Let’s be real, systems don’t build themselves.

In this quick and punchy Hot Tip Friday episode, I share the truth about how systems actually get created inside a growing pet care business. Spoiler: it’s not by accident.

As someone who naturally gravitates toward marketing and sales, I had to work hard to force operational systems into my company. But once I hit a certain team size, I realized a lack of systems wasn’t just frustrating. It was creating risk. And if your company is scaling, you’re going to hit this same wall.

This episode gives you three simple, mindset-shifting strategies to force meaningful, scalable systems into your business, without feeling like you have to become a corporate robot.

💥 Key Takeaways:

✅ Systems won’t appear on their own - you have to install them

✅ Set growth targets that are impossible without structure

✅ Create external accountability to follow through

✅ Think of systems as something you iterate, not perfect

✅ When stress is reduced, system-building becomes easier

✅ You can enjoy the process even if systems aren’t your strong suit

✅ Don’t build systems for the sake of systems - build them for outcomes

✅ Gamify systems to reduce pressure and increase execution

📢 DOGCO MASTERMIND

Enrollment is open through June 6 or until full

Want to scale with structure, clarity, and support?

🎯 https://dogcolaunch.com

💬 Drop a comment if this resonated or send it to someone trying to scale their service business without burning out.

🐾 Subscribe for weekly insights that help you work smarter and lead stronger.

Are you chasing big shifts or building long-term momentum?

In this week’s episode, I dig into one of the biggest lies entrepreneurs buy into: that one-time effort will change everything. The truth is that consistency is what really drives results.

I walk you through how I’ve learned to build steady output into my daily workflow, why commitment and consistency are not the same thing, and what routines I use to stay grounded when business gets chaotic.

📢 DOGCO MASTERMIND
Enrollment is open now through June 6 or until full
Ready to scale with structure, clarity, and support?
🎯 https://dogcolaunch.com

This episode is a practical, honest push to stop waiting for the perfect moment and start showing up with intention, day after day.

📚 Chapters:
00:00 Consistency vs One-Time Effort
00:34 Why Change Feels Safer
01:45 The Trap of the Big Fix
03:00 Defining Real Consistency
04:12 Your Business Reflects You
06:00 Self-Accountability as a CEO
07:59 Time is Your Most Valuable Asset
09:13 Wind-Up and Wind-Down Routine
12:45 Creating Deep Work Windows
14:03 Morning Checklist Example
15:53 Evening Checklist Example
17:04 Time-Targeted Focus
18:14 Output Goals Over Tasks
20:45 Are You Truly Consistent?
23:03 Compounding Small Efforts
24:55 Wrap-Up and Encouragement

💥 Key Takeaways:
✅ Consistency builds momentum more than big ideas
✅ One-time effort rarely leads to lasting change
✅ Daily structure makes room for deeper focus
✅ Wind-up and wind-down routines anchor your week
✅ Output goals help avoid task list overwhelm
✅ Your actions should reflect your stated values
✅ Start small and let it compound
✅ You are the system your business needs

🐾 Subscribe for weekly, practical, growth-minded content built for pet care pros.

💬 Drop a comment: What’s your biggest barrier to getting out of the field right now?

📣 Like + share this episode with someone who needs to hear they’re not alone in this.

💸 Want to make more money on your pet sitting services?

LFG.

In this hot-take mini episode, I share one powerful pricing strategy that helped a pet care company I work with go from $35,000 in net profit to $150,000 in a single year, without increasing staff or adding complexity. (and yes - I said NET PROFIT.)

Whether you’re deep into pet sitting or just dabbling, this shift can dramatically improve your margins on this service line.

Inside this episode:

• The hidden costs within your pet sitting services
• A simple pricing change that adds pure profit to your bottom line
• The truth about after-hours fees (and how to roll them out without backlash)
• Real answers to your biggest FAQs - like whether to pass the fee to staff and if you need to announce it publicly

📊 This model isn’t about nickel-and-diming clients. It’s about protecting your margins and turning a high-effort service into a high-reward revenue line.

💥 Key Takeaways:

✅ Pet sitting often carries hidden operational costs

✅ Charge based on time, not service labels (IMO)

✅ Add $5–$10 after-hours fees for visits outside 9–5

✅ Clients rarely push back - and often shift to easier daytime windows

✅ Keep the fee - don’t pass it to staff

✅ No price increase announcement needed

✅ More money for the same labor = a win

📢 DON’T MISS THIS:
Join us at the DogCo Business Summit, Sept 26–28 in Winston-Salem, NC! Learn how to scale smarter, price better, and grow sustainably.
🎟 Get tickets at https://dogcosummit.com

🐾 Subscribe for weekly episodes that help you build a more profitable, people-first pet care company.
💬 Was this tip helpful? Let me know - tag @michelleckline on IG and share your takeaway.
🎯 Like + share with a pet sitter or solopreneur who deserves to keep more of their earnings.

It’s time to stop yo-yoing between growth and burnout. In this episode, I’m sharing one of the hardest and most important transitions I made in my pet care business: finally getting out of the field—and staying out for good.

For years, I built momentum, only to be pulled right back into the daily grind. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever tried to scale but can’t seem to escape the pull of day-to-day client work, this one’s for you.

📢 DON’T MISS THIS:
We’re gearing up for the DogCo Summit, Sept 26–28 in Winston-Salem, NC!
🎟 Get tickets and details: https://dogcosummit.com

I’ll walk you through:
👉 The three places you can create margin to protect your time
👉 Why being the “rescuer” is slowing your growth
👉 How to build a team and a structure that doesn’t depend on you to survive
👉 The mindset shift that finally got me unstuck

This episode gives you real-world strategies to start working on your business, not just in it.

📢 SPECIAL RESOURCE:
🎯 Download the Weekly Staffing + Margin Tracker Spreadsheet to start planning your team buffer: https://subscribepage.io/dgojX2

💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ Being in the field is capping your growth
✅ Margin has to exist somewhere: team, management, or owner
✅ You can staff to 80% to create a buffer
✅ Local admin support can be your game changer
✅ Profit margins matter - especially if you’re trying to exit the field
✅ There is a way out. But you have to plan for it.

🐾 Subscribe for weekly, practical, growth-minded content built for pet care pros.

💬 Drop a comment: What’s your biggest barrier to getting out of the field right now?

📣 Like + share this episode with someone who needs to hear they’re not alone in this.

Welcome to our first Hot Take Friday! In this new weekly mini-episode series, I'll be delivering sharp, focused insights in under 10 minutes, designed to drive immediate impact in your pet care business.

This week’s hot take? Data. Why it matters, how to use it, and the seven essential metrics you should know to make faster, smarter decisions in your business—without drowning in spreadsheets or chasing perfection.

📈 If the phrase “track your KPIs” makes your eyes glaze over, I gets it. But in this bite-sized episode, I'll cut through the noise and shares quick + dirty math strategies that will help you:

• Protect your profit

• Diagnose weak spots

• Focus your energy where it actually matters

From labor cost percentage to client retention and hiring trends, I'll break down the most actionable metrics that support real-time business health.

Key Metrics Covered:

1. Labor cost percentage

2. Profit margin percentage

3. Week-over-week/month-over-month revenue

4. Average client spend

5. Average client retention

6. Employee hiring leads

7. Employee retention

💡 Takeaway: Protect your net profit. It is the lifeblood of your business.

📢 DON’T MISS THIS: We’re gearing up for the DogCo Business Summit—Sept 26–28 in Winston-Salem, NC!

Get tickets and details: https://dogcosummit.com

In this episode, I’m getting real about one of the most critical (and painful) lessons I learned while scaling my pet care business: people won’t stay just because you need them.

Staffing is one of the biggest bottlenecks in our industry right now, and if you’re focused only on client lead flow while neglecting your team, you’re setting yourself up to stall out.

I open up about a time when I lost a third of my staff in 10 days (yes—really), and how that wake-up call launched me into a year-long deep dive on how to build a better team, a stronger culture, and a place people actually want to work.

This episode is packed with practical, hard-won insight and 7 proven tactics that helped me rebuild, retain, and rally my team around a shared mission. Whether you’re just starting to scale or managing a full team, this one is essential listening.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ You can’t grow if you can’t retain
✅ Client growth means nothing without team growth
✅ A fragile team = a fragile business
✅ Hiring is not just about filling roles—it’s about casting a vision
✅ Core values + shared mission = culture glue
✅ Employee satisfaction must be measured, not assumed
✅ Exit interviews are a goldmine of honest feedback
✅ Treat your staff like co-builders, not just task-doers
✅ If you can’t articulate why someone would want to work for you, you’re already behind
✅ Becoming “the best part-time job in your city” is a powerful, actionable goal

🎙️ Sound Bites:
⭐ “I had to stop cheerleading and start casting vision.”
⭐ “Hiring was bottlenecking everything.”
⭐ “Your business needs your team—period.”

📢 DON’T MISS THIS: We’re gearing up for the DogCo Summit in September, 2025! If you’re serious about growing your pet care company, this is for you: 🔗 Grab your ticket at dogcosummit.com

💬 What’s working for you when it comes to hiring and retention? Drop your story or strategy in the comments.
🧡 Subscribe for more unfiltered, strategic conversations that help you grow your business with clarity and heart.
🐾 Share this with a fellow pet pro who’s feeling the strain of building a team!

Today, I’m digging into a phrase we hear all the time in the pet care world: “Know your worth.”

But here’s the thing - true business growth isn’t just about you knowing your worth. It’s about helping your clients perceive it too. In this episode, I break down the real meaning behind pricing, value, and customer perception, and how to strategically frame your offers so that clients feel like they’re getting an incredible deal - without having to slash your prices.

📢 DON’T MISS THIS: We’re gearing up for the DogCo Summit this September in Winston-Salem, NC!
🔗 https://dogcosummit.com/

Whether you’re struggling with pricing confidence or trying to create stronger buy-in from clients, this episode gives you actionable tools to bridge the gap between your worth and their willingness to pay.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ Knowing your worth is important - but it’s not enough
✅ The client’s perception of value is what drives their buying decision
✅ Pricing should reflect the value they see, not just what you believe
✅ Focus on framing outcomes, not just services
✅ Stack value creatively to increase perceived worth without hurting margins
✅ Guarantees and social proof can dramatically boost trust and conversion
✅ Pet care businesses must protect their margins and price confidently
✅ Selling the destination (peace of mind) is more powerful than selling the flight (the service itself)
✅ Value is the space between price and willingness to pay - widen it thoughtfully
✅ Strategic communication makes clients feel they’re winning

🎙️ Sound Bites:
⭐ “We want to sell the destination, not the flight.”
⭐ “Your value is not just what you know - it’s how clients perceive it.”
⭐ “Framing, stacking, and proof - that’s how you move the needle.”

📚 Chapters:
00:00 Knowing Your Worth in Business
02:08 The Reality of Value Perception
02:54 Announcing the DogCo Business Summit!
03:54 Pricing, Clients, and True Value
05:22 Aligning with What Clients Care About
08:28 Pricing Examples and Client Psychology
10:42 Strategies to Increase Perceived Value
14:25 Framing, Value Stacking, and Social Proof
20:00 Closing Thoughts and Summary

📢 DON’T MISS THIS: We’re gearing up for the DogCo Summit this September in Winston-Salem, NC!
🔗 Reserve your spot now!

🐾 Subscribe for more real-world business strategies tailored for pet care pros.
💬 What resonated with you most in this episode? Drop a comment below - I’d love to hear your thoughts!
🎯 Like, share, and help another business owner feel empowered about pricing!

Hi, I’m Michelle, and I’m a chronic - yet recovering - people pleaser.

In this episode, I’m opening up about something that has impacted both my life and business in very real ways: people pleasing. For a long time, I avoided conflict, dodged feedback, and tried to be everything to everyone. And while I thought I was keeping the peace, what I was really doing was slowly draining my capacity to lead.

📢 DON’T MISS THIS: We’re gearing up for the DogCo Summit! https://dogcosummit.com

If you’ve ever felt the tension between being liked and being clear, or you’ve hesitated to set boundaries, delegate with authority, or make the hard decisions… this one is for you.

I’ll walk you through how people pleasing manifests in leadership, how it robs us of clarity, and how we can begin to unroot this tendency and lead from a place of authenticity, courage, and conviction.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ People pleasing is one of the fastest ways to lose yourself in business
✅ Avoiding conflict increases stress, anxiety, and confusion
✅ Great leadership means making hard decisions—and standing by them
✅ Fear of feedback limits growth and creates disconnect
✅ Trying to serve everyone results in a watered-down product
✅ Self-awareness is the first step toward transformation
✅ People pleasing is often a fear-based aversion to risk
✅ You must be willing to be misunderstood, disliked, and still move forward
✅ Leading authentically means showing up wholly and courageously
✅ The goal isn’t perfection—it’s conviction

🎙️ Sound Bites:
⭐ “I have been a pretty conflict-avoidant person.”
⭐ “It has caused a lot of stress to my body.”
⭐ “People pleasing will ruin your business.”

📚 Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to People Pleasing
05:22 The Impact of People Pleasing on Leadership
10:41 Courage vs. People Pleasing
14:25 Unrooting People Pleasing in Business

💬 Your reflection prompt: Where am I making decisions out of people pleasing? Where is fear holding me back?
🐾 If this episode hit home, comment below, share it with a fellow leader, and don’t forget to subscribe for weekly encouragement and business insights.