Did you come into the New Year feeling all fired up and filled with energy about your pet business and what was going to happen in 2026?
Then, as we were flung into wars, political upheaval, economic uncertainty, did it feel like you skidded to a bit of a halt?
If you’re nodding along, that’s ok, it’s totally normal to feel like this.
There’s a lot going on in the world right now. And when you’re running your own business, all of that takes it out of you in a way a regular paycheck never would.
Consumer confidence is down and people feel less confident spending money on things that aren’t absolutely necessary.
So it can be tempting and totally natural to feel despondent and think: “What’s the point? Nobody wants to hear from me. Everything is rubbish.”
This blog and podcast episode is about picking yourself up and getting back on the bike, and doing the things you need to do to keep moving forward.
You can listen in on the player link below or read the key points as a blog post.
I also cover how my Pet Business Planner can help you. At the time of publication – 31st March 2026 – I did have some copies remaining.
You can order one here (or pre-order for 2027 if you’re listening or reading in the future. (https://rachelspencer.co.uk/product/pet-business-content-planner/)
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.20 - What to expect from this episode.
0.46 - How you can have a reset at any time of the year.
1.30 - The upheaval that’s going on in the world at the moment.
2.20 - Consumer confidence dropping during times of uncertainty.
3.24 - Reflecting on the first quarter of the year.
3.54 - How to figure out if you’ve been talking about your work enough.
5.24 - Case study - Kim from Leo, Charley and Me
6.19 - Working out who your dream customer is.
6.40 - Why you can have a reset whenever you like.
8.31 - What I’m doing to boost bookings in my cottage business.
9.18 - Why saying no is important too.
9.55 - Practical steps on how to do a reset
10.25 - Reflecting on what’s working and doing more of it.
11.30 - Working out what you want to do less of.
12.36 - Deciding on the activities that are the most valuable when it comes to how you spend your time.
14.17 - The magnifying glass of misery.
14.45 - Deciding on the important things you need to talk about and using the awareness days.
16.03 - The reason I created a planner to support you with all of the above.
17.03 - Taking what I learned as a journalist to help you come up with ideas.
18.21 - How the Words for When exercises work.
20.40 - Using the days to pitch to the press.
22.04 - Why PR is important in the world we’re in now with AI.
23.45 - How to get a copy of the planner.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Get a copy of the pet business planner: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/shop/
Download my free social media calendar: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/calendar
Read the Nielsen report on Consumer Confidence: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2026/consumer-confidence-down-three-points-in-february/
Listen to the Kate Toon podcast on AI and digital marketing: https://therecipeforseosuccess.com/final-guest-how-marketing-and-seo-have-evolved-in-11-years-with-rand-fishkin/
Further reading/listening:
How Kim from Leo Charley and Me boosted her visibility
The confidence experiment and how to feel more brave as a pet professional
Why I am an accredited pet business coach
How to navigate stop start periods in your business
How to use the Pet Business Content Planner
Should you buy my Pet Business Content Planner
