Natalie Dobkins is a remarkable entrepreneur and dog trainer who has built not one, but two successful dog training businesses. In this recap of my podcast conversation with Natalie, we’ll dive into her journey, challenges, and insights into creating thriving businesses in the dog training world.
All About Natalie & Her Business Journey
Natalie Dobkins is a professional dog trainer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. She combines her passion for training dogs with her business savvy to offer transformative dog training programs. She also helps aspiring dog trainers launch and scale their own businesses.
Natalie’s journey began when she created a YouTube video on training a dog in one day, which went viral. Leveraging her business background, she expanded her reach on social media, consistently posting content that resonated with her audience. Over three and a half years, she built a thriving online training platform with 8,000 students while managing her in-person training services.
Pro Tip: Looking to build your own successful online course? Explore the Dreampro Course Camp for expert guidance on creating and launching impactful programs.
Overcoming Challenges in Business
Despite her success, Natalie faced significant challenges. A personal relationship turned toxic, leading to financial and emotional struggles within her business. She eventually had to walk away from her first company to protect her well-being.
Through this experience, Natalie became a staunch advocate for having solid contracts in place to protect your business. Now, she’s on a mission to rebuild her business, leveraging her expertise and passion to serve her clients and community better than ever.
Training People & Dogs: Her Approach
Natalie’s approach to dog training is rooted in simplicity and practicality:
- Breaking Down Concepts: Natalie teaches dog owners by assuming no prior knowledge, ensuring instructions are clear and accessible.
- Gamification: To make learning engaging, Natalie incorporates gamification strategies into her training programs.
- Visual Learning Tools: Graphics and visuals play a key role in her courses to enhance understanding.
Pro Tip: Gamification isn’t just for dog training! Add engagement elements to your online courses to keep learners motivated. Tools like MindStamp and Kahoot! can help.
Helping Dog Trainers Build Businesses
Recognizing a gap in the industry, Natalie created the Dog Trainer Business Accelerator program. This seven-week course is designed to help dog trainers set up their businesses correctly and avoid common pitfalls.
Key elements include:
- Structuring businesses with contracts and legal safeguards.
- Streamlining processes and systems to focus on training dogs.
- Fostering integrity and professionalism in the industry.
Pro Tip: If you’re an expert in your field, consider creating a course to help others. Our Done-for-You Course Design Services can help you package your expertise into a high-quality program.
Natalie’s Advice to Business Owners
Natalie offers valuable advice for business owners:
- Have Contracts: Protect your business relationships with clear, enforceable contracts.
- Continue Learning: Stay up to date with industry changes and innovations.
- Trust Wisely: Carefully vet partners and collaborators to safeguard your business.
Pro Tip: Learn how to integrate best practices into your business and courses with the Dreampro Course Camp.
Building a Thriving Business: The Bottom Line
Natalie’s story is a testament to resilience, passion, and strategic thinking. From training dogs to mentoring business owners, she has turned her experiences into a source of inspiration and growth.
If you’re ready to transform your expertise into a thriving course or business, visit Dreampro Course Camp or explore our Done-for-You Course Design Services to take your business to the next level.
Let Natalie’s journey inspire you to push through challenges and achieve your goals! 🚀
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