Each day during Professional Pet Sitters Week 2012, PSI will feature a pet-sitting success story submitted by a PSI member. The following success story was submitted by PSI member Cindy Johnson, owner of Bed & Biscuit Pet Care, LLC, in San Antonio, Texas.
Starting my own business was the best thing I ever did.
“My unexpected career as a pet sitter began in the summer of 2005. An ex-coworker of mine was having a house built, and needed somewhere to board her Labrador retriever for three months. It was not reasonable for her to use a traditional boarding facility, so I offered to care for "Buddy" until her house was finished. She insisted on paying me, so we negotiated a fair rate and I have been her preferred pet sitter ever since.
I began sitting for the majority of my other coworkers too. I cut back my hours at my day job in 2008 to accommodate my growing business and left completely after the birth of my son in late 2009. I was ready to be my own boss full-time.
I reached out to another sitter I found through PSI when I first started. We talked over lunch and everything was so new to me at the time; and now just a few years later, I organize our local pet-sitter network gatherings and maintain a zip code list for our group of more than 40 pet sitters.
I had my second child in early 2011 and work my business around my children so I can still be a stay-at-home mom. It's not always easy, but I am fortunate that my husband also works from home so he is able to assist with the kids when necessary.
I absolutely love what I do and am grateful for the fantastic clients I have acquired over the years. Now that my children are both past the one-year-old mark, I am looking to expand my business. I just changed from a sole proprietorship to an LLC and will be hiring my first employee very soon.
I'm excited for what the future holds and thankful for all the resources and advice I have received from other pet sitters and trade organizations such as PSI. I look forward to many more years of wags & kisses.”
Cindy Johnson
Bed & Biscuit Pet Care, LLC
San Antonio, Texas
