We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emma Bierwas a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Emma, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I said, “I should start a dog-walking business.” I think it was a cumulation of tiny little moments and ventures over time that led me from this passion for working with animals to becoming a business owner. I’ve been an animal and pet lover my entire life- growing up with dogs, cats, bunnies, chickens, and the occasional fish, there was always an animal friend to spend time with. I can even remember as a child taking my grandparent’s dog, Scooter, outside into their yard and “training” him, so perhaps becoming a pet care professional has always been destiny- it would just take a pandemic and dislike for the corporate world to bring it out of me.

It was at the beginning of 2020, and while COVID was the topic of most conversations, leaving my “big girl, professional” job was at the forefront of my mind. So I did just that. I was overworked, unhappy, and longing for a career that excited me.

I had been a hobby sitter for years, starting in middle school, pet sitting for families in my community and continuing to do so in my early 20s. I figured while I took the next few months to figure out my next career move, I would dog sit and dog walk in my local area to keep paying my bills. Little did I realize how much of a need there was for pet care professionals in my town. I began gaining traction on third-party pet care booking sites, and my calendar quickly became very full. I was ecstatic and feeling very fulfilled. I then realized I could have a career and do something I was passionate about. So, in 2021, I formally launched Port City Paws.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to care for hundreds of pets. It’s been a dream come true to care for so many. I’m incredibly proud of the foundation I’ve built for Port City Paws. Running a full-time business and embarking on the entrepreneurial journey has been a learning curve. But, it gets more exciting with each passing day and I’m excited to continue growing my team with people who lead with the same passion and standard of care that I do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Emma Bierwas, an entrepreneur, pet lover, and mom from the New Hampshire Seacoast. It’s fair to say much of my identity is rooted in my passion for business. Some may call me a workaholic, and while I may be, I also have an intense inability to do anything halfway or with subpar effort. And truthfully, I love being able to do things my way without the constraints of a company limiting me.

But being able to do things my way is so much more than calling all the shots for my business. It’s being able to create the work-life balance I was lacking in previous career endeavors. Not only can I have a company where I can work with animals, something I am passionate about, but now I get to balance that with being a first-time mom to my daughter, Violet. I can work, be a mom, and have a team of employees that keep the business moving when I have to put on one of the many other hats I wear. As a business owner, it also excites me that I can set the expectations for the level of care my clients receive. Not only are my clients getting services catered to their pet’s needs, but these visits are personal. They’re not just names on a calendar- each visit is an opportunity to connect with and enrich the pet’s life. This creates a unique experience for both the pet and the pet parent, building incredible trust and rapport.

The Port City Paws brand represents me very much—fun, caring, authentic, passionate, with the right dose of professionalism—you know, so people take me seriously! I think the balance of all these characteristics keeps clients coming back for more and referring Port City Paws to their friends and family.

I’m proud that I’m not “just a dog walker” but a partner in my clients’ pets’ journey.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word-of-mouth referrals have built Port City Paws from the ground up. Four years into this adventure, and to this day, my number one source of new clients comes from the praises of a current client.

In addition to word-of-mouth referrals, my online presence, social media, and Google Reviews have contributed significantly to the number of leads I connect with and turn into clients. Make sure you have solid SEO, post on your socials regularly, and ask your clients to leave reviews for you. When prospective clients can “get to know” you and your business before your first meeting, they are already comfortable with you, trust you, and are excited to work with you.

So do the work, care about what you do and the experience you provide, and the clients will come—I guess that’s my magic formula!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I had to adapt my business a lot and figure out its direction when I found out in October 2023 that I was expecting a baby in June of 2024. This was a hectic (yet exciting) time not only for me personally but professionally, too. I was still working the business solo, usually seven days a week, but I knew this routine would only last a bit longer. I also knew, looking ahead, that when I was nine months pregnant, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with walking dogs for 8-10 hours a day.

Suddenly, I had to change my “one day I will hire an employee” to “I need to figure out how to do this now.” So that’s exactly what I did. I took a hiring course geared toward pet care professionals, and in between work, doctor’s appointments, parenting books, and the occasional stress-related breakdown, I got my ducks in a row and grew my team. My business had to pivot to keep running and meeting clients’ needs, and this was an opportunity to learn, grow, and test myself. I am so happy that I saw this through rather than putting my business on pause. Growing my team was a milestone achievement for me as a business owner.

Learning how to hire, be a team leader, and become a mom all in nine months was a journey, but it was an awesome one, and the lessons I learned along the way will stay with me forever. I think you never really know what you are capable of until you can sit back and reflect on how far you’ve come after putting in the work, sweat, and, yes, sometimes tears.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.portcitypawspetcare.com/
• Instagram: @PortCityPaws
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PortCityPawsNH