We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Diana Ozimek a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Diana, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Many people get into the pet industry because they like animals. The thought process is they don’t think they will need to deal with people as much but in reality, you deal with the pet owners a lot. People are concerned with their pets the same way they are with children. Do they have friends at day care, did they get enough exercise, are they having fun, do they like the people they are with. To be successful you need to be able to clearly communicate with the pet owner. You need to earn their trust so they will stay with you as a client and take your lead when suggesting something for their pet.
Diana, 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’ve been in the dog training industry for over 10 years. I was in the fitness industry and doing a lot of volunteer work at the local animal shelters. I saw too many dogs being dis guarded, many perfectly good family dogs. I shifted my focus to dog training to help people deal with the issues they were having at home instead of taking their dog to overcrowded shelters with possible euthanasia. I’ve been able to grow my own business over the past few years and am currently working on expansion. I would love to give my clients services beyond their training programs. I’m looking to create and offer other programs that go beyond the normal daycare and boarding experience.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I think when you are a business owner, all you do is pivot and reorganize.
When I first started my business, I was renting kennel space from a local boarding facility. The owner of the facility abruptly had to move back to England, leaving me with no place for board and train or day training dogs. I quickly reached out to another boarding kennel in the area, where I had done some work with a shelter dog. I worked out a deal with them to rent space for two of my programs.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Majority of my clientele come through word of mouth. When people are looking for something, the first place they ask is their neighborhood Facebook group. I have gained many clients in this way. Someone has a new puppy, or a dog issue and they ask what trainers’ people have used. I’ve built good relationships with current and past clients, so they are always recommending me and tagging me in posts. When you get recommended multiple times on a social media thread, the person tends to reach out. It also helps with them already viewing you as the professional they want to hire since people they know have already had positive experiences with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gooddoginthemaking.com
- Instagram: good_dog-in_the_making
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gooddoginmaking?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: @gooddoginthemaking5770
