In this episode of Mind Your Own Dog Business, the Grassroots team, Kristen Lee & Maggie Christina, sit down with the badass Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting for a raw and transparent conversation. Bella is the leading petsitting industry coach and a refreshing unicorn when it comes to pet industry coaching. Bella has been a multi-keynote speaker for Social Media World, has been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, NBC, HuffPost, and is also a published author.
Bella and the Grassroot's team dig deep into entrepreneurship's mindset, what it takes to succeed, and why never, EVER giving up and throwing in the towel is not an option if you want to make it. They also chat about marketing as a dog professional, the one critical mistake most dog trainers are making on social media, and how your marketing strategy must be changed for 2020 if you want to be able to connect to the dog-owning market.
They also discuss the importance of dog trainers, dog walkers, pet sitters, choosing their inner circle wisely because the five people you surround yourself with directly reflect on you and your dog business.
It's a transparent, raw, and disruptive conversation that every pet pro needs to hear.
How To Connect With Bella:
Bella In Your Business Podcast on iTunes & Spotify
Links:
Check out more episodes of Mind Your Own Dog Business
Connect with Kristen & Grassroots:
Online: www.dogbizschool.com
Instagram: @dogwalkercoach
In this episode of Mind Your Own Dog Business, the Grassroots team, Kristen Lee & Maggie Christina, sit down with the badass Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting for a raw and transparent conversation. Bella is the leading petsitting industry coach and a refreshing unicorn when it comes to pet industry coaching. Bella has been a multi-keynote speaker for Social Media World, has been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, NBC, HuffPost, and is also a published author.
Bella and the Grassroot's team dig deep into entrepreneurship's mindset, what it takes to succeed, and why never, EVER giving up and throwing in the towel is not an option if you want to make it. They also chat about marketing as a dog professional, the one critical mistake most dog trainers are making on social media, and how your marketing strategy must be changed for 2020 if you want to be able to connect to the dog-owning market.
They also discuss the importance of dog trainers, dog walkers, pet sitters, choosing their inner circle wisely because the five people you surround yourself with directly reflect on you and your dog business.
It's a transparent, raw, and disruptive conversation that every pet pro needs to hear.
How To Connect With Bella:
Bella In Your Business Podcast on iTunes & Spotify
Links:
Check out more episodes of Mind Your Own Dog Business
Connect with Kristen & Grassroots:
Online: www.dogbizschool.com
Instagram: @dogwalkercoach
You're listening the mind, your own dog business podcast. I'm your host, a leading expert in dog business. Strategic Kristen Lee guys. Get ready for your journey, your journey to cutting edge marketing and sales,
Bella Vasta:creating a
Kristen Lee:standout kick ass dog business brand. Along with mastering your mindset. That's going to smash. All this glass ceilings that have been holding you back and catapult your dog was this to the next level. With actionable steps, you can take right away. We're going to empower you.
Maggie Christina:We're going to grow you
Kristen Lee:as you step into your authentic self. Not only as a dog trainer, dog Walker, or what ever slice the pet industry, you find yourself in. But as that bad-ass entrepreneur, my mission is to disrupt the current norm. Cut through the noise, cut through the bullshit and empower the incredible women of the dog business industry to step into the spotlight, reclaim control and transform not only their businesses, but their lives. It's
Maggie Christina:real.
Kristen Lee:It's raw. It's uncensored. And it's what this dog business
Bella Vasta:industry needs.
Kristen Lee:Let's do this guys. All right, everybody. Welcome to today's episode of the mind, your own motherfucking dog biz podcast. I got two special guests on today, which I'm incredibly excited about, but the very first one you might know her. She's a little bit controversial and no, it's not Maggie, even though. Maggie's here, but I got Bella mother fucking Vesta, Bella. I was actually doing a dead job dog joke right before this with Maggie. Cause my dog's name is Belen. It died, but you're not a dead dog. So it's all good.
Bella Vasta:Um, so this is how.
Maggie Christina:True behind the scenes. You guys there's times where Chris and we'll mention Bella and it's literally, I'm like, wait, wait, wait, which Bella
Bella Vasta:like to say that I had that name before Twilight came out and everybody named their dog, Bella, and it became really popular. Like I was cool with Facebook groups and the name, Bella. Before it was mainstream. Thank you very much.
Kristen Lee:Well,
Bella Vasta:it's all good. It's all good. Well,
Kristen Lee:Bella, let me introduce you because you're pretty bad ass and I really want to just kind of highlight some of the amazing things you've done because you are an OJI business coach in the pet dog industry. So Bella has been in Forbes, entrepreneur, NBC inc. She's been a social media word, a world keynote speaker several times over and she had an award winning business. Um, So today to have her on is an incredible honor. She's a veteran in the group again as well. She's been coaching business owners for a, quite a long time. So yeah, Bella, welcome to my drone dog business. And Maggie Christina is with us today to hear
Bella Vasta:hi. Hi, thanks for having me ladies.
Maggie Christina:I'm excited about this combo. This is awesome. Thanks for having
Bella Vasta:us like our voice notes in messenger. It's going to be popping. Oh. Well, I love the OG
Maggie Christina:thing. Cause it's like this literally is original gangster, like conglomerate of like the three of us. Cause all three of us are notorious for creating original works. Then, then get out into the industry and we've, you know, between the three of us, we, I don't even know. How many people are trying to coach on the things we've created. This is awesome because like, it is you, you're definitely OJI in a way that nobody else can claim, you know, it's, it's, I'm really excited to be having this conversation, especially in 2020 right now.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. I, I, um, I mean, just to piggyback off of that, I, again, and not to sound like I'm bragging or anything, but like I was, I was talking about employees when they weren't cool. When everyone was doing independent contractors, I was talking about pricing structure. Uh, for eight years now and grading around it and people still aren't talking about it, you know, they're talking about what they feel. Um, so I've got a lot of stuff that I don't, I don't mind getting out there and taking a position on because they don't feel like there's enough people in our industry taking a position on stuff or going ahead with COVID hit. I was, I was the very first in the pet-sitting dog-walking that I go, okay, how are we going to do this? Let's roll up our sleeves, start a Facebook group for two weeks and pack it with 14 experts all around from, from lawyers to CPAs, to it, to HR people, and just pack that group full information. So while everyone was like, Whoa, this is happening and like frozen. There was at least some food on the table for them to eat. Should they want to eat it now or later? You know what I mean?
Maggie Christina:We did. We were in a. Bella Vasta: Well, yeah, I was going to say we're the same boat in the training world. It's like on the pet-sitting dog-walking side, you were the only one that showed up with viable options. On the training side, we were the only ones that showed up with viable options now, fast forward months. And like, I think we're re I think people that didn't jump on the bandwagon, whether it was with you or with us are definitely feeling the stretch. I mean, there's a lot of people
Bella Vasta:who've gone out of business. Girl there. So like, okay. So I would say that the pet sitting and dog walking industry has been hit harder than your training industry, right? Because for pet-sitting the old problem used to be that people travel and you need to come visit their pets. And the old problem was that I work long hours and they need my dog walked in the middle of the day. Well, the people that understood that, those aren't the now problems and the people that understood that they needed to pivot and, and see a couple of months ahead. Those are the business owners that I was crying with on the phone. Just like you guys, there were, they were decimated to like five, 10, 15%, all these cancellations coming in and now I'm celebrating left and right. That are back up to 70 and 90%. But the ones that didn't jump on, the ones that didn't see it ahead of time are the ones that are thinking about selling their business, or they're saying COVID got their business and it breaks my heart because there's so much more than ever can be doing. You are aware you are. Um, it really pulled back the veil of showing just how financially fit a lot of businesses were, but also how, how much people wanted it. Because when we were given the number one thing, which is the gift of time, and I loves that I'm on this podcast that I can just like raw thoughts with you guys when, when the COVID cover happens. And we were given the gift of time, what did you do with it? And I know I'm like, I'm like censoring myself on your own podcast, but you
Kristen Lee:don't have to send to yourself.
Bella Vasta:I just feel so weird because my community is not used to hearing me swear, but I do look,
Maggie Christina:fuck, did you guys do it? That is what she's saying. Oh,
Bella Vasta:I get, I get mental health guys. Like I've been on Zoloft. I've been depressed. I've had anxiety. I've had those moments where. I never said this publicly before I wondered what would it be like if I just drove my car off the side of the highway? Yeah. I've had those loans. So when you sit there and you tell me, Bella, you don't understand it, Bella. Like, I'm not always like you. Yeah. I'm not always like me either like fight or you got to lay down and then own it. You got to own it. You cannot make excuses or whatever. There's going to be as inflows. There's going to be valleys and Hills. It's what you do in those valleys and Hills. And it's how you frame it in your mind. It's okay to be in a Valley. But what you do when you're in that Valley and how you frame it in your mind is what's going to determine if you get back up on the Hill or not, that's it. And I said this as, as those people that don't know me, ladies, I wish I could see you right now because I don't have this nonverbal. So I'm just going to keep flowing here. I can say this because I've been to hell and back. I've been in NICU for six years. Months. I've been in the ICU for eight to 10 hours a day, running two businesses fighting for my daughter's life. She was born at 12 ounces and was sitting company and I was running a coaching company and I did not, they didn't go away. I didn't, they didn't. I actually went on to sell my pet sitting company a year and a half later, once I felt like I was copacetic and like on even ground. And my daughter was fine. I sold my business. That was always my goal. It took a little longer than I thought, but I stayed focused and connected to my vision and my goal guys, you're gonna go through shit. I've gone through shit. And I'm here to tell you just like these ladies are that you can get through it. It's just your mindset in the company that you keep. That's going to determine nobody else can have the power or no pandemic can have the power over your business unless you give it to them.
Kristen Lee:Hmm. Yeah.
Maggie Christina:You know, I was talking with some people earlier today and I said, look, 2020, what it has done for us. And as, as individuals, it shows us who we really are because all of our bullshit or strengths or weaknesses that we brought in the beginning of this year has simply been amplified. Right. So if you're one of those people like us where it's like, you could be going through an absolute shit storm yet you still, you know, maybe not even get out of bed, but you do something from bed. I
Bella Vasta:still get up and you show up
Maggie Christina:that's the difference. And you know, I've, I have helped clients through a multitude of situations and it never ceases to amaze me. How other people use the same life situations as an excuse. It's like they get to
Bella Vasta:pull a car. Yeah, I can check that off my list too. I pushed another business during the pandemic. I grew my business through divorce. And I I've managed two companies through living in NICU for six months. It can happen. Right. I think that's why you and we all connect with each other because we've been through shit and we all have, we have that same, you can do it attitude. And I think that's also why we're controversial because some people don't don't agree with that. And that's okay. But go, not agree with it in your own group. And don't piss all over us for making it happen. You know what I mean? Right.
Kristen Lee:Bella, something I want to bring up that you mentioned, and I know we're totally going off, quote, unquote, scripture, but this is fucking perfect. Something that you mentioned re that just struck out to me. And I know it struck out to Maggie is the company you keep with, right. That has been, I know for you being successful for the company you roll with and no seeking outside it, you know, the excited membership and Gar and like mentorship and really surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals. I just want to, I want to actually really elaborate on the point. It is. So important who you literally roll with in your business, because that circle of people, the five people around you, the three people around you are a direct reflection of where the fuck you are at, right?
Maggie Christina:Yeah. And if you're surrounded by three to five people that are buying your excuses and fanning over, you know, motivational memes to make you feel better, they're not helping you. They're hindering you.
Kristen Lee:Yeah,
Bella Vasta:I literally just said all of that to the college. I just spoke to, I was talking to them about leadership over themselves, their interpersonal relationships in their community. And it's so true because, and I think it's something that a lot of people, um, unconsciously do. So my my message is, is like taking inventory, keep taking inventory, not just necessarily ladies about the people in your life. But that also means the things that you're listening to and the things that you're watching, what are you doing while you're folding laundry, walking the dog, driving someplace, um, cooking dinner in those, those moments where you could be feeding yourself or whatever. Now, sometimes I turn on my dance music and I get my wiggles out because that does help muscles. It's horrible, by the way. And then started talking to six-year-old language. Right? Adorable. I love it. And then, but sometimes like a lot of the times, like I I've taken inventory of like, wow, like that really makes my soul feel depressed. I can't do that. So what can I do? That's going to inspire me. That's going to challenge me now when I listen to books on audio, it's not always like I'm sitting there with a notebook. Sometimes it's kind of a passive listening, but you know what? Subconsciously my subconscious is soaking it up. One of the books right now that I think for your listeners, But anyone listening to this right now, who's interested in changing their mindset. I don't know if you guys have heard of this one yet. Oh, I listened to it four times because it's so good. I've never listened to, I think four times it's called the untethered soul and it talks to moon cause in our head and it is so life-changing amazing. I would highly recommend it to everyone and. And it's like, it's just, what are you doing? So who's the company you're keeping, are you guarding your eyes and your irrigates? That's it. That's what it comes down to. You have to be a leadership over yourself before you can be any kind of awesome leader over your business or the world. Yeah,
Maggie Christina:no, this might feel a little bit off topic, but I feel like it's very connected to the point you just made. I see a lot of people that have dog businesses that are getting sucked into social media, becoming consumers of everybody else's content. And it's like, it's almost
Bella Vasta:everyone else's content. Yeah. And it's
Maggie Christina:like, weighing like original come up with your own stuff. Because even then it's like, even if you're reposting or whatever, you think that that's helping your business, which it's not, you're bringing in all of this energy, like you're not good enough to be putting out original shit, right. Or whatever. And it's like, Yeah.
Bella Vasta:Can we talk about just the difference between like, okay, let's let let's use COVID as an example, we're all in the middle of the pandemic elections are over finally, or maybe they're not, I don't know. We're recording this. I hope that there is a decision by the time that we up this anyways. Um, let's talk about COVID, let's talk about what you did. Did you just put a little thing on your website that said. Here's our S our, our COVID precautions. Or am I seeing pictures of you in a mask? Am I seeing you training or doing virtual consultations in a PTE kind of way, or a COVID kind of way, like, you know, uh, postmark kind of way, are you educating your clients on the fact that we can do virtual, uh, you know, services and stuff, or are we still solving the problems of the past? That concerts. So much reason for you to have original content right now, because nobody else is actually doing it. And it's such a, such an open space for you to be disruptive, even though it's not even really that disruptive, it's just being relevant and showing your stuff. So stop sharing other people's crap. Like make your own. It's not hard.
Kristen Lee:Yeah. Oh yeah, yeah. Oh God. I, it was funny last year on this time I was doing a retreat with Maggie and I got on this fucking, I got into like my Hawk dragon mode, where I'm like, fucking like psycho about it, because what I see a lot of people doing, like you said, is they're sharing legacy trainers are sharing like these older businesses content. And it's like, no, I know you're so much fucking better. I know you have. So much more original idea, and you're not paying respect to your own subject matter expertise by sharing this basic bit. Shit. And I went on like this huge rant. It's like, no, we all need to have like the big Dick energy. We need to have that big, big energy with authority and authenticity and fucking be brave and share that original content. Like you said, because like what Bella is saying to all my listeners here, the shit that you posted in 2015. Is not going to even be relevant to it. Can't even light a candle to it from now and beyond even 2018, 2019, you have to start finding, okay, what is my messaging going to look like? How can I connect to those people that have way different problems than they had in fucking February of 2020?
Bella Vasta:And just as a matter of marketing, I would imagine and correct me if I'm wrong. That as a dog trainer, people are coming to you for you. You're using personality and style and way of doing things. So sharing someone else's underwear is never going to get you the dollars go for it. And that's like, and I think that the more authentic or in tune we can get to who we are, I feel like a lot of businesses are. Where we're not preteens. Like people are like, they're unsure of themselves. Who am I in the world? Right. And as you grow into your own, your branding, your messaging, your, your vernacular, even your, your methadone, the more concrete you can get about who you are, what you do and why you do it and how you do it. The better your marketing and your branding is going to come. So if you're sharing other people's stuff, I almost feel like it's, it's easy for you to do that because you haven't done the internal work to figure out who you really are in your business. Because, because I, sorry, ladies, I love you, but I'm not wearing your underwear. I'm wearing my underwear. Yeah, totally. I
Maggie Christina:go
Bella Vasta:dirty and gross and Oh my God. Did she just say that? But that's what it is. That's how personal this shit is. And
Maggie Christina:when that's the thing is we're trusting you to show up with your own undies.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. If you can go where someone else's, it means that you don't have your own, like, that's really what it comes down to. I'm sorry. That's gross. No, I'm not. Sorry. Sorry, not sorry.
Maggie Christina:No, I think that's a, well, that's such a perfect analogy, right? Cause it is it's, it's, it's dirty. It's dirty marketing because it's right. Like you get to get out of the actual work, but then you reap the, the disbenefits of not having the people that you want. Right. You're not attracting good clientele. You're not attracting people that want to pay you high dollar
Bella Vasta:for stuff that's attractive to someone else. Like they're not attracted to you. They don't know who you are. You got to let them know who you are.
Maggie Christina:Yeah. Well, I mean, we see, at least with dog trainers is as they're trying it, like, let's say they start stepping it up for content. They're creating content for other dog trainers for other service professionals, because it's like this accidental
Bella Vasta:circle jerk and
Maggie Christina:social media world. And it's like, that's not helpful either. You know, you're not, you're not necessarily want to be offering your underwear to somebody else either. It's like, get your own undies, expect other people to show up to the table with their own
Bella Vasta:and do what you do well, When you rip that stuff off, it should be so obvious that it's ripped off, that it doesn't even make sense, you know? And, and the consumer sees that 60% of a consumer's decision is made before they even reach out to you. So they are looking at your social, they are looking at your website. They're seeing if the two actually, uh, relate to each other. And then they're also seeing are you professional? And. Do you, uh, can I see your personality on it? Your personality, not a correlation or a conglomerate of you sharing other people's stuff or cute dog means like that's not what it is, especially when you're doing dog training. I want to know if I'm going to be dropping four figures with you that you're going to know exactly what you're doing, then you're going to be standing competent in it. I don't need like non-confident and nurturing. I would assume person to come in and, and help me with my dog. So. Yeah,
Maggie Christina:absolutely. Absolutely. Well, it's true. You know, dogs cause because it is such a high level. Like that the price tags are higher on dog training. Right. That's the interesting thing is you can blend it these days to slightly different conversation. But yeah, like when you're tackling that you do, you've got to build trust, but more so you've got to actually deliver that value. You have to really be able to show people like paint that picture. Of where their life is right now versus where they're heading with you. And when you're sharing other people's content, there are people that are looking at your stuff are never going to see that and anything that you're reposting basically. And yeah, it's, it means you're spending a lot of time and energy on social media for zero results. Um, I want to add one thing. This is a personal salty bitch of mine. One of the things that I've seen in 2020. And I don't know if it's the same over and pet-sitting dog-walking arena. So I'd love to hear your take on this too. But part of what we are saying is these old, we call them legacy business owners. You know, they've been around for 15 years, right? They've done pretty well considering. And then now COVID hit their businesses declined and they're now jumping into quote unquote business coaching, but they're pedaling. Information technologies systems, whatever that worked for them 15 years ago. And this concerns me because I'm like, wait a minute, the market. And I know you talk about this. I'd love to actually have this conversation. If you guys don't mind the changing needs of the market itself, the actual dog owners, they're different people. They're matured millennials. They're big spenders and they're the first generation. Of dog owners that grew up in a household where the dog was looked at as a family member, right? These are the people that go out and get a dog before they have a kid on purpose to see how they can quote unquote, raise the dog with their partner, for example, right? These people want high quality services. And I feel like 90% of us dog professionals are completely fucking missing the Mark. And now we've got all these want to be business coaches that are almost dragging us further behind, and I'm just like,
Bella Vasta:no,
Maggie Christina:So, I don't know if that made any sense. That's my take on it.
Bella Vasta:100%. So I had to learn a couple years ago to just like, let it go. I can't tell you a quote, unquote, clients have all of a sudden become coaches, just like you guys and started to do that. But what I remind myself of is that a no one can touch me with content. I've got 560 blogs. B, we are almost a half a million dollar company right now. So, uh, okay. Do, do what you want to do three. Uh, and I've actually never said that publicly. I can't believe I just said that a three. I, I, um, uh, if you want to be a legacy, like I like that word, a legacy dog coach. Go for it. Because if you're attracting people, those just simply aren't my clients. Like I want the people, I get so many people that follow me because of my podcast, Bella, in your business, they listened to it. They love the energy. They love the ideas. They love the vision of it. They love how I'm feeding their brain. And then they're like, yo, I want part of your mastermind or better marketing with Bella where we give people content, you know, there is, there's so much stuff it's like, you know, when these people do show up, it does pain me. Um, but it also. Good. Like, there was a point where it really pissed me off, but now I'm just like, all right, whatever, like go have your lemonade stand. I have the Walmart on the, on the corner, you know, I'm a partner. And so I just, I don't know. It, it is annoying. But I just don't have so much, this sounds so elitist. There's so many other things to worry about. You know, people that the people that do come into my circle, they're in my mastermind. They're also in better marketing with Bella. They're listening to my podcast. They are what people have tried hating lead to say, I could say lovingly drinking, drinking the Bella Kool-Aid. And that Kool-Aid is really tasty and it looks really good in your bank account. Let me
Maggie Christina:tell you. Yeah, and you don't die from it. It makes you stronger
Bella Vasta:go, bro. It's like miracle, bro.
Kristen Lee:What? I'm going to send you, Bella, we're going to send you a gift. Very special gift of a shirt that has a good saying on it. Business coach or co-leader.
Maggie Christina:Ooh. Oh, you need a business coach or co-leader shirt for real.
Bella Vasta:I just, I, you know, it's, it's weird because, you know, I think that was one of the reasons why I was drawn to you guys too, is because you were so unapologetically yourself. Um, and, and there are some other, you know, business coaches that are, are, have been around, um, one longer than me. One almost just as long as me, but you know, I'm always looking for, I have very specific verticals. And, um, and I, and I don't teach what I don't know, but I also feel really, really competent and, and excited to I come from a philosophy of, I want to solve your problems. I don't want to give you more so through that, there's a whole arm in my business where I partner up with other companies that I believe in. And I only partner with them if one it's monetarily benefiting me. Hello, but also I'll be very affiliate marketing, but also not just me, but my people. So they need to be paying me, but they also need to be given my people a crazy ass discount that they can't get anywhere else. And, and so like, I really feel like, yeah, drink the, Kool-Aid be a part of the lovingly word culty month. Sometimes it has bad connotations. Um, and, and, and you'll reap the benefits. You know, like I have case study after case study, after case study of people doing this. And what, what excites me the most is when someone has a business. And they're, they're just getting employees and they get to the point where they get the whole employee system under control. And they're not solving that problem over and over again. They understand they have to solve it once and replicate it. Then they get an internal staff and they install that once they replicate it, then they say, Oh, I have all this free time. What should I do? I'm going to opening up a boarding facility. Now they open up a boarding facility. They do the same day and they keep putting themselves out of a job. Now they've got a million dollar company and then they go, huh, what else should I do? I'm going to do a pet food franchise now, or I'm going to start a homeschooling, a virtual homeschooling thing for kids or whatever it is. It's so cool to see. A business owner become an entrepreneur and step into their life's purpose, but they didn't go. But what they did is they freed up their time. And what they're doing is they just keep replicating their effect, their ripple effect onto the world because they're not getting stuck in a job and they're growing an actual business. Can I
Maggie Christina:point something out that you just said? I think it's really important to like, just fucking focus on for the last,
Bella Vasta:the
Maggie Christina:business owner. You literally, he just said we can go back and rewind and relisten the business owners that turn into entrepreneurs.
Bella Vasta:And I
Maggie Christina:think that's very, very, very wise
Bella Vasta:and
Maggie Christina:very easy for most people to miss
Bella Vasta:because in other people's minds,
Maggie Christina:Yeah.
Bella Vasta:I think for me, a lot of people just have jobs too, by the way, let's look to my job to a business, to an entrepreneur. Right.
Maggie Christina:Well, I own a business, therefore, I'm an entrepreneur and it's like,
Bella Vasta:no,
Maggie Christina:you can own a business and suck at
Bella Vasta:entrepreneurship. Like, yeah. That's kind
Maggie Christina:of where, you know, we're really good at turning people into entrepreneurs or like highlighting the entrepreneurialness not all business owners are though. That's really, I like that.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. I'm going to throw it back on you, Matt. Um, what do you think the biggest difference, because maybe a listener is listening right now and they're saying, well, what's the difference guys? Like I thought it was a interchangeable word.
Maggie Christina:Well, I think, I think point of focus and dedication, you can choose to just have a business and try to employ yourself without taking it seriously.
Bella Vasta:Right? When somebody,
Maggie Christina:if we, cause we work with a lot of dog trainers, for example. So let's say that somebody decides, you know what, I'd love to be a dog trainer. They intentionally every dog that they get their hands on. They're intentional about handling and refining and. Learning another thing and putting it together. And it's very intentional, right? I see business owners and in this group as being people that by default open a business, because they don't like where they're being employed. That doesn't mean that you're bringing entrepreneurial skills to the table. It's the day that you decide to interact with your business as a point of purpose that you start to step in to the entrepreneurial role. That's how I see it.
Bella Vasta:I love that. I love that so much. Cause
Maggie Christina:there is a difference, you know, I see a lot of people in autopilot. It's like, well, good enough. You know, I got some clients coming in, I'm self
Bella Vasta:employed
Maggie Christina:and it's like, yeah,
Bella Vasta:but are you really, I feel like an entrepreneur has like a vision, you know, and they're always steps ahead and they always see a bigger purpose of it. Um, and it's not just a daily grind, you know, it's. They're building, they're building something for something, whether it's to release that or, and move on to something else, but still keep it going. Or like they're, they're, they're in a constant mode of creation, but creation with execution. Let me say, because a lot of people are creating forever, but like creation with execution and then they also have a heart of, they have a great relationship with failure. I think you get stuck in a bit when you don't, when you're not BFS with failure. Um, and, but the entrepreneur is motivated by failure because it almost fuels them to keep going. Right. I know you ladies are like this too. Like we failed like 99 out of a hundred times, but we're grateful for it. And we've learned from it and it's made us better for it. Not everyone feels that way. And so that relationship that you have with the failure, I think also goes a lot into entrepreneurship. Well,
Maggie Christina:Oh, sorry. Go ahead Kristen.
Kristen Lee:Oh, I was just going to say Bella, to kind of reiterate that point. It is having, like you said, you're, you're, you're in bed with failure every fucking day. Like especially 2020 of the lessons that. Us as an organization learns like to the point of where everything was like, Oh my God, like, I don't even want to get out of bed this morning to like where we're standing out, having this really honest and transparent conversation with you. It's like, you gotta, you gotta love on your failure. You gotta dry hump that failure because that fucking failure is going to be your elevator. That, that. Progression to success like Emily, who's our sales executive director. She literally said on a podcast, I was too long ago. She's like, she's like, I dare you to attempt to tap me to fail like that just fucking motivates the hell out of
Bella Vasta:me and is he's an
Kristen Lee:incredible, incredible person. So anyway, I'm gonna let you guys keep talking. I'm gonna sit back.
Maggie Christina:If you're going to choose a word synonymous with entrepreneur, I would choose failure any day over business. Right? Cause it's like, yeah, you for every night for every 10 ideas, you're lucky for one to actually go through. Right. And there's been the occasion where it's like, you know, we, I'm sure all of us have had this occasion of like being around people that know us, but don't really know that entrepreneurial side that goes, wow, you never stick to anything. Or you said you were going to do that thing. You haven't done that thing. You're a failure and it's like, well, I tried it and it didn't work. So I moved on to the next thing. What's the big fucking deal.
Bella Vasta:Hey, Maggie, you just reminded me of my mom actually so my mom is like an a God lover. Okay. I love her. I'm not bashing her, but sometimes that just, I think I'm actually having a personal aha moment here right now, because it's not necessarily, it came through my mom, but it does come through a lot of people where they're like, well, why aren't you just doing that? And, and exactly like what you said, it's like, there's this, there's this mindset of you have to correct and continue, correct? Correct. And continue. And sometimes when you continue, you don't keep banging your head against the same wall. If it bleeds. You can continue and an ebb and flow. And so you learn and you keep going and it's like, yeah, keep up. I was there. I'm not there anymore. I mean, over here and it's better and my trackers will show it to you. And they're like, but, but, but, but it's like, but I'm an entrepreneur. This is who I am. And, and you guys gotta protect yourself over that because. Let others judgment or which is really their insecurities or their unin understanding, influence how we proceed in life and going back to our conversation 20 minutes ago. And that's why it's important to keep people around you. Are they all willing to jump off the cliff with you or they sit in there and say, no, no, don't jump. Don't jump. Don't jump. Like, I mean, come on now. Like, what do you think is going to, what do you think your life's going to be like with those kinds of people there? Yeah,
Maggie Christina:whoring,
Kristen Lee:Andy Maggie, Maggie. Remember that's time we invested $30,000 into a new venture, then COVID hit. That was fun.
Bella Vasta:Yeah.
Maggie Christina:$30,000 in a day. That was just an exact day.
Bella Vasta:Yeah, yeah. Yeah. We did that this year too. We're still when you know what, we're still in the red, but that's okay. Um, no, and it's like, it was just weird because I've never actually. Done a business like that before. Usually I've grown it organically. So this is a little like awkward for me. But like I believe in is I know it's going to happen, but we just had to invest a lot to get it off the ground. You know, it was like you had to jump in or not play at all and I wanted to play, so, Oh yeah.
Kristen Lee:Bella, super quick. I wanted to ask you, because this is a conversation that. A lot of people aren't used to hearing around like the people you surround yourself with. And I'm assuming you have a really good network of people that you surround yourself with that are like inside the industry and outside the industry. Because I know with grassroots like me, Emily and Maggie surround ourselves with it because if anybody who has. Quote, unquote, looking from the external, like regular people, like the nine to fivers our own personal friends or parents, they think that we're fucking nuts. And like, nobody understands us. Do you have that internal network too? Like, we have this conversation all the time with Emily and we'll go to Emily's property and be like stances, but we all connect and have that, you know, that that's that beautiful manifestation of just like being synced with each other.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. So I'll get real personal and honest on this for a minute, if you want. Um,
Maggie Christina:please do.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. So I, um, uh, right. Um, I, you know, when I first started growing my business, it was, it was out of ego and it was to prove my parents wrong. They thought a pet-sitting company was dumb. They were like, really get a real job. And I was like, I'll show you. Right. Um, and, and for a long time, you know, my, my inner child was looking for approval from my parents. I'll be real honest with ads and so much like self work and therapy. Um, now it's, it's more so, um, Where my businesses are something that like, if I don't, if it's not a hell, yes, it's a hell. No. And a couple of years ago I was able to really bond and thankfully for it because of social media, marketing world and social media day. Uh, Lima where, you know, I speak a lot on Facebook groups with them. Um, I met some incredible ladies who we just all said yes, at the same time, long story short, we would run out big Airbnbs, like three times a year. We called ourselves the Queenie's and we're all, I mean, like one of the ladies is like, uh, wrote the book Instagram for dummies. The other one is like the world's most renowned chat bot trainer, the other, I mean, there's so many like heavy hitting. Awesome boss ladies there. And, um, without that group, I don't know if I would've gotten through my divorce. Without that group. I don't know if I would have felt so supported and excited about my business. Um, just as we, I kind of think of them all as the care bears we do this care bear, stare. We all have these unique gifts and talents into the world. And at any moment I can, you know, go into that group in our chat and be like, yo, I like nine 11. I need someone. That sounds funny. Um,
Maggie Christina:so it's legit
Bella Vasta:fun having a group of friends like that is, is a necessity because being an entrepreneur is the loneliest job you'll ever have. And it's something, it is like being burst into a world without a family. And some of us have great families. Some of us don't. Going off of that. Like, I, don't a lot of my family's back in Boston and, and I am an extrovert. Like I liked around people that that fills my soul. So one of my things for 2020, it was actually to get some other mamas, um, who understood me now. I'm a single mom now and I have a six year old and I have her half the time.
Kristen Lee:Yay.
Maggie Christina:High five. Same my guys eight though.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. So it's like, so it's like half the time, you know, it's just, I only have to worry about me and the other half of the time I'm in mom mode. Right. And when I'm in a mom mode, the best mom I possibly can be. So it's like, my focus has shifted a little bit and. And I'm not a Pinterest mom. I, I cannot do crafts with my daughter. I suck at that, but I will make one chiller YouTube video. That's it. And that has awesome music to it. And my child has her own unlisted, YouTube station. Yeah. I'm saying like, so my, my daughter literally says, mommy, can I watch YouTube on the TV? Can I watch my videos? And like that's instead of a baby book or something, that's what I do. That's what I have. And I wanted someone else in my, I wanted other people physically in my life in Arizona, not online in Arizona and laugh out loud, literally not LOL enter. So, um, I, you know, there's two ladies that have come into my life really hardcore this year. That also have kids that are also divorced, um, that also understand the social media aspect of stuff or the boss mom aspect of stuff. Basically to me, you know, like I had to seek that out and through that they will call me and I can call back and they answered the phone and we meet up and they make time for me just as I make time for them. Okay. And, and it, it has been so fruitful and supportive and. Heart warming and soul soul. Fulfilling that it has, it has made 20, 20, one of the best years of my life because of the support that I've gone out and sought out. And, and it, it was intentional. And I want you listeners to understand this. This is intentional. A lot of people work with dogs and pets because they don't like people. You still need people in your life and you need it for your mental health. You need someone that can kick you in the butt. And that you also can kick in the butt. It's a two way street. How good of a friend are you? How, what are your intentions? So online and offline. Yes. It's, it's been so ridiculously important for me to create my own family around me and a safe, vulnerable place I can go to. And it's made all the difference in the world because without that I'd never get off the couch. I wouldn't. That would be eaten pizza and wings and AAA every day, all day on the couch in my house for three days straight. When I don't have my daughter, that would be my life. I don't want to life like that.
Kristen Lee:No, we're all quiet. I never like, Ooh, you just spoke to Maggie soul, by the way, I just,
Maggie Christina:I do more gardening and stuff and yeah, I do not like, I don't want that to
Bella Vasta:Kristen and Emma,
Maggie Christina:they gotta deal with me, but I'm the only single mom. I hear you. Yeah. It's critical.
Bella Vasta:Yeah,
Maggie Christina:well, you know, and it, and it also speaks back to marketing and niche and understanding like, look, you've got pockets of people that like, when they vibe the vibe, you want to create a pocket of people so that they can also build a community within your business. Like that shit is worth a lot. It's worth a lot to us as individuals. Right. It's also worth it to just general clients. Like it's a really important thing. And I think a lot of people, again, this is something I started speaking on a couple of years ago.
Bella Vasta:Uh,
Maggie Christina:looking at social media. I'm like, man, I think social media is really going to drive people to like really want more offline relationships.
Bella Vasta:Oh. And that's the whole, that's the whole purpose of the cleanings because they're like, Oh my gosh, we love that. You know, I'm like, then do it. Then get as there can be and get on an airplane and go fly and go meet up with people. And off your point, laggy, it's like your, your ability to connect with people offline or interpersonally will only make you feel more confident in yourself, which therefore will extend to your marketing and your branding and your bad-ass Surrey and who you are online, but you can all business, you need that soul filling. You know, earth shattering, laughing to you, crying or peeing your pants experiences in your life to be like, Oh, this is what life feels like. This is what I want. More of this adds to my, why everything is interconnected, everything. And it's how you some great balanced life, because anything and you guys will probably agree with us. Um, we were talking to my mastermind about boundaries last week. Anything in your life that is messed up. Will be a direct reflection in your business in your life. You're not going to have set boundaries in your, in your business. And sometimes it takes the boundaries or the, or I don't know how to communicate. I don't know how to pass things off or delegate. Well, where is that in my personal life, where I could work on that and fix it. Cause it will spill over to your business. You aren't two separate people. You're the same person. You have the same sets of skills or the lack of the same sets of skills. So it's, it's. You know, I think sometimes we just talk about business without remembering the human side of it. Like at the end of the day.
Maggie Christina:Oh, for sure. You know, I remember when Kristen took me and did the brand, like the full brand experience, like rebranding experience for me, it was way more than like, I didn't sign up to have a new logo designs.
Bella Vasta:Right. When a lot of the things about
Maggie Christina:branding in a business where like a logo and colors and you know, I, yeah, the brand board was impressive and it's amazing. We're still using a lot of it actually to this day. But what changed for me was the reminder of no, no, no. Who are you? Aside from the business. It's like, Oh yeah, I love riding motorcycles, you know? And she got me on my bike for that brand shoot. I went from maybe writing every, I dunno, once a month. To once a week and then like every single day
Bella Vasta:until
Maggie Christina:yeah. Well, and then, and then it just, I just popped a few months ago. And then a lot of you guys saw, I just went off on a fucking cross country motorcycle trip.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. So
Maggie Christina:much of that decision was actually based in my, uh, my branding experience working with Kristen.
Bella Vasta:Cause it was like such a
Maggie Christina:reminder of like, Oh fuck. That's right. Like I'm all of these things. Underneath the work that I do, I love music and I'm fucking hilarious. And like, I like comedies and writing and adventure and being out and shooting guns. And you know,
Bella Vasta:so who you are as an entrepreneur, you definitely do. And I loved watching you do that because it was like the buck yang moment. And it was like, Um, I think we get so engulfed with our business. That, that, that is truly how we regenerate. This is how we re re-energize. And sometimes we forget that we have hobbies or we don't have any hobbies anymore because we've allowed ourselves to get so underneath our business, you know, my recent one with diving, you guys have watched my diving that
Kristen Lee:much respect for you. Now, from that one,
Bella Vasta:someone asked me like, Six weeks before, Hey, we're going to cause them to die. If you want to, you want to come. I'm like, I don't know how that certified. And I was scared. I went to an ENT to make sure that like my ear popping was like normal. They're like, yep. You're all like anatomically. Correct. I've tipped over a boat. Seven times. I wrote home, uh, on my back. Cause my ears hurt so bad. My first dive only lasted a half hour instead of 45 minutes to an hour. Cause I dropped my weights and ended up floating up to the top. My last died, my 15th died and you guys. Was an hour and two minutes and I was zenned out the best spiritual experience of my entire life came up. And I said, fuck. Yeah. When I got to the surface, because I felt so self accomplished and I felt like anything. And I can't tell you what that does for business and your, your, your, you know, you're scared and you're doing stuff. So guys, I always say that you can walk through a door, you have to walk through every door because you walk out just as easy as you walked in. And you need to say yes to things and you need to do things to just, you can't judge something unless you've actually done it. Do it, and you'd be so surprised at the challenge that you're able to personally overcome. And if you guys want to know more about it, check out my IgE or my Facebook page, because I've, I've gone into another part of me too, is that when I go through challenges or tough times, I can't keep them to myself. That's the consultant in me. Like I have to do out my story to the world from my heart. So you'll literally see, what's like a diary entry of me explaining the shit that went through my head and how I was able to it and say like, go away. You're not welcome right now. And I'll tell you all those thinking then is the same thing. Good thinking that comes in with business. And when I'm trying to do stuff, I identified who it was in my brain telling me that too. And that was really, really powerful. And so much so that when I go to Cabo next week, I am leaving my group to go diving on my own with whoever else is on this dive trip for like the morning, because now I know how to dive. Now I have this skill and it brings me so much joy and I'm going to do it. And that kind of thing, just really reenergizes you and brings you back to your business. It makes you better human. It makes you a better friend makes you a better business owner. So. I encourage anyone who's listening. That's saying, yeah. Maggie, that's great that you like to go on your bike or play the guitar, Bella. Yeah. Okay. You like to go, you know, uh, diving or years ago before I was married, I used to salsa dance and Moran game, but shot like three or four nights a week. I used to do that. And before that it was karaoke. So
Kristen Lee:you found it,
Bella Vasta:you better
Maggie Christina:go retreat.
Bella Vasta:Yeah. So that's the thing. I was like, I want to encourage you, like you have to do this, like do it, like you're the one that's telling yourself. You can't do it. Well, and I love you.
Maggie Christina:I'm so thankful you shared this story in more depth about, about scuba diving too, because it'd be too easy for somebody to look at you from the surface and be like, Oh, she's scuba dive. Yeah,
Bella Vasta:that's all I got. You're going to leave your daughter. You're not going to. You're going to get a nanny for her the entire time that you're supposed to have her. And you're going to go 10 days without seeing her. Do you know, the mom guilt that I had from, from my parents, I was like, Oh my God, Cain, Susan, you're going there. Uh, they're like, you're going to leave Olivia for, you know, that amount of time. And, and how are you going to do that? And I'm like, dude, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And I'm so glad that they did it the way I did it. I did not realize how amazing it was to go with a group of 30 people. And all from my area, there was a 71 year old retired principal there. Okay. Let me tell you, I know we're at the end of this. Let me just tell you this part, because this is like, this is me. This is the depths of my soul. 71 year old retired principal. There was this 58 year old, a woman who had grown kids who had all done awesome accomplishments. Like. Five years before that she got out of a narcissistic abuse of relationship, had an ex CIA homicide detective. We had a lot of Phoenix PD and SD with us and two different families. It was such an eclectic group of people when we got back to sky Harbor airport in Arizona. And we were all saying our goodbyes after eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner with each other for seven days, I had tears in my eyes. Yeah. I felt like I was at camp and I felt people and I felt every one of them, when I hugged him, they said, we're so happy you were here. Your excitement was such so refreshing and we're proud of you. And when they said the key word, the proud word, I lost it because that was speaking to my inner child. And I was like, you know what, thank you. But I'm. Fucking proud of myself too. And you guys, you have to have experiences like that in your life to be a better person, a better human and a better business owner.
Maggie Christina:Fuck. Boom, my mic drop drop, broken bam. So broken God. That's so true. You know, that level of connection with people like you can't get that from signing up for a fucking workshop, right? This is why we're such big pimps around retreats, maybe of camp. I used to. Yeah,
Bella Vasta:face to face. You have to have the tears. You have to be in the fuzzy slippers and curled up on a sofa with a notebook, listening and talking and getting deep and vulnerable.
Maggie Christina:Oh my God.
Bella Vasta:Two girlfriends. I give everyone fuzzy socks.
Maggie Christina:Everybody has fuzzy blankets.
Bella Vasta:I love the guys house. It's so cool. It's your
Maggie Christina:world because we, I mean, it's so important to, to cultivate that space because you know, like, and I'm wanna circle back to something a point you made earlier, and I know we've got to run here in a minute, but, um, about the importance of the company you're keeping, right. When we're cultivating an idea, we're starting with something, it's the importance of the people, like you said, in the, in that story of the, the individuals on the boat showed up for you as well, and cultivate how to create that space for you to go through it. Yeah. And like, even through the motorcycle trip. Oh, I didn't really, I wasn't. Super upfront about this, but I left the same day. I did not know, but the, the day that I left, it was the day that all of the rights and stuff started across the country. And like the BLM movement really took, took hold. I didn't know, until I was three days out. And
Bella Vasta:I had
Maggie Christina:people blowing up my phone being like, Oh, well, I guess you're going to have to turn around and go home. And like, I've been there, done that enough to like, I know better than to let their ideas get into my head, but like we, and Chris and I have also taught on this a lot, like the people that you surround yourself with when you're incubating an idea or a thing, we are so delicate. Right. It's like that first dive for you. If you came up and somebody was like, well, I guess it's not very, you know, you're just not a natural.
Bella Vasta:You want me to come up? And my trainer wouldn't let me. And she like, literally was giving me like the breathe in and breathe out. And she was looking me dead in the eye through our masks. If she was not there, I would never have had any of this experience because I would have given up on myself. That's give up on you. When you want to give up on yourself, the right people won't give up on you. They won't let you.
Maggie Christina:I love that. It's like it's sometimes not enough just to make the initial step. You got to make sure you're surrounded with the right
Bella Vasta:people. So it's really quick. Can I put them all. Absolutely. As 2020 is coming to a close. I'm not going to say I didn't even get a gift. Right. There's so many you say that I want to say because you have the right people, listeners, did you have the right people around you this year? Did they not let you give up? Did they let you give up? And based off of your answer, I want you to take an inventory right now. And I want you to think about where you're placed in your dollars. Your mind and your eyes. I want you to bring it from the subconscious and I want you to make it a conscious decision. You're clearly listening to this podcast. So you're already allowing, uh, Maggie and, um, and Kristin influenced you, which is an awesome thing. But are you just absorbing or are you also like squeezing out on everything? Are you, are you just, are you just listening or are you inspired to action? Is there change? Are there things that you can do? And if you're not doing it, why aren't you doing it? Are you making, excuse this? Are you scared? What is it? I want you to personally identify it. And I want you to be thankful for 2020, and there's still some time left to turn it all around. There really is. You'd be amazed to do in a couple of weeks. So, so I want you to think about, you know, we talked a lot about today, about who you surround yourself with and it totally wasn't even our attention by the way, but I want you to take it to heart. Guys. I want you to take it to heart and I want you to really examine it during 2020, did you have the right people or the wrong people around you? Hmm.
Kristen Lee:So Bella, where can people find you and listen to you and get more of this good stuff? I know you're doing a challenge too, coming up as well.
Bella Vasta:Um, yeah, so, um, we are doing a video challenge so that you can create awesome videos online. All you gotta do is go to jump consulting.net forward slash group. That'll take you straight to my Facebook group jump, uh, jumpstart, your pet business. If you're a pet sitter or a dog Walker listening to this, which I know, uh, there might be a couple, there's
Maggie Christina:actually quite a few,
Bella Vasta:um, uh, pet care team training. It's a training series. It's 13 videos that you can have your staff go through and under two hours. They're high, uh, high energy, uh, very interactive. They, you also can personalize them. We created a method, we personalize them and you can check that out too. By going to pet care team training.com forward slash free videos. And you can get five of them. Five, one minute clips just to kind of get a good feel for them. Um, but other than that, just on a personal level, dude, like connect with me on Instagram. It's Bella Vasta and, um, and you know, anyone who's a stranger is just a friend that haven't met. That's my feeling. Yeah,
Kristen Lee:I'll put links for everything directly into the show notes too. So you guys can go and take care, take care of business with Bella, so awesome. And then I'd also encourage you to go check out her podcast as well. Cause she's got a lot of outside the industry, leading experts coming on, all different topics from legal to sales, to Instagram, marketing, to everything else in between. That's going to help you with your business as well.
Bella Vasta:Awesome. It's called Bella and your business.
Maggie Christina:I love that name. It's so good.
Bella Vasta:All right, guys.
Kristen Lee:All right, so Ben, we'll let you go. Cause you're a busy lady. We appreciate the time and we'll talk soon.
Maggie Christina:Thanks everyone. Bye.
Kristen Lee:Hey there, thank you for listening to another bad-ass episode of mind, Euro dog business. If you haven't already subscribed. What are you waiting for? Oh my God. Go and subscribe now. So you don't miss out on any of our content pack, Doug business jam sessions, plus special offers that I'm going to only be sharing with my amazing dog business entrepreneurial podcast listeners. Now, if you've enjoyed this episode, Be sure to leave a five star kick ass review. So more amazing dog business owners, just like yourself, confined us and starts to transform and disrupt their businesses and our lives unapologetically. And if you feel so inclined, feel free to tag me on Instagram with a screenshot of this episode and holler at your girl. Um, at dog-walker coach, you can find me dog-walker coach and I'll pop up and I'll give you a special shout out. All right guys, til next time. Bye.