650: How to Build a Business That Runs When You Can’t (Part 2)
Release Date: 11/24/2025
671: The Power of Calm: Staying Grounded in Pet Care and Life with Jenn Wegener
Pet Sitter Confessional
What does it take to turn a part-time passion into a full-time pet-sitting business? In this episode, former veterinary technician and owner of Dreaming Tree Pet Services, Jenn Wegener, shares how her medical background gives her an edge in pet care and client trust. She opens up about the fear of leaving a steady job for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, and how she balances structure, family, and growth. Collin and Jenn discuss the importance of networking, setting intentional goals, and knowing when to say no. Above all, Jenn reminds listeners that caring for yourself is part of caring...
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670: Be Relentless, Not Reckless
Pet Sitter Confessional
What would change if we stopped calling avoidance “kindness” and started treating boundaries as care? In this episode, we unpack what being relentless actually means in pet care—and why it’s different from being reckless. We talk about how indecision creates inconsistency, and how inconsistency can put pets, clients, and our teams at risk. We walk through what relentless businesses do: decide deliberately, hold standards even when it costs short-term comfort, and protect time with real boundaries. We end with concrete action steps to stop tolerating what’s eroding our business and to...
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669: Keeping Quality Consistent When You Grow a Team with Mikayla and Aaron Anders
Pet Sitter Confessional
What does it look like to grow a pet sitting business without losing safety, consistency, or your sanity? Mikayla and Aaron Anders share how Adventures in Pet Sitting evolved from offering “everything” into a focused set of services built around what they love and what their community truly needs. We talk about building a team with a rigorous hiring and onboarding process, including certifications that prepare staff for real emergencies. They explain how boundaries, policies, and case-by-case flexibility protect both the business and client relationships over the long haul. The...
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668: Are You Growing… or Just Getting Louder Problems?
Pet Sitter Confessional
What happens if our business keeps growing exactly the way it is right now—and that thought makes our stomach drop? In this episode, we unpack what “sustainable growth” actually means and why growth isn’t neutral—it adds complexity, risk, and load. We talk about pacing hiring before we’re in trouble, setting a target utilization (not 100%), and building real operational resiliency. We walk through how to know when it’s time to hand things off using practical financial and bandwidth-based triggers. And we cover the levers we can use to control growth—pricing, service mix,...
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667: The Safety Systems That Prevent Pet Sitting “Oh No’s” with Scott Black
Pet Sitter Confessional
Get 1 CEU for PSI and/or NAPPS: What does it mean to truly care in your business when you’re busy, scaling, and running on fumes? In this conversation, we talk with Scott Black about how complacency shows up quietly—skipping the notes, assuming nothing changed, letting small red flags slide—and how that leads to “oh no” moments. We dig into why consistency isn’t boring, it’s protective: for pets, for clients, and for your team. Scott shares practical ways to raise the bar through screening, documentation, and clearer boundaries around what you will and won’t do. The goal is...
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666: Busy but Broke? The Metrics That Reveal Your Business’s Real Health
Pet Sitter Confessional
Get 1 CEU for PSI and/or NAPPS: In this episode, we break down the difference between being busy and being stable, profitable, and resilient. We walk through five measurable health indicators that reveal whether your business can actually support you long-term. From market fit and client retention to utilization, unit economics, and cash flow, we explain what to measure and why it matters. Whether you’re solo or have a team, these indicators apply across the board. Our goal is to help you diagnose problems clearly and build a business that supports your life instead of consuming it. Main...
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665: How to Work With (Not Against) Cats with Laura Cassiday
Pet Sitter Confessional
Get 1 CEU for PSI and/or NAPPS: What makes cats do what they do—and how can pet sitters respond? In this episode, Collin talks with certified cat behavior consultant Laura Cassiday of Positive Vibes Cat Behavior and Training about decoding feline body language, aggression, and litter box issues. Laura shares her process for understanding the “why” behind cat behavior and offers practical steps for sitters in fearful or aggressive cat situations. Together, they discuss the importance of setting client expectations, documenting visits, and advocating for enrichment. You’ll walk...
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664: Developing a CEO Mindset
Pet Sitter Confessional
Are you building a business—or just staying busy? In this episode, we explore what it means to shift from being the technician to becoming the CEO of your pet care company. We break down the mental and operational changes needed to move from chaos to structure, burnout to sustainability, and survival to growth. We share practical steps, real-life examples, and honest truths about what it takes to lead well. If you’re ready to design a business that runs without breaking you, this is for you. Main topics: Capacity and Burnout Pressures Systems Thinking and SOPs Delegation and Outsourcing...
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663: Leading Through the Next Level In Your Business with Marie and Justin Plummer
Pet Sitter Confessional
What happens when your business grows faster than your systems—and regulations force you to rebuild everything? In this conversation, Marie and Justin Plummer of Winston-Salem Dogcare share how North Carolina’s Animal Welfare rules pushed them from “in-home” into a fully regulated, facility-based setup and what that required financially and operationally. We talk about the mindset shift from feeling like problems are “happening to you” to showing up as a prepared problem solver. They unpack how staff surveys revealed unseen disconnects, and how professional development became a...
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662: The 3 Resets Every Growing Pet Care Business Faces
Pet Sitter Confessional
What happens when the skills that built your pet care business are no longer the ones it needs to grow? In this episode, we respond to a thoughtful listener question about the uncomfortable transition from doing the work to running a company. We unpack why growth often feels harder instead of easier, even when things are “going well.” We walk through three major mindset resets that every owner eventually faces as responsibilities shift. This conversation is about sustainability, leadership, and learning how to care at scale. Main topics: From execution to decisions Passion versus...
info_outlineIn this episode, we continue our conversation on building a resilient business by focusing on shared ownership, redundancy, and smart automation. We talk about how to empower your team to make decisions, centralize knowledge and access, and design systems that don’t fall apart when one person steps away. We also explore the mindset shift from being the hero of every story to building a brand and team that clients can trust, not just a single person. Ultimately, we challenge ourselves and you to design a business that supports your health, family, and future, instead of constantly taking from you.
Main topics:
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Culture of shared ownership
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Redundancy across people and systems
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Centralizing knowledge and access
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Smart automation for pet businesses
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Designing business around your life
Main takeaway: “Build your business around the life you want, not the life that you are stuck in.”
So many pet sitters and dog walkers feel trapped by the very business they created. The schedule, the emergencies, the hundreds of tiny tasks all add up until you feel like the only thing holding everything together. In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to flip that script—to design your business so it supports your health, your family, and your future. We walk through building shared ownership with your team, adding redundancy so you’re not the only one who knows how to do critical tasks, and using automation to take work off your plate. If you’re tired of feeling like the business is taking from you, this conversation will help you start building one that gives back.
Links:
Get 1 NAPPS/PSI CEU FOR LISTENING TO EPISODES 648 AND 650
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Examples pet business CRMs mentioned:
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Time To Pet: https://www.timetopet.com
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PetBiz CRM: https://www.petbizcrm.com
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Automation / tools referenced:
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Zapier: https://www.zapier.com
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Asana: https://www.asana.com
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Google Drive: https://www.google.com/drive
Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com
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Full show notes and transcript
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Pet Sitter Confessional, its hosts, or sponsors. We interview individuals based on their experience and expertise within the pet care industry. Any statements made outside of this platform, or unrelated to the topic discussed, are solely the responsibility of the guest.
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