Rachel Spencer’s journey from journalism to helping pet businesses feel comfortable and confident putting their work out there is a testament to passion, moving with the times and not being afraid of new challenges.
She started out working as a journalist in local newsrooms like the Warrington Guardian and the Widnes World in the late 90s. Those early years were a baptism of fire, where she pounded the streets looking for stories.
Rachel recalls: “They used to send you out and say, ‘Don’t come back until you’ve got ten stories.’ I ended up chatting to a bloke selling jacket potatoes outside a supermarket who told me about the unsavoury activities in the public loos, and that was my first byline. I loved meeting people and finding stories.”
Next was working on national newspapers. “Working at News of the World was tough but amazing,” she says. “You were out knocking on doors, tracking people down, chasing stories on footballers, people from Corrie and tv shows like Big Brother.
“One job I loved was a background feature on Arctic Monkeys when they first came out in 2006. I found their old classmates, tracked down the girl who inspired Mardy Bum, and ended up with a double-page spread full of these brilliant old photos.”
She went freelance in 2006 and after a few years, started looking for other ways to earn a living. “Budgets were shrinking, and I knew I needed to understand online, blogging and social media,” she explained. “I went to a workshop with Alex about Facebook and Twitter in 2015 and then one on Instagram and blogging and decided in 2017 to start my own pet blog.”
The blog quickly gained traction and was named one of the UK’s top pet blogs. “When I got the email, I was so chuffed,” Rachel says. “It showed the power of having a niche and being consistent in sharing decent content.”
Then pet business owners approached her to see if they could feature on the blog and when they realised her background was journalism, asked for support in approaching the press. So Rachel wrote a book with everything she knew in it in 2018, Publicity for Pet Businesses.
By 2020, she’d launched the Publicity for Pet Businesses podcast, and was working with business owners 1-1 and through her online course and membership programme with clients featuring in national newspapers and magazines, on TV and Radio and on leading websites, podcasts and blogs. “It was so good to see them have the confidence to pitch to the media themselves and see their stories out there!”
In 2022, Rachel studied to become an accredited coach and mentor. “I was calling myself a coach, but I wasn’t qualified. I could show people how to write a press release or a pitch, but so much of the work was really about confidence. I wanted to give people everything they needed – not just the skills, but the self-belief too.”
That blend of practical know-how and emotional support has helped her business thrive. “I love helping people spot their stories and find the confidence to share them. So many say, ‘I’m boring, I’ve got nothing to say,’ and then you talk to them for ten minutes and have a list of loads of ideas to pitch to all kinds of publications..”
In 2023, she started another business, Sunnyside Cottage, a dog-friendly holiday let in Yorkshire. “It’s a total passion project,” she says. “I’m my ideal guest! I’ve gone totally over the top with dog robes and welcome packs. It’s about creating somewhere special, where dogs and their humans can properly relax.”
For 2025, she launched a product, the Pet Business Content Planner, an A5 diary which pulls together everything she’s learned. “I wanted to create something that helps people take action. There’s space for monthly reflection, habit tracking, and celebrating wins – plus content ideas, awareness days, and prompts that tie into what journalists are actually looking for.”
Above all, Rachel’s work is about helping people step into the spotlight. “I just want people to feel like they can do it,” she says. “That they’ve got something worth sharing. Because they have.”
For more information on Rachel Spencer check out https://rachelspencer.co.uk/
Or follow Rachel Spencer on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/rachelspenceruk/
With over 75 attendees, Alex & His Sisters continues to be a standout networking event in Altrincham, bringing together inspiring speakers like Rachel Spencer who share their real-world insights and practical advice. A big thank you to Rachel for her engaging talk, and to all the attendees who make these events so impactful!
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