Episode Details

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 drea