Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in animal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rommie Buhler, Animal Health Coach based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am an Animal Communicator, Medical Intuitive, and Intuitive Investigator working with animals of all shapes and sizes, both domestic and wild. I am the conduit between the animal and their caretaker or person - the person has a multitude of questions about health, behaviour, emotional problems, nutrition, anxieties, etc., and I get to ask these questions of their animals and receive their answer with the aim of finding a solution to the problem.

My customers are anyone that has animals in their care, whether they are family pets, competition horses or dogs, wildlife sanctuaries, rescue centres, zoos, and so on. Animals will always have problems as humans do, and the people looking after them will always have difficulty understanding exactly what their needs or concerns are. Animal Communication can garner direct information from the animal themselves.

Tell us about yourself

I was born on a sheep property in Western Australia and was surrounded by animals, whether they were farm, wild, or our family cats, dogs, or birds. I have been hearing and having conversations with animals since I was two years old. After many years working in the construction and logistics industries, it seemed only natural to go back to what I loved, and that was to be with animals. This time around, though, it was with a stronger purpose to help the animals be heard and understood and to educate the people on how they want and need to be cared for so they can live healthier, happier, and more meaningful lives. As we want that, so do they.

The helplessness of animals needing more from us is what motivates me. They are not eating as they should be, their emotional needs are not being understood or tended to, they are in pain, their people are unaware, and they are getting sick with major diseases when they don't need to. My mission is to educate and inspire people to do better.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment would be seeing the turnaround in an animal's health or behaviour or whatever the problem is that I'm helping work a solution for. As guardians, we are 100% responsible for our animal's physical and psychological welfare and wellness. It is a job that is not easy but is imperative for their health and happiness. It thrills me when I can see an animal heal and, at the same time, their people learn.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Working alone is one of the hardest things, I think. Every decision is made alone; my marketing, accounting, and every other aspect of the business is all solo which comes with its challenges. And as we are all so accessible these days with email, text, and social media, and with my business being global and not having a set local timezone, setting boundaries is crucial to running my business. Navigating the irritation and expectation from clients when you are not available instantly is an interesting one!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Keep your work fun and interesting. When your business becomes a chore, it is exhausting. If there are tasks that you can outsource, do that. Some of these tasks can be the source of the "chore."
  2. As a solopreneur, I have found joining networking groups a great source of inspiration, connection, and on occasion, collaboration. I will add that networking is a slow burn, don't expect to join a group and expect business out of other members instantly.
  3. This should be number one, probably, but value yourself and your service. Don't undervalue or undercharge what you are worth. If people think you are charging too much, they're not your people.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.rommiebuhler.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theholisticanimalhealthcoach/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theholisticanimalhealthcoach/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-holistic-animal-health-coach/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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