Lunch & Learn Workshop with Heather Beck

You Do It for the Dogs. Are You Ready to Pass the Leash?

Most of us didn’t get into dog training to build a business. We got into it for the dogs—the breakthroughs, the transformations, and the relationships we build with both ends of the leash.

But here’s the question few trainers ever ask: What happens to everything you’ve built when you’re ready to pass the leash?

Heather Beck knows, because she’s lived it. She built a thriving training business from the ground up—and successfully sold it. In this Lunch & Learn, she’ll share what it takes to build a business that has value beyond its owner. Learn how to stop being the business and start owning one, create systems that outlast you, develop a team that can carry your vision forward, and build an organization that’s worth buying when you’re ready for your next chapter.

As part of the session, you’ll complete a guided self-score of your own business, evaluating its strengths, identifying opportunities for growth, and measuring how prepared it is to operate, scale, or transition to new ownership without depending entirely on you. You’ll leave with a realistic snapshot of where your business stands today, along with practical strategies you can begin implementing immediately to increase its long-term value.

Whether your goal is to grow, create more freedom, build a team, or eventually sell your business, this session will challenge you to think differently about the legacy you’re building—not just for yourself, but for the dogs, clients, employees, and profession you care about.

You do it for the dogs. Build something that’s ready to serve them long after you’ve passed the leash.

This workshop occurs on day one of the 2026 IACP Annual Conference, August 18th @ 12:30PM in the Patio Room of Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. Lunch included. Sign up today!