Episode #150: “My 50 Clients Are Like Having 50 Bosses”

Heather wants to have more time with her kids and herself.  She bought a pet sitting business and now that’s she’s been running it for a while, she wants to change some fundamental ways she’s currently running it.

Like a lot of pet business owners (especially newer pet business owners), Heather is trying to be too many things and doing too much for many of her clients which is causing her to feel burned out and stuck in a rut.

She wants to create more of a “plug-and-play” or turnkey business. Taking on new overnight pet sitting clients is often anxiety-producing for Heather because it’s such an intimate experience with her staff in the client’s home, sleeping in their bed, etc. and she never knows how it’s going to turn out. She is also feeling that her many clients have become her bosses which is leading her to feel like she has 50 bosses.

Also, holidays feel very overwhelming for her because she gets so many potential clients reaching out desperate for care and they may only use her company for that one holiday which feels like a lot of work for a small amount of money.

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How is Heather doing now? Here’s an update from Heather in her own words:

Podcast Coaching Client:
Heather

Hi, Kristin,

Here are my “a-ha” moments and key takeaways from my podcast coaching session with you:

The session really helped me to think about how I want to be intentional with holiday scheduling. I decided to do a phased approach for scheduling and have opened my books to my top clients first. These spots will go to my existing staff with a lot of experience. The second phase of scheduling will be offered on first-come/first serve basis and I will specifically hire for these reservations. Then I can cap the amount of overnights I will provide service for and scheduling won’t just be a free-for-all.

I also increased my pricing for peak holiday dates so that I am really attracting clients who understand the value of our services and appreciate the professionalism and reliability they get for that premium price.

I also plan to start my overnights a little bit later so that we can also accommodate our “almost overnight” clients who need a 7/8 pm potty break. This was always a wrench in my staffing.

You really helped me think through how to grow and transform into the business I want and not just serve the demands of the business that I purchased. I have power to shape my clientele, my staff, and my services and you’re a pro when it comes to helping people walk through that thought process.

Thanks a bunch, Kristin!
~Heather

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