 
Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Email us at: feedback@petsitterconfessional.com
Full show notes and transcript
 
Sponsored by:
❤️ Our AMAZING Patreon Supporters
Pet Sitters Associates
Visit: https://www.petsitllc.com
Code: Confessional