I had the pleasure to attend two professional pet sitters conferences so far this year. While it wasn't easy to get away from Hearts at Home and our beloved clients, I welcomed the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, learn from leaders in the pet care industry, and enjoy additional professional development. Pet sitters conferences happen throughout the year and are offered by various organizations. I attended the Texas Pet Sitters Conference near Dallas and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference in New Orleans. Following is a recap of each conference and my biggest takeaways.
Texas Pet Sitters Conference 2023
This was the first year I attended the Texas Pet Sitters Conference. Because I'm a Virginia-based professional pet sitter and business owner, many might think that attending a Texas-based organization's conference seems odd. Yet, professional pet sitters and business owners from over 20 states were in attendance. I was one of a few attendees from Virginia but the only one from the Yorktown area. A professional pet sitter from Northern Virginia attended and she, like me, attends as many conferences as she can each year. She has been in business since 1998, therefore, she is no stranger to the value these conferences offer.
The Texas Pet Sitters Conference had wonderful presentations, many of which were exciting to me because they either broached topics that are near and dear to my heart or opened my eyes to topics I was less informed of.
As I've shared in the past, I am a Fear Free Certified Professional. During the Texas Pet Sitters Conference, I had the opportunity to refresh my fear-free pet care skills thanks to Dr. Julie Liu, DVM.
I also had the opportunity to look at my business financials and pricing to ensure that we are setting our business up for long-term success in these trying times. Janie Budnick, pictured left, a longtime professional pet sitter that offers coaching and business development to professionals in our industry, helped attendees be honest about the state of our business financials. While I pride myself on running a business that provides outstanding service, does its best to keep prices accessible to our clientele, and properly rewards employees for their hard work, it's always good to sit down with an expert in the field and go over our numbers.
The conference in Texas allowed me to, above all, renew my passion for what we do. Along with my fellow professional pet sitters, those that understand the challenges and rewards of our industry, I shared my wins and my frustrations. We learned from each other and renewed our passion for the industry, providing the best possible care, and always being prepared for the unexpected.
NAPPS Conference 2023
The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference happened to be scheduled only a week or so after the Tex as Pet Sitters Conference. I was back and gone again quite quickly but was able to check in on the Hearts at Home team and our clients. I, of course, am still available during these conferences, therefore I hadn't missed much.
The speaker line-up at the NAPPS conference included Dr. Marty Becker, creator of Fear Free Pets. We also had a speaker on separation anxiety in dogs, an attorney discussing employment litigation, and a leader in recruiting to help us grow the right team. All these topics are pertinent to our small business because addressing separation anxiety, preventing employment issues, and hiring the best pet lovers we can is a daily reality for us.
The NAPPS Conference was another whirlwind of education, connection, and renewal. Revisiting the way we do business, learning how to improve our processes, and identifying what makes us special are great ways to ensure that we are building a business that will make a difference in the lives of our human and pet clients for years to come.
One of the most important things we do at Hearts at Home Pet Sitting is focus on education. Pet sitters conferences give me access to education that will then be diffused into our employee training to benefit our clients. I look forward to the opportunity to attend similar conferences in the future and am excited to continue growing Hearts at Home using the best practices and knowledge I acquire while attending.
To learn more about our outstanding pet sitting and dog walking services and how they can benefit you and your pets, please contact us at Hello@HeartsAtHomePetSitting.com or 757-745-9868.