Show Notes
DESCRIPTION
This year has been one of the hardest we’ve ever had in business. Making the decision to go all in and state publicly that we only work with force-free dog professionals wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing for us, and for the values Canine Business Academy was built on.
In this episode, we’re being completely open about what that journey has really looked like. We talk about the uncomfortable moments, the mistakes, the fear, the times we might have come across as egotistical and why we’re choosing to own every part of it.
We're sorry to anyone we’ve unintentionally hurt along the way. Growth isn’t clean. It’s messy, confronting and sometimes painful, but it’s also where integrity is tested and the truth gets louder.
If you’ve ever had to make a decision that cost you comfort, clients, or approval, this one’s for you. Because standing for something always comes with challenge but it’s how you keep standing that matters.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
This year, Jo & Vicky took CBA 100% force free and have started saying that in a very clear way.
Jo & Vicky slowly and painfully realised that being open to all trainers, while well-intentioned, ultimately put them at odds with their own beliefs about what’s best for dogs.
Before you start, sit down and work out what your personal and work values are and set your business up to fit in with that. If you don´t, you are opening the door to inadvertently upsetting people when you realign your business with your values.
Every business goes through challenges, accept that and do your best to be ready to work through them.
Be aware of the role fear can play in letting yourself go down the wrong path or avoiding issues that need to be dealt with quickly.
Seek out clients that are a good fit for you, in particular when it comes to your core values.
BEST MOMENTS
“ When we first launched CBA, we didn't have that clear stance,…we are force free trainers.”
“It’s almost like we just lost our way.”
“We don't work with people who train like that anymore. However, we are not going to accept you talking about people in a derogatory way and tearing people down. That is not what CBA is about.”
“We genuinely do care, and we genuinely do want to support .”
“Just be unapologetically you, because that's all you can be. And if you piss people off along the way, it will be unintentionally, but hopefully that forgiveness can come back.”
“We were cutting off our nose to spite our face hugely…our words and our actions weren’t matching up.”
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
Email [email protected]
ABOUT THE HOSTS
We’re Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies. Force-free dog trainers, business strategists and co-founders of Canine Business Academy. Collectively, we’ve been dog training for nearly three decades, built a six-figure dog training business, and grown CBA into a multi–six-figure global brand, all while raising kids, a university degree and life life'ing. Featured on BBC, FOX and NBC, and authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy. Giving a shit is the strategy. Getting shit done is the method.
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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In this episode we get honest about one of the biggest struggles facing dog trainers and behaviourists: knowing what to charge for your services and feeling confident enough to believe you deserve to earn a decent living. We look at why trainers can end up undercharging, separating training from behaviour work, and believing they need more qualifications or a more impressive title before they can charge more.We discuss why the value of your work isn’t determined by how “simple” a dog’s problem looks, and why the real thing you are being paid for is the impact you can have on someone’s life. Then, we explore how to stop comparing yourself to other people, recognise what you are actually good at, and build a business around the work you genuinely want to do.KEY TAKEAWAYSYou Are Solving Much Bigger Problems Than You Think: Clients aren’t simply paying you to show them how to train their dog. They are paying you to help them solve a problem that is negatively affecting their life, one that is maybe even making them think about giving up their dog. Understanding that changes how you see your value, your service and what you can reasonably charge.Stop Thinking of Yourself As Just a Dog Trainer: Most of the time dog trainers do far more than simply show a client a technique. They use their experience to identify the root cause of an issue and actively coach and support owners until their problem is solved.You Don’t Need a Bigger Title to Be Worth More: The pressure to become a behaviourist or collect more qualifications can come from a belief that you need external validation before you are good enough to charge properly. In reality, all dog owners are really interested in is whether you can solve their problem.Stop Trying to Be Someone Else: Just because you can work with certain types of dogs or behaviour cases doesn’t mean you should. Understanding what you genuinely enjoy, what you are good at and where your strengths lie will help you to build a business that actually suits you.BEST MOMENTS“I was making like £15, £20 grand a month in some months.”“You can be the reason they keep the dog, and you can be the reason they love their dog again, and you can just make that difference.”“That's what you're being paid for. That's why you should be earning a decent wage. That's why you do deserve it.”“To warrant that fee, I need to become a behaviourist. I need to have level five, level six, all the stuff masters. No, you f**king don't. No, you don't.”“Someone is not reaching out to you for you to show them what to do. They're reaching out to you for you to help them work through it.”IMPORTANT LINKS https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/gsd-buisness-accelerator https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness