Meet Renee Gunn

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Renee Gunn a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Renee, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

From the time I was 16 years old, I had worked in an office environment and my formal education stopped when I graduated high school. Fast forward to my 40th birthday. I remember thinking how bored I was and that there had to be more to life than just existing. After some soul searching, I determined I was passionate about animals and traveling. I decided to make a big change in my life by going back to school and eventually receiving my Associates Degree in Applied Science, Veterinary Technology.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

As a professional pet sitter and a professional pet transporter, educating pet owners on ways to care for their pets health and well-being is important to me. As a former Vet Tech, a certified professional pet sitter, certified pet CPR and First Aid instructor, and a USDA registered transporter allows pet owners to feel confident in my recommendations and abilities to care for their loved pets.

Another reason educating pet owners is important to me is the hope that the knowledge they receive will in turn reduce the number of pets that are owner surrendered to animal shelters.

I recently published a children’s educational coloring book titled “The ABCs with Dog Breeds.” Not only do children have fun coloring pages of cute dogs, but each page allows the child to write the name of the dog breed, sharpening their spelling and writing skills.

For those pet owners who love to travel or are moving across the U.S. with their pets, I published “Car Travel with Your Pet: Tips and Tricks from a Professional Pet Transporter.” This book answers questions on essentials to pack, pet-friendly accommodations, the dangers of dog parks and designated pet areas, plus so much more.

Both books can be found on Amazon.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three things that impacted me the most were education, being a member of peer organizations, and sharing my knowledge with others.

The most impactful is the education I received and am still receiving through continuing education classes. Without this education and continued learning, I wouldn’t be where I am today or have the confidence needed to be a successful business owner and published author.

Secondly, by becoming a member of peer organizations like Texas Pet Sitters Association or Pet Sitters International, has allowed me to meet other pet-related business professionals that freely share their knowledge and expertise in a collaboration versus competition environment.

Finally, selflessly sharing my knowledge and skills with others, whether they are a pet owner or a pet-related business owner, has allowed me to become not only a mentor but also a friend and shows I am an expert in my field.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

As a business owner, I am at that step where I’m turning away business and need to hire in order to meet the needs of my clients. However, the thought of hiring scares me to death. I’m aware this is a control issue but the thought of an animal not getting the care they need or a client not receiving top quality service, due to someone I hired, is unacceptable to me.

I am been actively trying to overcome this fear by enrolling in a hiring course designed specifically for pet business owners. I am also leaning on my fellow pet business owners for their expertise and guidance on how they successfully made the leap from solopreneur to a team environment.

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