Category: Business

09:40:43 GMT • 11 November 2024

Your Guide to Therapy Courses and Certification

18 October 2018

•

4 mins read

Contributors

Steffi joined the business in July 2017 as Business Support Executive. Steffi completed her degree in Sports and ...

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If your starting out your journey to becoming a therapist, it’s inevitable that you will planning to undertake some training. There are a plethora of therapy courses out there and knowing which ones you should take can be a daunting decision.

Depending on what type of therapy you will be practising it may be that you don’t need to have any qualifications to legal practice that activity. As most types of therapy are likely to have their own governing body or association, it is worth checking with your relevant body to see what standards they require you to meet.

Reiki practitioners, for example, don’t necessarily need any formal training to operate. However, attempting to market yourself as a reiki therapist may be a bit tricky if you do not have any educational collateral to your name.

Training courses can be found on a number of online databases. These can be searched by your local area and sometimes by your current skill level. HotCourses and UCAS are just a couple of resources that you can find a training module to suit you.

Joining an organisation

Generally, the need for specialist therapist qualifications become strengthen when you wish to become a member of a professional body. The UK Reiki Federation are no different in this case.

Should you wish to join as an ‘Associate’ or ‘Practitioner’ member, you are required to hold a minimum of a Reiki 1 and Reiki 2 certificate respectively.

Similarly to become a ‘Professional’ member of the National Association of Massage Therapists one must hold at a qualification to the level of ITEC Level 3 Massage at the bare minimum.

Perhaps one of the most intensive training processes in the therapy industry is bestowed upon would-be counsellors and psychotherapists. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) recommends a three step approach to any training.

Introduction

Firstly, they recommend taking an introductory course into the subject of counselling and what becoming a therapist is all about. Here you will get an idea about the level of commitment a career in therapy would require.

Certification in counselling

The BACP then suggests that the next step of counselling training is to seek out a local college, university or adult education centre to learn the required skills to succeed as a counsellor or psychotherapist. These courses will generally give you an understanding of the advice you will be giving, and the theories that surround them.

Core practitioner training

The third step in the transition to becoming a therapist in the eyes of the BACP and many other organisational bodies is to take an accredited course. This is likely to be at a Bachelors or Masters degree level and will provide you with an in-depth knowledge of the advice and treatment you should be giving. It will flesh out your understanding and leave you in the best place to deliver your therapy treatment of choice.

Although this three step approach is specifically referenced by the BACP, it is a useful approach to take whether you are a psychotherapist, massage therapist or chakra stone healer.

By having specific therapist qualifications to your name, you improve your chances to succeed two-fold.

Firstly you increase your level of knowledge and skill level in your chosen profession. But secondly, you can also put your customers and clients into a better position where they trust you to deliver the service they require. By improving their trust and satisfaction, you also increase the chance of them referring you to their friends and associates.

At Protectivity, we provide a wide range of what we believe are cost-effective insurance solutions for therapy professionals including Reiki Insurance, Counselling Insurance, Massage Insurance and many more. To see if your speciality can be covered, just visit our Therapy Insurance page and input your technique into the quote box. If we can cover the activity, we will provide you with an instant price.

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09:29:25 GMT • 14 January 2025

What Clients Look For in a Personal Trainer

29 September 2018

•

5 mins read

Contributors

Mandy has been with Starpeak Insurance Solutions since 2018, starting in sales in the consumer department and mov...

Finding a personal trainer who makes you feel comfortable is priority number one. In order to achieve your goals, whether that’s getting fitter, stronger, or losing weight, you need to be comfortable enough to expose your biggest flaws. It is only this that can ensure future success. The clue is in the title, and they’re called ‘personal’ trainers for a reason. You are investing in the privilege of one to one contact, to have someone there to customise your personal goals and tailor your workouts.

Don’t be fooled by the influence of a trainer’s persuasive personality, bulging biceps, and extensive use of jargon! As an average gym-goer, fitness and training is not your field of education or occupation, so seek advice and help if you need to. With the growth of the PT industry, you are now spoilt for choice, so have a think about your priorities and never forget these when choosing your trainer.

Here are our top qualities that we believe you should look for in a personal trainer:

1. Check for certification

Don’t risk assuming that because a PT is working at a gym that they are certified and check their certification is from a legitimate body. Beyond this, you want to check that the PT is keeping their certification current. The fitness industry is constantly evolving, and to stay ahead of the pack, a trainer should be attending classes, seminars, and continuing their learning. A trainer should also be certified in first-aid, CPR, and automated external defibrillator for medical emergencies.

2. They should ask you questions, LOTS of questions

Before conversations about programs, schedules, and pricing, a PT should simply listen. They need to gather as much info as possible about you, about your medical status, your fitness history, your background, body image, your job, dietary habits, etc. To put together a program that will guarantee success, a trainer must ensure it is tailored to their client’s habits, and they will only come to know those if they keep asking WHY!

3. They don’t promise results too fast

We’re inundated with fitness ‘success’ stories that condition us to believe that results can be achieved at a much faster rate than is actually possible. Losing 70 pounds in a 10-week programme going by the name of something like ‘AbSculpt’ sounds too good to be true – and it probably is, especially if it’s promoted as part of an advertisement for a new product on the market! Similarly, in the ‘reality’ of a gym environment, any drastic weight loss in a short time can likely be attributed to an elixir of supplements and an unsustainable dietary plan. While this may seem great at the time, the rebound effect is just around the corner…

4. They can explain exactly why you’re doing an exercise

You can quickly tell the PTs with genuine know-how apart from those who don’t really know what they’re doing. At any stage during a workout, your PT should be able to tell you about that exercise, in more detail than ‘it works the….’. A dedicated PT will welcome your questions as it gives them a chance to educate you and show how much thought they have put into your programme.

5. They know, love, and use the simple basics

‘Innovative’ new equipment such as wobble boards, Bosu balls, slosh pipes, valslides certainly look good, and do a great job of bringing attention to a PT session. However, trainers using unorthodox, ‘flashier’ methods won’t be on track to achieving faster results, and a lot can be said for simple methods. This signals a sound knowledge base, without trying to disguise any knowledge gaps or trainer deficiencies with ‘cool’ equipment. Particularly if you are in your beginning stages, less is more, and performing complex movements using ‘new’ equipment can be risky.

6. They know when to progress you

You should always leave a PT session having been pushed and challenged…but not injured! To make progress towards your goals, it is important not to stagnate, and a good trainer will know how and when to change up your program. As you get stronger, your workouts need to get harder, and if your trainer does not keep challenging you, your investment is wasted.

7. Are you achieving your goals?

Though aesthetic results may take more time, you should notice changes fairly quickly when training with a PT. You should feel fitter, have more energy, be sleeping better, and generally be feeling good about yourself. A good PT will take responsibility for your goals – it is their job – and if they are unable to meet your goals, they are not doing their job properly and may not be the trainer for you.

Being insured is another important factor to consider when trying to attract clients. Get a quick quote and instant cover today by visiting our Personal Trainer Insurance page.

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09:29:03 GMT • 14 January 2025

Employing Staff for Your Dog Walking Business

11 September 2018

•

5 mins read

Contributors

Steffi joined the business in July 2017 as Business Support Executive. Steffi completed her degree in Sports and ...

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The set-up of many professional dog walking businesses is fairly simple. The majority of operators will be working on a sole trader basis, delivering their walks, managing administration and financial matters on their own.

However, as a business grows so too does the need to employ staff. As a dog walker that could be because you have built up a large enough book of clients that in order to grow you need an extra pair of hands or two.

When pondering whether to employ a member of staff there are a number of things to consider.

Financial considerations

First and foremost, you will need to think whether a member of staff is financially sensible. Of course, more walkers in your business means the opportunity to walk more dogs. But it also means another person’s salary that will need to come our of your company’s finances.

Some businesses will opt to pay staff on a ‘per-walk’ basis, giving them a percentage of the money a client may pay for a walk. Other businesses will choose to work on a more traditional hourly wage or salary.

If the latter is your way of working consider this. If you charge a client £10 an hour to walk their dog and your staff member takes two dogs out at a time, that is £20 coming into the business. Based on paying your employee minimum wage (between £5.60 and £7.50 depending on age), that means you would be left with between £12.50 and £14.40 in the businesses bank account before any tax was paid.

Of course, that is an extra amount of money than would have been there if you didn’t have the staff member to call on, but it is not as simple as that.

You will need to consider whether you will be paying your employee petrol costs to get to and from the client’s house, whether you will guarantee them a set number of hours a week as well as any other bonuses.

Taxes and pensions

It’s not only the direct financial implications that having staff will have on your business. There’s plenty of extra administration-based tasks you will need to fulfil.

First of all you will need to ensure that any potential staff members are fully DBS checked, which will confirm whether they have any criminal convictions that you should be aware of. This will cost you £25 per employee to carry out. You will also need to check they have the legal right to work in the UK. This can be done by taking their National Insurance number when you provide them with their contract.

You will also need to inform HMRC that you are taking on staff and register as an employer. By doing this you will receive your PAYE Employer Number, which will allow you to pay tax and National Insurance when you pay the staff member.

Furthermore, if you are likely to be paying your new dog walker over £10,000 a year and they are over 22-years-old, you may need to automatically enroll them on a workplace pension scheme.

Finally you will need to take out Employers’ Liability. This is a legal responsibility when you take on a member of staff. This will cover you for claims against the business should you and your business activities be blamed for an injury suffered by that staff member. Many insurance providers, including Protectivity, will allow you to add Employers’ Liability to an existing Dog Walking Insurance policy for a small fee.

Business operations

With all of legal factors taken care of you need to remember that by having members of staff, you may have to change the fundamental way in which you operate your dog walking business.

Think about things such as:

– Will your new walker have ‘their own’ clients? Or will you share them between you?

– How much training will you provide your new staff member?

– Will you ask them to help with other aspects of your business such as marketing and administration?

One thing that may affect some dog walkers decision to expand is the extra paperwork and administrative duties that having staff entails. By taking on employees you may find yourself having less time to do the thing that made you start the business in the first place, the enjoyment of walking dogs. This diversion away from the act of dog walking may be a reason not to hire a member of staff and keep your clients, their dogs and your business to yourself.

All dog walking businesses and the people that run them will be different. Some will appreciate that in order to grow they need more dog walkers on their books, whilst others will be happy with maintaining a healthy number of clients and dogs without the need for expansion.

If you do opt for the hiring approach, just remember to consider all the added responsibilities that come with it.

About Us

We’re one of the leading providers of insurance for pet businesses, and we offer a variety of tailored products such as Dog Walking insurance, Pet Sitting Insurance and Dog Grooming Insurance policies.

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09:28:35 GMT • 14 January 2025

What Does Wedding Insurance Cover?

29 August 2018

•

4 mins read

Contributors

Mandy has been with Starpeak Insurance Solutions since 2018, starting in sales in the consumer department and mov...

We accept that insurance can sometimes be confusing. However, thinking about why you need to take out wedding insurance shouldn’t be a tricky decision.

After all, your wedding day will be the biggest day of your life, first of all emotionally and secondly financially. Everyone wants their big day to go smoothly, but with a large number of aspects coming together for the event, things can and do go wrong.

Taking out even the most basic wedding insurance policy will provide you with the peace of mind you deserve as you and your partner plan your wedding day.

What does wedding insurance cover?

There are dozens of different aspects to the average wedding day and each one has the potential to put a dampener on your day.

Cancelling or rearranging

Having both you, your husband or wife-to-be, and your family present is undoubtedly the main necessity for any wedding. But with most people planning their ceremony months or years in advance, a lot can happen in the meantime. Serious illness, accidents or worse may deem it necessary to cancel or reschedule your wedding. With an insurance policy in place, you are likely to be covered for the irretrievable costs that you have already shelled out.

Damage to your wedding dress or suits

Whether the bride opts for a princess dress or something more fitted, ensuring the precious dress is protected is going to be vital. A damaged frock close to the big day will surely put even the calmest bride in a tizz. Thankfully with insurance, you can rest assured that if something happened to the dress or the ceremonial attire of a member of the bridal party, the costs to replace them will be covered.

Failure of your suppliers

From photographers to florists to DJs, you rely on a lot of people on your wedding day. And if just one of those professionals you hire the services of let you down, it can be both worrying and frustrating in equal measure. Insurance will mean that if they were to pull out close to the event or not turn up, you are covered. The costs to book a last-minute replacement would be handled by your policy.

Damage to other items

Items such as the rings, flowers, gifts to your attendants and the traditional cake can also be protected under an insurance policy. If any of these were stolen or damaged within a week of the wedding our policy you could claim up to the value chosen on your policy to cover the costs of replacing them.

Public liability

Although not as sentimental as the dress or the rings, protecting yourselves is important too. In fact, many wedding venues will insist that you and any third-parties you have providing a service at your wedding have suitable Public Liability cover. If you were to cause damage to property belonging to a third party such as the venue or the DJ, you could be sued for damages. Having this cover in place ensures that if something like this occurred you’d be protected against the financial implications.

When to buy your wedding insurance?

A similarly straightforward question to answer as ‘Why do you need wedding insurance?’ is ‘When do I buy it?‘. In short, as soon as you start booking venues or suppliers or purchasing dresses or rings, you should consider insurance.

By buying early you give yourself maximum protection should the worst happen. If you purchase your insurance after something occurs that is likely to cause disruption to your wedding day, it’s unlikely it will be covered should those events unfold.

Purchase as soon as you beginning solidifying your plans and you can get full use out of your Wedding Insurance policy.

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09:26:51 GMT • 14 January 2025

A Quick Guide to Calculating Turnover

By Bee Ingram

6 July 2018

•

3 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

When running a small business, calculating turnover is a vitally important skill. While it may sound confusing to first time business owners, it is in fact very simple.

Essentially, your turnover is the amount of money taken by your business over a particular period of time.

So if you are a personal trainer and you train 10 clients a week, five hours a week for £20 an hour, your business turnover is £1,000. (£20 x 10 clients x 5 hours) a week.

Knowing how much money your business turns over in a given period can be very important. Not only will you need it for tax purposes, but knowing your figures is crucial if you are seeking investment, be it privately or via a bank loan.

Many insurance companies will ask you for your annual turnover before giving you a business insurance quote too. Sometimes this may be referred to as your gross revenue or income, but essentially it means the same thing.

Fundamentally though, knowing your turnover gives you an idea of the performance of your business.

About Protectivity

Protectivity is a specialist in niche commercial, leisure and lifestyle insurance. We cover thousands of individuals and small to medium size businesses across the UK, offering a range of tailored insurance products, such as Hairdressing Insurance, Personal Training Insurance and Pet Business Insurance, that protect our customers against unforeseen events.

The difference between turnover and profit

Your turnover alone won’t necessarily tell you of your business’s health though. Working out your profit can provide a better pointer.

Again, different terms may be used when describing a business’s profit.

Gross profit is the amount of money you take in (the sales value of your goods or services), minus the costs associated with producing your offering. These costs can include physical materials needed to deliver your goods – leads if you are a professional dog walker, equipment if you are a gym – and the direct labour that needs to be employed to carry out the service.

Sometimes known as the ‘bottom line’, net profit is the residual income after all costs have been accounted for. As well as the costs of providing your service, these include overheads such as office rental costs, heating and lighting costs, for example.

Essentially it is all the money you bring in via sales, minus all of your outgoings.

While neither of these three are more important than the others, calculating turnover is the first step to understanding the performance of any business.

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09:40:44 GMT • 11 November 2024

Fit Britain: The top places to become a personal trainer

29 May 2018

•

4 mins read

Contributors

Mandy has been with Starpeak Insurance Solutions since 2018, starting in sales in the consumer department and mov...

The West Midlands and the City of Bristol have been named as two of Britain’s best places to become a personal trainer.

The number of personal trainers in Britain is growing, and according to Ibisworld, there are now over 23,000 registered PTs in the UK, but the local spread of these trainers, and the demand for their help, varies massively.

Our recent research shows that the two regions have some of the highest demand for fitness professionals in the country, but lack the competition of a large number of other PTs.

Figures show that in approximately one in 180 of Bristol’s residents will perform a Google search, looking for a personal trainer each year. This figure is usurped only by Greater London, where one in 135 people will seek out the help of a fitness pro in a 12 month period.

However, while the capital’s county is home to nearly 4,000 personal trainers, Bristol is only the 43rd most PT populous of the 106 counties and regions researched.

The West Midlands meanwhile has fewer personal trainers per capita than all but six English counties. Therefore anyone looking to become a personal trainer in Birmingham, Coventry or Wolverhampton and take advantage of the 1,000 people in the region looking for a PT each month, won’t have a huge amount of competition to contend with.

Where’s best to find a PT?

The highest build-up of fitness professionals is generally clustered towards the south-west of England, with Dorset and Somerset home to the highest population of PTs relative to total residents.

With over 300 personal trainers shared between it’s population of 422,900, Dorset boasts an impressive one personal trainer to every 1,337 residents.

However, not only is it already home to a large number of personal trainers, according to Google searches there isn’t much of a demand for their services, relatively speaking. The county came 99th of 106 regions in terms of number of searches each month, potentially making it one of the most tricky places to start a personal training career.

Another area that doesn’t appear to be on the look out for PT tutelage is Nottinghamshire. With a similar number of searches a month per head to Dorset, it’s worth noting that the county is the 15th most densely populated region of Britain for fitness professionals.

For those looking to start a career in the leisure industry in Wales, there’s some good news and some bad news. Seven of the 23 council areas sit in the bottom 10 when it comes to the areas that Britain’s PTs call home.

That being said, the search volume for personal trainers in the country sits in mid-table of our research, meaning while the competition may not be there, it may be that neither is the demand.

Market analysis is key

When considering a career in the fitness industry it’s wise to think about whether there is a) a demand for more fitness professionals in your area and b) room for another competitior on the market.

By looking at the number of Google searches and number of personal trainers already operating in your region, potential PTs can get a good idea whether this is the right career move for them. Of course, if you have a niche or are offering something that allows you to stand out ahead of the crowd, you could disprove the statistics.

By nailing your business plan and marketing your business wisely, life as a PT can be rewarding and a wise career move. It may not be for everyone, but by our numbers, fitness lovers in Bristol and the West Midlands, could be in the perfect spot to become a personal trainer.

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09:25:38 GMT • 14 January 2025

Your Guide To Dog Boarding Licences

18 April 2018

•

5 mins read

Contributors

Steffi joined the business in July 2017 as Business Support Executive. Steffi completed her degree in Sports and ...

As a pet business insurance provider, Protectivity receive a large number of queries about the rules surrounding the need for a dog boarding licence.

The rules about what licence you require and how you operate can vary slightly between different local authorities. However, the overriding statements regarding licensing of this type of business are covered in the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 and Animal Activity Licensing Regulations 2018.

Who needs a dog boarding licence?

According to the act, anyone running “an establishment, whether a private dwelling or not, where a business is conducted for the provision of accommodation for other people’s cats and dogs” needs a licence.

Therefore, anyone running a commercial enterprise whereby they are looking after a third-party’s animal needs to closely pay attention to the licensing regulations.

How do you apply for a licence?

Licenses are handled by local councils, as opposed to being managed by centralised government. Depending on your location, it may be possible to apply online, while other councils will require you to post your application form.

Another varying aspect of the process is the cost. The price of an application is set by the authority and can start from as little as £70 a year for a dog only licence, to over £300 for a joint cat and dog licence with some councils.

The whole application process, on average, takes three to four weeks to complete before you will receive your licence. Some authorities apply ‘tacit consent’ to applications. This means that if you haven’t had your application explicitly rejected within a set time-frame of applying, you are able to start boarding. This is something to check with your local authority when applying for your licence.

What will you need to prove?

The requirements that councils will have before approving a licence are fairly self explanatory.

You will likely be subject to an inspection of your premises by a council official. During this visit your suitability to accommodate animals, through your provisions to provide clean and safe boarding, your skills and knowledge of what is required of boarders.

The health of the animals that you will be looking after is likely to be seen as paramount. Therefore, it will be a requirement under your licence that you keep a record of every animal that you take in, as well as any specific needs or health issues that they may have. You may need to provide a copy of this documentation if a council official or vet were to visit your premises while you are in operation.

Another prerequisite of obtaining a licence is insurance. Local councils will request that they see a copy of an insurance certificate that covers you for Public Liability (as a minimum) before granting you a licence. Having this cover in place gives you protection against legal costs that might ensue if a dog in your care was to injure a third-party or cause damage to their property.

Things to remember if home-boarding

As well as speaking to your local council, reading the full the specific section of the Animal Welfare England Regulations 2018 on home boarding will give you an in-depth understanding of animal boarding licences.

Much in the act may not be relevant to you, but here are five other key things you need to remember when running a boarding business from your own home:

If you have your own dog, or will be boarding dogs from multiple households, written consent must be gained from your clients stating they agree to their dog being kept on the same premises
Dogs must be accommodated within the home and have direct access to a private, non-communal, secure and hazard-free external area
Each dog must have it’s own safe, clean and warm designated room where it can be kept separate from other dogs if necessary
No dog registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 can be accepted
Puppies that have not completed their inoculations must not be boarded

If you are operating without a licence, the punishments are clearly set out. You can be prosecuted and sentenced to up to three months in prison and fined up to £500.

For anyone already operating, that does not hold a licence, it is advised that you contact your local authority immediately. Doing so doesn’t instantly mean you will be prosecuted. It is possible that the council will require you to stop boarding animals while they process any application from you for a licence. However frustrating it may be to curtail income from boarding clients may be, it is important to ensure you are fully licensed to avoid further punishment.

About Us

We’re one of the leading providers of insurance for pet businesses, and we offer a variety of tailored products such as Dog Walking, Pet Sitting business insurance and Dog Grooming Insurance policies.

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09:25:18 GMT • 14 January 2025

5 Legal Things To Remember Before Becoming A Dog Walker

24 January 2018

•

6 mins read

Contributors

Steffi joined the business in July 2017 as Business Support Executive. Steffi completed her degree in Sports and ...

Setting up a business as a dog walker is, on the face of it, a fairly straightforward enterprise. Minimal equipment is needed, there is no requirement to have multiple qualifications (though this helps), and the financial outlay is reasonably small.

However, for everyone starting a dog walking business there are a few legal things to consider. While you may be chomping at the bit to get out there and work with your canine clients straightaway, make sure you know how to become a dog walker properly by following these legal requirements.

Here, we cover the legal dog walker requirements, as well as the importance of dog walkers’ insurance, so you know you’ve got everything covered.

Register with HMRC

If you are setting up your own business and becoming a professional dog walker it is important that you register with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It may be that you are going it alone, known as being a ‘Sole Trader’ or setting up a wider business with employees and (potentially) higher turnover, in which you could be registered as a ‘Limited Company’.

By becoming your own boss you become responsible for things such as paying tax and National Insurance. After registering as a self-employed dog walker you will be expected to complete a self assessment tax return each year. Through this you will be required to pay income tax on any business profits over £11,500 a year.

National Insurance will also be due if you pass that threshold. Starting off at around £2.85 a week, the outgoings are relatively small, but important to remember. If your business is particularly successful you will end up paying a higher rate, as well as being liable for VAT if your profits exceed £85,000 in a year.

Obtain a DBS check

While paying for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check isn’t a legal requirement, being able to show your potential clients that you are a trustworthy person is well worth doing. An outlay of around £25 for a basic background check gives you extra kudos when it comes with comparisons with the competition.

Keep a record of all that you do

Not only are you legally required to keep a record of your incomings and outgoings for tax purposes, it can also help you run your professional dog walker business more economically.

When completing your tax return it is important to include every instance of income to the business in order to correctly calculate the amount of tax you should be paying. By also including your business outgoings you also avoid paying too much tax.

‘Allowable expendables’ include things such as dog leads, bowls, commercial vehicles and marketing your business and are taken into account when calculating the tax you pay. Keeping a record of such expenditures will ensure your business doesn’t overpay.

Records are not only good for financial reassurance, but also to help your business run smoothly on a day-to-day basis. Keeping track of whose dog you are walking and when, and ensuring all clients have signed some form of business contract with you (recommended), helps you maintain a professional dog walker set-up for your business.

Make sure you know the laws

There are a number of laws and acts that relate closely to canines. The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is probably the most well-known, but do you know exactly what it says? Having a basic knowledge of the rules and regulations regarding dogs and the law can only be useful when it comes to running your business.

If you intend to walk dogs in a rural area, be aware that under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, landowners and farmers may hold the power to shoot dogs that come onto their land if they feel their livestock is under threat, for example. Although the likelihood of this happening is extremely minimal, with the knowledge in hand, those offering dog walking services will know not to put their clients’ pets into potentially dangerous situations. You can find a handy round-up of the various laws involving dogs on the Kennel Club website.

It’s not just national laws that you should research either. An increasing number of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) are popping up around the country. These rules stipulated by local councils may ban dogs from being walked in certain locations or may restrict the number of dogs you can walk at one time. Always check the rules in your area before becoming a professional dog walker.

Get the best dog walker insurance

It may be least exciting of these aspects, but getting full public liability insurance for dog walkers is important. Having cover in place will protect you if a client’s dog is injured, lost or attacks another dog or person. If you are blamed for any of these instances, you risk facing legal action from the third party. The costs associated with compensation claims can soon rack up into the thousands of pounds.

With pet business insurance in place, you can cover yourself and your business for such claims. Some insurance providers will also cover you for handling your clients keys as well as damage to your business equipment.

Get the best dog walker insurance

If you’re looking for dog walking insurance, look no further than Protectivity. We can offer you expert cover to protect you against any unexpected incidents when you’re out dog walking, including £100,000 of Care, Custody and Control cover should an animal get injured, lost or killed. With the right cover, you can do your best job with full peace of mind that you’ll be covered if something goes wrong.

Once you have all of these things in place, you know how to become a dog walker and you are ready to go. Starting your own business is a big step and while a career working with dogs sounds like a dream job to many, there are a plenty of legal requirements and considerations to mull over.

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09:24:57 GMT • 14 January 2025

Strava: A personal trainer’s friend or foe?

10 January 2018

•

4 mins read

Contributors

Mandy has been with Starpeak Insurance Solutions since 2018, starting in sales in the consumer department and mov...

The ever-developing world of fitness wearables and apps may appear to make the role of a traditional personal trainer becoming obsolete. However, there’s no reason to say that fitness professionals can’t harness the power of this software to develop the coaching programme they offer clients.

Strava, the app many regular cyclists and runners will undoubtedly be au fait with is one example. Embracing the simple, yet effective capabilities of Strava is something that more PTs should, arguably, be doing.

The benefits are such that the app, rather than completely intrude on the personal trainer’s purpose, can aid the motivation, and ultimately satisfaction, of their clients.

The ability to track runs, be it marathons or a gentle jog, and bike rides is Strava’s main offering. This, therefore provides trainer and client alike with the simple solution of how to monitor progress. Whether it is speed of a completed run, or distance managed in one exercise session, all this can be accounted for.

Figures recently released by Strava claimed that there were 136 million runs uploaded to the system in 2017, over four runs a second. This is before you take into account the millions of cyclists sharing their rides with the world.

With so many users, those looking to get fit have a huge go-to community to share, compare and compete against. Whether they are looking to beat the time recorded on a run by a friend, stranger, or themselves, having a competitive target on the self-styled ‘social network for athletes’ is always good.

Fellow Strava users don’t have to be seen as just competitors though. By pushing clients to use Strava, they introduce them to a community of encouragement and organised events.

For example, the Strava Mile saw 35,789 users share their 1.6km runs with the hashtag #MyMile. Although it wasn’t a single run or single day, the sheer number of those sharing their story and competitive nature saw 47% of users set a new personal best time in the month of June 2017.

What’s more, the sense of community and encouragement coming directly from other users is sure to spur clients to push themselves further. A total of 2.3 billion ‘Kudos’ were given from one athlete to another over the course of 2017 – that’s a lot of encouragement!

The role of the personal trainer doesn’t have to end with the sign up of the app though. By tracing their clients’ steps, PTs can think up new challenges, routes and targets to set their fitness-focused customer.

One element of the app that may step on the toes of personal trainers is Strava Premium. For less than £50 a year, users can access workout plans as part of their subscription. The costs involved in a subscription to this service are far cheaper than hiring a PT. The quality of the plans offered aren’t sacrificed though.

Each routine is provided by Carmichael Training Systems and McMillan Running, two leading players in the fitness planning sector. Therefore some people looking to improve their fitness may decide that shelling out for a personal trainer is a cost they can do without.

However, what Premium does lack is a personal touch. Having a dedicated fitness professional shape a programme around an individual’s needs and circumstances can far surpass the capabilities of a piece of software.

For those that find their clients tempted to go it alone with Strava Premium, it is a case of convincing customers that a personal trainer is the way to go.

Ultimately, there is a fine line between personal trainers being able to take advantage of the apps’ capabilities and the software negating the need to hire a PT. Indeed, with newer and better apps and software released each week, fitness professional may be fighting somewhat of a losing battle. But for for now at least, it’s certainly worth coaches investigating how Strava can work for them.

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All Strava information from: https://blog.strava.com/2017-in-stats

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