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Many new pet sitters feel uncomfortable reaching out to other established pet sitters and dog walkers. Don’t make this mistake! Even though pets are your passion, pet sitting can be a lonely career. There is strength in numbers, and there’s likely no pet-sitting situation you'll encounter that has not already been experienced by another pet sitter. Plus, sometimes you just need to vent or share your daily joys and struggles with someone who understands what you do all day.

These four ideas can help you network with fellow pet-care business owners:

1. Seek out fellow pet-care business owners in your local area. Connecting with other local pet sitters benefits your company in a multitude of ways. One of the main hurdles for any sole proprietor—backup—can be virtually eliminated when you belong to a strong pet-sitter network or regularly network with other local pet sitters. Do you have someone to call for backup in case of an emergency? If you don’t have available staff to call on, other local professional pet sitters can be a great resource. Fellow local pet sitters can also be an important source of referrals when they are unable to service pet owners. So, how do you meet other local pet sitters? Chances are you may have already met other pet sitters through participation in community events or other local pet-related activities and organizations. But, if not, simply Google pet sitters in your area—or even search your ZIP/postal code on PSI’s Pet Sitter Locator—and reach out by phone or email to plan a meet up. It can be something as simple as meeting for lunch or coffee to learn more about each other and your businesses.

2. Join and participate in online groups created for pet-care business owners. If you do not have any local pet sitters to network with—or even if you do—expanding your network by joining and participating in online groups can benefit your pet-sitting business.  Online groups such as PSI’s private Facebook group—Professional Pet Sitters Chat—allow you to virtually “meet” pet sitters from around the world. If you are not familiar with potential groups to join, search “pet sitter” on Facebook or LinkedIn to identify groups that may be a good fit for you. Some online groups focus on the pet-sitting industry in general, while others focus on specific segments of the industry, such as solo pet sitters, pet sitters with staff or pet sitters in urban/metropolitan areas. Whether you choose to participate in one group or multiple groups, you’ll find other pet sitters who can offer advice and ideas and you’ll be able to share your ideas and ”lessons learned” as well. Some pet sitters find they feel more comfortable discussing certain topics such as marketing strategies or plans for growth with pet sitters outside of their areas and are able to make these connections through online group participation. Many pet sitters also find, however, that they end up “meeting” local pet sitters (that they were previously unaware of) through online group participation—and are able to take the online networking offline to actually meet these fellow pet sitters in person.

3. Join an association or business network that is focused on the pet-care industry. When you become a professional pet sitter, you not only become a small-business owner, you also join a relatively young but thriving industry. Membership in a pet-sitting association such as Pet Sitters International allows you the opportunity to connect with thousands of other pet-sitting business owners that are as equally committed to professionalism and excellence as you are. As a small business you are also able to take advantage of the collaborative knowledge and collective history that an established association affords. Many new challenges that you face as you start or grow your business have already been experienced and overcome by those who have been in the industry longer—and participating in an association or business network can connect you with people and resources that offer business solutions and can take your business to the next level. Also seek out local pet-sitter networks. PSI offers a searchable directory of registered pet-sitter networks by state/province in the Members area of their website, along with a startup guide to help pet sitters wishing to establish local pet-sitting networks. An internet search of ”pet-sitter network” + ”your city name” should also yield results of pet-sitter networks that have already been established.

4. Attend industry events. Whether it’s PSI’s annual Pet Sitter World Educational Conference or more regional or local pet-sitter conferences, trainings and networking events, set aside the time and budget to attend in-person opportunities that cater to the professional pet-sitting industry. While online networking can be extremely beneficial, nothing replaces the connections that can be made through face-to-face networking. The connections you make with event organizers, speakers and fellow attendees can change the trajectory of your business. A good rule of thumb when attending industry events is to make a list in advance of speakers or fellow attendees you’d like to meet, along with specific questions you would like to have answered by attending the event. This allows you to go into the event with specific goals in mind—but don’t be too rigid with your strategy. Often the most significant connections you’ll make or most impactful business ideas you receive come outside of session times in casual conversations with attendees.

In the video below, Liz Hyde, owner of Pet Charmers, LLC, and 2019 Pet Sitter of the Year™, shares about her experiences attending her first pet-sitter conference.

While your day-to-day schedule as a professional pet sitter may provide little contact with other professionals (or people in general!), there is a vast support system available for professional pet-sitting and dog-walking business owners. By being intentional about reaching out to meet fellow pet-care professionals and taking advantage of opportunities to network in the industry, you are able to utilize the experience and energy of others to avoid pitfalls and find success in your business—and you’ll likely also meet lifelong friends!