We recently connected with Anthony Salazar and have shared our conversation below.

Anthony, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

Absolutely. One of the most valuable lessons I learned came from a significant failure early in my pet waste removal business. Driven by enthusiasm, I eagerly accepted an opportunity to provide pooper scooper services for a property management company, handling four of their properties. For an entire month, I believed my team and I were excelling. However, when I reached out to the property manager for feedback, I was met with intense frustration. Despite my best efforts, I had set expectations that were unattainable at the time and ultimately failed to meet the property manager’s needs. Consequently, she opted to handle the pet waste issues with her staff.

This experience was a crucial turning point for me. It forced me to critically evaluate how I managed my business and led to several key improvements. I implemented robust systems and processes for quality control, established automated proactive communication, and began documenting our work with photographs. Additionally, I learned to set clear, realistic expectations that I knew we could consistently meet.

As a result, my approach to client relationships and service delivery transformed. Today, I ensure every customer has an exceptional experience, leaving them impressed and satisfied. This failure, though painful, was instrumental in shaping a more resilient and effective pooper scooper business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Anthony Salazar, the founder of Salazar Scoops, the premier pet waste removal service in Utah designed to make life easier for property managers and pet owners. After spending over 15 years in customer experience and support roles, where I led teams of up to 16 people as a Senior Manager, I took the plunge into full-time entrepreneurship in 2020.

Why did I start Salazar Scoops? I saw a community of overwhelmed pet owners desperate for a reliable, efficient solution to a messy problem. So, I grabbed my rake and bucket and started scooping. Today, Salazar Scoops isn’t just a business—it’s an industry leader. We’ve even started coaching other businesses nationwide on how to start and grow their own pet waste removal operations.

What sets us apart? It’s our unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. We were finalists for Outstanding Customer Service at the 2023 Topaz Awards by the Rental Housing Association of Utah. With over 200 five-star reviews, it’s clear that our customers love what we do. Plus, I frequently share my expertise as an industry speaker and coach, helping other aspiring business owners achieve their dreams.

My philosophy is straightforward: “Your Word is Your Bond In Business.” This principle of dependability and reliability is why Salazar Scoops consistently delivers on its promises. We’re not just about picking up dog poop—we’re about creating an outstanding customer experience that leaves our clients impressed and satisfied.

Salazar Scoops is also deeply involved in the community. We work closely with the Rental Housing Association in Utah and the Community Association Institute Utah Chapter. We regularly support local animal shelters through donations, contributing to their vital work.

On a personal note, I enjoy video editing, storytelling, and spending quality time with my wife, teenage daughter, parents, and our two cats and dog. My ultimate goal is to make Salazar Scoops the most customer-obsessed pooper scooper business in the industry, transforming the customer experience and building a loyal community of satisfied clients.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

My journey from a Senior Manager working comfortably from home to the founder of Salazar Scoops, a thriving pet waste removal business, has been nothing short of transformative.

I started Salazar Scoops as a side hustle while holding down a full-time job. Initially, it was a way to make some extra income and address a need I saw among dog owners. The first year was a grind, balancing 8+ hours at the computer for my job and then heading out to scoop yards until sundown. Winters were particularly brutal with less daylight and scooping in the snow—don’t get me started on that!

Despite the challenges, I ended my first year with 16 recurring customers. By the second year, word had spread, and I grew to around 40 clients. By the third year, I had 65 happy customers. But it was during the spring rush of this year that the business really took off. In just six weeks, I almost tripled my client base to over 160+ clients. That was the tipping point.

Seeing the business’s potential, my fiancé quit her job to join me full time. Shortly after, I made the leap and left my job of eight years to focus entirely on Salazar Scoops and content creation. It was a roller coaster of emotions, but the decision has been incredibly rewarding.

Some key milestones along the way included hitting our first 50 clients, which validated the demand for our services, and the explosive growth during the spring rush, which showed me that we had built something scalable and sustainable. Each step required meticulous planning, relentless effort, and a deep commitment to customer satisfaction.

Today, Salazar Scoops is not just my full-time job but a passion project that continues to grow. We’ve built a loyal customer base, received numerous accolades, and even started coaching other aspiring business owners. It’s been a challenging but incredibly fulfilling journey, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe leading with empathy has been crucial in building my reputation within the market. I understand that many dog owners feel embarrassed about the state of their yard. Life can get overwhelming with responsibilities like taking care of kids, working multiple jobs, and managing bills and loans. Yard maintenance often falls to the bottom of the priority list. I never judge anyone based on the condition of their yard; instead, I feel grateful for the opportunity to serve them and provide a cleaner, poop-free environment they can enjoy again.

Listening to my customers has also been key. Many come to me because they are unhappy with their previous providers—whether it’s due to no-shows, poor communication, or leaving gates unlocked and dogs escaping. I take this feedback seriously and have incorporated robust processes in my business to ensure these issues don’t happen with Salazar Scoops. By consistently delivering reliable and empathetic service, I’ve built a strong reputation for understanding and meeting my customers’ needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://salazarscoops.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salazarscoops
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalazarScoops/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salazar-scoops
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@poopscoopsfornoobs
• Other: https://poopscoopsfornoobs.com