We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ayumi Senesac a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ayumi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you’re open to it, can you talk to us about the best (or worst) investment you’ve made. What’s the backstory and the relevant context behind why you made the investment
The absolute BEST investment I ever made was hiring a business coach specifically geared toward my line of work. I hired my business coach (who I’m still in close contact with to this day) before I even started my business! She helped me understand mindset, working with clients I want to work with, ensuring I’m not burning myself out, and setting up my business for success from the ground up.
Dog trainers are some of the most burnt-out business owners. We underpay ourselves, overwork, and never have time to decompress!
I know for a fact that had I not hired her, I probably would not be in business at this point.
Ayumi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m a dog trainer and behaviorist. I don’t have the typical story of how dog trainers got started in terms of wanting to work with animals all my life. I did grow up with dogs, so I have a love for them, but it was never in my future thoughts. Long story short, a Japanese-owned dog training business opened up in LA. The owner needed to learn English and went to my mom’s business (an English school), and the owner asked if she knew of any bilingual people (Japanese and English speakers) who would want to become a dog trainer. That’s where I came in!
I loved it from the start and have never looked back. This started on April 1st, 2010!
Fast-forward to 2014, and I got my very own puppy, Boss. He’s a soon-to-be 10-year-old Husky, and because of him, I’ve learned so much and become a better trainer (and I’m still learning!). I took a fundamentals course with Cesar Millan, where I learned ALL about dog psychology. While Boss was great at basic obedience, he was an over-excited Husky who pulled me constantly on leash. It made me feel like an imposter; what type of trainer can’t walk her own dog? That’s what pushed me to take Cesar’s course, and truthfully, without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ve had the experience of having a dog that I couldn’t control and being able to work through those challenges by working on myself, and my energy has provided the life I’ve wanted with Boss.
June 2017 is where Paw by Paw was born. Paw by Paw derives from my name, Ayumi. Ayumi means step by step in Japanese, and Paw by Paw seemed very fitting, especially because dog training takes a lot of step-by-step work.
The difference in my training style is how I work with my clients and encourage them to work with their dogs. We don’t focus on basic obedience for behavioral challenges. We don’t immediately use treats, high praise, or JUST positive reinforcement. We look at their lifestyle, the type of dog they have, and what their dogs need to thrive. We start at the root & we don’t put a bandaid over the challenge. We also ensure we understand why their dogs behave like they do; is it genetic? Is it a learned behavior? When we start to see where their core behaviors are rooted, we can then focus on other aspects as they come our way!
I’m proud of helping owners build confidence with their dogs. I’m proud of the changes I can help guide in their relationships and seeing them all thrive and live in harmony. When owners have tried other methods, and it hasn’t worked, but they decide to open their minds up to a different style of training that isn’t the norm and see results? I’m absolutely proud of that!
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
How I keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty is simply by being myself while not being too serious about it. I have calls with potential clients on a weekly basis. I spend at least an hour on the phone with them, learning about them, their dog, their lifestyle, their goals, etc. We create a relationship from the start. I want to build trust, communication, and an understanding of what it’s going to take.
The training that I offer is not one-and-done. We spend a lot of time together so I can work with the owner and dog and ensure everything is going accordingly. It isn’t lessons every week; it isn’t group classes; it’s tailored training so that the owners understand how to work with their dogs and don’t rely on me. After all, I don’t live with them! They have to learn how to manage their dogs at home without needing me eventually.
We have a community group for support and group calls to stay in touch, and we stay in touch via social media during and after their training. Many of my clients like to tag me in their stories and share their wins, and many of them continue doing so years later. I always love seeing and supporting their wins and continued success!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
What helped build my reputation was not being like everybody else. My approach is different; I don’t provide a price upfront, and I don’t provide my prices on my website. Some people can see that as scammy or secretive, but let’s be real here: I want to ensure I work with people I want to work with.
As a dog trainer, relationships are everything! You want to make sure you’re working with people who are willing to work with you and won’t cherry-pick. You want to ensure everyone is on the same wavelength and mindset. Some people want quick fixes; I’m not for them.
I take my time to talk to potential clients, to listen to them, to learn about them, and to see if I’m also a good fit for what they’re looking for.
My training style is different, not just in the methods I implement but also in how I train clients and dogs. It’s unique, and dog owners aren’t familiar with it, but it works.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pawbypaw.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayumi.pawbypaw
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/paw-by-paw-pasadena
