Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Cobb.
Jessica, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I hated my job and I loved our dogs. That’s how my business started, in a nutshell. My husband and I had moved from Florida to Pennsylvania for “a change”. The job I found was not ideal and because we had no family around, our dogs were stuck inside all day with no potty break or fun in their boring day while we were gone for 8+ hours. I made phone calls, did internet searches, asked co-workers but no one knew of any kind of pet-sitting service in the area where we lived. I have always loved animals and dreamed of one day working in the animal care industry but didn’t know how to make it a reality….and pay the bills! One day, as my husband was tired of hearing me complain about my job for the 100th time, he told me to quit and start my own pet sitting company. So, without knowing if there was a market for it, if it would make money or if people even knew what a pet sitter was in that area, I started it. And guess what!? People in the area needed it and loved the service!
Luckily, I was able to sell my first business in Pennsylvania to a lady who continues to run it and provide quality pet care and we moved here to Georgia. I began Zoomies pet sitting just a few short months of moving here and things could not be going better. In fact, the business here has grown at twice the rate that it did in PA and I currently have four fantastic ladies on staff in just two years. There was a definite need for professional pet care in our area and we are happy to have filled that gap!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think there is always a struggle and fear of “will it be successful” when you take on starting your own business, no matter what industry you are in. The unknowns are scary. Especially when you have to do it twice in two different states and two different areas with a completely unproven market for that industry.
The other struggle I have had in this business is when it came to growth, which meant having to hire staff members. It’s a tough thing when your business is your reputation and your “baby” and to have to give up that control and trust others to do as good of a job as you would. I’m a control freak. Especially when it comes to this business that I’ve worked hard for and take pride in the quality of services we provide. Luckily, I have found four fantastic ladies and have been very blessed. Your business is only successful as the people that help you run it.
Zoomies pet-sitting & dog walking – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Zoomies pet sitting and dog walking provides in-home pet care for dogs, cats, horses and farm animals. Whether that means mid-day dog walks for working clients, multiple pet visits throughout the day while you’re out of town or overnight pajama parties with your fur babies, we come to you! A lot of pets don’t like their routines and surroundings disturbed and we can offer that to pet parents. We are also licensed, bonded and insured. Not only is this a good safeguard for our sitters and our business, but it is a great peace of mind for owners and something that any pet parent should ask about before hiring someone to watch their own animals.
One of the things that sets Zoomies apart from other pet sitting companies is we focus a lot on the fun factor. In fact, our tag line is “unleash the fun”. Our branding is bright, modern and contemporary. Our social media is full of photos of pets loving life taking walks on beautiful days, hitting the trails, playing in the lake, running after toys, getting yummy treats. We even offer a “field trip” service where we will pick up the clients dog and take them to a nearby park or trail for an hour of exercise and adventure and drop them back home happy and ready for a nap! Of course there are lots of cuddles and snuggles as well, but that comes after all the fun.
I am the most proud of our outstanding reputation among our clients and those in our community. We always try and go above and beyond for our clients and it shows. I will run into people out and about and Zoomies will come up in conversation and the person will say how they’ve heard such great things about us. That really means the world to me because myself and my staff all truly love what we do and care about the animals we watch.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I feel like success is kind of three-fold. If you can be financially stable in your business and take care of yourself, if you are providing a quality service that benefits and enriches others’ lives and if you are able to create jobs and a source of income for others. That is the ultimate trifecta of success to me! I feel like we are doing that, but there is still a lot more growing to do and we’ve got a lot of opportunity ahead to be even more successful.
Success markers for me would be in the way of area expansion. I want to see Zoomies pet sitting services available to those areas surrounding us who may not have a lot of options in the way of in home pet care. I feel that everyone should have choices when it comes to their pet’s well-being because what works for one dog or cat may not work for another. They shouldn’t be forced to leave their pet in a situation that isn’t ideal just because it’s their only option. Whether it’s rural or a larger city, I would like us to have a presence and be able to provide quality pet care for owners no matter where they live.
Pricing:
- Pet sitting visits start at $14
- Dog walking starts at $14
- Overnight visits – $60
- Field Trips- $30
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zoomiespetsitting.com
- Phone: 770-731-7897
- Email: jessica@zoomiespetsitting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoomiespetsitting/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoomiespetsitting/
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
