DESCRIPTION In this episode, Jo & Vicky are joined by Clayton Payne, a pet and animal industry expert, podcaster and serial pet industry entrepreneur who is currently the C.O.O. at the Bug Factory. It is an insect company that develops industrial breeding systems for insects that are used in animal foods and feeds. Clayton has worked in the pet and pet food industries all of his life. He has created, grown and sold multiple businesses in the sector. So, the information he shares here is invaluable and has been adapted to be especially relevant for owners of dog training businesses. KEY TAKEAWAYS Think outside the box. Get creative. If you keep doing things the same way you will get left behind. Trends change. Twenty years ago, dogs mostly ate canned food, now high meat content dried foods and raw meat are in high demand. The dog training industry is changing too. The way people live has changed, so the way dogs live and the problems they need help with have changed too. Adapting your training to a specific breed or personality type is a good way to specialise. The fact that you deeply understand that type of dog and have adapted how you teach to suit its needs is a huge selling point. Sell why you are so good. Appealing to people emotionally, using logic and creating urgency enables you to sell more. Don´t get frozen by fear. Get on with things and learn from your mistakes. Get customer feedback, so you are clear on why your product or service sells. Try new products or services out with people you trust to get feedback. Several ways to do this are discussed in the episode. As a service provider you can still create urgency by limiting demand. If there are products you love why not sell them? It´s a win-win. Many manufacturers are interested in working with dog trainers to sell their products. Often, they will offer special deals and discount codes. BEST MOMENTS “If you keep doing things in the same way, you're going to get left behind.” “From a young age, I was thinking - I'm going to have to innovate. I'm going to have to do things differently.” “Look and think – Who´s buying this? And why are they paying money for it?” “You have to change your mentality from a mentality of, what do I like, to what makes my customer part with their money combined with what I like, because you're not selling to yourself .” “If you have a product or service, try and niche it. ” “People struggle with criticism because they don't see it as a chance for learning.” ABOUT THE GUEST https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pet-business-disruptors/id1759599442 Mealworm kits - https://bugfactory-mealworm.com SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity/ ABOUT THE HOSTS Meet Jo and Vicky! They bring a combined 25 years of expertise in the canine industry. Jo, with a background in corporate business, and Vicky, a dedicated advocate for rescue organisations, form an unstoppable team. Beyond the mic, their lives are a whirlwind – managing two successful businesses, pursuing a full-time university degree, and parenting two little ones under four. Each of their homes combined is a lively menagerie, housing five dogs and an abundance of chickens.