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There’s great truth to the statement, “There’s strength in numbers.” Pet sitting can be lonely. And whether you are just starting your pet-sitting business or are a pet-care veteran, you have questions—and there’s no one better to help answer your questions and share in your daily challenges and joys than a fellow pet sitter. 

PSI members have a network of nearly 7,000 fellow PSI members and pet-sitting business owners, and PSI is always looking for ways to help our members connect with one another. From PSI’s annual conference to the private Facebook chat group, PSI is always seeking out new avenues to allow our members to find support, advice and new ideas from fellow pet sitters. 

PSI’s Pet Sitter Spotlight series has that same goal. Each month, we’ll feature a different PSI member and share his or her answers to our pet-sitting survey. The responses will help you get to “know” this pet sitter and provide you with some tips and advice for your own pet-sitting business. You can view past Pet Sitter Spotlights here.

PSI members, if you are interested in being considered for a PSI Pet Sitter Spotlight, complete this questionnaire.

Meet Jamie Hoad, owner of Lazy Days Pet Sitting in Rocky Mount, N.C.:

Your Name: Jamie Hoad

Business Name: Lazy Days Pet Sitting

Location: Rocky Mount, N.C.

Year you started your pet-sitting business: 2006

What was your previous job/profession? vet assistant

What is your current business structure? sole proprietorship

Number of current clients: 60

How many visits do you typically do per day? 2

Is your service area urban, suburban or rural? Suburban

Is your pet-sitting business insured and bonded? Yes

How long did it take you to build up your clientele? Five years

Do you use staff sitters? Yes, independent contractors (ICs). I need help only occasionally and felt that I did not have the need for an employee who would have regularly scheduled weekly work.

Do you offer any services besides basic in the client's home pet sitting and dog walking? (pet taxi, etc.) I offer pet taxi, and some basic training for established clients.

What educational opportunities have you taken advantage of since becoming a pet sitter?
[I have taken advantage of] equine, canine epilepsy, and canine breeding seminars at nearby NCSU Vet School, parrot care classes given by a non-profit bird rescue; and senior care and essential oils for animals at a local veterinary hospital.

Which advertising methods worked best when you were a new business? 
Referrals from vet hospitals and booth set up at local pet events

Do you still use the same advertising methods? I do. They work as good now as they did then, if not better!

What's one mistake you've made as a professional pet sitter (when you were just starting out or at any time during your career)? What did you learn/what do you do differently now?

Always carry pen and paper. I missed an appointment and missed calling a potential client back because I "thought" i would remember. Now, I am never without pen and paper and I use the memo app on my phone whenever I need to jot something down quickly.

What advice would you give to new pet sitters? 

Confirm EVERYTHING. I had a client give me the wrong security code and they never returned my calls. So the police were called every time I showed up.

Are there any must-have business tools your business could not do without?
Google calendar! It keeps me sane and helps prevent me from overbooking and easily organizes my IC schedules.

Do you schedule vacation time and/or days off? 3 times a year for long weekends. I also try to have at least two half days off a month but thay isn't always possible.

Are there any tips you would share for establishing a healthy work-life balance? Learn to say "no" earlier. When starting out, you want to accept everything but if you don't give your clients boundaries, they will always expect you to be there. They will begin to book vacations and then ask if you can work rather than the other way around. You cannot be the best pet sitter you can be if you are exhausted. Taking time off and saying no so you can have time to yourself to rest is one of the best things you can do both for yourself and your clients.

Is there any other information about your business and/or what has helped you create a successful pet-sitting business that you'd like to share? Establishing a good relationship with other local pet businesses is a big deal. Referrals are big in our business and if you cannot give a good referral, based on your own experience, then it can backfire. But knowing you can refer to a good groomer or vet, those places will refer to you.