Organic Networking and Building Trust with Jennifer Bell from Cardio Canines  

by Josh Mendelsohn in April 8th, 2021

In 2021, very few businesses would start the answer to the question “How did you grow your business?” by saying “joining the chamber of commerce.” But for Jennifer Bell of Cardio Canines in New Tecumseth, Ontario, that was the key that unlocked the door, even if that door didn’t open all at once.

“I live in a small town and it is really important for people to know that you actually care about those you serve,” says Jennifer. “For me, that meant joining the chamber of commerce and really getting involved in the community. Volunteering at the 4H. Networking. Shopping at other local businesses. All without overtly trying to sell my services. That way I become Jennifer, who happens to own a dog walking and sitting business, not a business run by Jennifer.”

Taking the patient, trust-building approach has paid off, especially with COVID. “People need to trust you and your intentions. For some families, it may just be ‘I need a quick let out every day’ but for many, they are asking me to watch their babies and enter their homes when no one is home. What is more trusting than that?”

Before starting Cardio Canines, Jennifer had been a hobby walker and a full-time marketer, working at a startup until January of 2020. Having grown tired of being tied to a desk, however, she felt it was time to dive in fully.

Now, when Jennifer puts those marketing skills into action, it is for her own business - on her website and social media pages. “I don’t miss the red tape and the back and forth on every single detail. I built a nice-looking website on Wix and now if I want to test something new, I just do it because I think it might work and we’ll see what happens! It’s very freeing!”

That approach applies to social media as well, where she posts dog pictures she finds entertaining, tags local locations and businesses where she can, and is ultimately focused on being as authentic as possible. Just like her community engagement, Jennifer just wants people to know who she is, that she is present in the community, and that she is fully committed to the people and pets she serves.

As the business was getting up and running, Jennifer tried to manage everything manually using spreadsheets and the invoicing capabilities of Wix. Unfortunately, one month she forgot to bill a client. And because it was her error and she didn’t want to double up on her client’s monthly fee during a pandemic, that income was lost.

Jennifer vowed to never again make that mistake, researching and testing several different pet services software before landing on PetPocketbook. 

“I was looking for software that was easy to use and did everything I needed, but also that my clients could take advantage of. I had a couple of trusted clients test along with me and they thought PetPocketbook was by far the easiest to use. Now, so much of the admin work is taken care of and I never have to worry about forgetting to invoice someone again.”

We’re just glad we can help Jennifer spend less time in spreadsheets and more time getting involved with the people and pets in her local community!

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