In this episode, Jo & Vicky are joined by Hannah Antrobus aka The Spaniel Guru. She helps Spaniel owners to better understand and love their dogs. Hannah explains how she ended up niching down and focusing on one breed helped to grow her business.
She provides some great tips to help you to build your brand, overcome imposter syndrome, ensure you charge enough, build rapport with clients and successfully collaborate with other dog professionals.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
People like authenticity. Sharing your lows as well as highs enables you to really connect with others.
You will be trolled. Be ready for it and don´t take it too personally. In Hannah´s case it actually helped her to rank.
Don´t be afraid to charge enough to earn well and enjoy a good standard of living. Other professionals are not afraid to do that, nor should dog trainers be.
People who are always questioning what you are doing will in the end pull you down.
Help your clients understand the positive impact your training will have, so they can see the value.
Charging appropriately creates more freedom and enables you to develop a better business and service.
Stop thinking of dog training as a charity service. It is a career.
Not giving everything away does not mean you don´t care.
Always start your day positively, it frames how you feel and impacts how well the rest of your day goes.
Life happens. Even when you are successful you will still face challenges and experience some slow periods.
Being adaptable is an invaluable skill.
Just do what you do well and stop worrying about things that are not your responsibility.
Niching helps you focus your efforts.
Niching down makes it easier to build a strong brand.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to other professionals and collaborate.
Invest where appropriate.
Get face to face with clients to build rapport. You can still do this using Zoom.
BEST MOMENTS
“There was a little bit of trusting my own intuition.”
“If you drop that guard, you build rapport with them.”
“We need to know when to learn and invest, but also not feel we have to absorb and be able to do everything.”
“Progression doesn´t equal perfection.”
“It´s getting comfortable with sometimes being uncomfortable.”
“That time and energy you're spending on worrying about that person is time and energy you're not spending doing the things that you love.”
“Keep doing you.”
“Try not to overthink it.”
“You are really client led.”
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://thespanielguru.com
https://www.instagram.com/thespanielguru
SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS
https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness
https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness
Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com
Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity/
Let´s Talk Dog Business Strategy Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Talk-Dog-Business-Strategy/dp/1068791705
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Meet Jo and Vicky! They bring a combined 25 years of expertise in the canine industry. Jo, with a background in corporate business, and Vicky, a dedicated advocate for rescue organisations, form an unstoppable team. Beyond the mic, their lives are a whirlwind – managing two successful businesses, pursuing a full-time university degree, and parenting two little ones under four. Each of their homes combined is a lively menagerie, housing five dogs and an abundance of chickens.
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/