Your pet business, Your way

Are you planning to launch a new product or service and want to get an idea of what to expect?
This episode is a behind the scenes account of launching my Pet Business Content Planner for 2026.
This is a product I created in 2025, so this year was the second year and I wanted to put this episode out to give an insight into the work involved.
I'm sharing a 'warts and all' insight into my planner launch as I think hearing how it's actually gone - the wobbles, the grit, the moments of doubt - is more helpful than a polished success story.
If you'd like to listen in to me talk very openly about the experience, this episode is for you.
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.00 – Episode introduction and what this behind-the-scenes is about.
1.40 – Why I created a planner and how planning supports my clients.
3.15 – The first planner, why I wanted it to be different and the scrappy 2025 launch.
5.40 – Developing the 2026 planner.
8.20 – The different elements of the planner this year, including the 12 'Words for when' exercises.
9.45 – Sourcing awareness days and collaborating with my designer Kate Hendry on the structure.
11.25 – PR and media coverage I secured for this year’s planner launch.
13.15 – Talks, workshops and collaborations I did with pet industry communities.
15.05 – My charity campaign for StreetVet.
17.00 – Email campaigns, sales, pricing changes and deciding to let people “choose what you pay.”
18.50 – Coping with slower sales, social media overwhelm and the role of AI.
19.10 – Remembering my dad and keeping going when things are tough.
20.40 – My Costa Coffee wobble with Maria and remembering my belief in the planner.
22.30 – Creating the Planner Club: co‑working, quarterly planning and accountability.
23.55 – Feedback from Elizabeth and how the Planner Club helps pet business owners.
24.06 – Thank yous to everyone who helped shape and support the planner.
To order a planner head here: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/shop/
Further reading/listening
Should you buy my Pet Business Content Planner
How to use the Pet Business Content Planner
How to create a Pet Business Social Media Calendar
How to create a repeatable content plan
The rollercoaster of running a business
The confidence experiment and how to be more brave
Building habits in your pet business you can stick to
Creating a plan that matches your strengths, skills, goals and values

Would you like to improve your understanding of neurodivergence?
It might be in relation to your own experience, or around how you support your clients.
Katrina Bayliss is The Neurodivergent Dog Coach and she supports pet professionals and dog people in improving the way they communicate with their dogs and one another.
Katrina has the most fascinating background, from working in nightclubs to counselling and psychology.
But it was her dog Milo and experience of anxiety that let her into the industry after discovering agility, and becoming very good at it.
She wanted to learn more about her dog, and this fascination led her to become a trainer.
Then, back in 2022, Katrina had an ADHD and later autism diagnosis herself.
It helped her put together many missing pieces of what she describes as the jigsaw of how she saw the world, her work and also how she supported people as a pet professional.
Katrina talks about her experience and why traditional dog training and business advice often don’t work for neurodivergent people.
According to a report by Skillscast, 15% of people in the UK are neurodivergent and ADHD is estimated to affect 3-4% of UK adults - around 2.6 million people.
Katrina explains how our emotional state and unmet needs impact our dogs’ behaviour, and why making services neuro-inclusive is essential if we want to help both ends of the lead.
We also discuss social media overwhelm, whether or not you might want to get involved in things like heated Crufts debates, people-pleasing, and the pressure to be polished and perfect online.
Plus how Katrina is building community through her Neuro Inclusive Dog Hub, Dog Agility Unmasked, her podcast, and new low-cost membership for neurodivergent dog pros.
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.20 - Episode introduction
1.45 - Sponsor message - Pet business content planner.
2.57 - How Katrina found herself in the pet industry.
5.44 - What Katrina did before starting her dog training business.
10.39 - What it’s like to understand both ends of the lead as a psychotherapist and a dog trainer.
14.04 - Making the connection between the clients who share the same approach as you.
16.02 - How Katrina’s diagnosis changed her work.
20.30 - What it was like communicating her new approach online.
44.03 - The kind of response she had from the dog training community.
28.33 - When the ‘aha’ moments happen with her clients.
34.38 - How the world has changed and people are looking for a more holistic approach.
39.14 - Taking care of your needs as a pet professional to build a more sustainable business.
41.40 - Deciding where you spend your time in person and online to take care of your wellbeing.
47.45 - Putting boundaries in place to protect you, your time and your energy.
52.59 - Why overworking sometimes leads to health problems as our bodies try to tell us to stop.
55.29 - Being mindful of making decisions from a need for acceptance and doing what you’re told you ’should’ do.
58.04 - Why Katrina made a community for neurodivergent pet owners and professionals.
1.00.01 - Katrina’s podcast and how that’s been received.
1.03.45 - The downsides of social media.
1.06.10 - The trust recession we’re in during the age of AI.
1.07.14 - Katrina’s new membership community for people looking for more support.
1.16.23 - Letting go of the need to be perfect.
1.17.00 - How to connect with Katrina.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Buy the Pet Business Content Planner here: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/shop/
Learn more about Katrina on her website: https://dogsanddivergentminds.com/about/
And listen to her podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/7rpgGoun9BGrtcZgoAS595
Further listening and reading:
Sasha Louise Smith on harnessing your strengths to build a business you love
Should you buy my pet business content planner?
Navigating comparisonitis as a pet pro with Kate Hoyle
Finding the right pet business community
Making a million on TikTok shop with Gemma from The Herbal Dog Co
Clayton Payne on lessons from 30 years in the pet industry
The confidence experiment and how to feel more brave
How to use the pet business content planner
How to have a pet business reset

Did you come into the New Year feeling all fired up and filled with energy about your pet business and what was going to happen in 2026?
Then, as we were flung into wars, political upheaval, economic uncertainty, did it feel like you skidded to a bit of a halt?
If you’re nodding along, that’s ok, it’s totally normal to feel like this.
There’s a lot going on in the world right now. And when you’re running your own business, all of that takes it out of you in a way a regular paycheck never would.
Consumer confidence is down and people feel less confident spending money on things that aren’t absolutely necessary.
So it can be tempting and totally natural to feel despondent and think: “What’s the point? Nobody wants to hear from me. Everything is rubbish.”
This blog and podcast episode is about picking yourself up and getting back on the bike, and doing the things you need to do to keep moving forward.
You can listen in on the player link below or read the key points as a blog post.
I also cover how my Pet Business Planner can help you. At the time of publication – 31st March 2026 – I did have some copies remaining.
You can order one here (or pre-order for 2027 if you’re listening or reading in the future. (https://rachelspencer.co.uk/product/pet-business-content-planner/)
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.20 - What to expect from this episode.
0.46 - How you can have a reset at any time of the year.
1.30 - The upheaval that’s going on in the world at the moment.
2.20 - Consumer confidence dropping during times of uncertainty.
3.24 - Reflecting on the first quarter of the year.
3.54 - How to figure out if you’ve been talking about your work enough.
5.24 - Case study - Kim from Leo, Charley and Me
6.19 - Working out who your dream customer is.
6.40 - Why you can have a reset whenever you like.
8.31 - What I’m doing to boost bookings in my cottage business.
9.18 - Why saying no is important too.
9.55 - Practical steps on how to do a reset
10.25 - Reflecting on what’s working and doing more of it.
11.30 - Working out what you want to do less of.
12.36 - Deciding on the activities that are the most valuable when it comes to how you spend your time.
14.17 - The magnifying glass of misery.
14.45 - Deciding on the important things you need to talk about and using the awareness days.
16.03 - The reason I created a planner to support you with all of the above.
17.03 - Taking what I learned as a journalist to help you come up with ideas.
18.21 - How the Words for When exercises work.
20.40 - Using the days to pitch to the press.
22.04 - Why PR is important in the world we’re in now with AI.
23.45 - How to get a copy of the planner.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Get a copy of the pet business planner: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/shop/
Download my free social media calendar: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/calendar
Read the Nielsen report on Consumer Confidence: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2026/consumer-confidence-down-three-points-in-february/
Listen to the Kate Toon podcast on AI and digital marketing: https://therecipeforseosuccess.com/final-guest-how-marketing-and-seo-have-evolved-in-11-years-with-rand-fishkin/
Further reading/listening:
How Kim from Leo Charley and Me boosted her visibility
The confidence experiment and how to feel more brave as a pet professional
Why I am an accredited pet business coach
How to navigate stop start periods in your business
How to use the Pet Business Content Planner
Should you buy my Pet Business Content Planner

When Kerry Whitney split up with her boyfriend, lost her dad and had to move back home to her mum's, it led to her starting her dream business.
It was back in 2015, and she'd just started an Instagram account for her Pug Frank, and started making him fun bow ties as a way of coping with her grief and the upheaval she'd experienced.
Things grew, she started sending out her products to other dog owners, and decided to make it into a business.
Then she added in some sweary bow ties to stand out, and it took off.
From viral posts with the C-bomb, being featured in the Daily Sport dressed as a giant penis, getting her products in Pets At Home, experiencing burnout and taking a year for herself and coping with trolls, Kerry has seen it, done it and got the Dogs Not Sprogs t-shirt.
We talk about so much here - there's a bit of oversharing from me, and Kerry announces her dream new range, sweary harnesses which will be on sale from March 2026.
Kerry is a friend who I value so much, she's supported me through a lot, and I'm so pleased to share this podcast. I hope you love what she has to say.
Topics and timings:
0.20 - Episode overview.
1.50 - Episode sponsor - pet business planner.
3.16 - Kerry introduction.
4.35 - What Kerry did before Franky’s Bowtique.
5.31 - Getting her first Pug Frank and going on Instagram.
7.00 - Losing her dad and beginning making bowties as a way of managing her grief.
9.17 - Growing on Instagram, gifting her products and building her business.
10.14 - Moving back home after her relationship broke down and back to her mums.
13.35 - Putting out her first sweary bowties and going from the F bomb to the C bomb.
17.45 - Growing her community and brand reps and having raving fans!
19.48 - The most bonkers stuff Kerry has done to get her business and products out there.
23.11 - Appearing in the Daily Sport dressed as a giant penis.
24.17 - Pitching to UK retailers and getting her products in Pets At Home.
28.23 - What it’s like to go viral.
31.10 - What it’s like to get nasty comments and how Kerry turns them into ‘content gold.’
33.08 - What it’s like behind the scenes when orders go crazy from viral posts.
35.16 - What happened when Gemma Atkinson bought a bandana for her dog.
36.45 - How Kerry totally ignores all social media advice and is herself.
38.05 - Kerry’s advice to anyone who is holding back on social media and why the shouldn’t tone themselves down.
38.53 - No-one is safe from the savagery of social media.
40.47 - Not being afraid to fail publicly.
42.03 - Kerry’s experience of burnout and taking a year out.
46.16 - Thoughts on resilience and having a strong business that could continue when Kerry felt low.
47.17 - Copycats and how they fire you up to be stronger.
52.29 - Keeping going and standing out.
54.02 - Kerry’s health transformation and how that’s impacted on her business.
58.13 - Getting a part time job and how that’s helped her with her business and feeling more positive.
1.01.02 - My own emotionally fragile time and what I needed to do to pick myself up.
1.05.14 - How Kerry stops herself comparing to others and self care, Mel Robbins and sunlight first thing!
1.06.54 - Kerry’s new dog harness range.
1.08.15 - How the money for the harness range came from an insurance policy from her late father.
1.14.23 - What her dad would think and how good things can come from challenging times and loss.
1.17.12 - How to find out more about Kerry.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Pet business content planner: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/product/pet-business-content-planner/
Visit Kerry's website: https://frankysbowtique.com/
Follow Frank and Brenda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankandbrendaruletheworld/
Follow Franky's Bowtique on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankysbowtique_ltd/
Follow Franky's Bowtique on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@frankysbowtique
Franky's Bowtique on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Frankypantspetboutique
Further listening/reading
Should you buy my pet business content planner?
How to use the pet business content planner
Dealing with copycats with Debbie Humphreys from Redhound for Dogs
Putting your personality into your marketing with Alex McCann from AltrinchamHQ
Stuff the social media rules and do things your way with Colette Adwin
Creating a business that works for you with Jane Ardern
How to create a pet business social media calendar

Confidence is an area that comes up as a challenge with the pet business owners I work with over and over again.
When you're running a business on your own, you're already doing really brave things and taken the big risks.
Yet, so often, things will make us question ourselves.
I ran a workshop and a 'confidence experiment' in my membership to look at this, in particular asking people to ask themselves, 'Why do I feel confident doing some things but not others?'
And more importantly, 'What can I do about it?'
What came out of both was so interesting, and there was so much helpful and supportive advice shared, so I wanted to put together a podcast and blog.
Key topics and timings:
0.20: Episode overview.
0.50: What is confidence and why I chose it as the theme for March in Pets Get Visible.
2.01: Why I felt wobbly about covering this topic.
3.29: What confidence means to different people.
4.14: Why you don’t have to feel confident to do the brave thing.
4.37: The areas where pet pros would love to feel more confident.
5.06: Where people feel at ease with pet pro examples.
7.53: Taking notice of where you feel confident and what’s different.
9.24: The reasons that lie underneath us lacking in confidence.
10.51: How HALT works and how being hungry, angry, lonely, tired and hormonal impacts on confidence.
11.43: Acceptance and commitment theory and how this applies to confidence.
13.29: Heather’s story and how she became more confident on video.
18.33: What would be in your recipe for confidence?
19.11: Examples of what people have in their recipe for confidence.
23.39: Brave examples from the community.
26.01: Acceptance and commitment theory.
27.34: My Pets Get Visible membership and Pet Business Content Planner and work with me options.
Episode sponsor: Pets Get Visible membership
We're doing more experiments like this - breaking down the things that get in the way of visibility and making them manageable for you.
You'll get access to the workshops, the resources, the community, and most importantly, the reassurance that you're not the only one feeling this way.
Be around other pet business owners who get it, who are doing brave things, who are cheering each other on.
Head here to find out more about the membership: www.rachelspencer.co.uk/pets-get-visible
Further reading and listening:
Is my Pets Get Visible membership right for you?
Should you buy my Pet Business Content Planner?
How to feel more confident as a writer with Rikki Sullivan
Why I am an accredited pet business coach
The rollercoaster of running your own business
The importance of looking back to see how far you've come
What kind of pet business coach is right for you?
Choosing the right pet business membership