We recently connected with Candace Wingfield and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Candace thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?

Two of the most challenging things about running a pet care business are maintaining a healthy work/life balance and creating and enforcing boundaries. If you never take time away from your business you risk burnout, and you cannot provide the best care possible for your clients if you’re running on empty. Being able to set aside time away from work ties in very closely with also being able to maintain boundaries with clients. It is impossible to always be available for your clients. Sometimes I wish I could clone myself so I would be able to, but alas, I cannot. There are going to be times when you are already booked when another client wishes to use your services. There will also be times when you just need some days off to spend with family or to spend practicing self-care, and that is okay! Being able to say no is very important. It can be hard, especially when you’re a recovering people-pleaser like me. But what helped me feel better about it was accepting the fact that you can’t be at your best if you’re exhausted from trying to be available for everyone 100% of the time. When you’re providing care for pets you want to be at your best so that they can receive the quality care they deserve! One thing that helped me to be able to say no easier was to find other sitters in my area that I could trust to refer out to my new and existing clients. Having a network of other trustworthy sitters who care about animals just as much as you do is invaluable.

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?

Pet Care by Candace provides housesitting/overnight care, dog walking, and drop-in services in Raleigh and surrounding areas. Housesitting is my most requested service and also my favorite service to provide. It’s such a great alternative to boarding. Being removed from a familiar environment and their regular routines can cause so much stress for pets. I love that I’m able to come over to my client’s homes and basically take their place. I move in and become a live-in pet nanny essentially, providing care throughout the day. A common question I get is whether or not I care for animals other than cats and dogs. Well, I do! I also offer care for farm animals and exotics!

One of the most frequent questions I get from people curious about my business is what made me decide on a career as a pet caretaker. They are often surprised to learn that my original career pursuit was art and design. I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Arts in Animation and Game Design. During my time in school, I learned about the existence of pet-sitting apps. I loved animals and being around them, but I couldn’t have pets of my own. So, I figured caring for other people’s pets would be the next best thing!

I started out caring for my friends and family’s pets, and then before I knew it, I started getting more and more requests from new clients. Eventually, I decided to start my own pet care business and things took off from there! By the time I graduated college, I was enjoying running my pet care business so much, I decided to forgo pursuing a career in animation and instead start pet sitting full-time. It is very difficult to find trustworthy, reliable pet care. Just consider all of the regular posts on social media talking about pet sitters being negligent. There is a high demand for pet caretakers that can provide pet owners with complete peace of mind. My goal for every client I take on is to ensure that their pet is well cared for while they are away and to provide that peace of mind that pet parents desire. Every pet owner should have the opportunity to travel without having to worry about the well-being of their beloved pets.

I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to care for animals for a living. Animals bring so much joy to my life and they’re always teaching me things and helping me to become a better person. I sometimes have trouble connecting with other people, but connecting with animals, on the other hand, feels so natural. I believe that when we’re lacking in certain areas, God gives us strengths in others. Being able to have special connections with animals can enrich our lives in so many ways. I’m thankful that I get to spend so much time with these amazing creatures.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

I almost gave up on my business during the pandemic. Day after day clients canceled bookings due to the lockdown and all of my pet care business income was brought to a halt. I had my freelance art side business to bring in some income, but not nearly as much as I’d need to pay for rent. So I applied to some animal-related jobs because I needed a more stable source of income. I was invited to an interview at a pet resort shortly after. The interview went well but I didn’t like the work environment and declined their request for a second interview.

I didn’t hear back from any of the other jobs I applied to. This time period of not knowing what to do next was one of the most stressful times of my life. I felt so lost and I didn’t know what I should do next. I cried and prayed, and one day God told me to just keep doing what I had already been doing. So I went back to doing freelance art and design work. Thankfully, my amazing brother with whom I share an apartment was patient and understanding and allowed me time to get back on my feet. I continued my freelance work until eventually, I received a regular client who still needed pet care services during the pandemic. That one regular client really helped with my income and then more clients slowly started to request services from me as the severity of the pandemic lessened.

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

Consistency is really what helped me build my reputation. I worked hard to constantly provide a high level of care and did my best to be as available for my clients as possible. Kindness and professional communication were also vital to the growth of my business. Clients like to work with people who are not only friendly but who are good communicators as well. Regular updates with photos and details about how the pets are doing during bookings helped garner trust with my clients, some of whom were using services after having a bad experience with a previous sitter. Sensitivity to both the client and the pet’s needs, and being able to anticipate them and provide what those needs are is also important.

I worked extremely hard to grow my business, but it wouldn’t be where it is now if it weren’t for God, all of the support I received from my family and friends, and my wonderful clients who I had, and continue to have the privilege of serving.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://petcarewithcandace.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petcare.by.candace/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PetCarebyCandace/

Image Credits
Candace Wingfield Jason Hughes