We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Linette Rodriguez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Linette below.

Linette, appreciate you joining us today. 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.

As a kid, I always dreamed of working with animals. But once I got to college, I realized that becoming a veterinarian wasn’t for me. I wasn’t drawn to the medical side of things – the surgeries, the euthanasia, the invasive aspects. So I shifted gears and decided to study Psychology instead. I figured, if I can’t give back to animals, at least I can help people and psychology had always peeked my interest.

In my final school semester in 2015, someone mentioned dog walking. I gave it a try and I absolutely loved it. It had everything I had originally been looking for: building bonds and relationships with pets, caring for them, being involved in their lives, and I got to help the humans too because pet parenthood isn’t always easy, and a good support system can make all the difference.

After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I decided to take a semester off to explore this work more seriously. I started using different platforms to grow my client base and found myself thinking there has to be a better way to do this. I then decided I wanted to create a business that reflected my own core values, things like communication, reliability, compassion, and intentional care.
That’s when I founded my company in 2018.

What started as a solo effort slowly grew through word of mouth and heartfelt referrals. I wasn’t just offering dog walks, I was creating peace of mind for pet parents, building trust with families, and forming real relationships with the animals I cared for. And that’s still what drives me today. This business came from a place of love, and it continues to grow because of that love and a clear mission to do things differently.

Linette, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Linette Rodriguez, founder of The Bark Club Pet Services in Miami, Florida, and my mission is to help pet parents be the best they can be by offering trusted support, thoughtful care, and a team they can rely on. When people feel supported in their daily lives, they can show up more fully, not just for their pets, but for themselves, their families, and their communities. And when dogs are cared for consistently and compassionately, they get to thrive as their best doggy selves. That’s what The Bark Club is here for: to create that harmony between human and animal, and to be a meaningful part of the support system that makes it all possible.

My journey into the pet care industry wasn’t exactly traditional. Growing up, I always dreamed of working with animals. But when I got to college, I figured veterinary medicine was the only way to do that and quickly realized it wasn’t the right path for me. The invasive side of care like surgeries, euthanasia, etc. just didn’t align with me. So I pivoted to Psychology, thinking that if I couldn’t help animals directly, I could at least help people.

Then in my final semester in 2015, someone mentioned dog walking, and everything changed. I tried it as a side gig and instantly fell in love. It had everything I was looking for: building deep relationships with pets, being actively involved in their lives, and helping their humans feel supported. It felt like the perfect blend of both my passions.

After graduating with my Psychology degree, I decided to take a semester off to explore pet care more seriously. I started using apps and platforms to grow my client base and quickly saw gaps in the industry such as lack of communication, poor consistency and reliability, and a very transactional approach to care. That’s when I realized I want to do this differently. I wanted to create a company that reflects my core values which includes communication, reliability, compassion, attentiveness, and intentional care.

So in 2018, I launched The Bark Club.

Today, we provide premium dog walking, vacation pet care, and private dog training services tailored to pet parents who see their animals as family. Our clients range from busy professionals who need trusted support, to stay-at-home parents managing family life, to people simply looking for an expert partner in their pet’s care and development. No matter their lifestyle, what they all have in common is that they deeply love their pets and want the very best for them.

What sets us apart is how we care, not just that we show up, but that we show up with intention. We treat every pet like our own. We notice subtle changes. We provide detailed updates. We advocate for our clients and communicate with warmth, respect, and transparency. This is more than a business, it’s a calling.

What I’m most proud of is the trust we’ve built in our community. We’ve grown almost entirely through referrals, and I think that says a lot about the experience we provide. I’m also incredibly proud of the team culture we’ve created; one rooted in respect, shared values, and genuine love for animals.

At the end of the day, I want people to know that The Bark Club exists because I believe pet care should feel safe, thoughtful, and deeply supportive. Whether someone needs daily dog walks, help caring for their pets while they travel, or expert guidance through dog training, we’re here to be that trusted, reliable partner they can always count on.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

The biggest thing I’ve learned about managing a team is that leadership starts at the top. I would never ask my team to do something I wouldn’t personally do myself. That sets the tone. If they’re out there working hard, I hold myself to the same, or more often than not, an even higher standard. That kind of mutual respect creates a culture where we’re all in it together.

From day one, I make it clear during onboarding that communication and transparency matter and that includes accountability. Mistakes will happen, we’re human. What matters most is how we respond. If I make a mistake, I own it, and I expect the same from my team. That kind of openness builds trust and sets the tone for real, honest dialogue.

My team knows they can come to me with anything, even when something goes wrong, because they won’t be met with blame. They’ll be met with support, clarity, and a collaborative mindset. I don’t just preach transparency, I model it. And when your team sees that, it builds real trust. It creates a culture where people feel safe to speak up, take initiative, and grow. They feel heard, respected, and treated like people, not like they are just another employee.

At the end of the day, The Bark Club is built on intentional care – for our clients, for their pets, and for the people on my team. When your internal culture reflects your external values, morale isn’t something you have to force, it’s something you build together. And to be honest, that’s what I’m most proud of. I know that if things ever hit the fan, my team has my back and I have theirs. We support each other, we show up for one another, and that’s exactly the kind of culture I’ve always wanted to create. Because that’s what I would want if I were on the team.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think resilience has been one of the defining traits of my entrepreneurial journey because I didn’t come into this with a business background or roadmap. When I started The Bark Club, I was in my early twenties, fresh out of college with a Psychology degree, and no formal training in entrepreneurship. I was figuring it out as I went. It felt like I was shooting in the dark but I loved the challenge.

In 2018, I made a major commitment to myself and my business by joining my first mastermind group. I was 24 years old. That decision changed everything for me. It helped me lay the foundation of what The Bark Club would become – how to have meaningful conversations with clients, how to sell with confidence, and how to think beyond being a solopreneur. I started studying frameworks like the ones in The E-Myth, and for the first time, I could actually see a bigger future for my business and had tools to build toward it.

But the real test came shortly after. For a long time, I was doing everything myself, working exhausting hours, sometimes 12 to 24-hour days with overnight care, missing out on family time and friend events and invites, and just burning myself out. I was afraid to delegate because I only trusted myself with the level of care I knew my clients expected. But eventually, the demand became too high, and I had no choice but to start hiring.

That leap was terrifying. But I did it. And over the years, I learned how to choose people who align with my values, how to lead with accountability, and how to build a culture of trust within my team. That shift—from “I have to do everything myself” to “I can build a team I trust” was one of the biggest growth points of my career.

And then COVID hit.

I had just hired my first team member in early 2020, and suddenly, everything came crashing down. Clients pulled back because they were working from home. Income dropped. I thought I might lose everything. But I took a chance and accepted an SBA loan, something I never thought I’d do because I hate debt. It was a calculated risk, and it paid off. I used that time to stabilize, rebuild, and eventually grow my team.

Every single one of those moments betting on myself, learning to lead, pivoting through a crisis, shaped who I am today. I don’t see challenges as roadblocks. I see them as puzzle pieces, like, “Okay, how do I figure this out?” Even when it’s hard, I always think: this is going to make such a good story when I come out the other side.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebarkclub.co
• Instagram: thebarkclub.co
• Other: Personal insta account: @linetterodriguez_