585: Building Client Trust Through Niche Services with Niki Lepine & Steph
Release Date: 04/09/2025
593: Building and Letting Go with Nicole Packin
Pet Sitter Confessional
How do you know when it’s time to transition your business—or even your life? In this episode, Nicole Packin shares her incredible journey through selling two successful pet care businesses, moving across the country, and preparing for her next adventure. She opens up about the emotional and practical challenges of letting go, creating healthy boundaries, and finding new passions after nearly two decades in the industry. She discusses the evolving pet care landscape, the pressure entrepreneurs put on themselves, and the importance of taking space to breathe and reflect. Whether you’re...
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592: Bridging the Trust Gap
Pet Sitter Confessional
Trust is essential in every part of a pet sitting business. It begins before a client ever reaches out and is built through clear communication, consistency, and transparency. Clients look for reassurance at every step, and trust can grow when expectations are met and mistakes are owned. Building trust with pets requires patience, routine, and positive reinforcement to create a sense of safety. Internally, trust within a team—and with yourself as a business owner—comes from accountability, honest reflection, and clear follow-through. Main Topics Recognizing signs of client distrust ...
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591: From Lions to Labradors with Leanne Burger
Pet Sitter Confessional
What happens when you treat pet sitting not just as a job, but as a serious and deeply rewarding responsibility? Leanne Burger, owner of Going Away Pet and House Sitting in South Africa, shares her journey from raising lion cubs to building a thriving team of pet sitters and groomers. Leanne shares how her passion for animals, commitment to trust, and attention to detail helped her business flourish across multiple cities. She explores the deep responsibility that comes with caring for both pets and homes and the balance needed to maintain quality as you grow. It’s an inspiring look at how...
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590: Finding Repeatable Success
Pet Sitter Confessional
Have you ever wondered why something worked so well in your business, but struggled to replicate it? In this episode, we discuss the critical importance of building repeatable success by tracking your actions and outcomes. We share how documenting your systems, analyzing client feedback, and maintaining consistency lead to sustainable growth. We explore the connection between daily habits, professional development, and long-term business stability. By making intentional, data-driven decisions, pet sitters can create a reliable, thriving business and personal life. Main Topics: Tracking and...
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589: It’s All About the Heart with Janet Buchwald
Pet Sitter Confessional
What does it take to create a business that truly stands out? Janet Buchwald, owner of Kisses Happen, shares her journey from a corporate career to running a thriving pet sitting company. She discusses the deep emotional connections between pet sitters, clients, and their pets, and how understanding both animal and human behavior has helped her business grow. Janet emphasizes the importance of clear communication, maintaining professional boundaries, and marketing with authenticity. She also provides valuable insights into branding, SEO, and client retention strategies. This episode is a...
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588: Success on Your Terms: Escaping the Comparison Trap
Pet Sitter Confessional
What does success really look like in today’s pet care industry? In this episode, we dig into the shifting landscape of 2025 and explore how external pressures—from social media comparison to AI tools and rising costs—can distort our definitions of success. We challenge you to define success on your own terms rather than chasing someone else’s goals. From financial milestones to personal freedom and mental well-being, we highlight both tangible and intangible markers of a fulfilling business. We also share practical steps to help you gain confidence, clarity, and control over your pet...
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587: The Changing Landscape of Pet Services with Carmen Rustenbeck
Pet Sitter Confessional
How are mergers and acquisitions reshaping the pet care industry? In this episode, we welcome back Carmen Rustenbeck of IBPSA to discuss the rise of corporate buyouts, the impact on small pet businesses, and the challenges of maintaining a personal touch in an evolving market. They explore industry regulations, including Ollie’s Law in Massachusetts and the new Veterinary Professional Associate role in Colorado, and what they mean for pet professionals. Carmen also highlights the growing influence of Gen Z pet owners and their unique preferences, from pet insurance to reptile Main topics: ...
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586: Stop Running Someone Else’s Business
Pet Sitter Confessional
Are you building the business you actually want—or just the one you think you should have? In this episode, we get honest about the constant pressure to scale, grow, and do more in the pet care industry. We share how chasing someone else’s definition of success can lead to burnout, resentment, and misalignment with your personal goals. Instead, we encourage you to use data, not emotion, when making decisions and to define what sustainable success means for you. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to grow intentionally and build a business that supports their life—not...
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585: Building Client Trust Through Niche Services with Niki Lepine & Steph
Pet Sitter Confessional
How do you build trust with clients while offering specialized pet care services? Niki Lepine and Steph Law of Dog Jogs share how they carved out a niche in pet care by focusing on reactive dogs, shift workers, and personalized dog jogging services. They discuss how they built a loyal client base by addressing unique pet care needs, the importance of clear communication, and why community engagement matters. From offering pet first aid courses to hosting monthly dog walk meetups, Niki and Steph break down the strategies that have helped them stand out in a crowded market. If you’re looking...
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584: Show Up and Stand Out: Visibility and Value for Pet Businesses
Pet Sitter Confessional
Can showing up at local events truly set our pet businesses apart? We discuss our experiences speaking at a Home and Garden show, highlighting how community visibility builds trust and credibility among pet parents. We also reflect on powerful lessons learned from our son’s entrepreneurship bake sale, emphasizing the importance of confidently pricing premium services. Practical insights are shared about identifying speaking opportunities to boost our brand’s visibility. Ultimately, this episode explores why delivering value first can transform our pet businesses into trusted community...
info_outlineHow do you build trust with clients while offering specialized pet care services? Niki Lepine and Steph Law of Dog Jogs share how they carved out a niche in pet care by focusing on reactive dogs, shift workers, and personalized dog jogging services. They discuss how they built a loyal client base by addressing unique pet care needs, the importance of clear communication, and why community engagement matters. From offering pet first aid courses to hosting monthly dog walk meetups, Niki and Steph break down the strategies that have helped them stand out in a crowded market. If you’re looking for ways to specialize your services and build stronger client relationships, this episode is packed with inspiration!
Main topics:
- Creating niche pet care services.
- The benefits of dog jogging for high-energy dogs.
- Setting client expectations with clear communication.
- Supporting shift workers with flexible pet care.
- Building a pet care community through engagement.
Main takeaway:
“We try to build those relationships and be close to our clients. It’s not just a job.” — Niki Lepine
Understanding your clients’ specific needs helps build trust and loyalty. By offering specialized services—like jogging for high-energy dogs or tailored care for reactive pets—you create solutions that make life easier for pet parents. Niki and Steph share how they’ve turned their passion into a thriving business by focusing on clear communication, strong client relationships, and creative community engagement. 🐾
✨ What’s one way you personalize your pet care services? Share in the comments!
About our guests:
Nikki Lepine: is the co-founder of Dog Jogs, a premier dog running and walking service in Edmonton, Alberta, created from her personal experience with her beloved rescue dog, Koda. After adopting Koda—a senior dog with a history of separation anxiety—Nikki discovered that exercise was key to keeping him calm and happy. However, balancing shift work and ensuring Koda received enough activity was a challenge, leading her to recognize a need for reliable pet care for busy pet parents. This inspired her to team up with Steph Law to launch Dog Jogs, helping pet owners provide the same peace of mind she sought for Koda. Today, Nikki is passionate about enriching dogs’ lives through movement, adventure, and companionship, ensuring every pup in their care stays happy, healthy, and well-loved.
Steph Law: is the co-founder of Dog Jogs, where she channels her love for dogs and passion for supporting pet parents into a thriving pet care service. She and Nikki started Dog Jogs after seeing firsthand the challenges of balancing work and pet care, especially for dogs with high energy or anxiety needs. Understanding how important regular exercise is for a dog’s well-being, Stephanie is dedicated to ensuring every client—both two- and four-legged—feels supported and cared for. With a strong background in client relations and team leadership, she helps guide the Dog Jogs team in providing reliable, high-quality exercise and companionship for dogs across Edmonton. Whether it’s a brisk jog or a leisurely walk, Stephanie is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of both pets and their people.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/yegdogjogs/
https://www.instagram.com/dog_jogs/
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