From corporate life to launching a dog training academy with Zoe Willingham

Zoe Willingham is the founder of Best Behaviour Dog Training in Suffolk and started her business after leaving behind a corporate career.If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to grow a large dog training academy, build a team to support you and live with nearly 100 animals, this podcast is for you.Zoe decided to learn more about dog training after getting her first dog Millie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She studied to become a dog trainer alongside her corporate job, then qualified as a behaviourist, and in time she was ready to leave her old work behind.Starting out as a one woman band, her business grew as did her doggy family. Zoe now has 23 rescue dogs (at the time of writing) and a selection of cats, small furries and even a one-eyed tortoise. She shares how she grew her business and the lessons she learned along the way. Key topics and timings in this episode: 2.05 - Zoe’s background before joining the pet industry.3.05 - How having her own dog led her to learn about training and study to be a trainer.5.06 - Making the transition from corporate to having a business of her own.7.00 - Her aim to make dog training more professional and use skills from her old role.10.02 - What it was like starting her own business.12.39 - Taking she learned in corporate life to setting up her business and transferring her skills14.58 - How she went about spreading the word about what she had to offer.18.16 - How Zoe found a market to go after. 20.23 - Why she decided not to niche. 25.24 - How Zoe built her business and grew a team. 28.36 - How she keeps up the momentum to support a team.33.50 - Why community and showing people you care is so important.36.28 - What life is like behind the scenes with her animals.41.59 - How Zoe gets the word out about her work.44.23 - Navigating the challenges of running a business.47.34 - Why it’s important to have contingency planning49.24 - What’s next for Zoe.52.14 - Why making life better for pets is at the heart of all she does.Links mentioned in this episode: Best Behaviour Dog TrainingWebsite: https://www.bestbehaviourdogtraining.co.uk/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BestBehaviourDogTraining/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/best_behaviour_dog_training/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BBD0G1Zoe Willingham Dog BehaviouristWebsite: https://www.zoewillinghamdogbehaviourist.co.uk/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZWdogbehaviouristIf you enjoyed learning about how dog trainers grow their businesses, you might like to read Using the power of community to grow your business with Sandra Emmons from Happipup,  In the spotlight with Niki French from PupTalk or Creating meaningful social media with Aileen Stevenson