July 2010

Six-Figure Pet Sitting Success Story

The Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy helps hundreds of pet sitters create successful, lucrative and ease-filled businesses each year.
Below is just one of our many success stories!

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Name: Lois Kelly
Business Name: Four Paws Pet Sitting Services, LLC
City and State: Raleigh, NC
Website: www.4PawsPetSitting.com

Do you remember the approximate month and year when you first called Kristin Morrison and The Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy for help in your pet sitting business?
Oh wow, I think almost 5 years ago.


What issues were you having in your business when you first contacted Kristin Morrison and the Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy?

I think I must have spoken to Kristin at truly the right time. I can’t remember why I called the Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy that first time but for some reason I called.

I wasn’t having any trouble but I think the reason I called was that I just wanted to grow and not do it myself. I was at the point where my business had grown and I would have to service a smaller area or hire. I had a few people working for me at the time. I would have been one of those business owners with burn out but I talked to Kristin before that ever happened! Lucky me. I was very fortunate and learned a lot immediately.

What is one of the ways that the Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy helped you in your business?
I always knew to set goals and write them down but in the Catapult! Pet Sitting Business Success class Kristin had us write down the exact figure of what I wanted to make in 2009. I had that figure in front of me on my desk in a little frame. I looked at it often. Next to it I had my basic steps of what I had to do to get to that goal.

I had a plan and stuck to it. Even if I only took 10 minutes working on the computer I did something towards working on my goal.
I love that Kristin can pinpoint issues and implement a plan so quickly. She does not waste any time.

What was your yearly gross total in 2008?
$72,000

What was your yearly gross total in 2009?
I grossed $168,00 in 2009.
My goal was $123,000 after being in your class in 2008.

In one year you grossed over double of what you’d grossed the year before?
Yes.

What has been the most important change you have made in the way you run or manage your business?
I have a purpose in mind. I have not been doing visits myself for a few years thanks to Kristin and I am proactive in my business. I think one thing I did was hire and then go after finding business in the area where I hired.
I am now truly having fun and loving this business.

Is there anything else about your business success that you would like to share?
I did not immediately buy into what Kristin was saying but I followed what she said and I am so happy I did.
I hired an office manager. It is really hard to let go but oh so worth it! I learned that I did not have to be tied down.
I now have 27 sitters.

Attention pet sitter: Are YOU ready to create six-figure pet sitting business success in YOUR pet sitting business? Click to find out more and to sign up for coaching sessions with Kristin Morrison, founder of the Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy.

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Secrets for Pet Sitting Business Success Teleclass-Save $10 in next 24 hours!

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Hey Pet Sitters: there’s still time to save $10 on the July 27 Secrets for Pet Sitting Business Success Teleclass if you sign up by July 20.

After July 20 the price will go up to $30 (still a steal for the amount of information you will get that will help you rocked your pet sitting business to success!)

Click here to find out more and to sign up for the Secrets for Pet Sitting Business Success Teleclass.

Secrets for Pet Sitting Business Success Teleclass-Save $10 in next 24 hours! Read More »

Passing the Leash: 5 Tips to Make the Hiring Transition Easier

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I got an email today that inspired me to write a blog post.
Thanks Emi!

Here’s the email I received:

Hi Kristin,
I purchased your online product Business Hiring Kit: For Hiring Pet Sitting/Dog Walking Staff ™ two days ago and have been very pleased with the content.

One of my main hurdles is how to tell my current clients, that I have been taking care of myself for the past year, that I am going to transition from being the owner/dog walker/pet sitter to just the owner with hired staff to cover the pet sitting and dog walking.

Do you have any suggestions on how to make this transition smooth and professional?

Thanks,
Emi
Sniff and Go Dog Walking and Pet Services

Here’s my response:

Hi Emi,
Nice to hear from you. 🙂

I’m so glad you are happy with the Hiring Kit. I developed it years ago to use in my own pet sitting business and it has helped me hire top-notch pet sitters and dog walkers in my own pet sitting business. I currently have 30 great pet sitters on staff, all of whom I’ve hired through using the Hiring Kit. I have heard from lots of other pet sitters that my Hiring Kit has helped them hire great people too. I love hearing that.

Yes, I do have 5 suggestions for making the transition easier:

1) Share the jobs for awhile with your new staff. If you are hiring dog walkers continue walking on M/W/F and having your new walker walk T/TH.

2) Go to at least 3-5 of the client interviews when your staff meets your clients. After that the staff member should be able to go on his/her own.

3) When clients call about particular sits and you are going to put new staff members in say, “I’d love to help you but unfortunately I’m not available for those dates. I have a wonderful assistant that is. Would you like me to set up a time to have you meet my assistant?” If you are sharing the job say: “I’m available for some of those dates. For the dates I’m not available I have a wonderful assistant.”

4) Have your clients pay you via mailing a check or giving you their credit card information. Don’t have them leave checks for your assistant to pick up. It creates more work for your assistant.

5) Be sure to use a client questionnaire when staff members do sits on their own. Mail it to clients with a self-addressed stamped envelope so they will feel compelled to return it. The Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy sells a client service questionnaire or you can create your own.

Have your questionnaire be simple enough that it will just take clients only a minute or two to fill it out the form and send it back to you with their comments. Having a self-addressed stamped envelope will compel them to mail back the questionnaire! I’ve found the online questionnaires to be less effective for client response so mail the questionnaire to them.

Sending out questionnaires will help you get feedback on how your new staff member is doing. It’s often easier for clients to write out their feedback than pick up the phone to let you know what their experience was like in using your new staff member. Keep it simple for them and for you!

A final note about the questionnaire: share the feedback, both good and bad, with your staff. The positive feedback will keep your staff motivated and the negative feedback will get them back on the right track.

Hope this information helps, Emi!

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