What is the name of your business and what inspired you to start? Where is your business located? We are located in the Durham Region and serve the Oshawa, Whitby and Ajax area. Who is your target audience? Why would they benefit from your service? My target audience are busy pet families or pet owners who require help with pet care. They range from the Millennials to Baby Boomers, to your average busy family with many activities and responsibilities on the go. They benefit from our services because not only do we serve a wide area, we are also flexible, affordable. We offer a variety of services, which can be tailored and priced to suit their needs. How do you effectively raise awareness of your business and getting new clients? Most of my clients come to me via my website. My Google AdWords campaign has really help with SEO and increasing brand awareness. I also have a presence on Facebook, however, I am looking for ways to improve and increase that presence. How do you stand out from your competitors? Judging by the feedback that I have received from clients, our Overnight Pet Care is a real hit. Many people love the idea of us living in their home with their pets while they are away on vacation. Not only are the pets kept in the comfort of their own home where they are safe and risk free of catching any illnesses, but the pet owner’s home is also being looked after in their absence. This is especially helpful for multi-pet homes, as the cost and stress of kenneling can be a bit much. What are the two toughest challenges that you face as a business owner and how have you overcome them? The toughest thing I struggle with is mindset. I keep telling myself that I have to get in to the business mindset. I launched this business because I truly want to help people with pet care. As a pet owner, I know the challenges that come with pet ownership. My heart goes out to clients who are struggling financially and can’t always afford pet care. With one client I covered 50% of the cost for the week and she was so grateful. I realize that I can’t do this often or for everyone because I’ll never make any money or I could I could find myself in financial difficulty. Situations like this are a real struggle for me because I would like my business to be successful and profitable so that I can continue to provide services for many other pet owners. My other challenge as a business owner is managing my time and setting goals. I have always been a “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” type of person, planning, adjusting and tweaking things as I go along. It’s been a real challenge for me to focus and really look deep within my business processes to see where there is room for improvement or growth. A big part of this is coming up with a plan, setting reasonable goals with timely check-points and having someone such as a mentor, hold me accountable. What advice would you share to entrepreneurs? I would have to say, don’t go it alone! Find someone successful in your industry and do as they do. Also, information is key. Research everything. Information can be found not only online, but we have wonderful resources such business advisory services, fellow entrepreneurs and industry leaders. What special offers do you have coming up that you would like to share?
I have a promo event for my current clients. If they refer a friend for our services, they will receive a 15% discount on their regular service for the month of January. Where can you be found online and in social media? Our website address is: www.moveyourdoggie.ca and we can be found on the following social media platforms:
2 Comments
Christina
1/3/2018 08:26:50 am
Great story. I had no idea about your service. I may be reaching out for some help with my little one in the future. Thanks for sharing your story.
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