Schedule

Presenter: Ian Usher

A brief overview of what you can expect from the conference, and a quick orientation of hotel facilities, conference timings, etc.

Presenters: Vanessa Anderson & Ian Usher

Meet Vanessa & Ian, publishers of House Sitting Magazine, and co-hosts of the House & Pet Sitting Conference. Find out how they transitioned from "normality" to the unique and inspiring travel and house sitting lifestyle they now lead.

Presenter: Lamia Walker

Lamia (House Sit Match) talks about the reality of house sitting. What expectations do home owners have of their sitters? And what can you expect as a sitter? Are house sitters ever paid? How ​do home owners trust "strangers" in their home?

Presenter: Jodie Burnham

Could you place your trust in the unknown? Home and pet owners trust their sitters with all the most important things in their lives, and this exchange is such an amazing experience. But, have you ever blindly given your trust away?

Presenter: Jenny Lincoln

Travel helps you discover who you really are and what you are made of. Most importantly you establish a critical sense of trust in yourself and your capabilities. This allows you to get curious and be more open hearted and minded when you travel. Learn why Jenny believes that travel is the best teacher.

Presenter: Ian Usher

Ian & Vanessa firmly believe that life is meant to be an adventure.  They have looked after homes and pets in many different countries, and visited lots of other places on their "in-between sits" travels and adventures. Find out more about where house sitting could take you...

Presenter: Amanda Walkins

Amanda is a firm believer in the idea that humans are meant to roam! We were once nomadic, following our food and the seasonal changes. Now, we have options and can choose to keep moving. The idea of “home” doesn’t have to be stationary or stagnant. We can easily recreate that feeling everywhere we go!

Presenter: Simon Berry

Simon & Kate are part-time nomads and part-time home owners. Why did they made this choice, and how easy is it to maintain this lifestyle? Find out how they balance the comforts of home with travel adventures.

Presenter: Jenny Ives

Jenny & George were "empty nesters" in a fancy house, asking themselves some big questions when George first came across house sitting. That was 5 years ago, and they haven’t lived in their "own home" since.  Between house sits they are "#vanlifers". They now live as minimalists with only what's in their van. Be inspired as Jenny shares more about their lifestyle of freedom.

Presenter: Sharon Fields

Sharon often says, "If I can do it anyone can!" For most of her life Sharon did what was expected of her - marriage, motherhood, working woman maintaining the "perfect home", and volunteering in the community. Then life blindsided her in a BIG way. We all have that inner voice, sometimes it's negative and sometimes it’s positive. Discover how Sharon overcame her unique challenges to live an inspiring nomadic life.

Presenter: Vanessa Anderson

Now you’re inspired, how do you actually get started? In our first "EDUCATE" session Vanessa covers the basics of building credibility. She discusses your skills and their relevance to house and pet sitting. Why are references so important, and how can you build reviews before you even begin as a sitter? What info needs to be in your references, and what's the best way to present them to potential home owners? She'll be talking a little bit at the different house sitting websites too.

Presenter: Allen Trottier

Allen covers the benefits and challenges of house sitting as a solo sitter. What is the best approach solo sitters can use when they are applying to listings? What are the implications of being solo in terms of your responsibilities during the sit Allen also talks about his extensive experience as a digital nomad who uses house sitting as way to create short term "bases", instead of just moving to a budget friendly country.

Presenter: Michelle McDines

Having a pet of your own doesn't stop you being a successful full-time house sitter. Michelle shares tips and insights into the many aspects of house sitting with your pet - from finding assignments to ensuring everyone gets along. Discover the highs, the lows, the risks and the rewards of travelling with your furry friend.

Presenter: Philippe Lalonde

Not everyone chooses to house sit full-time. Philippe and his partner Sophie maintain a home base in Canada. Find out more as Philippe details how house sitting fits into their travel lifestyle.

Presenter: Debs & Rich Southwood

Debs and Rich share their journey of yearning for a freedom lifestyle to now living a life they could only previously dream of. How did they achieve this, and what do their friends and family think? Find out about the joy they get from house sitting... from the excitement of finding and applying for sits, to the skype calls, meeting the owners and animals, and so much more.

Presenter: Debbie Streather

Pets are the #1 reason why home owners use the services of house and pet sitters. And the most common pet sitters come into contact with is the dog. How do you meet a new dog for the first time? Debbie has a wealth of experience to share based on her years spend caring for our four-legged friends.

Presenter: Annmarie Talbot

Annmarie is a Registered Veterinary Nurse who works for UK animal charity PDSA (The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals). She is passionate about animal welfare. Learn how we as house sitters can develop awareness of the needs of those we care for.

Presenter: Angela Laws

Angela has been house sitting for many years, and has more than 60 5-star reviews for sits completed. She has a great success rate when making applications for new sits. What are home owners looking for in your profile when you apply for their assignment? Find out how you can model Angela's success by creating a compelling profile that will help you stand out from the competition. 

Question Time

Any questions? The last session of the day is an open forum "panel discussion". This is your chance to ask a panel of experienced house sitters your questions.

Presenter: Jenny Lincoln

Courage is like a muscle - it needs a daily workout. This happens naturally when you travel, volunteer and house sit. Jenny will teach you 3 techniques to help you face your fears, anxieties or concern, to help you move from your comfort zone to your courage zone. Freedom is a state of mind. Become aware of the "Thinking Traps" that are holding you back from travelling or house sitting and achieving your dreams. 

Presenter: Vanessa Anderson

Vanessa discusses everything about applying for house sits. It's a lot like a job application, and you'll be much more successful when you know these insider tips and tricks. Louise looks at addressing the needs of the home owners, personalising your application, dealing with specific requirements, and much more.

Presenter: Richard Brabbin

What are we looking for when potential sitters apply for our house sit? What do we do to weed out unsuitable applicants? What about a sitter's attributes get them noticed?  Bottom line, how do you get on our short list?  How does an applicant get to be "the one"?

Presenter: Annmarie Talbot

Annmarie is a Registered Veterinary Nurse who works for UK animal charity PDSA (The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals). In this session we'll get "hands on" practical advice on First Aid for pets.

Presenter: Naomi Peters

After the initial application, things can progress quickly, and Naomi covers the next steps. She'll discuss how to handle a Skype call with the owners, what questions to ask, and what home owners may ask you. When and how do you confirm the sit, and what other details are vital?  She talks about the initial handover at the start of a sit and how you create a great first impression, before sending the homeowners off confident you'll do a great job.

Presenter: Michelle McDines

Do you always have to accept the sit you've just been offered? Are there some times when it's  OK to say No? What are the "red flags" to watch out  for that may indicate a sit isn't right for you? What are some of the things that may go wrong if you do accept a sit that's not a good fit for you?

Presenter: Angela Laws

In this final session of our 5-part "EDUCATE" series, Angela talks about what you'll need to do to successfully hand-back to the homeowners. What can you do to go above and beyond, to ask for and get a first class 5 Star review, and possibly even secure repeat sits for the future.  Find out everything you need to know to that all involved benefit from a great experience.

Presenter: Tracy McDermott

You're on your way! Tracy takes a fun look at packing light for longer term travel. She has a way to pack a suitcase that enables her to get an amazing amount of stuff in a small roll-aboard. What's essential for your trip? What should you leave behind? And how do you pack it all?

Presenter: Vanessa Anderson

Once you get started on your house sitting adventure, you may want to find more sits in a particular location. Now it's time to get pro-active. How do you market yourself for house sitting success, so you can live the lifestyle you want to live?

Presenters: Brooke & Buddy Baum

Planning to start a life of travel through full or part-time house sitting? Don't be fooled, even your dream life will have its struggles! Brooke and Buddy share some of the mental and emotional challenges that are often overlooked when building a non-traditional lifestyle - plus, how to move past them to enjoy your new path.

Presenter: Debra Sofia Magdalene

Debra shares how she transitioned from providing a free house sitting service, to getting paid. She moved on to creating a residual income by setting up an agency and maximising the opportunities that came her way. Learn how to raise your profile by doing things you love and how to cross-pollinate your services for a win-win basis.

Presenter: Tracy McDermott

Tracy's old art teacher, 96-year-old Norman, pushed her and partner Peter to get out there and follow their dreams. So they decided to see if they could travel for less money than they spent staying home. Tracy ran the numbers like a live research project. Their stay-at-home daily cost of living was then $175. At the end of 15-months, they had travelled worldwide for $132 a day. Mission accomplished! Find out more as Tracy shares how Norman's advice changed their lives forever.

Presenter: Ian Usher

Money and time are two of the key aspects of all our lives. Learn how to shift your mindset on how these two factors are related, and find out how to use the "Mathematics of Freedom" to become much wealthier!

Presenter: Jenny Ives

As a money coach, Jenny helps people identify limiting money mindsets. Her talk will help you overcome what may be holding you back. She often says, "Living your best life is about mapping your money to your life, not your life to your money." Jenny promises to provide three financial techniques to give you confidence to fully embrace the world of house sitting.  

Presenters: Jodie Burnham

While remote work is becoming very common, many of us living a travel lifestyle don't want to trade away all our  time for money. Thankfully there are so many ways to create more leveraged, and even passive or residual income streams which reduce the number of working hours and can even increase your overall income! Find out more about options open to you as Jodie shares a different mindset on creating income.

Question Time

Any remaining questions? Once again, the last session of the day will be an open forum "panel discussion". If there's anything you'd like to ask before we conclude the weekend, now's the time!