Episode 293: 4 Mistakes Pet Business Owners Make When Hiring An Office Manager

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed and bogged down by the day-to-day operations of your business? Are you ready to take the first step toward creating an organizational hierarchy and scaling your company? Look no further! In today's episode, we're diving deep into the world of office management and uncovering the top four mistakes entrepreneurs make when hiring an office manager. From learning how to delegate effectively to creating an organizational chart, you'll discover how to unlock the true potential of your business and achieve your goals. Whether you're currently in the process of hiring an office manager or have tried in the past and failed, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to free up their time and focus on the big picture. Do you have an organizational chart in your pet sitting company? Running a pet sitting or dog walking company means that every day is filled with duties big and small, and an office manager is a huge asset when it comes to helping run your business. They can help you take care of all your day-to-day tasks that bog you down and keep you, well in your business rather than working on it. As a pet business owner, you probably think hiring this office manager will be the answer to all your needs, but unfortunately, the process of hiring one is not easy. Many business owners are making these staple mistakes that are costing them time, money and sanity. I want to make sure you know these mistakes so you can correct them and find the people who will help you fulfill your dream business. Biggest Takeaways: 3:11 What does the process for your office manager look like? 4:00 What is to happen if they make mistakes, or if you make mistakes teaching them? 9:35 How do you decide what is set in stone or if the process is a fluid one that is ever-changing? 12:22 Do you have enough help? How many managers do you think you need? Hiring an office manager should be a person who is willing to help grow your business alongside you. Making certain mistakes can leave you feeling hostage to situations you've been stuck in. Recommendations: Meeting new people and discussing their business is something I love. I want to get to know who you are and how I can help you. I offer a FREE 20 minute call to see if these intensive sessions would be right for your business. Are you wanting to Jump in , but not sure where? These calls may just be the thing to help guide you. Book here The Mastermind group is a place where established business owners can get HR support, workflow suggestions, accountability partners, and a community bounce ideas off of. I have a special deal for being a podcast listener, with a special code within this episode. Links: Instagram Loom Upwork Mastermind Gingr Pet- Care Software Transcript: This is episode 293 of Bella in Your Business. Let’s face it—managing your pet care business can be a doggone hassle. Fortunately, Ginger Pet Care Software makes running your business a breeze. Enjoy time-saving features like a pet parent mobile app, automated reminders, integrated payment processing, pet report cards, and more. Ginger gives you the time to do the things you need and the things that make you happy. Visit gingerapp.com/bella to claim your free one-month subscription. That’s G-I-N-G-R-A-P-P.com/bella to claim your one free month subscription. 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 another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today we’re going to talk to all of you who have dreamed about having an office manager—or have tried to have one and said, “Nope, that sucked, I’m doing it myself.” Or those of you who are literally at the point right now thinking, “My gosh, Bella, this could not have come at a better time. I need relief.” Good. I’m glad, because this is the first step to creating an organizational hierarchy, building your organizational chart, and scaling your business. This is how we start putting you out of a job and achieving your dreams and goals right now. This is how we get you back time—whether it’s sitting on the couch scrolling TikTok, going on four-day weekends with your family this summer, or whatever it might be. You are not meant to do all of this on your own. So we have to get past this point and get an office manager. Now, we’ve had conversations about office managers before, but we haven’t talked about the mistakes people make. I really want to get clear on this because after talking to so many of you during intensives—those six 45-minute Zoom sessions—I’ve noticed a pattern. The same reoccurring problems show up, no matter who you are or where you are. My amazing podcast listeners—my Jumpers—I want to make sure you don’t make these top mistakes. An office manager can be a huge asset to moving your company forward, helping you finally achieve your goals. They can take care of day-to-day tasks that bog you down so you can focus on what’s important. But it’s not always a smooth process. Sometimes we think we’re hiring a unicorn—that they’ll just come in and magically create SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and workflows. Let’s pause here for clarity: An SOP lists out step by step what to do—“Step 1, Step 2, Step 3.” A Workflow shows how one step connects to the next—more like, “First you gather payroll, then you process it, then you submit it.” So, a workflow is the process. An SOP is the detailed “how.” Making the following mistakes will cost you time, money, and peace of mind. They’ll make you feel like, “No one can do it like I can, so forget it.” Please—don’t go there. Mistake #1: Not Having Everything Written Down with Pictures or Videos People learn differently—some by reading, others by seeing, others by hearing. When you document your procedures, include screenshots, photos, and especially videos. Use Loom (loom.com). It records your screen and even lets you show your face in the corner while explaining what you’re doing. Every time you do a task—run payroll, update the schedule, cancel a visit—record it. Don’t wait for a special “documentation day.” Just do it as you go. Then, hire a technical writer on Upwork or Fiverr to watch those Looms and turn them into written SOPs. I have someone I recommend to my clients—she does this for many of my Jumpers. Make sure your SOPs pass the Mom Test—if you handed them to your mom, could she follow them and know exactly what to do? Mistake #2: Thinking Everything Will Be Perfect When you hire an office manager, they’re going to make mistakes. They’re going to mess up—multiple times. But each mistake isn’t an “off with your head” moment. Instead, ask yourself: What could I have done to make my instructions clearer? Did I explain it the right way? Is this a “me problem” or a “them problem”? Too often, business owners react by firing or micromanaging instead of leading. Adopt the mindset of “correct and continue.” As my friend Christina Wagner says—correct and continue. That doesn’t mean tolerate repeat mistakes forever. If you’ve corrected the same issue multiple times, you may have a hiring or training problem. Also, take personality tests like Enneagram—for both you and your office manager. This helps you understand why people behave the way they do and how to communicate better. There’s going to be a “norming and storming” phase in this new relationship. Expect it. It’s normal. Mistake #3: Thinking SOPs Don’t Change Your SOPs and workflows are living documents. They’ll change—and they should. In my own company, they’re constantly updated. I’ll say, “Hey team, from now on we’re doing this,” and they’ll reply, “Okay, Bella, we’ll update the SOP.” That’s part of our culture—it’s fluid. Your business evolves, and your processes must evolve with it. When your office manager’s role grows, their duties will shift. Maybe at first they’re handling scheduling and admin. Later, they’re managing HR or client communication. That’s progress. That’s growth. You don’t want a button-pusher who just follows instructions. You want someone who can think with you, anticipate what’s next, and bring solutions, not just problems. Mistake #4: Walking Away from Your Business This one’s huge. Once you hire a manager, don’t disappear. Too many owners hand over everything, and before long, the manager is running the company. The owner has no idea what’s happening day-to-day. The staff is loyal to the manager, and nothing is documented. That’s how people end up being held hostage by their own employees. Don’t let that happen. Here’s my recommendation: hire two managers—split the duties. Keep checks and balances. When you give one person too much power, it can lead to resentment, miscommunication, or worse—dependency. Your job is to lead, not disappear. These are the biggest mistakes I see, and I hope this episode helps you avoid them. In July, inside the Mastermind, we’re focusing on systems and processes—exactly what we’ve talked about here. If you’re ready to grow, delegate, and get support from others who are doing the same, now’s the perfect time to join. Membership is $147/month, but for you, my loyal podcast listeners, use code BELLA25 to get $25 off each month, bringing it down to $122/month. There are no contracts—just community, accountability, and massive growth opportunities. And if you’re ready to go all in, join annually. That’s $50 off each month—only $97/month when paid yearly ($1,164 total). I’ve never raised the price since 2017.