Most of us are dog lovers first, trainers second, and business men and women dead last. A number of challenges arise from this reality, including a pervasive sense of guilt about charging money for what we do. This guilt is then alleviated with chronic undercharging, the result of which is an income level that keeps […]
Better Case Resolution
In our one-on-one work with trainers we are often asked to help bring down the number of unsolved behavior cases—by which I mean those clients a trainer sees once or twice, maybe more, without resolution. In such cases clients don’t meet their goals, dogs are not helped, and business suffers. I have said in past […]
Ask For Help
If you’re reading this column, chances are you’ve been trained to work with dogs, and well trained. But running a business, any business, calls for a Renaissance skill set and unreasonable amounts of time: in past columns I’ve touched on the stress of adding administrative duties, accounting, bookkeeping, marketing, etc. to your job as dog […]
Making the Sale
In “Set Your Rates Right” I talked about charging what you’re worth. I attempted to convince you to give up the guilt and understand that being paid well for your work is good for you, your business, your clients, and the dogs. But knowing you’re worth a decent rate is only half the battle and […]
Expanding Your Services
Diversify and Conquer There comes a time in the life of every business, whatever its size, when the question of growth arises and decisions have to be made. Most business owners in this situation think vertically—more clients, higher prices, additional employees—often overlooking lateral opportunities, which, if approached with imagination, can add both revenue and diversity. […]