We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dane Hoppe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dane below.

Dane , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Something I didn’t learn until recently was that you have to have a healthy relationship with failure. If you’re not ok with failing, growth is going to be challenging. Of course, there are the more obvious attributes to being successful like courage, drive, passion, practicality, etc. but if you can’t manage roadblocks, you’ll become stagnant- both as a business owner as well as an individual.

I feel like a big reason why I’ve experienced what I feel is “success” is because I was passionate about my craft, and I let that guide me in the beginning. I didn’t force my way through the process, and I took my time to really make sure I was listening to myself and what I wanted. I made to sure really define what I thought success was while remembering it was going to look and feel different for me versus the next person. From there I just did my best to align my business goals with my personal goals.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Our business started unexpectedly. My partner Cori and I had a simple goal of fostering dogs through a local rescue, but after learning how many dogs were struggling behaviorally, I leaned in a bit harder to learn the nuances of dog-to-human communication. This curiosity led to a full-on exploration that eventually turned into a business where dogs and owners could come for guidance.

My brand is my identity, and I take pride in cultivating a personal experience for dog owners looking to receive the most helpful and practical training methods there are.

We offer dog training services to family dog owners who are struggling to connect and communicate with their dogs. We do this through a variety of accessible services like Virtual Training, Video subscription plans, and in-depth multi-week programs. Our services allow us to rebuild healthy behaviors in dogs while coaching owners on how to live fulfilling, happy lives with their dogs.

Our mission has been simple from the beginning: help dog owners however we can. It’s simple because we’ve been in their shoes with zero resources and support. It isn’t a good feeling, so we like to prioritize education, assistance, and practical methods that any dog owner can understand. The dogs and people we’ve helped over the last 6 years are what’s most rewarding. Being able to connect with people has been so powerful and we truly cherish the experiences.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I’ve been cancer-free for almost 12 years, but unfortunately, I still live with the side effects of my harsh treatments. I developed necrosis (bone decay) in my hips and knees which greatly impacts my mobility, strength, and overall comfort. Not exactly ideal when your profession requires you to be on your feet for 12+ hours a day.

Over the years I’ve learned how to listen to my body and do my best to stay as healthy as possible but it definitely can be physically and mentally exhausting. It’s always been a concern in the back of my mind but it’s never outweighed the satisfaction and enjoyment of my job.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

One of my greatest mentors said to not jump into self-employment into you were “busting at the seams.” In other words, don’t quit your day job until you’ve made the necessary financial steps to transition successfully. Probably the best advice I got early on, and it’s exactly what I did.

I used this mantra very early on to get the ball rolling with what I needed for my business. I took my time, made lists, and slowly accumulated only the essentials. I knew I wanted to keep my business small so I made sure to use my initial capital intentionally. I budgeted my paychecks and set aside money as often as I could when I knew I needed more supplies.

To this day I still pride myself on keeping my expenses to a minimum and only purchasing materials when I need them. It’s definitely helped me not over-buy and waste money on unnecessary products.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pet-techniques.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pet.techniques/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pet.techniques
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1TUcuGJcllZK1oJJxnT3Rw

Image Credits
Cori Miller Photography