Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cassie Dutton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cassie, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

My dad was my role model as he had started his own small business from the ground up. He started a small machine shop in our garage and as it grew he was able to expand, hire employees and move to a bigger space to finally after 30 years selling. Growing up I have seen the work it takes to run a business but also some of the freedoms. I didn’t know that’s what I wanted for myself until I was mostly thru with my schooling. A few mentors in the Chiropractic field urged me to start out on my own. That was the push I needed to have the confidence to take the plunge.
I had years of experience in the horse world riding and showing my own horses; which made jumping into it as a career a little less earth shatteringly scary. Horsemanship and horse sense takes years to develop and I was a little ahead of the game in that sense. But I quickly learned trying to sell yourself to people is whole different level of skill that I was very unfamiliar with. There were many ups and downs but the clients/patients really make it worth it. I get to hear so many success stories that is really why; it fills my cup and keep me going thru the hard parts.
Coming from a small business history, I already had some experience in bookkeeping which is a huge help in understanding how the business works financially. It also saves an expense of having to hire it out.
My equipment is minimal and I am able to be fully mobile as my practice is me. I provide the service with my hands which is really unique. I travel to farms and barns to see large animals. I also travel to various small animal clinics which gives me a wide range of coverage.

Cassie, 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?

About me:
Hello, I’m Cassie! I have always had a love and passion for animals. I was doctoring my stuffed animals as a child and always knew I wanted to work with animals. I started riding horses when I was 8 and haven’t stopped. I have ridden in many different disciplines, from English and Dressage to Cutting and Reining. I currently have four horses and enjoy any competition that has cows. Since meeting my husband I have developed a true appreciation for the hunting dog and cherish the time I spend in the field watching the dogs work. My journey into Chiropractic started in college when I was exploring career options with animals. The wellness model resonated with me in that I can step in to help prevent issues before they arise. Through Chiropractic school I developed a gratitude for working on people as well and now find joy in helping all creatures big and small, human and animal alike. I have been in practice since 2016, and no two days are the same. I truly love what I get to do.

Foundation:
After completing my Doctorate in Chiropractic at Northwestern Health Sciences University, I founded my business River Ridge Animal Chiropractic. While finishing my schooling I also completed my training at Options for Animals and my certification through the IVCA (International Veterinary Chiropractic Association.)
My main focus in practice has been equine and canine chiropractic care. Although, I have worked on a wide variety of animals including cats, rabbits, cows, goats and even a snake. The performance animal is close to my heart and I enjoy working to keep them at their best.
Canines provide a wide variety of cases and conditions that I work on in coordination with vet medicine. I am able to work inside a few vet clinics which have provided the perfect environment for collaborative care to give the dog the best outcomes. I am continually amazed at how much chiropractic care can make a difference.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think everyone can tell a story of having to pivot during our recent history with the pandemic. Mine is a little dual sided. Timing was at the start of the pandemic. I had went thru a major life change and uprooted my life to move about 100miles away from my hometown to start a new life with my husband. Somewhat in my favor my business is mobile. But the increased drive time was really starting to take a toll after 2020. Clients were reaching out less and less, maybe due to the health maybe finances. I realized I needed to shift my focus in order to stay alive. As an animal chiropractor I still hold a license to work on people. So I started looking for part time hours at a local clinic to supplement my income while my animal business was waning.
This shift allowed me to have some consistency while still trying to build back animal clientele. I realized I had to switch my approach. I had always waited for clients to reach out requesting care. In time I realized I would get a better response if I took the time to initiate. If I called a client to say I was in the area at least 60-70% of the time they would schedule. This change was instrumental in the re-building of my business to have a busy schedule. The other side is that I am in control of my travel schedule so I can plan a route that works best for me and group clients together to save my time while increasing profits.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Consistency and communication.
I strive to provide a quality service to every patient. I have developed a routine that is reproduceable which helps keep me consistent. I feel this gives the clients confidence in my skills which helps them return and refer their friends. To me referrals are number one. So many people want that personal recommendation from a trusted experience over an unknown.
Continued communication is what keeps people coming back. I have colleagues that are impossible to get ahold of or schedule with and that’s off-putting to clients. We all need to establish boundaries with clients. But the follow up calls leave a lasting impression.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.riverridgeanimalchiro.com
• Instagram: @dr_cassie_dutton
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riverridgeanimalchiro

Image Credits

Studio 12:52