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...

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...

Fear Free Certification 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...

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...

How do you protect your passion while running a growing pet care business? In this episode, Wayne Hartley Jr. of Happy Hearts Pet Care and PETLANTA shares the realities of entrepreneurship, including the hustle, the...

In 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...

How do we better serve aging pets and their senior owners? Angela Dinsmoor, gerontologist and founder of Grey Whiskers, joins the show to share how her background in human aging informs her unique approach to senior dog...

What would actually happen to your pet sitting or dog walking business if you couldn't show up tomorrow? In this episode, we share how a scary experience during COVID forced us to confront just how much our business...

In every industry, true leadership isn't about recognition—it's about service. In pet care, that spirit shows up in those who give their time, share their experience, and create space for others to grow. Few embody that...

Are you covered for what you actually do today—not what you did last year? We walk through our annual insurance review. We cover the "must-haves", when bonding makes sense, and why non-owned auto and business property...

What does it take to build a successful, heart-centered pet sitting business? Lindsey Perriello shares her path from surgical tech to pet care professional, highlighting the emotional toll of past jobs and how her...

What do you do when competitors copy your ideas, wording, or services? In this episode, we share a practical mindset shift: ideas are cheap—execution is everything. We explore how delivery, team training, client...

What does it really mean to educate your community while running a thriving pet care business? Miguel Rodriguez of City Dog Pack returns to share how he balances content creation, training, boarding, and walking...

In this episode, we unpack how the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) used its magazine to point cat owners toward insured, trained, professional sitters—despite being sponsored by a gig-app. We explore why that subtle...

What does it really mean to be a kind and ethical pet care provider? In this episode, Helen Motteram of The Pet Professional Network shares her personal story of burnout, bullying, and the powerful impact of kindness in...

What happens when an "unregulated" industry finally publishes standards? We unpack PSI's new Global Standards for professional pet sitting and dog walking, explaining why standards are the floor—not the ceiling—for...

What does it take to build a thriving solo pet care business rooted in community? Olivia Hanson of Waggin Tails Winona shares her journey from a banking job to becoming a full-time pet sitter and dog walker. She...

Who actually wins when the pet care industry gets bigger, noisier, and more competitive? We break down how the market has matured, why growth feels harder, and why the old "post on Facebook and wait" playbook no longer...

How do you professionalize an unregulated industry across a vast country? Erika Godwin and Morag Wilcox share why they launched Canadian Pet Care Professionals, a membership built by and for Canada's pet care providers...

What if your blank notebook became the engine of your business growth? Collin shares the two phrases he writes in every notebook—"Nothing doesn't go in here" and "The first page is profound"—to defeat perfectionism and...

What does it really mean to grieve a pet—and how can we do it well? In this deeply moving episode, we talk with Koryn Greenspan, founder of The Parted Paw, about the often overlooked reality of pet loss and the profound...

What do you do when unexpected free time makes you anxious instead of relieved? We break down the difference between constant motion and true movement, introducing three kinds of time: Action, Admin, and CEO. WE explain...

What does it take to transition your team from independent contractors to employees? Abby Strong, owner of Auntie Abby's Professional Pet Sitting, returns to share how she nurtured a strong, supportive company culture...

What do we do when our business feels broken? In this episode, we share practical ways we as pet sitters and dog walkers can turn setbacks—client complaints, burnout, or sudden revenue dips—into lessons that build...

What does it look like to run a pet care business with heart? Sam Erbaugh, owner of Paw Beach Pet Care, shares her journey from interior designer to pet care entrepreneur. Sam shares how she rebuilt her life in Florida...