Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Quereux. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. Have you ever had an amazing boss? What did you learn from them? Maybe you can share a story that illustrates the kind of boss they were or maybe you can share your thoughts on what you think made them an awesome person to work for?
Yes, I had a wonderful boss who eventually became more of a mentor figure in my life today. Her name is Lori Carman and she is the owner of Dream Dogs Bermuda Dunes. After I graduated college and moved across the country from Massachusetts to California, I felt really lost. I had no idea what I wanted to do for my career and where I could even see my future going. After doing some research in October of 2022, I reached out to Dream Dogs looking for an internship / volunteer work at the training facility. I had worked with service dogs in college, but knew that I needed more experience working with animals and instructing people. Lori provided me with just that; she took me under her wing and taught me SO MUCH about animal behavior, running a successful business, and training people to train their dogs. After a year and a half working with Lori very closely, she provided me with opportunities for growth within her company but I was unable to accept it due to my husband’s job. My husband is an engineer so they relocate us based on the company’s ongoing projects. In February of 2024, they relocated us to San Diego. Once again, I felt lost. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life again. I thought I was going to have to give up on dog training and jump ship to the next best thing all over again. It was Lori who stopped me and made me reflect on my potential and experience. Lori saw my value, drive, and resilience; Lori believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Having said that, it’s because of her that I have my own small business today. She not only help me see my worth, but she also helped me set up my company completely from the ground up. I’m so very grateful she came into my life when she did.
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?
My name is Emily Quereux and I own Dream Dogs San Diego – a positive reinforcement based dog training business in North County San Diego. All my life, I knew I wanted to work with animals, but never knew in what manner that would be in. I knew that being a vet wasn’t for me because I never wanted to see animals hurt or suffering. I knew that I wanted to do more than just walk or groom them. I knew that I wanted to work closely and have a positive effect on animals, but had no idea how until I was in college.
I went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I studied Marketing and Spanish, even though I had no clue what I was going to do once I graduated. During my final year at the university, I started getting involved with Diggity Dogs Service Dogs and it felt like my “ah ha!” moment. It showed me the manner in which I could work with dogs and have a positive impact on them and their handler’s lives. It showed me a passion that I never even knew I had.
After getting more experience and certifications, I was able to bring my passion and degree together by opening my own dog training small business. Now I help clients in North County San Diego with their dog’s behavioral and obedience training needs. I’m able to give the owners a better understanding of their dogs while teaching them science-based methods on how to build and reinforce better habits in their dogs. I specialize in one-on-one private training with the owners or day-training with just the dog for a more “home-school” approach. I am planning on expanding into new classes and programs this summer though!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve had to pivot my career many times since it began in 2018 when I started college. Since the pandemic happened in 2020, the job market has not been the same. I went from having internships and volunteering opportunities to being isolated and, what felt like, “behind.” It took me awhile to figure out where my career was headed. It took a lot of trial and error. I learned that with life and our careers, all we can do is “tuck and roll.” Roll down the hill we call life and make sure you move with the turns, not against them. Thats what I did. That’s how I ended up going from a restaurant food runner to a small business owner.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
In previous questions, I have mentioned Lori a lot. Although she isn’t legally my “business partner,” I would still consider her the right-hand man to my business. We met in fall of 2022 after I had moved from MA to CA with my now husband. I had no idea what I wanted to do for the longevity of my career, so I knew I had to explore my options a bit more. While I was working my dead-end job trying to make ends meet, I reached out to Dream Dogs Bermuda Dunes looking for an internship or volunteer opportunity to get more experience with animals. That is when I met and began working with Lori.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Dreamdog.com/carlsbad-ca
- Instagram: Dream Dogs San Diego
- Linkedin: Emily-bicalho
- Other: CCPDT-KA Certified
Dogs on the Run – pet concierge company; I work as a trainer/walker through them as well
