Tonight on my two Pet Sitting Success Circle mastermind calls we had lots of questions and discussions about hiring and managing staff. We weren’t just talking sitters and walkers but also book keepers, and assistants to handle paperwork and office tasks.
I know that many of you must have similar questions so I wanted to open up a Talk Back Tuesday to collect your questions.
Please post any questions that you have about hiring and managing staff for your pet sitting business as comments on this post and I commit to getting you the answers and information that you need to move forward. I don’t want you to be stuck because you don’t know how to keep moving toward you goals!
My responses will be a mixture of my own experiences and I will also consult with other sitters that I work with to also get you their advice. I will be posting the responses as articles or posts here at Working with Pets so everyone can share in the responses.
I will be giving prizes to the best questions posted by September 19th 2009. Prizes will include free 20 minute one-on-one coaching sessions and several free memberships to my mastermind and coaching group the Pet Sitting Success Circle. I will put the top few questions to the vote by creating a survey – so you as readers can pick the questions that you want to win.
Don’t be shy – there are no silly questions! If you have a question – I know that there are many other sitters who also want an answer.
Let the questions begin!
Danielle
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I am looking for answers about hiring I.C’s. I do not think I want employees but I need help at times when sits get busy. I am hesitant about making that step and want to make sure I stay withing IRS regulations about the difference between IC’s and employees. I want to do it right!
Thanks!
I currently have 6 IC’s and are planning to bring on 2 more. They help me out with both vacation visits and daily dog walking.
My question pertains to how other people handle getting their sitters stuff for their sits. For instance, for sits I have assigned to them, I meet them and give them keys and the pet sit notes and other things to leave for the client. I can have them print off notes but I still have to meet them for keys. I then meet them afterwards to get keys and give them checks. I find I am running around trying to do this and want to know if anyone has a better system! With several IC’s, each who are taking different sits this can be quite difficult!
For the record also, I work out of my home (a rented apartment) and my fiance works night so having them constantly in and out of my home isn’t an option.
Thanks!
I would love to know the legal & book keeping basics for hiring an employee. What taxes we have to pay, the best software or system for doing so, and workers’ comp. Basically, what new paperwork becomes necessary when hiring your first employee?
Since IC’s are their own boss, how does one “manage” them and stay within the IRS guidlines? You can’t tell them how to do their job, you can’t,tell them what to bring on sits, you can’t have them attend meeetings so they can stay connected…
I just find it hard to have IC’s there is no control. Help
Kristina,
You are absolutely right about all that. The trick is to find the ICs who are most compatible with you and who mesh well with your business goals.
If you find ICs who are out of control or unruly they are not right for you and you must let them go. Just because you can’t tell them how to do their job doesn’t mean you can’t let them know how you do the job, or what a client might appreciate.
It’s a fine line, no doubt, but in my experience it all starts with first bringing on the right people for the job.
-Joshua
Thanks Joshua! Good statements. Can you bring on a family member as an IC? What do I need to be aware of?
Hi Tamara, do you mean can you bring on family as an IC legally, or is it a good idea to work with family to begin with??
I meant can you bring on family as an IC legally. I trust my family member more than a total stranger…