Today we’d like to introduce you to Regina Patrick.
Hi Regina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my company in January 2022. I had been doing pet sitting for friends and family over the years my entire life. But we had a hardship that set our family back not only finacially, but emotionally. My husband of now 31 years had a stroke. He was unable to work but also left him unable to do a great many things. Knowing he would need time to heal, mounting expeses, and the need to be there for my husband, I needed to do something that would give me the flexibility and the income I needed. Thinking back, I was looking for a short term solution. But I did my homework. I researched everything I could find on how to get started. I came across Pet Sitters International. They had all the training and information I needed. I got my articles of organization together to get my LLC. Found insurance that would fit for our needs. And later, obtained bonding so that I could hire sitters once I realized what I wanted to do with my business. I began setting small, obtainable goals. I have reached every goal I have set and continue to practice goal setting as a regular habit. Reaching these goals, finding quality sitters, and the relationships we are building with our clients and community have given me more than I could have ever imagined.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been constant hurdles. Having the finances to build a business has been a real struggle. Something as simple as the price of business cards which is nothing but a drop in the bucket for most people. But for us, it meant whether or not we could pay a bill or not. I am grateful for the friends who supported my endeaver and reached out with advice or guidance. But our limited finaces left me at a very slow pace. However, the vision that I had kept me pushing ahead no matter the struggle. While at home, I continued to fight for time with my husband and home while building a strong business foundation.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Wags and Whiskers Sitters ?
We are a pet sitting company. We currently service the West Georgia area. We have a full staff of sitters and dog walkers with various skillsets. Together, we make an unstoppable team. Unlike a lot of other pet sitting businesses, our sitters will never arrive in uniforms, logos are never worn, and their vehicles are unmarked. While we love the advertisement, our client’s privacy and security. We also don’t charge per pet. We charge by time spent. We value simplicty and strive to be the best at what we do. Furthering education is foundational. People know us by name and trust. They know when they book with us, they are getting professional, but also personalized service geared to their individual needs. We set out to be a relational business rather than a transactional one. Our team is also striving to be better. So you know these folks truly care about the pets and the clients who they serve.
What does success mean to you?
To me success is not in a single moment or action. It is defined by many small moments. We are successful in the relationships with the clients and our sitters. We are successful in growth that we are seeing. But also I would say that I am nowhere near where I like to be. So I continue to push ahead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wagsandwhiskerssitters.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wagsandwhiskerssitters/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/villaricapetsitters
- Other: https://www.petsit.com/pet-sitter-villa-rica-ga-wags-and-whiskers-sitters-llc
Image Credits
Carla Smith Photography and TJ the Alpaca from L&R Alpaca Haven Farm
