659: Giving Back Through Your Business with Cheyenne Williams
Release Date: 12/24/2025
661: Why “Good Enough” Pet Care Isn’t Enough Anymore with Niki Tudge
Pet Sitter Confessional
What does “professional” pet care actually mean—and why does it matter so much right now? Collin sits down with Niki Tudge, founder of the Pet Professional Guild, to talk about the gap between what pet owners assume they’re buying and what many providers actually deliver. Niki shares the eye-opening real-life process she used to hire a pet sitter for her own dogs—and why it convinced her the industry needs higher minimum standards. Together, they discuss practical ways to educate clients, set non-negotiables, and document care like it truly matters. The conversation ends with a...
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660: Starting 2026 on the Right Foot
Pet Sitter Confessional
What if 2026 isn’t about doing more—but about doing what actually lasts? In this episode, we talk about why the end-of-year holiday rush can push pet sitters and dog walkers straight into toxic productivity. We walk through how to name what didn’t work in 2025 (without shame), especially where policies, boundaries, and overcommitment quietly drifted. Then we shift to what did work—life-giving habits, decisions that reduced stress, and systems that keep you steady even when you’re tired. Our goal is simple: a grounded, repeatable, sustainable 2026 built on consistency, not intensity....
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659: Giving Back Through Your Business with Cheyenne Williams
Pet Sitter Confessional
How can you use your pet care business to make a bigger impact? Cheyenne Williams returns to share how community involvement has transformed her life and her business. From leading suicide prevention walks to supporting foster care initiatives, Cheyenne explains how giving back is not just about writing checks—it’s about connection, purpose, and passion. She shares the challenges of balancing business demands with emotional nonprofit work, and how boundaries and clarity of purpose keep her grounded. This conversation is a powerful reminder that we were whole people before our businesses,...
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658: Converting Clients to New Services
Pet Sitter Confessional
What do we do when a service isn’t working anymore—but we don’t want to lose the revenue or the client? In this episode, we walk through how converting clients is leadership, not upselling, and why adding or changing a service isn’t a failure. We break down two conversion scenarios: when the service is a poor fit for the pet/client, and when it’s a poor fit for the business. We share practical strategies for leading with friction points, using observational authority, and making the transition feel low-risk through trials and clear replacement paths. We also talk about the reality...
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657: At The Crossroads in Pet Care with Matthew Kutas
Pet Sitter Confessional
What does the future of the pet service industry look like as technology and client expectations evolve? Matthew Kutas, founder and CEO of Republic of Dog, talks about the challenges and opportunities facing pet care businesses today. He discusses how technology can streamline operations without losing the emotional connection at the heart of the work, and why onboarding is a make-or-break process for client trust. Matthew shares insights on staffing, scaling, and the professionalization of the industry. He also explores how pet care intersects with city planning, corporate wellness, and...
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656: The Commodity Trap and How to Escape It
Pet Sitter Confessional
What happens when clients see your pet care business as interchangeable with everyone else? In this episode, we break down the commodity trap and why it’s not a pricing problem—it’s a positioning problem. We walk through the client, financial, and operational red flags that quietly signal your business is stuck competing on price. We explain why being more trained, more insured, and more professional often hurts more when the market doesn’t reward it. Finally, we share a practical framework for moving from commodity to chosen by selling outcomes, making your process visible, and...
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655: Building a Business Worth Buying with Erin Fenstermaker
Pet Sitter Confessional
Have you ever thought about what happens to your business when you’re ready to step away? In this episode, Erin Fenstermaker, certified exit planner and pet industry veteran, breaks down the key elements that make a pet business valuable and sellable. She discusses the importance of recurring revenue, documented systems, and building a team of employees over independent contractors. Erin also explains what EBITDA is, what influences it, and how emotional readiness impacts a successful exit. Whether you’re brand new or 30 years in, this conversation offers a roadmap to long-term value and...
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654: The Phrase That Changed Our Year
Pet Sitter Confessional
What if the key to protecting your business and sanity is actually learning to care less? In this episode, we share how our unorthodox Word of the Year—“care less”—helped us step back from constant urgency, emotional overload, and decision fatigue. We talk about naming our non-negotiables, especially around safety and standards, while letting go of guilt and overinvestment in pricing pushback, employee drama, and social media opinions. We walk through the practical tools we used, like decision deadlines, “good enough” standards, and release phrases that helped us move from dwelling...
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653: Fear Free Tools for Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers with Melissa Spooner-Raymond
Pet Sitter Confessional
for taking the ‘pet’ out of ‘petrified’. Get 10% off the with promo code PSC10. What does it really mean to be Fear Free certified as a pet sitter or dog walker? In this episode, Collin talks with Melissa Spooner-Raymond, a licensed veterinary technician and veterinary behavior specialist with Fear Free, about practical ways to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress for pets in our care. They explore reading body language, setting realistic goals for each visit, and using “the three Fs”—food, fun, and favorites—to create positive associations. Melissa shares real-world scenarios,...
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652: Avoiding the Ruts of Running a Business
Pet Sitter Confessional
What do you do when your pet care business feels stuck in the same old patterns? In this episode, we talk about how “ruts” form in our businesses the same way they do on a muddy trail—through repeated, unexamined habits over time. We explain the brain science behind habitual neural pathways, how stress and burnout make ruts deeper, and why comfort and fear of change keep us on the same path. We then walk through the three biggest rut zones for pet sitters and dog walkers: marketing, services, and admin overload, with practical questions to help you spot where you’re stuck. Finally, we...
info_outlineHow can you use your pet care business to make a bigger impact? Cheyenne Williams returns to share how community involvement has transformed her life and her business. From leading suicide prevention walks to supporting foster care initiatives, Cheyenne explains how giving back is not just about writing checks—it’s about connection, purpose, and passion. She shares the challenges of balancing business demands with emotional nonprofit work, and how boundaries and clarity of purpose keep her grounded. This conversation is a powerful reminder that we were whole people before our businesses, and we’ll be whole people long after.
Main topics:
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Volunteering through your pet business
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Suicide prevention advocacy
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Building client relationships through shared values
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Balancing burnout and service
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Setting boundaries with community involvement
Main takeaway: “What is the point of having a business without giving back?”
As pet sitters and dog walkers, we’re already deeply connected to our communities—but what if we went a step further? Giving back doesn’t always mean writing a big check. It can look like sponsoring a school event, volunteering with a local rescue, or using your newsletter to highlight important causes. When we give back, we’re not just running a business—we’re becoming part of something bigger. And the ripple effect is real: stronger client relationships, deeper personal fulfillment, and a lasting impact beyond the leash.
What’s one way your business is giving back this season?
About our guest:
Cheyenne Williams is a dynamic entrepreneur, dedicated wife, and proud mom of two incredible daughters. As the owner of Shiney Day Specialized Pet Care, she leads a multi-award-winning business, most recently honored with the SRQ Best Of Bronze Award for 2025. Cheyenne is also a devoted pet mom to a lively household that includes three dogs, four cats, and a hedgehog.
With a degree in Veterinary Nursing, Cheyenne’s expertise and compassion shine through in both her professional and personal life. She was recognized with the prestigious Women That Roar Award in 2024 for her leadership and impact in the community.
Beyond her business, Cheyenne serves as Board Chair for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and plays a key role as Walk Chair for three of their major events, attends legislative meetings in Washington DC and attends the annual Leadership Conference. She is also PTO President for her daughter's K–8 charter school, and a passionate advocate for vulnerable communities through her work with Guard Against Trafficking (where she is a pending board member), Foster the Family Florida as a community partner, and serves on the Fundraising Committee for Satchel’s Last Resort.
Cheyenne’s life is a testament to compassion, advocacy, and service—both in the lives of animals and the people in her community.
Links:
NAMI help lines: https://www.nami.org/support-education/nami-helpline/
988 crisis line
https://shineydaypetsitting.com
https://www.facebook.com/ShineyDayPetCare
https://www.instagram.com/shineydaypetcare/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/shiney-day-specialized-pet-care/
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)- www.afsp.org
FB & Insta: @afspswfl
Foster the Family- fosterthefamily.org
FB: https://www.facebook.com/fosterthefamilyus
Guard Against Trafficking- guardagainsttrafficking.org.
Linktree to all platforms linktr.ee/guardagainsttrafficking
Satchels Last Resort- satchelslastresort.org/
FB- https://www.facebook.com/satchelslastresort
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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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