Let's Talk Dog Business

In this episode we get honest about sales objections and what’s really going on when people say, “It’s a bit expensive” or “I need to speak to my partner.” We look at why this objection to buying is so often just the polite default excuse in British culture and how to respond in a way that changes their minds. We discuss how your own fears about being seen as too expensive can actually help create the very objections you dread, and why your brain goes straight into panic, justification and people-pleasing on discovery calls. Then, share simple ways to turn things around – how to see objections as protection, not rejection, ask better questions instead of freezing or discounting, and why trying to fix your money mindset and how you handle money related objections on your own is practically impossible. KEY TAKEAWAYS Money Objections Aren’t Always About Money: When someone says, “it’s a bit expensive” or “I need to speak to my partner,” it’s often an automatic performance, one that covers the real reason they aren't buying. It’s the easy, polite thing to say, especially in British culture.   Your Brain Helps Create the Objections You Fear: When you go onto sales calls afraid that people will say you’re too expensive, you  expect it and are hyper focused on hearing that. You often end up manifesting it. The stories you tell yourself before the call really shape what you pick up on during the call.   Treat Objections as Protection, Not Rejection: Most objections are a safety mechanism, not a verdict on your worth. If you see them as defence and protection on the part of the would-be client, you are more likely to respond calmly and tease out what the real issues are so you can address them.   You Can’t Untangle This Alone: Shifting how you handle objections surrounding money is nigh on impossible on your own. You need someone to help you notice your patterns, challenge your stories, and keep you on track when negative beliefs creep back in.   BEST MOMENTS “Work on your money mindset.” “If you don't explore their objections as early as possible, mitigate them, expect them, anticipate them, and set the scene for those objections... It will bite your ass later.” “We have to explore objections with an open mind.” “I need to go and speak to my partner. It's a stall tactic.” “It is incredibly difficult if you are trying to develop this skill by yourself.” “Explore it a little bit more and find out where that comes from, why you think potentially that could be a reason not to buy.” SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS  https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/gsd-buisness-accelerator 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.caninebusinessacademy.com/buy-the-book Email: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream. With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Most dog trainers still focus on selling their time in sessions. A well-used model that feels safe,  but often it ends up holding you back and leaves your clients with only a partial solution to their problems. In this episode we unpack what can go wrong when you use a session-only model and how to change things to avoid those issues. We cover why a session-only business often leads to, pressure to prove your worth in one hour, undercharging for all the support you quietly give, and that nagging feeling that results don’t match the effort you’re putting in. We show you how to think beyond hours-for-money, how to make your support more effective and sustainable, and how to design offers that make you a profit while getting better results for your clients. What you learn today will really help you, even if you decide not to ditch sessions completely. KEY TAKEAWAYS Just selling sessions isn’t necessarily bad, but it does quietly put the focus on time spent instead of the change you are working with the client to achieve. When you only sell hours, you tend to feel pressure to prove yourself in that session. Your focus can end up on that more than on what the client needs and how they are doing.  It’s your job to guide your clients towards the level of support that fits their problem. They are not the best person to decide whether they need 1, 3 or 5 sessions. A lot of the real value you provide e.g. answering questions via email or online, technique videos that can be accessed outside of sessions, emotional support, is given away for free. Moving away from the session only model provides an opportunity to change that. Moving from a session mentality to outcome-focused offers doesn’t mean you can’t sell single sessions; it means sessions become one tool among many. BEST MOMENTS “So, the question is, how do we get out of session mentality? And do we need to?”  “You're helping them (the owner). They're the reason that they've reached out, not the dog.”  “I don't need to be a dog trainer. I need to be a support system for that person.” “Selling sessions isn’t the problem. The problem is when we design our offers around our fears instead of our clients’ outcomes.” SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS  https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/gsd-buisness-accelerator https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness www.caninebusinessacademy.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity Let´s Talk Dog Business Strategy Book -  https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/buy-the-book Email: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS  Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream. With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact. Their award-winning work has earned recognition including: – UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands) – Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025 – Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024 – Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast. Their philosophy is simple: Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

What does success actually mean to you? And is it really your definition?or one you’ve picked up from everyone around you? Today, we look at why it’s so easy to get caught up in someone else’s version of success, to end up simply doing what everyone else does running the same type of classes and making the same offers. For so many trainers following the crowd leaves them feeling deflated, bored, and unfulfilled.  We have been there and have come out the other side. Today, we run a business that works for us as well as for the people we help. We explain how to pause and identify what you are really trying to achieve, then find the strength to go after it regardless of what others around you say. You will learn how to recognise the fears that are holding you back and overcome them. KEY TAKEAWAYS Stop Chasing Someone Else’s Version of Success: It’s easy to look at what other trainers are doing and convince yourself you should be doing it too. Just because something works for someone else doesn’t mean it belongs in your business. Specificity Can Feel Scary: Keeping your version of success vague might feel safer because not defining something lessens the chances of your feeling like you’ve failed. But the more specific you get about what you actually want, the easier it becomes to make decisions that move you towards it. Don´t Let Fear Hold You Back: Everyone feels a bit fearful about doing things differently, it is normal to feel it but don´t let it hold you back. Be especially aware of how your fear of what others will say is holding you back. Failure Isn’t Always Failure: Trying something that doesn’t work doesn’t automatically mean you’ve made a bad decision. It provides useful information about what you enjoy, what your clients need, and what fits your business.  Give Yourself Permission to Notice What’s Working: Success can become so focused on the next goal that you forget to acknowledge what you’ve already created and achieved. Sometimes you need to stop, look around, and actually appreciate achieving the things you once thought you’d never be able to do. BEST MOMENTS “It's so easy to get caught up in somebody else's version of success.” “Be brave enough to explore something that's a little bit different.” “Which version do you want to be of yourself?... do you want to be the play it safe? ” “Are people actually going to think those things that you think they'll think?” Ready to stop second-guessing your business and start building it your way? Come join us inside the Mastermind and get the clarity, strategy, and support to make it happen at https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/ SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness www.caninebusinessacademy.com 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Running a dog business isn’t just about being good at what you do with dogs. It’s about getting noticed, building relationships, creating a customer experience people want to return to, dealing with the unexpected and having the confidence to keep putting yourself out there. All of which Danny Nelis-Rouse  from Tug-E-Nuff has experienced and successfully navigated. In this episode, he shares hiw journey from a small agility-focused business to a bigger brand, and the lessons he’s learned about networking, resilience, customer service and putting yourself out there. Danny shares how Tug-E-Nuff started with his mum making a food toy for her collie who couldn´t be persuaded to play, why working with dog trainers opened up a new market, and how he became more confident as the face of the business. We get into handling controversy, owning your mistakes, managing difficult customers, knowing when to wait before responding, and why sometimes the best thing you can do at a disastrous event is look for the opportunities underneath the s**tshow. KEY TAKEAWAYS Own Your Mistakes: If something goes wrong, don’t become defensive. Listen, acknowledge it, and work out how to put it right. Networking Is A Long Game: Building genuine relationships and finding your club creates opportunities long after an initial conversation. Don’t Wait For People To Come To You: Events and social media provide opportunities to start conversations, build awareness, and create relationships. Don’t be a wallflower; engage with people whenever you can. Sell Solutions Not Products: Understand the problem your customer is trying to solve and demonstrate that you have a solution. Explaining how your product or service solves a problem is what matters. Push Yourself Outside Your Comfort Zone: You probably won’t be as bad at it as you think. Try new things, learn from them, and use that experience to grow. BEST MOMENTS “I’ve worked on myself a lot… I would have hidden behind the business and been like nobody wants to hear about me. But they do.” “You've got to just be resilient and pick yourself back up again if anything gets in the way and find the opportunities.” “Ask, what is it that you offer people, and how can you identify the pain that those people are in or the problem that they have?” “I wouldn’t feel comfortable just selling somebody something and saying bye, you’re on your own now.” ABOUT THE GUEST https://tug-e-nuff.com Tug e Nuff partner programme - https://partner.tug-e-nuff.com/ 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode we get honest about using AI in your business. We talk about why so many dog trainers who are stretched, short on time, unsure what to say or how to show up online, lean on it so much. Unfortunately, that can lead to you creating bland, generic “AI slop” that erodes trust. We have used AI a fair bit, so know how easy it is to end up doing that. In this episode, we share some of the mistakes we made and how to use AI to support you instead of replacing you. If you’ve ever felt both grateful for AI and slightly uncomfortable about how much you’re using it, this episode will help you work out what role it should really play in your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS AI Slop Turns People Off: Generic, copy‑and‑paste posts and visuals don’t make you look professional - they make you invisible. When your content is generic, people switch off and trust erodes. Develop A Strong Strategy First : AI can’t give you a business direction. To use it well, you need to already know who you are, who you’re for, and what you’re trying to achieve. Without that, it just amplifies the confusion. Use AI as a Drafting Buddy, Not the Expert: AI is brilliant for bouncing ideas around, sketching out draft posts, or rough visuals. It works best as a thinking partner you edit, not as the final voice of your business. Garbage In, Garbage Out: If you’re vague, rushed or unsure, AI will default to producing generic rubbish. The more specific you are the better the results will be. Use plain, clear language and keep everything aligned with your brand. If you are force-free say so to avoid AI producing an article that recommends a form of discipline that goes against your principles. Stay In Charge Don’t Let AI Become the Boss: AI is great for testing out ideas, but don´t rely on it too much. It tends to tell you what you want to hear and can drag half‑relevant information from previous chats into new ones. It’s fine for exploring ideas, but your judgement, experience and instinct have to stay in charge. BEST MOMENTS “The world is crying out for the personal part, the human bit, the connection bit, and without realising we're taking all that away.” “It all comes down to no matter who you're using or what you're using, you stay true to yourself.” “Where we want it (AI) to create clarity. It can actually create more confusion.” “I'm still really pro AI. If you use it as a strategic thinking partner.” 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Many dog trainers start out trying to be everything to everyone, instead of focusing on the one thing we love and becoming brilliant at that. In this episode we sit down with Olivia Jones, the Biker Girl Dog Trainer, to talk about what happens when you stop trying to be a “GP” trainer and build your whole business around the big, spicy, bitey cases most people run a mile from. Olivia shares how she became a reactivity and aggression specialist, why her bright red hair, tattoos and motorbike are core business assets, and how she has built an £80k business without a behaviour degree or a big team. Built almost exclusively via word of mouth. We discuss how she trains large, intense dogs while still holding firm to force free principles. She gets honest about imposter syndrome, compassion fatigue, charging more than local trainers, and overcoming the fear that niching down will cost you clients. You will hear how networking, referrals and genuinely backing other professionals has actually made her business busier and more stable, not less. KEY TAKEAWAYS Niche Down To Stand Out: Focusing on one type of case, instead of offering every service under the sun, makes it easier for the right clients to find and trust you.   Your Personality Is Part Of Your Brand: Red hair, tattoos, a motorbike, humour, and strong opinions are all a part of Olivia´s brand. The more you lean into who you are, the more memorable and referable your business becomes.   You Don’t Need Every Qualification: Results, experience, and the willingness to continually learn and improve what you offer matters more to most clients than formal behaviourist qualifications and titles. Force Free Techniques Are Practical: Working with big, spicy, bitey dogs does not mean that you have to abandon your ethics. The stakes are high and safety matters so reading body language, addressing pain, accommodating genetics, and skilfully using the right tools are all very important. Networking Beats Lone‑Wolfing: Referrals, networking and sharing cases with other pros leads to better outcomes for dogs and a more stable, sustainable business for you. BEST MOMENTS “I’m now turning over £80k… Which I’m buzzing about. A lot of people don’t realise you can actually do this as a full‑time job – and you really can.” “I’m force‑free, but for me it’s LIMA. If I’ve got a dog that outweighs the owner, I’m going to use a head collar for a bit until we can move away from it.” “I don’t think you should be a dog trainer who is a GP. You wouldn’t expect your GP to be a surgeon, physio, and everything else.” ABOUT THE GUEST https://www.bikergirldogtrainer.com https://www.facebook.com/bikergirldogtrainer https://www.instagram.com/bikergirldogtrainer SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness www.caninebusinessacademy.com 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact. Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards. They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast. Their philosophy is simple: Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

When you look under the hood of most of your “I’m stuck” moments in your dog training business, you’ll usually find the same thing behind it - fear. Fear of getting it wrong, fear of what other trainers will say, fear of wasting money, fear you’re not actually good enough to pull off the business you secretly want. In this episode, we dig into how those fears show up as paralysis e.g. not posting, not changing your offers, not raising your prices, and endlessly asking for validation from partners, peers and even AI before you move. You’ll hear honest stories about sick‑to‑your‑stomach investments, overcoming feeling like a “lowly dog trainer,” and hiding behind other people’s posts instead of owning your own opinions. Plus, how treating business decisions as experiments, not irreversible changes, helps you use fear as data and actually gives your ideas a chance to work. KEY TAKEAWAYS - Don´t Let Fear Drive: Whether your fear is about money, judgement or getting it wrong, if you let fear drive, you will stay stuck. - Treat Business Changes As Experiments: Most changes you make aren’t permanent; they are not like tattoos. You can undo them or tweak them and try again. That’s not failure, it’s you experimenting and refining things until you find what works. - Hiding From Judgement Is Costing You Growth: Ducking visibility, softening your opinions, and only sharing other people’s posts without commenting feels like it keeps you safe from judgement. The problem is it also keeps you invisible. If you are not seen, you will never gain traction and grow.  - Back Yourself: “I can’t afford it” often really means “I don’t trust myself to make it work.” When you genuinely appreciate the skills you have, back yourself and invest to grow those skills you become unstoppable. - There’s a Limit To What You Can White-Knuckle Alone: Having  the right person in your corner shrinks your fear, speeds up your growth, and stops you talking yourself out of what you actually want. Every human needs a mentor or trainer, at some stage. BEST MOMENTS - “There's so much interwoven fear, interlinked in different ways, and it manifests itself in paralysis.” - “I  was that person …I did have my own opinion, but I was scared to say this is my opinion.” - “You have to step into that fear.” - “Now we're not only interacting with other human beings, we're interacting with robots to tell us if we're making right or wrong decisions because of that super high need for validation.” 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

When they strip away the “build a 7-figure empire” noise, most dog trainers realise that they just want a business that feels good to run. One that lets them actually help dogs and people. Today, we sit down with Josh Beckler from K9 Optima to discuss what a genuinely “small but mighty” dog business looks like when you design it around joy, not ego. Josh shares why he walked away from a high-pressure corporate career and dreams of a big dog training centre to build a lean, behaviour-focused business that he loves working in. You’ll hear how rescue stories and humour, not polished obedience tutorials, built his audience and how training live for hours online keeps him sharp. We also talk about compassion fatigue, feeling guilty when you’re not studying or marketing, and the pressure to launch courses and memberships before you’re ready. Together we explore how to set boundaries, create seasons of focused work without burning your life down, not typical dog training industry advice. KEY TAKEAWAYS Specialising Beats Doing Everything: Dropping services that drain you and doubling down on the training you love is often the quickest way to achieve better results.   You’re In The People Business: Those "marriage counsellor" moments are all part of the job, they help you to understand and connect. The dog only changes if the human does, so you need that connection. The Formats You Use Online Should Fit Your Nervous System: If live streams and pressure switch you on, use them; if they fry you, choose slower formats like pre‑recorded video, email or written posts instead. Boundaries Are a Powerful Anti‑Burnout Tool: Deliberately ring‑fence time for family, rest and life. If you don´t your business will quietly swallow every moment. Passive Income Needs Real Depth: Courses, communities and books only work long‑term when they’re built on lots of real experience. Personal Brand Beats Being a Polished Guru: Your opinions, humour and quirks are asset. Sounding like yourself in a sea of AI‑slop enables the right people to find and trust you.  BEST MOMENTS “The small is me. The mighty is my wife that keeps me on track to do things.” “People are so sceptical, seeing all the AI s**t everywhere, not knowing what to believe.” “Don't worry about sounding smart and throwing all the terminology around.” “Being as mindful about planning the family activities as you probably are at planning your business is the answer.” ABOUT THE GUEST Book Link The Infinite Approach: Modern Dog Training & Polyvagal Insights https://a.co/d/07bJwDw8 The K9 Optima Community https://www.k9optima.com/offers/DjZK7Bn2/checkout You can also find everything in one place at  www.k9optima.com SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness www.caninebusinessacademy.com 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

When you understand dog body language, everything clicks into place and your training improves. Understanding the personality type of the person holding the lead can be just as transformative. In this episode, we explore the four common personality types: chatty, big-picture thinkers (parrots), fast, results-driven people (eagles), calm, supportive types (doves), and careful, detail-focused people (owls). You’ll hear real-world examples of personality clashes that leave both sides frustrated: trainers thinking, “I’ve explained this ten times, why aren’t they doing it?” We look at what happens when two parrots spend an entire session chatting instead of training, how an eagle can overlook what an owl really needs, and why the caring dove in you might slip into people-pleasing instead of leading. We break down how to spot the bird in front of you, adjust your pace and level of detail, and use one powerful question to transform your consults, sales, and clients’ results—without having to become a different person. KEY TAKEAWAYS Understanding A Client´s Personality Type Matters: You can create the perfect training plan , but if you don´t adapt it and deliver it in a way that suits the person in front of you very little progress will be made.  Fast Isn’t Always Effective: Eagle‑type trainers who love speed and “getting shit done” can accidentally bulldoze quieter, slower‑processing clients. You can walk away thinking the session was brilliant while the client leaves confused.   Regularly Ask This Vital Question: Asking “What else do you need from me to feel confident taking action on this?” . It is a simple, powerful way to uncover gaps in understanding, regardless of the personality type.  Being Yourself is a Strength: Understanding your own personality tendencies, whether that’s over‑explaining, over‑prepping, or winging it. enables you to design your business and client process around your own personality tendencies.  BEST MOMENTS “For a lot of us, we think we're giving the detail, but it's being given in a way where you are just talking at somebody.” “We have to be mindful that the population is a mix. You're not typically talking to just one profile. It's a blend of all of those profiles.” “For somebody who needs a lot of detail, if that detail isn't given, that might put them off buying.” EPISODE RESOURCES D.I.S.C personality type for dog trainers episode with Andy Nisevic - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-impact-your-personality-profile-has-on-your/id1727170978?i=1000668232509 How to contact Andy Nisevic : https://www.linkedin.com/in/andynisevic/?originalSubdomain=uk https://onedegree.uk/ 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Hating every single part of your business right now? Don’t panic—you aren't alone, and those rough moments usually hide the best golden nuggets. This mashup episode brings together the absolute best bits from our upcoming CBA Live 2026 speakers to completely reshape how you look at growth, money, and boundaries. We are tackling the addictive danger of riding only the highs, why "Bob" (your defensive brain) keeps trying to keep you safe, and the humbling reality of how your ego might be pushing you forward while pulling you back. Plus, get ready for some serious tactical advice on building off-platform assets—because relying solely on hacked-prone social media pages is a recipe for disaster. We are also breaking down the real truth behind burnout, why charging "affordable" prices is actually draining your energy, and how aligning your business with your highest personal values changes everything. 5 Key Takeaways Highs are Addictive: Celebrating big wins is easy, but learning to navigate and measure the unsexy low days is the true marker of a sustainable entrepreneur. Befriend "Bob": Your defensive brain works in feelings rather than facts; treat it with love, but don't let its pessimistic bias dictate your business choices. Own Your Data: Social platforms are borrowed land. Building an email list protects your business from being erased by sudden hacks or algorithm shifts. Burnout is Often Under-Earning: Burnout isn't always from working too hard; it’s frequently a state of low rewards, high financial stress, and not paying yourself. Corner Pieces Matter: Your mission, vision, and values aren't just flippant corporate words—they are the foundation that shapes your entire customer experience. 5 Direct Quotes "Highs are a very dangerous place to be. It becomes addictive." "Bob works in feelings big time. 'I feel this and I must react.'" "The reason that people burn out is because they're not spending enough time doing the stuff that they love doing." "Email marketing done well outperforms social media in client acquisition massively." "Burnout is actually a state of you not earning enough. It's not that you're doing too much." 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream. With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact. 🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including: – UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands) – Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025 – Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024 – Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast. Their philosophy is simple: Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Most force-free trainers feel like accidental business owners and reluctant marketers - brilliant with dogs, but suddenly expected to be marketers, salespeople, and content creators. Add AI into the mix and it can feel impossible to stand out without selling your soul.   Today, we are joined by Ricky Sullivan, The Canine Copywriter. She helps dog trainers get crystal clear on what they offer, who it’s for, and writes the content for their website, emails, and other marketing. Content that makes the right people’s ears perk up and tempts them to get out their credit cards. We discuss why creating ethical, human copy is essential and how to do it and improve your visibility without having to live on social media. As well as how to use AI in a way that ensures you still sound like you. KEY TAKEAWAYS Copywriting is all about using the right words. Words that catch the attention of the right people and demonstrate to them that you are the person who genuinely can help them to train their dog and provide them with relief. Jargon-heavy copy that reads like you are trying to prove how much you know, instantly turns people off. Their eyes roll, they think "what the hell does that mean or that sound soooo complicated." - then click away.  Pet owners want a human they can relate to and understand. Someone they know will truly solve their problem.   Be honest about what your offer. The more genuine you are the more you will attract clients you can help and the more likely it is you will please them and attract good reviews. If you think you are not a good fit, don´t work with that client. Pick marketing methods that work for you. If you don´t like writing, produce your content by talking instead. Using social media is optional, staying consistently visible isn’t. Generic, identical AI images and content erode trust and stop you standing out.   BEST MOMENTS “Copywriting is writing words, but words for marketing. Words that are designed to persuade.” “You just cannot stand out if everybody's stuff sounds exactly the same, and everybody's images are AI generated.” “It's a fine line between understanding what people need to hear and not using their pain points against them.” “Most force-free dog trainers didn't get into being a dog trainer because they wanted to be on social media.” “Don't over complicate it, just be yourself, just show up, talk about what you care about, talk about how you can help people.” ABOUT THE GUEST https://thecaninecopywriter.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/thecaninecopywriter https://www.instagram.com/thecaninecopywriter/ 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Most dog trainers are still using a 90s-style model: six-week courses, one-off sessions, and long gaps between classes. A model that rarely works in today´s crazy busy world that is full of highly distracted and already over-stretched clients. They can´t take in and apply what you teach and training their dog tends to slip down their to-do list. Leaving you and them very frustrated. In this episode, we explain that owners don’t want to have to become mini-dog trainers, they want simple methods that work. That needs long-term support, repetition, patience from you and  asking better questions. That creates calmer clients, stronger relationships, and results that actually stick. KEY TAKEAWAYS A 90s‑style pick‑and‑mix of one‑off sessions and short courses no longer works. When owners only get you in tiny snippets, it’s hard for them to build new habits and see lasting change, especially with puppies. Clients are not short on information, they’re short on capacity. Kids, jobs, stress and 10,000 daily ads and messages eat their bandwidth. They can’t absorb and implement everything you say. Judging clients e.g. thinking “they shouldn’t have a dog” shuts down your ability to help them. Even if you are careful to say nothing directly to them, they will still pick up on your disapproval. How you feel leaks out in subtle ways.  Take note of your frustration or issues with people and work to put things into perspective. Ask - What might be going on in their life that I don’t see yet? Respectfully talk to your clients to uncover the underlying issues that are holding them back.  Sounding like a broken record can be frustrating, but if you don´t you can´t break through all of the other noise. Build repeated explanations, reminders and check‑ins into your course or sessions. Longer‑term, relationship‑based support makes it easier for both sides. You get time to really understand the client and adapt how you help; they get space to be honest, try, wobble, and come back without feeling like a bad owner. BEST MOMENTS “It's more human connection now.” “You'll see more of that person, and they will let you in more into what's going into their lives, and it will allow you to be more empathetic.” “You need to sound like a broken record… If they've only heard it one time, they're not going to retain it.” You've got to come CBA Live, 9th and 10th of July, Solihull – Just book here - https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/cba-live-2026 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

If your normalcy, is juggling dogs, clients, kids, partners, piles of washing, dozens of undone chores, and a brain with 47 tabs open, this episode is for you. It is all about the reality of running a dog business while looking after family and dealing with a long list of other responsibilities outside of work. We talk openly about those rock‑bottom moments where you wonder if it would be easier to just go back to being “normal,” identity crisis, handling grief and being overstretched. You’ll hear how to simplify your business, prioritise tasks and surround yourself with a community of people that provide the support you need instead of inadvertently making things worse. KEY TAKEAWAYS Feeling overwhelmed by life and work doesn’t mean you’re not cut out to run a business, it means you’re human. Developing a rinse‑and‑repeat business model frees up headspace and time. Discomfort is part of growth. The right mentor stop your overthinking. They help you see where you are making things harder than they need to be. Who you surround yourself with massively affects your belief in what’s possible and how hard everything feels. When you feel fear or overwhelm spike about money, clients, big decisions or other things, pause, and say, “This is my brain trying to keep me safe.” Then ask: "If fear wasn’t driving this, what would I choose?" Periodically, audit your business for tabs that don´t need to be open and plates you no longer need to keep spinning. List out everything you’re trying to do, decide what actually moves the needle and what can be parked. For regularly repeated tasks, develop simple rinse and repeat processes, and follow them. BEST MOMENTS “How often, do you feel you've just got too many tabs open in your head, or you're spinning too many plates?” “Life is busy, life is short, so actually spend it with people you love. Spend it with people that are going to encourage you.” “Often, we are afraid to put ourselves first.” “What thoughts are yours, and what are other people's that have infiltrated your brain?” If you’ve not grabbed your CBA Live ticket yet, get your arse in gear and sort it here:https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/cba-live-2026/ Across two days we cover everything we’ve talked about in this episode (and a lot more): real-life business stories, mindset, money, systems, and strategies you can actually use. You’ll connect with other force-free trainers, and you’ll have the chance to join the CBA community full-time so you’re not left doing this on your own. CBA Live is the business event for force-free dog trainers and behaviourists. SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness www.caninebusinessacademy.com 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream. With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact. Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast. Their philosophy is simple: Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Treat visibility as relationship-building, not just posting. Local vets, rescues and pet businesses, plus simple authority videos that reframe common problems, often move the needle faster than another generic reel. Put basic systems in place so every enquiry gets a fast reply, undecided leads are followed up automatically, and review requests go out without you having to remember a single sticky note. The faster you reply the more likely you will be booked. BEST MOMENTS “If it's not resonating with the audience… that nice (website) design isn't going to go very far.” “We're not actually in the business of dogs; we're in the business of people.” “I've landed on this website, I'm in the right place, I'm hearing words that relate to me, and I'm already feeling a weight lifting off my shoulders.” “I definitely don't think a new dog trainer needs to go spend $10,000 or even $1,000 on a website … just a simple web page to start.” “I think it's a massive risk relying on the safe route of not putting yourself out there.” ABOUT THE GUEST https://digiwoof.com Socials - @digiwoof 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream. With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact. 🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including: – UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands) – Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025 – Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024 – Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast. Their philosophy is simple: Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Most dog trainers didn’t become self‑employed because they craved spreadsheets, tax returns, and late‑night admin. They started because they loved dogs, loved learning, and wanted to do something that wasn´t soul sucking. Fast forward a few years and many are burnt out, under‑earning, and stuck in limbo – half in, half out – between a “proper job” that is pure drudgery and a dog business they don’t fully trust to support them. In this episode, we strip back the glossy story and talk honestly about why you’re in business, how you got here (accidentally or intentionally), and why that is important. We discuss how to keep going when things get hard. You’ll hear our real stories of turning down safe promotions, taking redundancy, leaving big salaries, and redefining purpose after grief and major life events. Including, the ripple effect those decisions had on family, money, self-belief, and our entrepreneurial lives. KEY TAKEAWAYS How your business started shapes your mindset and expectations of what you can achieve. Many trainers stay in “safe” jobs they hate because they don’t fully trust the business model or themselves to make it work financially. Tough life events often act as forced turning points that push you to finally say, “there is no good time – I’m doing it anyway. There’s a difference between the motivation to start and the motivation to continue and work your way through the drudgery. If you’re constantly moaning about enquiries, clients, or cash, you eventually have to stop the moaning and change how you run your business. What do you want your life to look like? – that is your first question, answer that question and change things to make it happen. BEST MOMENTS “What's the blocker here? Why are lots of people struggling to get those brilliant results?” “I love that transformation; I love people getting brilliant results.” “All the stuff that we're moaning about, all the things that we find difficult. What are we doing about it?” “What is your motivation when it's hard, what's keeping you going? Where do you want to go with it? Where do you want your life to be?” EPISODE RESOURCES The Judgy Carrott episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-to-stop-unintentionally-telling-prospective-clients/id1727170978?i=1000768641524 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Most dog trainers are losing hours of headspace to what we call “comparatinitis” – the constant urge to measure your business against everyone else’s. A new trainer appears in your area, someone launches real-life puppy classes, or their social media looks slicker than yours, and your brain goes straight to: “They’re going to take all my clients,” “I should be doing that,” or “I’m not good enough.” Before you know it, you’re doom-scrolling their website instead of building your own business. In this episode we unpack where that fear really comes from, covering money, ego, industry culture, and nervous-system level panic. Then show you how to flip comparison into fuel. You’ll hear how to get more specific about what you actually want to be known for, design a business model that doesn’t need 50 clients a month, and stop trying to copy trainers whose strengths and goals are completely different to yours. KEY TAKEAWAYS Constantly comparing yourself to your competitors keeps you second‑guessing your prices, offers, and skills. It leads to you building your business around fear instead of intention. Get really specific about the dogs, people, and problems you want to be known for solving. That stops you from treating every other trainer as a direct threat. Build a business model that doesn’t rely on packed classes and fifty clients a month. A handful of well‑priced, long‑term programmes is all you need. There really is plenty of clients out there for everyone. 41% of UK households have at least one dog. Put boundaries on your stalky‑stalk time - use that energy to take one concrete action to boost your own business e.g. follow up on a lead. Use what other trainers are doing as proof that there’s demand, rather than seeing everything as evidence that you’re failing or are “too late to the party.” BEST MOMENTS “Let's flip that (new competition) into something that drives us forward, that makes us better – Ask, how can I see this as a possibility?” “The more specific you get, the more likely you are going to get that owner that you really want, as a client.” “You shouldn't try to be somebody else, and you can't just copy what somebody else is doing …you can do whatever the f**k you want to do.” “I had a model where if I was making 3 sales a month at £2k I was like, there was six grand coming in for me. I was quite happy with that. I didn't need to go and get 50 people.” 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream. With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast. Their philosophy is simple: Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Most force‑free dog trainers are finding it increasingly hard to attract clients. They are passionate, educated and deeply committed to canine welfare - yet their businesses struggle. Not because they’re not good enough, but because their judgyness of dog owners is quietly telling great prospective clients to f**k off. Without meaning to do so, many trainers are saying “you and I are not a good fit – go work with someone else.” Today, we explore how the way you talk about ‘ideal clients’ and commitment can accidentally leave well-meaning dog owners feeling judged and not good enough. You’ll see how certain phrases, website copy, and enquiry processes act like a big ‘keep out’ sign and what to do instead so the right people actually lean in. Expect uncomfortable truths, relatable confessions, and practical mindset shifts you will be able to immediately apply to your messaging, sales calls and offers. KEY TAKEAWAYS Hidden judgement in your marketing copy, policies, videos, and website quietly tells great prospects to go elsewhere - long before they even speak to you. Most dog owners say “obedience” because that’s all they’ve ever heard. It’s a knowledge gap, not them being arseholes and "bad" owners. If you only speak to “ideal clients,” you shrink your pool down to a handful of already‑converted unicorns. Demonstrate how you work and your philosophy using stories and examples. This, attraction marketing approach ensures people don't feel shamed by your content. You’re not in the business of dogs, you’re in the business of people - meet people where they’re at to help more dogs, earn more, and resent your clients a hell of a lot less. BEST MOMENTS “A lot of us are unintentionally telling prospective clients to f**k off.” “The more invested, more passionate we get, the harder it is for us to understand what it feels like to be a dog owner, and this is where that resentment of people comes in.” “You're failing the people if you don't meet them where they're at, and you don't acknowledge that their knowledge level is very different to yours.” “If we've done the judgy thing, not necessarily in person to them, but through our messaging and through our marketing…you actually turn people off.” “People skills are something we have to keep working on.” “You can be passionate without being a judgy carrot.” Make sure you check out CBA Live - THE business event for force-free dog trainers and behaviourists. Two days of Real talk & Practical strategies - July 9th & 10th 2026 Save big with our Early Bird discount – https://www.caninebusinessacademy.com/cba-live-2026/ 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream. With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman Awards. They’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast. Their philosophy is simple: Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Many dog trainers accidentally build businesses that burn them out: 60-hour weeks, low prices, blurry boundaries, and no real way to step back. It doesn’t have to be like that. Treating your training business as a real company – with vision, pricing, and systems – is what changes everything. Today, we sit down with Amber Quann from Summit Dog Training, a 20-year industry veteran who scaled from solo trainer to a 12-person team and used that growth to buy her own commercial real estate. We unpack how the pandemic puppy boom pushed her into severe burnout and how a year of coaching helped her separate her identity from the company and promote herself to CEO. This episode is about shifting from “I just love dogs” to running a serious, profitable, CEO‑led training business – with real pricing, real systems and a company that can survive (and even be sold) without you. KEY TAKEAWAYS Don’t build your business as “I just love dogs, so I’ll train on the side.” Decide early that it’s a serious company and promote yourself from lead trainer to CEO. Separate your identity from the business - that emotional distance is what makes growth, delegation and even exit possible. Price for profit and sustainability, not guilt. If you want to pay good wages, give raises and survive rising costs, you must charge enough and accept that some clients will leave. Treat software and card fees as the cost of doing real business. Automated, upfront payments slash no‑shows and admin. Set a clear North Star so you stop chasing every “good idea.” Look to other industries for better models, launch at 10%, then iterate – perfectionism is what keeps you stuck. Build a business that exists beyond you: systems, brand and a trained team turn dog training from tiring self‑employment into an asset you could one day sell. Aim for a healthy relationship with your business over the year, not perfect work–life balance every week. If you only want to train dogs, that’s fine – but then bring in ops/CEO support instead of trying to wear every hat. BEST MOMENTS “Folks told me no one's gonna pay that for training - Now I charge three times that.” “Look at something and take the bits out of it that are going to be relevant to you. You don't have to completely replicate it.” “It's kind of just been this, North Star almost, but continuing to reorient around it as the years have passed.” EPISODE RESOURCES https://summitdogtraining.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/summitdogtraining https://www.facebook.com/summitdogtraining 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

At some point, most dog trainers feel incredibly frustrated and unsure of themselves. Their clients are rarely anything like ideal students, and the end results are often disappointing. Today’s episode is about what really happens when textbook dog training techniques collide with messy human lives. When training “doesn’t work” it is rarely because the methods are wrong – real owners are busy and often skip the “boring” foundations. Most owners follow bits of the plan, hit wobbles, never fully buy into the why behind the protocol and change their goals as training progresses. The net result is that everyone, including the trainer, ends up feeling like the training has failed. In this episode, Jo & Vicky explain how to redesign your coaching, conversations, and programmes so that even when real owners are busy, inconsistent, and primarily focused on making their own lives easier, the training still works and everyone stops feeling like a failure. KEY TAKEAWAYS To get better outcomes, trainers must design coaching for messy, time‑poor real‑world owners, not fantasy clients who do every rep. Often, owners don´t do the homework just because of a lack of time. To them the “boring” foundations don’t feel clearly connected to the few specific behavioural problems they want solved. When dog trainers don’t make the why of each step obviously relevant to a client´s real-life goals, they only do bits of the plan, hit wobbles, lose confidence, and quietly disengage before the method has had a chance to work. Quick wins create perceived value for clients. They build trust and motivate them to keep going and do the harder things. When trainers explain why each step matters, and the consequences of skipping it in terms of how well-behaved the dog will be in real life, owners can make informed choices and are more likely to commit to the work. BEST MOMENTS “Give them something that is going to get them a result quickly, that is going to add to that bank account of trust.” “You want to create an environment where they can give you that information without feeling judged and without feeling like it's going to be a s**t answer.” “It is gonna be up and down -- it's not ever gone smooth sailing, because it's not supposed to. That is not how we learn as people, as humans.” “This industry that we've created for ourselves is crippling us with imposter syndrome.” EPISODE REOURCES https://podcasts.apple.com/cz/podcast/how-to-stop-speaking-dog-trainer-and-start-speaking-human/id1727170978?i=1000762968318 https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

From “rock bottom” to national crime-scene cleaners turning over six-figures plus. Donna and Dennis share how they built a premium, values-driven cleaning business and coaching brand. Weirdly, there’s a lot of crossovers into dog training - and they prove it. Their lessons on pricing, mindset, recruitment, and client relationships map uncannily well onto the realities of running a dog training business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Don´t start your business as a hobby – “I just love doing this thing” doesn´t work. You need a business and growth mindset. Charge premium prices and structure for cash flow from day one. Don´t be afraid to break through the VAT barrier. Look out for new opportunities and services you can add to create a more resilient business. Don´t be afraid to recruit. Know your core values, hint at them in your job advert and hire for the character traits you need. Having a strong purpose creates a lot of positive energy. Wanting to help others is a particularly good driver. Expect complaints and wobbles you will rarely achieve perfection, be ready to deal with oversights (don´t call them mistakes). Build clear processes to minimise risk of oversights and deal with them. This also makes it easier to teach your staff and others the skills they need. Overserving for free is not good for you or your client. You can help but need boundaries. Learn to bridge the knowledge gap: meet clients where they are at, not where you are. Pitch at their level. You are going to have those “I should just go get a 9-to-5 job days” – refocus on why you are running your business, the things you enjoy and how working in Asda would make you feel. BEST MOMENTS “Everything we do, or we train our staff do to, we've done ourselves on the ground.” “I have got that purpose, and I have got the ability to change people's lives and it's massive.” “Recruit for character.” “There is space for everyone. If you don't believe there's space for you, there won´t be.” “The universe puts in front of you what you need to see.” “I have never stopped pushing. I just find different ways to push.” EPISODE RESOURCES https://thespecialistcleaninggroup.co.uk https://donnahall.co.uk DISC profiling for recruitment - https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc 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: hello@caninebusinessacademy.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies are dog behaviourists, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy—the UK’s go-to hub for dog professionals who want more than just a logo and a dream.With a combined passion for dogs and business done properly, Jo and Vicky have helped hundreds of canine professionals build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in real impact.🏆 Their award-winning work has earned recognition including:– UK StartUp Awards: Business to Business (Midlands)– Small Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Small Business 2025– Business Awards UK: Most Innovative Pet Product 2024– Plus shortlists at the Women in Business and Great British Businesswoman AwardsThey’re also No.1 bestselling authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy, featured on BBC Radio, FOX, NBC, and more—with 63,000+ downloads of this very podcast.Their philosophy is simple:Give a shit. Get shit done. Get results. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/