We were lucky to catch up with Maggie Morrison recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Maggie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I am happy as a business owner, and that I get to be my own boss. The old adage of “do what you love” is accurate for my career working with animals. I love seeing the smiling faces of the dogs I walk every day, it truly brings me joy. However, it is the logistics of the job, that can sometimes make me second guess my career path. As a business owner it’s nearly impossible to “clock out” from the job. In my case, I hate saying no to people, so this also means I hardly ever have a day off. Sometimes I do think about having a job in the workplace that would give me things like days off, paid vacation, and health insurance! However, in the end, the benefit of having a job that on a daily basis involves getting paid for hanging out with dogs vastly outweighs the negatives.

Maggie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

What services do you provide, and what problems do you solve for your clients?

I provide pet care for all kinds of critters! This includes what you may be most familiar with- dog walks, pet sitting, and boarding, but there’s so much more than that. I also do drop-in visits for cats, guinea pigs, fish, and even entire farms with goats and chickens. I’ve even done cat walks before! Other specialized services I offer include pet taxi transportation and wedding assistance for your furry ring bearers.

How did you get into pet services?

I started dog walking as a “side gig” through Rover in the summer of 2019. That fall, I began teaching part-time at Washtenaw Community College, so I was originally only looking for a summer job. However, pet care services quickly became a passion of mine, so now I juggle both pet care and teaching!

After a couple of years working through Rover, I decided to branch out on my own. I think pet-sitting platforms are great for beginners because they truly show you what it takes to run a business before taking on all the responsibilities yourself. Once I realized this would be more than just a side gig, I took all the necessary steps: insurance, payment processing, scheduling, advertising, and more- to launch my own business.

What sets you apart from other pet care services?

I believe one of the things that sets me apart is that I am a one-woman show! When you hire me, you don’t have to worry about strangers looking after your pets, I do it all myself. This also means your pet receives the most personalized care possible.

When I board pets in my home, they are treated like family. I also don’t accept more than one dog (or one family) at a time, so your pup won’t have to deal with the overstimulation that can come from having numerous pets in the house. When you hire me, you can also expect fun extras like photoshoots and birthday gifts for your furry friends!

What are you most proud of?

The thing I am most proud of is the relationships I’ve built with clients over the past several years. I have clients who have been with me nearly since day one, and they continue to book with me because of the care and attention I provide.

I adore my regulars, and they truly feel like family to me. At the same time, I also love meeting new pet companions. Every animal has its own unique personality, and it’s so much fun getting to spend time with them every day!

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

The main thing that has helped build my reputation is word of mouth! About half the clients I have today is due to my other clients telling their friends, family members, and neighbors about my services.

Another things that has helped tremendously is networking. I am part of a local pet sitting group that hosts a website with local pet sitters listed on it. Everyone listed on that site is vetted, so potential clients know that if they hire a sitter from there- they are insured and have years of experience.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with all my clients via text (some through email if they prefer that contact method). When I am looking after their pets, I make sure to send updates daily with pictures and notes on how their pet is doing. It is important to have great communication when you are watching someone’s family member!
I also will post pics and videos of the pets I am watching on social media, which some of my clients do follow and do appreciate seeing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wagswithmags.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wags_with_mags/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waggingwithmaggie/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@wagswithmags