Veteran, former human resources professional finds fulfilling career in pet sitting
Anthony Garza turned a part-time pursuit into a thriving business.
When Anthony L. Garza managed an online master’s program at Duke University in Durham, N.C., he decided to start pet sitting as a part-time pursuit.
He had always thought about being a pet sitter, but he didn’t know that it would be a viable career option.
But within about five months, he left his position at Duke to manage his growing company, Paws On Durham Pet Sitting.
“At this age, it’s very important to be happy with what you do,” says Garza. “It definitely was a great move, and I enjoy it every day.”
Garza has been pet sitting since 2013. His company has an office and about 14 employees, who serve about 200 clients.
Background in the military, HR contributes to Garza’s success
Garza’s former careers helped him become a strong leader and manager, preparing him for success running his own business.
He served in the U.S. Air Force for 14 years and was stationed in several locations, ranging from Germany to South Dakota.
He was a personnel officer, so it was a natural progression when he went on to work as a human resources manager for companies like Home Depot, CitiMortgage, Wal-Mart and others. Garza has bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
But pet sitting was always in the back of his mind.
“I’ve always loved animals and had a passion for them,” Garza says.
Why PSI?
Before he started taking customers in his new business, Garza attended Pet Sitters International’s conference in Winston-Salem, N.C., which he said was an eye opener and a big help. What he learned there helped him solidify some things about his business, such as his decision to hire employees instead of using independent contractors.
Garza earned PSI’s CPPS-Certified Professional Pet Sitter® designation, which he said looks great to his clients, and he has gotten referrals and leads from the PSI Pet Sitter Locator.
He also started developing relationships with other pet sitters in the area and began using Power Pet Sitter to manage client schedules and other office procedures.
It has been a big learning experience, Garza says, but he has been able to draw on his experience dealing with people. He says he and his employees communicate well with their customers and develop relationships with them.
Garza honors Monty and Lulu
One of the reasons Garza started his company was in homage to his pugs Monty and Lulu, who both passed away in 2013. One was 15 and the other developed cancer. As they started to fail, it was harder for Garza to leave them at home.
Now he has a business that allows people to go out of town or go to work and not have to worry about their beloved pets. He says they have many customers who had never taken vacations without their pets, and now they have entrusted them into his company’s hands.
“Loving someone else’s animals as much as I do or as much as my pet sitters do is a great feeling,” Garza says.
They primarily care for dogs and cats, but also for other pets such as birds, rabbits, chickens and reptiles.
Paws On Durham thrives
Paws On Durham Pet Sitting offers pet sitting, dog walking, pet taxi and house-sitting services. Garza says he partners with a pet photographer and house-cleaning service for his clients to get discounted rates.
Garza says the biggest thing that affected his company’s growth was ensuring that his website was sharp and up to date and that his search engine optimization was working correctly.
His company is also heavily involved in the community and partners with Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers food to homebound seniors. His company collects pet food and donates it to Meals on Wheels clients. In a little over a year, his company donated more than 10,000 pounds of food.
Garza says his employees make him who he is. They work hard and enjoy what they do. He says he wouldn’t be able to do all of this without having great input and support from his wonderful wife, Liz. And his customers are great, too.
Read more pet-sitting success stories.
Photos provided by Anthony Garza, Paws on Durham.
Interested in learning more about becoming a pet sitter? This free Ebook from PSI will help you start your business the right way, with instructions on selecting your business structure, obtaining your business license and selecting your service area.
