Our next Client Spotlight is shining on The Purr-fect Paw! Based deep in the heart of Texas in Waco — Justin Gentry and his team have been focused on providing professional, reliable and outstanding pet sitting and dog walking services since 2011. Their reputation speaks for themselves as The Purr-fect Paw has been voted Best of Waco by Locals Love Us three straight years! It’s easy to see why knowing their commitment to healthier, happier pets and peace of mind for their human clients. Be sure to check out their website here and like them on Facebook!
What caused you to get into pet sitting?
I’ve always had a passion for animals and they seemed to have a soft spot for me too. As a kid, we always a large animal family and at a one point we had 6 dogs, 6 cats, a hamster, a bunny, a bird and a few squirrels.
I also have a very deep passion for business. One day while researching business ideas I came across pet sitting and was immediately intrigued. I did a lot of research on the field and before long I went all in and never looked back.
What is the most fulfilling part of owning a pet sitting business?
Of course the extra pets in my life are a given. Beyond that the most fulfilling part of owning a business is knowing I am in control of destiny. There is no ceiling to the potential I can unlock and I know I can grow this business as far as I am willing.
What is the most challenging?
I could probably write an entire essay of the challenges of owning a pet sitting business but I’ll keep it brief. Early on I would say the biggest challenge I faced was that I was a) 20 years old and b) a male. I was young, and looked it, and I was very afraid of clients not taking me seriously or believing I was capable of providing excellent pet care. I would also say the majority of pet sitting business owners are female and most would associate a female doing this type of business and that worried me. I soon realized that as long as you present yourself professionally then most people do not care how young you are or if you aren’t the “person” they were expecting.
The biggest challenge I face now that I’ve been doing this for 5 years is definitely awareness. Waco isn’t a big city like Dallas, so most people here don’t really know that professional pet sitting is an option. They believe that you either board your pets or get a friend to help out so trying to get the message across that such a business exists is challenging.
Where do you see your business in 5 years?
I see myself overseeing a number of franchises of The Purr-fect Paw. As I mentioned, I love business and I definitely don’t plan to be in only Waco forever. I have a proven business model that works, but I still need more time/money to expand to a nearby city to test this model before I would feel comfortable franchising.
What has Time To Pet changed the most about how you run your business?
Before this technology existed I was scared to death of the idea of having employees. How would I know they are staying the entire time? Are they really walking the dog? Are they arriving on time? I couldn’t risk somebody putting my reputable business on the line so I just continued to do everything myself.
Now I am able to finally have a peace of mind with TTP. Not only are all my worries eliminated but I get even more awesome features such as scheduling, invoicing, client portal, etc. to ensure my clients are having a wonderful experience!
