Episode 181: Remote Managing Your Pet Business

Remote Managing Your Pet Business I know there's plenty of you wanting to have the luxury of traveling or maybe even relocating away from your pet business but you're afraid of trying to manage your pet business remotely. That's why I brought on one of my personal friends and client, Tiffany Lewis, who manages her business remotely from across the country. Tiffany Lewis founded Pet and Home Care in Potomac, Maryland in 1999 as a one-person pet sitting business. She has since expanded PHC to offer a full team of dog walkers, pet sitters, pet care experts, and home care service employees. Biggest Take Away You Don't Want To Miss The biggest factor in remote managing your pet business is having a support team that you can trust and wrapping your mindset to support your goals. From there, the rest is in the technology, systems and processes and your ability to stay engaged with your business. With the right set of tools, you'll be able to remotely manage your pet business in no time! Show Highlights When did you start remote managing? [3:14] How did you make the transition? [5:00] What was it about changing technology that helped you? [7:05] How do you handle hiring and firing? [8:47] How do you stay active in the community? [12:22] Do you spend more or less time in your business? [15:56] Links Check out Tiffany's website Learn more about business systems and processes! Let's Connect! Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Click this link – Bella In Your Business Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section Click on ‘Write a Review’' Are You New Here? Welcome, I am so glad you are here. If you are a dog walker, dog sitter, cat sitter, doggy daycare or kennel owner, then you found the right place. Jump Consulting is the one place on the internet to get all the resources you need for your pet care business. Can I give you some freebies to generate sales and increase revenues for your business? Grab your freebies below. Are you starting out? Been in business for less than two years? Get your startup resources here. Do you own an established pet care business and you want to take it to the next level.? Get Your builder resources here. Transcript: This is episode 181 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I've got Tiffany Lewis, who founded Pet and Home Care in Potomac, Maryland in 1999 as a one-person pet sitting business. Today, she’s expanded her business to offer a whole team of dog walkers, pet sitters, pet care experts, and home care services with over 30 employees. Tiffany started her business as a teenager to make some extra money. She picked up more and more customers, and soon she was staying really busy pet sitting. Having always loved animals, she originally wanted to be a vet but realized she couldn’t handle putting pets down. Pet care was more fun—the dogs were happy to see her—and the business kept growing. She began hiring friends and family, and it just exploded. It wasn’t always easy, though. Tiffany faced staffing problems and financial struggles before getting organized and using better software. She reached burnout, walking up to 25 dogs a day, but she kept her head up and kept improving. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, she had a lot of advice and support and knew this was her passion. There was nothing else she’d rather do, so she pushed through and made it work. Eventually, she decided to manage her business remotely. Ten years ago, it began as short vacations—two days at Dewey Beach, Delaware—which turned into full summers there, then winters in Florida, and finally, a full move to California six years ago. Now, she manages her business from across the country. It’s tricky with time zones, but it actually works to her advantage. Her Maryland managers cover the early hours, while she handles late-night communications from California. It took time and patience to get there, but now it runs smoothly. The transition wasn’t easy. Tiffany had to create new infrastructure and face challenges along the way. Early on, there was little to no technology to support remote management, and it was messy. But switching to cloud-based software in 2014 was the turning point—it made life easier and helped the business boom. The new software allowed clients and pet sitters to have portals, enabled one-click credit card payments, and eliminated the need for a full-time billing person. With email and cell phones, she could manage everything remotely. Most clients don’t even realize she’s no longer in Maryland. Hiring and firing are handled through a clear process. Tiffany still does the initial steps—writing ads, screening, background checks, and phone interviews. Once a candidate passes her review, she hands them over to her manager, who completes in-person interviews, training, and setup. This system ensures Tiffany knows the person is qualified before her team takes over. For internal management, she has a strong hierarchy: Kira, her general manager, oversees most operations and training. Kevin manages the pet resort and transportation logistics. Teresa assists with customer communications, and Maya, her executive assistant, helps with business development and admin details. Staying visible in the community is also key. Her team attends pet functions, fundraisers, and community events, setting up booths, handing out swag, and collecting email contacts. They also donate to school and charity auctions, display branded vehicles, wear logoed uniforms, and maintain visibility through PPC ads. They even use guerrilla marketing—dropping off flyers and cards at local vets. Tiffany’s company runs on clear systems. Every event or outreach effort follows a checklist—banners, tablecloths, treats, and custom flyers. Her managers know exactly what to do without needing direction every time. This operational structure allows her to work remotely while her team handles local execution. After having her baby in April last year, Tiffany delegated even more responsibilities to her managers and executive assistant. She now works fewer hours, focusing on oversight—reviewing emails, monitoring books, assisting with scheduling, and handling late-night customer messages. She still visits Maryland a few times a year to meet with her team, host company parties, and maintain connection. Despite working less, her business has grown substantially. She credits this success to systems and trust. When you have the right people, processes, and technology, you can step back and let the business run smoothly. Parenthood sharpened her focus—she became more efficient, handling key tasks during short windows of time. In closing, Tiffany encouraged listeners to take the leap. If you want to travel or relocate, do it—but make sure you have the right team and software in place. Stay in touch with your employees and don’t isolate yourself. Working remotely can be lonely, so find a community where you are. If you can, start a branch in your new city. With the right systems, you can grow your business from anywhere. Bella closed the episode by reminding listeners to subscribe to the podcast and share their biggest takeaways. Reviews mean the world to her team. When life gets you down, always keep jumping. So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.