It's conference season and I must be in my conference era! In the last two weeks, I have attended two pet sitters conferences. The first was the Texas Pet Sitters Conference in Lewisville, Texas. This past weekend, I was in Savannah, Georgia, attending the 2024 National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference. Today, I want to share some highlights of the experience attending this event that kicks off National Pet Sitters Week annually.
Attending the 2024 National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference: Exploring
Savannah is a beautiful city, which I had the pleasure to explore with my husband and several industry friends. From fine dining dinners to casual lunches, Savannah's food scene is spectacular. I tasted lots of local dishes and flavors that are hard to find in Yorktown and the Hampton Roads area.
The NAPPS conference itself was held in the historic district of Savannah, which had us walking old streets and observing beautiful old buildings. The conference venue was the American Legion on Bull Street; the natural light, ample space, and charming decor made a wonderful backdrop for what was a very busy and educational weekend.
Attending the 2024 National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference: Learning
As is common for the pet sitters conferences I have attended, the NAPPS conference committee invited industry leaders to present during the conference. From a client communication expert who would teach us how to best reflect and respond to client concerns to a social media expert who helped us learn how to stand out on Google search results, our heads were spinning at the end of every day.
In addition, we discussed client management tips, automation, and reasons why we should proudly share our stories. While bookkeeping, hiring, and operations management were hot topics, we also learned about dog behavior, the emotional cost of caregiving, and diversifying our business offerings and services. All in all, the speakers of the NAPPS 2024 conference were top-notch.
Attending the 2024 National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference: Networking
As I mentioned last week, the most positive takeaways from attending pet sitters conferences are often the insights and knowledge I glean from my fellow attendees. Discussing our challenges, successes, plans, and concerns not only helps us troubleshoot solutions but also gives us a safe space to collect our thoughts. Because the attendees of the NAPPS 2024 pet sitters conference are in the trenches with me, so to speak, I value their opinion above those of business owners who are unfamiliar with the challenges pet sitting business owners face daily. Our business is operationally and logistically intense, which is why we love discussing best practices when we're at conferences.
Furthermore, sharing a weekend with like-minded pet lovers is always a treat. We laugh (and sometimes cry) while sharing stories of our clients' pets, the gratitude we feel to be doing this important work, and the plans we have for the future. Because I take my continuing education very seriously, I am a part of a number of prestigious masterminds and mentorship programs. These conferences allow many of the members of such groups to come together to brainstorm improvements and solutions together, which is an invaluable part of my participation.
Attending the 2024 National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference: Leading
As a professional pet sitting business owner for over a decade, I have a lot of value to share in these conferences. I consider myself a leader in the pet sitting industry both nationally and in the Yorktown area. I enjoy having the opportunity to represent Hampton Roads, our resident pet lovers, and our cities at these conferences.
Having served Yorkton, Poquoson, Newport News, and Hampton, Virginia for 12+ years now, I know what local pet parents want and need from a professional pet sitter and dog walker. After having served so many dedicated pet parents, I know the pain points that our business solves and can help others in our industry better reach the pet parents that will most benefit from our services.
Hearts at Home Pet Sitting provides in-home dog walking and pet sitting services in Yorktown, Poquoson, Newport News, and Hampton, Virginia. If you are interested in registering with us, please complete a new client questionnaire here. Existing clients may request services here. Please visit our website or contact us by email at Hello@HeartsAtHomePetSitting.com or by phone at 757-745-9868 to learn more.
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