Exploring Life & Business with Andrea Dempsey of Mellow Tails

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Dempsey.

Hi Andrea, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Alpharetta, our home was full of pets — dogs, guinea pigs, hermit crabs, even a frog. I vividly remember adopting our rescue dog, Gizmo, outside a PetSmart; she was with us for 17 years.

Even as I followed a more traditional path — studying business at Ohio State and spending eight years in marketing and sales back in Atlanta — that love for animals never left. To stay connected to it, I fostered over a dozen dogs and cats through Lifeline and Atlanta Humane. That’s where I discovered the emotional side of animal welfare, especially Fear Free practices, which focus on reducing fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. While this approach was common in shelters and vet clinics, I noticed it was missing in everyday pet care services.

In 2023, I launched Mellow Tails, a dog walking and pet sitting business grounded in Fear Free principles. What started as a side project quickly grew — and by July 2024, I left my software sales job to pursue it fully.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest obstacle was finding the courage to quit my software sales job and make the bet that I could support myself from Mellow Tails alone! A lot of my coworkers in my sales job thought I was crazy, and it was definitely a leap of faith to walk away from a steady income and career I had worked hard for to something uncertain.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Mellow Tails is a solo-run pet care business offering dog walking, cat sitting, and pet taxi services in Atlanta. What makes us different is the personal, consistent care I provide — I’m the only person clients work with, so pets feel safe and familiar with me and we’re able to develop our human-animal bond. I also specialize in working with anxious or sensitive pets, using Fear Free practices to minimize stress during care. With a background in marketing and sales, I’m obsessive about the client experience — both human and animal. I’m proud to be building a brand that’s deeply thoughtful, trustworthy, and heart-led.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
There are so many; it’s hard to pick one because I am learning everyday. So maybe it’s striking a balance of relying on your training and experience and trusting your instincts but also never losing that sense of curiosity, hunger, and learning from those smarter than you.

Pricing:

• Walks starting at $16
• Cat sitting starting at $30 per day
• Contact directly for doggie daycare transportation pricing

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mellowtailsatl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mellowtailsatl/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-dempsey-40838150/