Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kiersten Brown. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Kiersten, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was walking away from a stable, successful career to build a life centered around something most people wouldn’t consider a “real” path at the time, caring for dogs.
My inspiration started with my own dog, Porter. She was with me for 16 years and gave me the most genuine, steady companionship I’ve ever experienced. Everything I’ve built since is, in many ways, a continuation of her legacy.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time volunteering with animal rescues. I loved it, but it wasn’t seen as a viable career. I followed the expected path instead. I went to school, built a career in hospitality, and became a chef and catering director. On paper, it was everything I was supposed to want. Salary, benefits, growth. But the reality was long hours, constant stress, and coming home with just enough energy to let my dogs into the backyard. I felt a growing sense of guilt and disconnect.
At some point, I had to ask myself a hard question. Why was I spending the majority of my time doing something that didn’t feel meaningful, when I already knew what did?
So after five years, I quit. I left behind financial stability, benefits, use of my college degree, and a clear career path, and stepped into something completely uncertain. Most people thought it was a mistake. I took a minimum wage job at a dog daycare posting I found on Craigslist. I was overqualified on paper, but I knew I needed to learn the industry from the ground up.
That experience was pivotal. I spent two years there learning not just how the business worked, but what wasn’t working for the dogs. I saw that many environments focused on convenience rather than what dogs actually need. Connection, structure, enrichment, and time in nature.
From there, I started out on my own building something different. I began with small, curated pack walks, intentionally grouping dogs that complemented each other. What surprised me most was the ripple effect. Clients started meeting neighbors they had never spoken to before, simply because their dogs walked together. Dogs were creating community.
That became the foundation of what I wanted to build.
I eventually launched Brown Dog Walking Co. in Charleston, SC with a focus on relationship-driven care, for both dogs and their people. Over time, that vision grew into Camp Brown Dog, an outdoor, fully enclosed space where dogs can run, explore, swim, and engage in a way that mirrors how they are naturally meant to live.
Looking back, that decision was risky in every practical sense. It was slow, it was uncertain, and it required a lot of persistence (and mistakes!). But it also gave me something I didn’t have before. Alignment. I have been able to turn something deeply personal into a business that not only supports me, but improves the quality of life for the animals and people we serve.
Now, as life gets busier for so many people, I see the impact even more clearly. We are not just providing a service. We are helping relieve guilt, create connection, and give dogs fuller, more engaged lives.
Taking that risk 14 years ago completely changed the trajectory of my life. And if anything, it reinforced something I still believe. When you build something around genuine purpose, it may take time, but it works.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
If you ask me how I got here, the honest answer is that I built this life around a dog.
My name is Kiersten, and I’m the owner of Brown Dog Walking Co., a pet care company rooted in one simple idea. Dogs deserve a life that feels full, not just managed.
I made a decision in my quarter life crisis that didn’t make sense to a lot of people. I walked away from my career and took a minimum wage job at a dog daycare just to get my foot in the door. I needed to understand the industry from the inside.
What I found was eye opening. A lot of pet care was built for efficiency, not for the dogs. I saw overcrowded playrooms, overstimulation, and a lack of intention. It made me realize that dogs needed more than a place to burn energy. They needed structure, connection, time outdoors, and relationships they could rely on.
That is where Brown Dog Walking Co. started.
What began as small, curated pack walks turned into something much bigger. I was intentionally grouping dogs based on personality and energy, and something unexpected happened. There was a sense of community forming that felt rare and really meaningful.
Today, Brown Dog Walking Co. is built around what I call whole dog wellness. We offer daily walks, in home care, and adventure based services designed to give dogs a more enriched and balanced life. Our signature experience is Camp Brown Dog, an outdoor, fully enclosed space where dogs can run, swim, explore, and engage in natural behaviors. It is not about just tiring them out. It is about giving them a life that feels enriching and fulfilling.
At the core of what we do, we are solving a very real problem for pet owners. Guilt. People love their dogs deeply, but life is busy. Work, family, and responsibilities pull them in different directions. We step in to support that relationship. Not just by showing up, but by becoming a trusted part of their dog’s life. We give people peace of mind knowing their pets are not just being cared for, but genuinely known and loved.
What sets us apart is the intention behind everything. We are not transactional. We are relational. We focus on connection, consistency, and enrichment in every single visit. Our team is trained to look beyond the basics and really understand each dog as an individual.
What I am most proud of is that this started with a feeling. A sense that dogs deserved better. And now it has grown into a business that not only supports me, but creates better lives for my team, the dogs we care for, and the people who love them.
What I want people to know about Brown Dog is this. We are not here to do the bare minimum. We are here to raise the standard. We are here to create experiences that help dogs live beyond the leash, and to be the kind of team that people trust with something that matters deeply to them.
This is not just a service. It is a commitment. And for me, it always goes back to Porter. She set the standard for the life I wanted to build, and I have been chasing that ever since.
Have you ever had to pivot?
One of the biggest pivots in my business came during COVID in 2020.
At the time, my business was built primarily around pack walks. That was our bread and butter. Then almost overnight, everything changed. People were suddenly working from home, routines were flipped upside down, and the demand for short midday walks dropped significantly. It could have been a breaking point.
Instead of holding onto what had been working, I paid attention to what people needed now.
Clients were home all day, but their dogs were restless. They needed more than a quick walk. They needed stimulation, structure, and a real outlet for their energy. That is when I had the idea to shift from short pack walks to longer, half-day pack adventure outings.
I started taking small groups of dogs out for extended adventures. We would go explore the beaches, spend time outdoors, let them run, play, and just be dogs for a few hours. It was a completely different experience from what I had been offering.
And it took off.
The dogs were more fulfilled. The clients were relieved and excited to see how happy and balanced their dogs were coming home. And honestly, I was happier too. I remember thinking, this is what it is supposed to feel like. I get to spend half my day outside with a pack of dogs, watching them thrive.
What could have been a really difficult season for my business ended up becoming a turning point. That shift laid the foundation for what would eventually grow into Camp Brown Dog and the adventure-based services we offer today.
That experience taught me a lot about business. You can’t stay rigid, especially when things change quickly. You have to listen, adapt, and sometimes completely reimagine what you offer. It also reinforced something I still believe. Challenges often carry the opportunity for your next level, if you are willing to look for it.
Looking back, that pivot didn’t just help my business survive. It made it better, more aligned, and more impactful than it had ever been before.
Any advice for managing a team?
Managing a team and maintaining high morale is something I think about constantly, because at the end of the day, a business is only as strong as the people behind it.
When I started, it was just me. I was doing everything myself and pouring everything I had into the work. As demand grew through word of mouth, I realized that if I wanted to reach more dogs and more families, I had to build a team. That transition was not easy. Over the past 12 years, I have made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot about leadership the hard way.
One of the biggest lessons I learned early on is that you cannot train passion, but you can train standards.
In the beginning, my “training program” was simply having new walkers shadow me. I struggled to translate what I knew from experience into something teachable. Over time, I started building out training materials, systems, and clear expectations. I have rewritten those more times than I can count, and I still see it as something that will always evolve.
What has stayed constant is our “why.”
Keeping your values front and center is what holds a team together. For us, that means connection, professionalism, enrichment, and growth. When those values are clear and consistently reinforced, it creates alignment. People are not just completing tasks, they are working toward a shared purpose.
Another key piece is recognizing that every person on your team is different. Different personalities, different communication styles, different strengths. The more you can meet people where they are, the stronger your team becomes. When people feel seen, understood, and appreciated, they show up differently. They take more ownership, support each other more, and genuinely care about the work they are doing.
I have also learned the importance of letting people be human. Mistakes are going to happen. Hard days are going to happen. What matters is how you respond to those moments. Instead of creating fear around mistakes, I try to create an environment where they can be learning opportunities. That mindset not only helps individuals grow, but it strengthens the team as a whole.
One of my favorite things to see now is how the team supports each other. If someone is sick or needs time off, others step in without hesitation. That kind of culture does not happen by accident. It comes from building trust, setting clear expectations, and leading with consistency.
At the end of the day, maintaining high morale is not about constant perks or surface level motivation. It is about building a team that feels connected to the mission, supported as individuals, and proud of the work they are doing.
When you hire people with the right heart and give them the right structure to succeed, that is when you see the best results.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.browndogwalkingco.com
- Instagram: @browndogwalkingco
- Facebook: @browndogwalkingco
Image Credits
Tabatha Skelton Photography