Welcome to Your Pet Business, Your Way - the podcast for pet professionals who want to grow their business without following someone else’s rulebook.
If you’ve ever felt bent out of shape trying to do content “the right way” or pressured to keep up with trends that just don’t feel like you, this podcast is here to help you do things differently.
I’m Rachel Spencer - journalist, accredited coach and mentor, author, and creator of the Pet Business Content Planner and Companion and the Pets Get Visible membership.
I work with brilliant people in the pet industry who want to put themselves out there, get seen, and make a difference - without burning out or trying to be someone they’re not.
Each week you’ll hear stories, strategies and mindset shifts to help you feel more confident, consistent, and in control of your content.
You'll also hear from inspiring pet professionals who are doing things their way.
There are no quick fixes or copy-paste strategies here.
Just thoughtful ideas, inspiring stories, and plenty of encouragement to help you build your pet business in a way that feels good, sustainable, and true to you.
Come and connect with me on Instagram @rachelspenceruk
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Données mises à jour le 24/09/2026
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Behind the scenes of the Your Pet Business Your Way podcast and why it's stopping
Épisode 271
mardi 12 mai 2026 • Durée 20:04
In this episode I'm talking about why this is the final episode of the Your Pet Business Your Way podcast and why I have decided to stop it for the foreseeable future.”
I wanted to be really honest with you about why – not in a big, dramatic way or in a really sad way – just upfront and honest, because that's what this podcast has always been about.”
I'll be sharing what goes into creating each episode, from the costs and tech to the time it takes to do the interviews, the edits, the transcripts, the blog posts and the social media.”
And I hope that by talking about bringing this podcast to an end, it gives you a little nudge to let go of something in your business that you’ve been doing just because you feel you ‘should’.
Topics and timings:
0.00 - Welcome and announcement that this is the final episode of Your Pet Business Your Way
1.30 - Why the podcast is ending after six years and 270+ episodes
3.00 - Breakdown of the time involved in solo vs interview episodes
3.40 - Full workflow: recording, editing, transcript, blog post and show notes
5.10 - Creating and hand‑editing video clips from Riverside for social media
5.50 - Making the podcast accessible with transcripts, blogs and detailed notes
6.50 - How blog posts give each episode long‑term SEO value and website traffic
7.40 - The podcast as a library of assets (audio, blog, show notes, social posts)
8.20 - Why I don't just hand everything over to AI or a VA
9.20 - Issues with fully AI‑generated show notes, timings and names
10.00 - Professional writer standards and wanting everything to sound like Rachel
11.10 - Realisation that podcasting reduces coaching enquiries and income
12.00 - How promoting guests shifts focus away from my coaching work
13.40 - “Grass grows where you water it” – choosing where time and money go
15.00 - Personal challenges: relationship ending, bereavements and house moves
15.50 - Turning 50 and acknowledging the emotional toll of recent years
16.20 - Emotions Coaching Practitioner training and what it involves
17.10 - Other commitments: 2027 planner, Sunnyside Cottage and family business
18.40 - Choosing a steadier life with more time for dog, friends, family and outdoors
19.20 - Accepting that 270+ episodes is enough and it’s okay to stop adding more
Shelina Duke The Poodle Trainer on swapping the classroom for dog training
Épisode 270
mardi 5 mai 2026 • Durée 01:16:41
When Shelina Duke started learning to train dogs back in 2020, it was just to help her own three barking poodles during lockdown.
She was shielding at home with chronic asthma, and those three dogs needed some serious help with their behaviour.
She didn't expect that teaching herself from a WordPress book while isolating would lead to building a thriving, global, poodle-only, force-free training business with clients around the world.
Shelina spent four years juggling full-time teaching as an assistant head teacher, 10 dogs, and running a growing online membership before finally leaving school in 2024.
She's won three Dog Trainer of the Year awards, qualified and shown Edith at Crufts, and built a business that fits around real life - school runs, clubs, and caring for 10 dogs - without cramming her diary full of one-to-ones.
She's also navigated a serious head injury, chronic illness, the sudden loss of her sister, and becoming a guardian to her young niece.
In this episode, Shelina talks about how she taught herself to build a website and membership from scratch, how she grew from local all-breed classes to a global poodle-only business, why she's so committed to kind, force-free training, and how she deals with the trolls.
Plus her mission to help both poodle guardians and other pet pros build businesses that work around real life, not the other way around.
Topics and timings:
0.20 - Episode intro and sponsor message from the 2026 Pet Business Content Planner sponsor.
1.45 - Shelina’s story overview, from shielding teacher to global poodle trainer.
3.26 - How it all started, from assistant head teacher to dog trainer: shielding in 2020, three barking dogs and deciding to learn dog training “just” to help her own dogs.
5.55 - Shelina’s experience of chronic asthma, nine attacks in 11 days, steroids and the fear of COVID that kept her shielding at home.
Behind the scenes at Sunnyside Cottage Robin Hood's Bay
Épisode 269
mardi 28 avril 2026 • Durée 36:28
This is a behind-the-scenes look at what I've learned from running a dog-friendly holiday property for the last three years.
Having a holiday cottage has always been a dream for me and getting the keys for Sunnyside Cottage in Robin Hood's Bay in April 2023 was so exciting.
In this episode and blog post I talk about what has happened at Sunnyside over the last couple of years, the changes I've made at the cottage and the impact of that.
The last time I did a behind-the-scenes episode was in 2024 and I've learned a lot and changed lots of things at the cottage.
I talk about what's worked in terms of visibility, from going viral to working with influencers and how I've been working on developing my skills when it comes to standing out and attracting guests.
And I also share information on the people I've had supporting me, from Instagram advice to putting new windows in, because there is no way I could do this on my own.
You'll find all the links to the people and businesses I mention at the end of this post and if you're interested in staying send me a message.
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.00 – Episode introduction and what this behind‑the‑scenes look at Sunnyside Cottage will cover
1.45 – How Sunnyside connects to the “Your Pet Business Your Way” message and an introduction to the pet business planner
3.40 – What’s inside the planner: audience tracker, awareness days, diary, income trackers and “Pause and reflect” sections
5.30 – Recap of year one at Sunnyside: doubling income and testing visibility strategies on her own pet business
7.10 – The wider climate in 2026: cost of living crisis, war, rising costs and why customer experience matters more than ever
8.40 – A big refurb year: new windows, Floors for Paws, carpets, bathroom, decor, pointing, sofa, mattresses and lighting
Taking My Three Cats from side hustle to franchise and why Wendy Thomson Melling believes Cats Deserve More
Épisode 268
mardi 21 avril 2026 • Durée 43:23
When Wendy Thomson Melling started her cat sitting business back in 2017, it was to earn a bit of extra cash caring for creatures she loved.
She didn't expect that in just a few years she'd be able to ditch her old career as an accountant and set up a franchise business caring for cats across the country.
My Three Cats first started in Warrington, Cheshire, and now Wendy has 350 clients across Warrington, 18 sitters on the team, and FIVE franchisees already operating in Blackpool, Bury, Preston, Sidcup and Orpington and Lowton, Atherton and Leigh.
We recorded this interview in March and in just two months, Wendy had two new franchisees come and join her.
Wendy and I have known each other since the 1980s when we went to St Wildrid's Primary School in Grappenhall, and when she started My Three Cats we worked together on a press release.
That was back in 2021 and it was the fastest story published - we had the call and her story was online the same day.
We've worked together more closely for a few years now in Pets Get Visible, and watching everything she has done growing My Three Cats, then starting her Cats Deserve More and now franchising has been amazing.
In this episode Wendy talks about what it was like leaving a secure job in accountancy to standing on stage at The Cat Show Live and all she's learned.
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.20 - Episode intro and what to expect.
1.53 - Sponsor message - Pets Get Visible.
2.59 - Wendy intro.
6.13 - Starting cat sitting after her divorce in 2017 to get some extra cash to take the kids on holiday.
8.23 - How cat care has changed over the last 10 years.
10.31 - The Cats Deserve More campaign Wendy started.
15.17 - What the really fast growth has been like for Wendy.
Behind the scenes of the 2026 Pet Business Content Planner launch
Épisode 267
mardi 14 avril 2026 • Durée 28:35
Are you planning to launch a new product or service and want to get an idea of what to expect?
This episode is a behind the scenes account of launching my Pet Business Content Planner for 2026.
This is a product I created in 2025, so this year was the second year and I wanted to put this episode out to give an insight into the work involved.
I'm sharing a 'warts and all' insight into my planner launch as I think hearing how it's actually gone - the wobbles, the grit, the moments of doubt - is more helpful than a polished success story.
If you'd like to listen in to me talk very openly about the experience, this episode is for you.
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.00 – Episode introduction and what this behind-the-scenes is about.
1.40 – Why I created a planner and how planning supports my clients.
3.15 – The first planner, why I wanted it to be different and the scrappy 2025 launch.
5.40 – Developing the 2026 planner.
8.20 – The different elements of the planner this year, including the 12 'Words for when' exercises.
9.45 – Sourcing awareness days and collaborating with my designer Kate Hendry on the structure.
11.25 – PR and media coverage I secured for this year’s planner launch.
13.15 – Talks, workshops and collaborations I did with pet industry communities.
15.05 – My charity campaign for StreetVet.
17.00 – Email campaigns, sales, pricing changes and deciding to let people “choose what you pay.”
18.50 – Coping with slower sales, social media overwhelm and the role of AI.
19.10 – Remembering my dad and keeping going when things are tough.
Further reading/listening
Katrina Bayliss on neurodivergence, burnout and supporting your clients
Épisode 266
mardi 7 avril 2026 • Durée 01:18:47
Would you like to improve your understanding of neurodivergence?
It might be in relation to your own experience, or around how you support your clients.
Katrina Bayliss is The Neurodivergent Dog Coach and she supports pet professionals and dog people in improving the way they communicate with their dogs and one another.
Katrina has the most fascinating background, from working in nightclubs to counselling and psychology.
But it was her dog Milo and experience of anxiety that let her into the industry after discovering agility, and becoming very good at it.
She wanted to learn more about her dog, and this fascination led her to become a trainer.
Then, back in 2022, Katrina had an ADHD and later autism diagnosis herself.
It helped her put together many missing pieces of what she describes as the jigsaw of how she saw the world, her work and also how she supported people as a pet professional.
Katrina talks about her experience and why traditional dog training and business advice often don’t work for neurodivergent people.
According to a report by Skillscast, 15% of people in the UK are neurodivergent and ADHD is estimated to affect 3-4% of UK adults - around 2.6 million people.
Katrina explains how our emotional state and unmet needs impact our dogs’ behaviour, and why making services neuro-inclusive is essential if we want to help both ends of the lead.
We also discuss social media overwhelm, whether or not you might want to get involved in things like heated Crufts debates, people-pleasing, and the pressure to be polished and perfect online.
Plus how Katrina is building community through her Neuro Inclusive Dog Hub, Dog Agility Unmasked, her podcast, and new low-cost membership for neurodivergent dog pros.
How to have a spring reset in your pet business
Épisode 265
mardi 31 mars 2026 • Durée 24:25
Did you come into the New Year feeling all fired up and filled with energy about your pet business and what was going to happen in 2026?
Then, as we were flung into wars, political upheaval, economic uncertainty, did it feel like you skidded to a bit of a halt?
If you’re nodding along, that’s ok, it’s totally normal to feel like this.
There’s a lot going on in the world right now. And when you’re running your own business, all of that takes it out of you in a way a regular paycheck never would.
Consumer confidence is down and people feel less confident spending money on things that aren’t absolutely necessary.
So it can be tempting and totally natural to feel despondent and think: “What’s the point? Nobody wants to hear from me. Everything is rubbish.”
This blog and podcast episode is about picking yourself up and getting back on the bike, and doing the things you need to do to keep moving forward.
You can listen in on the player link below or read the key points as a blog post.
I also cover how my Pet Business Planner can help you. At the time of publication – 31st March 2026 – I did have some copies remaining.
0.46 - How you can have a reset at any time of the year.
1.30 - The upheaval that’s going on in the world at the moment.
2.20 - Consumer confidence dropping during times of uncertainty.
Sweary bow ties and not caring what people think with Kerry Whitney from Franky's Bowtique
Épisode 264
mardi 24 mars 2026 • Durée 01:17:33
When Kerry Whitney split up with her boyfriend, lost her dad and had to move back home to her mum's, it led to her starting her dream business.
It was back in 2015, and she'd just started an Instagram account for her Pug Frank, and started making him fun bow ties as a way of coping with her grief and the upheaval she'd experienced.
Things grew, she started sending out her products to other dog owners, and decided to make it into a business.
Then she added in some sweary bow ties to stand out, and it took off.
From viral posts with the C-bomb, being featured in the Daily Sport dressed as a giant penis, getting her products in Pets At Home, experiencing burnout and taking a year for herself and coping with trolls, Kerry has seen it, done it and got the Dogs Not Sprogs t-shirt.
We talk about so much here - there's a bit of oversharing from me, and Kerry announces her dream new range, sweary harnesses which will be on sale from March 2026.
Kerry is a friend who I value so much, she's supported me through a lot, and I'm so pleased to share this podcast. I hope you love what she has to say.
Topics and timings:
0.20 - Episode overview.
1.50 - Episode sponsor - pet business planner.
3.16 - Kerry introduction.
4.35 - What Kerry did before Franky’s Bowtique.
5.31 - Getting her first Pug Frank and going on Instagram.
7.00 - Losing her dad and beginning making bowties as a way of managing her grief.
9.17 - Growing on Instagram, gifting her products and building her business.
10.14 - Moving back home after her relationship broke down and back to her mums.
13.35 - Putting out her first sweary bowties and going from the F bomb to the C bomb.
The confidence experiment and how you can feel more brave in your pet business
Épisode 263
mardi 17 mars 2026 • Durée 30:20
Confidence is an area that comes up as a challenge with the pet business owners I work with over and over again.
When you're running a business on your own, you're already doing really brave things and taken the big risks.
Yet, so often, things will make us question ourselves.
I ran a workshop and a 'confidence experiment' in my membership to look at this, in particular asking people to ask themselves, 'Why do I feel confident doing some things but not others?'
And more importantly, 'What can I do about it?'
What came out of both was so interesting, and there was so much helpful and supportive advice shared, so I wanted to put together a podcast and blog.
Key topics and timings:
0.20: Episode overview.
0.50: What is confidence and why I chose it as the theme for March in Pets Get Visible.
2.01: Why I felt wobbly about covering this topic.
3.29: What confidence means to different people.
4.14: Why you don’t have to feel confident to do the brave thing.
4.37: The areas where pet pros would love to feel more confident.
5.06: Where people feel at ease with pet pro examples.
7.53: Taking notice of where you feel confident and what’s different.
9.24: The reasons that lie underneath us lacking in confidence.
10.51: How HALT works and how being hungry, angry, lonely, tired and hormonal impacts on confidence.
11.43: Acceptance and commitment theory and how this applies to confidence.
13.29: Heather’s story and how she became more confident on video.
18.33: What would be in your recipe for confidence?
Further reading and listening:
Helen Wainwright on the Dog Trainer School, doing things your way and putting your community first
Épisode 262
mardi 10 mars 2026 • Durée 01:02:38
Helen Wainwright is co-founder of the Dog Trainer School, a supportive online community for professional dog trainers that she runs alongside her partner Lee.
Before working with dogs, Helen spent nearly a decade as a product tester and journalist at Good Housekeeping magazine, and later worked in community development.
Going from glossy mags to working as a dog trainer meant taking a huge chance, but you'll hear in this chat how it turned out to be exactly the right preparation for what she does now.
We talk about how the Dog Trainer School came to be, the brilliant new Dog Trainer School Approved scheme, and what Helen has learned about running a business on your own terms without burning out in the process.
We also get into the stuff that doesn't always get talked about - the pressure to prove yourself, the hustle culture that follows dog trainers around on social media, what enough actually looks like.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
0.20: Episode overview.
0.50: Sponsor message – 2026 pet business content planner.
2.20: Helen introduces herself and the Dog Trainer School.
3.09: Why the Dog Trainer School exists — the gap that nobody was filling after qualification.
4.04: Putting together support for trainers from class plans to Canva and SOP documents.
6.51: How Helen and Lee bring in their real-life experience and reassurance into the Dog Trainer School as they're still out there training dogs.
8.44: Imposter syndrome in the dog training industry and why it's so common.
10.14: Helen's background as a product tester and journalist at Good Housekeeping magazine and the Good Housekeeping Institute.
11.32: Being burnt out and going from community development to co-founding the Dog Trainer School, and the boss who believed in her.
8.10 -Using shielding time to build a new future: teaching herself WordPress from a book, creating a website and setting up her first membership.
10.57 - The poodle family: how she went from four dogs to ten, and how Arthur, Albert, Edith and Ophelia each came into her life.
18.46 - Reaching ten dogs: adding Ophelia, her first standard poodle, and completing the four‑poodle crew.
19.50 - How her business changed from Go With The Flow - all breeds, local classes and agility - to poodle‑only, online‑first training.
21.22 - Growing the free poodle Facebook group into the thousands and launching her first poodle‑only membership (mostly US‑based owners).
24.04 - How Shelina stepped away from earning around £50k as an assistant head and beginning to plan how her poodle business could replace that income.
25.36 - What life looked like doing both - long school days, evenings and weekends filled with 1:1s and classes.
27.50 - Shelina's head injury: severe concussion, damaged vestibular nerve, migraines, nausea and learning to live with balance problems.
31.44 - How her life changed overnight following her sister’s sudden death and becoming guardian to her four‑year‑old niece.
35.58 - Changing her mindset from “I have to” to “I get to do this” to cope with grief, parenting and business responsibility.
38.05 - Having the best job - spending her days with her own poodles and poodles on screen all over the world.
39.29 - The Shelina effect and why her clients love her approach.
40.30 - Turning a hobby into a real business: challenges, masterclasses, membership and testing different offers.
42.50 - Using AI to organise her ideas into clearer content, messaging and launch plans.
44.40 -What makes a difference in terms of messaging and focusing on how behaviour feels for the owner (stress, embarrassment, overwhelm) rather than just the dog’s actions.
48.51 - The downside and how she deals with negative comments, one very abusive post and deciding “my group, my rules."
52.44 - Switching her personal Facebook to professional mode and seeing a big jump in reach and Reel views.
54.56 - What changed since 2021: why free challenges and masterclasses filled differently in 2024/25 and what she learned about buyer behaviour.
57.46 - Resisting hustle culture and designing the business around freedom instead of recreating a 9 - 3 school‑style day.
58.40 - How a business programme with non pet people helped with starting to think like a business owner, not “just a dog trainer.”
1.00.59 - How Shelina's business looks like now: membership, live reactivity programme, self‑paced barking course and 1:1s, all fitted around caring for her niece and 10 dogs.
1.06.57 - Her highlights - three‑time Dog Trainer of the Year (SE England & London), showing Edith at Crufts, mentoring pet pros and leading a mission to rethink traditional training for modern poodles.
1.15.02 - How to connect with Shelina and find out more.
18.35 - Wendy's experience of the franchise process.
20.35 - Behind the scenes of a franchise business.
23.15 - Taking a leap of faith with a huge stand at The Cat Show Live and talking on stage.
24.15 - Her first franchisee joining after her talk.
27.06 - What it's like working with her daughter.
29.49 - How coworking has helped Wendy focus and have a routine.
31.53 - What's worked in terms of visibility for Wendy and the importance of showing your face as a pet care brand.
33.18 - Having the confidence to pitch to the press.
34.58 - Getting comfortable on social media.
37.08 - Having a steady plan and putting the brakes on to avoid burnout.
40.16 - Going back to The Cat Show Live in September 2026.
43.12 - How to find out more about Wendy.
Links mentioned in this episode
If you’re a pet business owner looking for support, community, and confidence to put yourself out there, come and join us in Pets Get Visible at www.rachelspencer.co.uk/pets-get-visible
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