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Welcome to the Pet Grooming Business Podcast with me, Bill Betts, where we give practical business advice to help you grow your pet grooming business. This podcast is sponsored by Low Pay, the low rate payment app that gives you more. So, without further ado, let's get going.
Welcome, everyone. Welcome to this next episode episode of the podcast. And this one, this one is called the Pet Pro Expo. Debrief with Vicki. Welcome, Vicki.
Look, are you standing up? Do you always standing up? Yeah, I do stand with that. Yeah. It helps to give me a bit of energy when I'm talking to people. Desks that like lifts up lifts. I haven't got a stepper underneath, though.
Still with wonders. Yeah, it just helps with a bit of energy, doesn't it? Like sitting down. So have you recovered from the Pet Pro Expo? How many was it? Two weeks, three weeks now? I don't even know about two. Two. Nearly three weeks ago. It feels like it was ages ago.
It felt like I had so much time leading up to it to organize everything and then after it was done, I was like, oh, but it was.
Well, you know yourself, it couldn't have gone any better if I had prayed. Like, it went really, really well and that generally, like flabbergasted, if I can use that word and never probably use that word ever again. But that's generally how I felt afterwards was just like, it was so well received. The speakers were amazing and everyone just loved it. Like, it was just such a positive day that I genuinely couldn't have expected it to go any better. And we generally know, don't we? Because we were discussing this before we were recording from the feedback that you got, we generally do know majority of people loved it.
Like most people gave really good feedback from it. Yeah, you could tell of the energy in the room and people mingling. You could just tell that people were having a good time. And then we got them to fill in these lovely feedback cards anonymously because I thought if you put the name down, people won't be honest and they won't slag you off because then you could hunt them down. So I did. Anonymous feedback cards. So we had 120 people fill them in.
And like I said to you before, there was only one mildly negative one and I wouldn't even called it bad, but it was so really, 99.9% of those that filled it in basically gave 10 out of 10 for everything. The only thing that was mentioned which was out of my control was the heat in that bloody room because they broke the aircon. Um, they didn't tell me this until after the event when I was hunting people to try and fix it and to turn it down or put some bloody cold air in the room.
Um, but they didn't tell me until afterwards that it was broke. Um, and it was rather sweaty by the end with about 180 people in that room. It got a bit hot. Yeah. With all that equipment and everything in there and all the people. Yeah. But these things, you know, out of your. Not out, not in your control, are they? No. So the heat was mentioned. Someone did put on there and bring the bikini for next year. Kevin. No, it wasn't Kevin, it was Kelly.
Because. Yeah, I mean, which is, you know, one of those things. If that's the only thing that could go wrong, then it's just one of those.
So to be fair. And people made some really good suggestions. Obviously there's stuff that we're going to do differently next year based on the feedback, which was I probably got a bit too overexcited about the day and probably put too many speakers in on one day. I was just like, yeah, everyone, let's just do it. And then didn't really factor in that people would need a break. The brain space needed. Yeah. So obviously after that everyone was like, loved it, but maybe a few less speakers so we could have longer breaks.
And I was like, actually on hindsight. Yeah, probably. I think. Yeah, I think with that, actually this is. We're both probably guilty of this. And when I organize events for my clients, I think like, what can we cram in? What can we cram in? And what maybe we don't give enough credit to or value to the value where actually everyone can just go and mingle and talk to each other and chat and, you know, network. Network. Yeah. So it was a little bit less networking time during the day because I just crammed everybody and everybody into that, into the one day session.
So next year we're going to have a few less speakers and a few longer breaks so that people can mingle and go outside for a cigarette or whatever and refresh themselves and it just be a bit more spaced out and it gives the speakers more time to do a bit of Q and A at the end as well, which is what people wanted as well. So a few minor tweaks, but pretty much the same. I messaged you afterwards, a few days afterwards saying, you know, fantastic event, really enjoyed it.
And I sort of said, if anything had gone wrong, you would never have noticed it. You know, it was so smoothly. So did anything like, was it. Apart from the heating, was there anything that you thought, oh, oh, shit, what's going on? Probably just the breaks. I didn't really factor in an afternoon break. And then I was like, shit.
And to be fair, I have to do a big shout out to Lorna, who was there live streaming it. Obviously she does loads of events and she was keeping me right and screaming at everyone when they needed to come in and whatever. And she was like, go and do this, go and do this. So had I not had her, then maybe it would have gone a bit. Wouldn't have been as smooth. So a big shout out to her for helping me with that. But to be honest, other than not really factoring in the breaks, not really, no.
I mean, everyone had drinks the night before, which was great. The pubs were a bit shit, but apart from that.
And then obviously drinks the night of and everyone sort of mingled and, you know, I went. We were in the Goster Green, which was a bit of a student bar, but there was like loads of people all mingling with each other that hadn't met each other before. And it was nice because everyone was just chatting and having a few drinks and making friends and whatever. And even the WhatsApp group, which, you know, we're in, was meant to be just, you know, if you don't want to come on your own sort of thing, just text us and we'll come down and get you.
Has now turned into sort of like a sharing of wins and helping each other in the WhatsApp group. So things are materialized that I wouldn't have necessarily thought would. But no, nothing really went that bad. I can't. It could be Tegan not sticking to the script at the beginning and she dropped a cue card. So, you know, that's out the window. Minor details at the beginning. I think the fact things that, you know, you hired a professional venue. You hired a professional.
I don't know what you call Lorna, like, organizer, stroke, know, professional. Sorry, the geographer. SL videographer. Yeah. You know, she. Everything. I think that sort of emphasizes what we should be doing in business in general. You know, you invested in everything and you got the best that you possibly could for everything. And I think, you know, if we're going to be congruent with our business and. And the advice that we give. You're living that because you went and invested in these people. I could have done it really cheaply.
Yeah. And, you know, got, you know, a more rundown venue with crap food and, you know, didn't live stream It. But I thought, well, no, because why, why would you do that? So, you know, the hotel was nice. The venue was really modern and nice pop for the aircon, which I did tell them about it, by the way. They did get a stern email from me about that. And the food, like for a lunch at an event, the food's always a bit crap, isn't it? And you think, oh, but actually the food was amazing.
Even I was blown away. I was like, bloody hell. Didn't get a chance to eat any of it. I had one sandwich and that was it. Yeah, you always like running around, but yeah, it's it. We're always saying, aren't we? Invest in your business, invest in your business and. But you've invested in people like Lorna to. You're an accountant, you know, you don't do organize events so you invest in someone that does it for a living. So yeah, it's great. It's great that you did all that.
Got it. I think a lot of people think, well, and I don't want to spend that much money because, you know, I could do that of something else or I can't afford it, but actually it works. And actually then now, because it went so well, we've nearly sold out half already for next year's and that's without anyone really knowing who the additional speakers are. So it just goes to show that if you invest in it, you will reap the rewards later down the line. Yeah, you provide the value for people and that's really important.
And I was discussing on another podcast that I did earlier today was, you know, I kind of felt like the Pet Pro Expo was kind of the missing piece of the puzzle within the pet industry. Because, you know, the pet industry is very good at getting together with trade shows like crafts and, and showing off the equipment and the training and everything like that. But there's real lip service sort of paid to the business side of things and hopefully.
Sorry, we have expos for everything in America. Daycare, bloody walking expos, bloody everything Expo in America. And I think, well, why don't we have it here? Yeah, like no one, like, like you said, no one really pays attention to the business side. It's all like practical grooming shows or like you said, trade shows like Groomfest or Crofts and like equipment based and product based and training based, but nothing actually on how to turn that into a business because you could be the best groomer in the world, but if you haven't sorted your business structure out or your finance remarketing Or.
Or you have the wrong mindset, you're not going to be able to build a business around it. So they kind of go hand in hand. But I feel like people neglect the business side. I wonder why. I mean, maybe they feel it's just too, too, too hard or. Obviously there's a lot of mindset around that as well, isn't there? I don't know, maybe it's like accounts where people kind of know they've got to do it, but they just go, oh, no, put blinkers on. Yeah, like, no, I'm fine.
But, you know, a lot of people invested themselves a few weeks ago and it was great to see that many people there. And like I say, everyone was buzzing about it and I think one person said it's the nicest event she's ever been to.
So. Yeah. And no one was really left on their own, were they? You know, everyone was chatting and mingling and, you know, it was really nice. And it's nice to be able to get amongst the speakers as well. So after they've had. After they've done their seminar, I mean, a lot of the speakers were actually sitting in the, in the room watching the others and learning probably from them as well and, you know, helping them out. So that was really nice to see. No, but I feel like we need more.
People need to get more invested in their business. Let's do it more. I can't. It does wind me up and I have to be careful what I say because people are quite. But it does wind me up because I'm like, you can spend fortunes on being the best groomer, the best trainer, the best walker, whatever, but if you don't have the business side down, it'll flop. And then what's the point of spending, you know, tens of thousands of pounds on being the best of the best in your actual profession, but then not doing the same on the business side.
I was talking to Emma about this yesterday, I think, and. Or someone, I can't remember. But when you say it might flop, it might flop, but it also might. It might do okay, but it might be very, very stressful. But sometimes people just assume that that's what it should be like and they know no different, you know. Well, yeah, you know, business has to be a struggle. This is the thing no one ever even, like, you see on the grooming courses, they do very little on, you know, how to run a business.
Like where, like, where are people getting the information from? Yeah, maybe we grow up and we just, like, we have it ingrained in us, that business should be stressful. It has to be successful. Or accounts. Doing money and accounts has to be stressful because we watch our parents, like, putting their hair out. Yeah. It doesn't have to be. There's. So I said yesterday, there's no. No better time to be attacked to. To be amongst your money, you know, amongst your numbers. It's so easy now, isn't it?
It's all on a phone, it's all on a system. There's books, there's YouTube, there's podcasts. It's like, there's no easier time to do that. No, no. I think it's just what you say, one of those where people maybe just.
It'll be fine. I'll put a few posts out on social media. It'll be fine. I'll leave my accounts till January. It'll be fine. It doesn't have to be like that. It really doesn't have to be stressful. And what I like about the pet accountant, the business in general, and what I see when I see you and Tegan and your staff members on social media, is that you're enjoying it. And I always look at that and just think, this is what business should be about, is that enjoyment, you know, having fun.
This podcast is sponsored by Low Pay. Low pay is half the price of sum up and Zettle. So you keep more of the money that you earn. Rates start at 0.79%. Doesn't have to. Don't get me. Don't get me started on their bloody tiktoks. All I hear in the office behind me, which is where Brian and Tegan sit, is them cackling to each other. And then I'll walk in and they're like, sitting, standing on each other. Hold it. And I'm just like, what are you doing? And they're like, do you want to go on a podcast on a.
On the TikTok? I'm like, no.
Well, someone's having fun. If it's not you on Tick Tock, someone's having fun. But then it's true, though, because I think you've got to have a passion for it as well. And think a lot of people in the pet industry do because they love the animals that they care for, whether they're Dog Walker Groove or whatever. And I think even, like, with you and me, like, I love doing it, you know, if I just had a boring accountancy firm that literally just did accounts and spoke to people on the phone about accounts and then never did anything else or didn't do the podcast, didn't do the group, I'd be bored shitless.
Like, what's the point? And I just feel like we've come in it to help people. And that's where the PEP for expo came from. Because I was sat there like, and it was frustrating me and I was like, there's nothing. And then I started, like, research and I thought, well, there's nothing. There's nothing helping people as a collective. There's a lot of, sort of a lot for groomers, a lot for trainers, a lot, but nothing to help everybody on a business sense. So that's where it came from.
One of my. When I started my business and then I started my, like, the business program and from mentorship myself. When, when we got mentorship and you with people like Robin Waite and Fanny Snaith and people like that, maybe there was a bit of imposter syndrome in me, like a few years ago, thinking, well, they. They work with really big people and, you know, I' enough to work with them. But once we started working with them and you break down the barriers and you realize they're just humans and they love.
They're lovely people and they love working with you, you're like, wow. And I wanted that for my clients as well. So that's why I wanted to get them involved in my business. To say one, to say to people like, you are worth talking to these experts. You are worth it. You are. Your business is important. Your business is worth it. Your business is important. And this is why, again, yourselves and the pet accountants so successful is because you value the businesses. You value the pet businesses. Whereas a lot of other, I hear like, other accountants kind of like, snub them or like, oh, you just, you're just a.
You're just a pet grizzler. But we get accountants coming up to us and crufts. And you can tell our accountants a mile off because who comes to wearing a suit? Like, you can just tell. And they're like, usually really old blokes and they're like, looking around and they're picking stuff up and I'm like, you're blatantly an accountant. And then like, the. They'll go, so, is this any good for you? Then? I'm like, no, I'm just that.
Just for shits and giggles, really, pal. Just, you know, winging a prayer. But they even, like, from an accountant to accountant, they don't get it. No, no, I just paid five grand to stand here at a standing mates.
But, well, they've changed all the layouts and stuff around now. It's really annoys me.
They put me in a different place and I don't like where they've moved me to, but hey. Oh, but yeah, I think I've got. I've totally forgot what we're talking about, but we have accountants do snub small businesses and I don't know why. Yeah, it's like, oh, you know, you're just a. And I hate those words. You're just, you know, I remember going to a, a networking meeting, like one of those early morning ones, and you have to stand up and tell everyone what you do and, and the guy that was running it was like, well, I don't know if this is for you, you know, you're a pet groomer.
I don't really know what, what we could help you with. And I was like, well, yeah, okay, it's not a problem. I said, you know, I was looking for some help financially. We, we turn over 120 grand a year. And he was like, oh, well, actually, yeah, that's it, you know. Well, because he was like, I'm not sure you can afford the joining fees and all sorts of stuff like that. And I'm like, screw. You see him like, I know.
So I think it's really good, like the Pet Pro Expo and like valuing these pet businesses and telling them and showing them and having the experts and letting them mingle with the, the people that they see on YouTube. And all these people, they think, oh, I've never, I'd never be able to work with these people. You can. You are good enough. I had the imposter syndrome with the person that we've just secured for the Expo and obviously I'm not going to tell anyone yet who it is, but we have got our keynote speaker and I thought, there's no way he's going to want to do the Pet Pro Expo.
You know, when he didn't, you just like. And again, like you said, you sort of dang play it even though you shouldn't. And I was like, there's no way. There's no way he's going to want to do that. And then I messaged someone who knows him and was like, well, can you just like put in a word C what the crack is? And then obviously he's doing it, so. And I was like, oh. And then that made me think, well, maybe I shouldn't be like, dang playing what it is.
But then you just, it's just an automatic thing, isn't you? Do it and I think, oh, he's not going to want to do that. Yeah. But lo and behold he has. So I mean Arnold, he, like I've emailed, like I've emailed Mel Robbins and Arnold talked Snago and people like that to see if they get on top of, of a podcast. I probably should try harder but like you don't know, you don't, you don't get. And I think, I mean like for this one I, I emailed what's his face.
Noel Fitzpatrick has nothing to do with business but I just think he's a great person. Obviously loves animals. Like what person to have there. I used to have a God bloody back to me but I didn't think he would. But like I say, you don't ask, you don't get. You never know. No, you never know. And I felt the same. Like episode one of my of this podcast years and years years ago was with Tara Halliwell Halliday, sorry around imposter syndrome. And I was like when I was typing the message, would you like.
And like I had to close my eyes and press to send and she messaged back within 10 minutes. Anyone's wondering, I wish I could get here if I want to pay 30 grand for an hour. Who was that? Sorry? Stephen Bartlett. Well, that's not a bad price, but. Slightly out of budget unless people want to pay double for their tickets. If you want to pay double next year or the year after and you want me to get big Stephen Bartlett, then I'll give it a whirl. Yeah.
So how do you think or have you got thoughts beyond 2026? Like are you looking to all the Pet Pro Expo? Obviously we want it to be sustainable and ongoing but will it turn into like a two day event? Has that been mentioned in the feedback or. Yeah, a couple people asked it to be a two day event but being completely honest, I think doing a two day event I'd love. But then obviously it hikes up the price and I think obviously price is an issue with a lot of people don't like paying for stuff.
So it's all well and good doing it over two days but then that means the price doubles and then you've got to get a hotel and then that's the sort of. That's why I'm a bit on the fence is because I want it to be accessible to everybody and I don't want to necessarily hike the price up by making it two days. That's not to say that in five years time it becomes Even bigger and better. And it does stretch over two days that I'm not completely ruling out.
But for now, for me, I want to sort of get it where it's like perfect, you know, I've got a blueprint and then I can. Once it's perfect, then I can say, right, maybe next year or the year after, we can make it like more tickets, sell more tickets and then see where it goes from there. But I don't want it to. Like, people have suggested putting trade stands in there and stuff, but for me, that would lose its ethos of what it is. Like, it's not a trade show and it's never going to be a trade show.
Like, I don't mind sponsors, for example, having their stuff there because they're the sponsors and it makes sense. But it's never going to be like something that's going to have loads of trade stands where people are shop. Because that's not what it is. It's a business educational conference. Yeah. Little bits. I think you're right. And I think it's about where you keep people's focus. Because I always find if I'm at a trade show, if I'm at a grooming competition and I go as a trade. Trade stand, I know straight away that really the main focus is on the.
On the competition. Obviously a lot of the groomers are actually there with their dogs competing, which is stressful. They don't really want to come and speak to me and do stuff. And then a lot of people there are spectating as well. So I kind of, I know that it's not going to be focused on us. Whereas things like Groomfest, which is a, you know, pure trade is. It's about that focus and, and it. I've seen it with people. Like I've run, I've had seminars, I've had the trade stand and people are torn.
They're like, well, I want to go and see that person grooming that dog. But then I want to go to your seminar. And then. And it's like, oh, what do I do? So. So I'm going to blur the lines. Yeah, yeah, I'll get that. It's a expo about helping your business not to buy stuff. Yeah. Unless the sponsors, like I say, want to bring stuff and that's completely fine.
Someone mentioned maybe turning it into like a business awards thing on a nighttime, like having conferences during the day and then like a, a business award show at nighttime. But then again, for me it's like there's already might award things out There. Do we need another one? Yeah, we've got the PIF Rewards where people go to that. I don't know, the Animal Star Awards. Do we need another award show? I mean, people love getting an award, but do we need another one? I don't know. No. And again, I think maybe that again brings the focus away from what the core focus.
So I feel like Tegan said, because obviously after it and obviously I had all these ideas thrown in my head, I thought we could do this, we could do that, we could do that. And she was like, why? She was like, look at your feedback cards. 99.9% of the people loved it, so why would you change it? And I was like, oh yeah, good point.
I'm trying to like do all this weird and wonderful stuff. And she's like, but why change it? Because everyone loved it. It's not as if people hated it and said, oh, we want this, this and that. Like literally 99.9% people said love it, don't change it. Just have a few less speakers and a few longer breaks and a bit more time with that speaker rather than them only having like a short segment. So she was like, well, don't change it, it's fine as it is. So I was like, okay.
It's always that drive, isn't it? You always think, do I need to give more? Do I need to give more? But actually the value that you gave was enough. Yeah, I think it's, you know, the speakers were amazing and you obviously got really good feedback which is why coming back next year and Charlotte and Romany, so obviously I know you're going to do barriers to pricing. Charlotte's going to do more of a hands on social media segment and then Romany is going to do about how to make the most of your money.
So talk about investments in stocks and shares and that sort of thing that people don't really know how to do it or what it is. And I think people just either go like, keep the money in the bank or put it in like an ice and then don't do anything else. Or people like me who just keep it in the bank or put it in a premium bond and hope for the best.
So it's more talk. She's gonna be talking about like what you can actually do with your money and how to do it. So that would be quite interesting. And then obviously we've got our keynote speaker which I will reveal soonish, maybe, maybe before Christmas, maybe after Christmas, I don't know. But he's amazing. So it is a man and then a couple of other people that I'm gonna keep wrapped up for now. But it's gonna be good. Another good one. And you've sold out almost half tickets already already.
Yeah. And I think that's. Majority of those are people who came to this year's one who didn't want to miss out and then a few people that got FOMO from all the feedback. But I generally was overwhelmed. Like I couldn't. Everyone was just buzzing about it. Even like on the social media afterwards, all the pictures and the videos and seeing people's wins, it was just. That's what it was, that's what it was meant to do. So the fact that it had the desired outcome for me was just perfect.
Yeah, it was really nice. You know, you had the. You had Darren like wandering around taking some really nice photos. You had it videoed for the day. I take it, the online. I. I haven't actually seen the online product. I take it that's all gone really well. And. Yeah. So everyone's got access to all the recordings, so Lorna's like split them up into speakers so you're not having to like trawl through hours of footage and they're all out to everybody. Few hiccups with the email addresses because it's on Kartra and obviously if people have blocked our normal emails now can't get it.
So I've had to say some money shouldn't have blocked me and you would have got it. So teething issues with that. But most people have got them and that's totally fine. But what Jamie's going to do actually is he's building us a Pet Pro Expo website.
So we're gonna have a slight rebrand and he's gonna build the membership portal into the website so that for next year, all of the videos people just get a login and they can just log in straight away and get them. So it's a bit less of a faff. So he's gonna design a new website for the Expo. So people have access to that, don't they? For about a year after, was it? Yeah, for 12 months, yeah. Nice. So, yes, lots of things to do, lots of things to update, spend money on.
Like the website cost a fortune, but it's worth it. We didn't have a website and obviously Lee created a base so people could buy the tickets. So if you go to the Pet Pro Expo website, you can buy a ticket through there. But just bear in mind that's not our official website. It's under construction.
And have you started? Obviously, I mean you're, you're very quick to get out the new dates and the new. And the confirmed venue because the venue was fully booked for. Well, obviously the date that I did want was the same day apparently going forward as happening next year. And I thought, well, I don't. Someone said please don't make us choose.
Yeah. So it was trying to find a date where there wasn't anything else going on in the calendar because in November there was green for your Animal Star Awards and Piff Awards and Stomach Ellis. And I thought, Christ, like November's already full. So we went with the only date they had left in October, which was the third because I love the venue and the fact that the hotel's right next door and it's 10 minutes from the train station. Hopefully there'll be an October, there'll be no bloody storms.
Who knows, Thorgy, I can piss off next year.
Oh, like typical. The first event is a piss and storm on the same day and I thought no one's going to turn up. But to be fair, people brave to the weather. Yeah, I think everyone battled through the. I was watching the Updates on the WhatsApp group of people on the motorway going, yeah, my, my two hour journey's become five. But oh, it took me six hours to get from Newcastle to Birmingham. The weather was horrific. Yeah. And like the car park here, it's not on the venue but it's literally like a 60 second walk.
So again for me, like I could have changed the venue but the venue got really positive feedback just minus the air con issue. But they've assured me that it'll be cool. And, and I've said this before to you, you know, I think it's also important to have a venue like that where, you know, and whenever, when I do seminars, I try not to go to people's pet grooming salons and stuff because I like to bring people out of the salon out of that working environment, take them to a nice hotel and again show them that they're good enough, you know, show them that they're.
Professional vibe and it's not just the same place as everything else. That's it. You've got your breakout rooms and your coffee machines and your lovely food and, and stuff like that. And it's like, actually, yeah, I'm a business owner, I'm worthy of all of this. Get your nice little lanyard that can say you've got on the back. Yeah, that's it, that's it. But you know, it was really good. Like I can't fault the venue to be fair. And even the hotel was nice. So I think next year they're gonna, we're gonna do a pop up bar so we can do a networking party afterwards so everyone can mingle and have a few drinks and see each other.
So that's an addition next year. And then we're also gonna do an implementation webinar afterwards so people can share their wins and what they put into place and if they've got any questions, like a bit of a sort of a mingle but online.
And also I'm hoping we'll do a panel Q and A at the end so we can have everyone sat at the front and the audience can just fire questions because everyone wanted more of a Q and A session this year. So we'll do a bit of a panel Q and A. Well maybe that does answer one of your questions about how many speakers do you need to, to get on board and you know, dedicate some time to that Q and A. I suppose. Yeah. So few, a few little tweaks, few little additions.
Was it still going to be live streamed? Everyone loved the goodie bag. The goodie bag went down a treat and yeah, breakfast and lunch included as well. So all the same, just a few little minor tweaks and a couple of additions. Excellent. Are you looking for any more sponsors for the, for the show? We are. I haven't released it yet. I know all of the sponsors for this year want to sponsor it for next year. Yeah. Which was good. We're just getting that together and then I'll probably put something out if anyone wants to sponsor it.
But if you do and you're listening to this, you can just email me directly@vicki.co.uk or message build.
They actually I did speak to the sponsors and, and you know, because I've always been worried like they're investing in it blind as well because it's never happened. So the fact that they did it in the first place was, was nice of them because I thought, well, I can't tell you what's going to happen because I don't know. So you know, you may get loads of business, you may get none. Like I don't know. But to be fair, all of the sponsors said they did really well out of it.
So again for me I was like. And they're like, they want to do again next year. So again it's one of those where that could have got a bit, you know, if the 10. Oh shit. You know I didn't get any business. I'd have been, like, mortified. Um, but no, they did really well. So again, can't really fault it. Excellent, excellent. So, pet Pro Expo 2026, 3rd of October. Yeah. East side Rooms, Birmingham. East side Rooms, Birmingham. Set up your savings pot. Now, I think there's options to be able to pay in three payments.
Is there? Yeah, we can pay in full, pay in three, or pay in six. Because we're quite far in advance, we are allowing people now to pay in six monthly installments. So it's either 27 pounds, 50 for six months, 55 pound on up. That's wrong because that was the early bird price. I'll come back to you and I can do the math. 27.50 about six months. 189 is divided by three. And remember, it's a business expense, so you're not paying for it. Your business is the ticket, is the travel, the accommodation, your dinner.
So everyone was like, yes. Kelly was in the bar all day Friday, Saturday. Business expense.
I. I actually. I do sometimes treat myself. I do treat myself when I'm traveling up to Birmingham by train. So I grabbed a first class ticket, and then one of my clients who came up from Scotland, came down from Scotland. She was like, oh, check you out. Being all first class, I'm like, you could do that, you know, you're worth it. You. You work hard. This is gonna pay that. And she. She traveled back first class, back to Scotland. Fabulous. Or definitely would to Scotland. That's a bit of a journey.
No, people flew from Blizzy island and all sorts. They wanted to do one in Ireland, but I'm like, one step at a time. Well, that's a lot of, like, equipment and stuff to take over, isn't it? Yeah. I'll get Lee to fly a silver. It'll be fine. Yeah. Of course, all your equipment. Lee's playing. You could fly with him. I'll. I'll go on a normal plane.
I'll just. Let's just wait for him to get some hours under his belt first. Yeah, like when he'd been flying for, like, 10 years. And I might get in the plane with you, but until my feet are staying firmly on the ground, I definitely. Want to make sure there's a. There's the same amount of landings as there are takeoffs.
He gets air sick as well. I'm like, absolutely not. Could you imagine you passed out and I'm like, sat there like, oh, heck, Mayday. Yeah, like grand theft auto, but in the sky.
Anyway, get your tickets booked up, let's get this sold out. You know, so it gives the sponsors motivation, it makes the speakers all excited. Go to the website, get your ticket, business expense. Third of October, email. Live in the flesh. Yeah, selfie. I'll do an autograph if you want. Yeah, there's a few people. There's a few people doing selfies. I'm like.
Yeah. Well, our keynote speaker is going to be around for some photos and some signing of books as well. So, yeah, I've got his book, I've done his courses, you know, it's really good. It's incredible. Incredible. Well done. Get your tickets, because as soon as I drop names in the coming months, you're going to want to get a ticket. And you don't want to get fomo because everyone got FOMO this year. They were like, I wish I got a ticket. So grab one. I promise you it's going to be good.
And I take it, is there an online version as well, for the people. That don't build an online version yet. That'll be coming out soon. Awesome.
Can't wait. Looking forward to it. Thank you for your time as usual.
Always fun. I love coming on these podcasts. I can't remember. I can't. Like it's four years ago. I probably did our very first one with my little pet accounting T shirt on. That's it. That's it. And the thing, I did a seminar at the weekend and you're starting to see the same faces coming in. And it's really nice. People that we've worked with in the very beginning, and obviously we share clients as well. You were just setting up the groomer program because I remember we went to.
I can't remember. It was somewhere in Coventry where it was a grooming competition, but we were all set up in the foyer, do you remember? And you were sat on your laptop building the groomer program. And now look. Yeah, crazy, isn't it? Crazy times. Here's to many more and last message from Vicky. Like, get your tax returns done. Please, please, please. If you are a client of ours, we shut on the 19th of December for two weeks. So please, please, please, the best Christmas present you could give me is by giving me your tax return stuff so I can get it done before I go on holiday.
So please send it in. Get those tax returns done. It's my Christmas plea. Vicky's Christmas message? Yeah, Vicki's Christmas message. Please, please, please give me your tax return paper so I can get them done before Santi comes. Did anyone turn up to the Pet Pro Expo with a bag of receipts to give to you. No. Which I'm very shocked about. Someone did get one of our record keeping books to fill in.
But no, because normally when I see people like room Fest and stuff, they'll bring their their stuff with them and just give it to me there on the day. But no, no one did this yet, so I'm quite surprised. But Kevin did bring his signature T shirt. Yes. So look forward to seeing what T shirt he wears next year. He's got a couple to buy if he's going to see your Crufts. And then, well, I know I told him I want one with my face on, saying my favorite accountant was just my face on his back.
Kevin, if you list then Lovely. Right, take care and we'll catch up with you soon. Happy Christmas everyone. Merry Christmas. Take care. I hope you have enjoyed this podcast. Please make sure you give us a like or a review to help people find it. The podcast is sponsored by Low Pay. Head over to www.lowpay.com to find out more about their payment solution.
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