We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Keeley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.
Hi Melissa, thanks for joining us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later
My husband and I opened Paws on the Pasture in July 2025, but it has been in the works for many years. It has always been my dream to open a dog facility and while I wish I had done it sooner, life has a funny way of interfering with your plans. I previously worked in the hospitality industry with my last role as Director of Events for Hyatt Hotels. Like so many others, my job was eliminated in May of 2020 due to the pandemic. I used that experience as an opportunity to focus on my dream and stared working on the business plan. I also worked at a Central Bark dog franchise to learn the daily operations and dog behavior. It didn’t take long for me to realize this was something I was not only good at, but very passionate about so I got serious about starting my own dog business. I was pre-approved for a loan with a solid business plan and looking for properties to rent in Atlanta. Life threw another curve ball and my house in Atlanta caught on fire. I was on a plane on my way home and my 2 dogs were inside. Luckily, the pups made it out safely, but I lost almost everything. It was a dark time but as my husband describes me, I am a survivor and used the experience to fuel my desire to open Paws. While my townhome was being rebuilt, I relocated to Charlotte, NC, and the search began for the right property to open the business. It took over 2 years, a lot of time and energy, and several “no’s” until we found an existing kennel for sale in Monroe. Now that we are here and operating a successful business, it feels like I should have done it sooner, but the outcome probably wouldn’t have been the same. I am grateful for the journey it took to get here and all the bumps along that way that taught me to persevere and never let anything stand in the way of achieving your dreams.
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.
I am a small-town girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a big personality and even bigger dreams. I was raised by a single mother who taught me not to depend on anyone but myself which shaped me into someone fiercely independent, sometimes to a fault. My passion has always been animals. Growing up, I had pets like Sonic the hedgehog, Domino the rabbit, and countless other small animals, cats, and dogs. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build something of my own. I spent 20 years in the hotel industry, and that experience ultimately gave me the confidence and motivation to pursue my dream of starting a business. I am incredibly grateful for that chapter in my life. It provided me with invaluable skills, friendships, strong mentorship, and experiences that made me who I am today. I did not go to college, and for a long time, I was embarrassed to admit that. Early in my career, I attended a networking lunch where I found myself as one of the youngest people, and females, in the room full of seasoned professionals. When someone asked where I went to school, I felt intimated and responded with Oklahoma State University. In that moment, I thought it was easier to hide the truth than to own it. What I didn’t realize was the man who asked me that question was the Dean of Admission’s for OSU. He took my card and got back to his office and looked me up. I received an email saying that he couldn’t find me in the registrar. As I sat there eating my humble pie, it taught me a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since: honesty matters, and I should be proud of my journey, degree or not. I went on to build a successful career, earning awards and accomplishments that I am truly proud of. Now when someone asks where I went to college, I confidently say “the school of hospitality.” It’s where I learned the art of true customer service, how to anticipate needs, and how to create meaningful experiences – skills I use daily as I build my brand – Paws on the Pasture.
Paws on the Pasture exists to provide a safe and enriching environment where dogs can truly be dogs. Built on our genuine love for animals, we offer all dogs wide open spaces, fresh air, and the freedom to explore. With over 4 acres of pasture and supervised playgroups, every dog enjoys exercise, socialization, and enrichment in a way that honors their natural instincts. We are dedicated to promoting healthy interactions and giving dogs, the space, care and love they deserve. What sets us apart from other dog kennels is our commitment to individualized care. Just like people, dogs don’t like every dog they meet and here that’s ok. We take the time to learn each dog’s behavior and quirks to ensure they are in appropriate playgroups which for some dogs could mean one on one interactions. Our playgroups are kept small intentionally with 4- 6 dogs of similar playstyle and energy. One of my favorite success stories so far is Jaxx. He’s a rescue pitbull who came to us very anxious, fearful, and wouldn’t come out of the kennel. He tried to bite out of fear, and most people probably would have turned him away. I remember telling his mom this might not be the place for him but I’m certainly going to try. She made the commitment to bring him once a week for 3 weeks to see if we saw any improvement. With time, patience, love, and a lot of treats, I am happy to share Jaxx is now a different dog. He’s more confident, allows me to love on him, and even hangs out with select dogs. Jaxx is proof that every dog deserves a chance. I want to be the “yes” and the answer for pet parents who have dogs with special needs, anxiety, and take more time to care for.
We are 10 months into our journey and growing every day. One of the biggest compliments I’ve received to date was from a loyal customer who stated – “Paws on the Pasture is the best thing to happen to this community” Those words mean so much to me as my goal is to become a staple in the community and have a reputation built on trust. I want Paws on the Pasture to be the place where everyone feels confident their dog is safe, happy, and loved. I am passionate about increasing community awareness around the critical role of fostering, the importance of spay and neuter programs, and the resources available to pet owners. By helping educate and connect our community to these initiatives, I hope to support more proactive, humane solutions that reduce overpopulation and improve animal welfare. We work with local rescues to foster dogs until they are adopted and recently hosted our first wiffle ball tournament to raise money for the local Humane Society. When I look back on my life, I want to be remembered as a genuine and warm person who made a positive impact on not only animals’ lives but the people I have the pleasure of serving.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Social media can be a full-time job, but it can also be free advertising. I was so worried about what I was posting and keeping the messaging consistent, until I hired a small business consulting firm – shout out to the team at Moxie Manifest! They told me that content is content and not to over think it. It’s easier in my field because everyone loves pictures of dogs, but my best advice is to post. Everyday. Pick one or two platforms to focus on, for example I use Facebook and Instagram. Reels are the best way to gain new followers. Use available resources such as AI to generate content and ideas. I attended a small business summit yesterday and learned about Pomelli and High Level – great tool for small business owners. Also use your team! Most of my employees are 17 – 21 and constantly have their phones in hand. I task them with capturing photos of the dogs and creating reels for Instagram. When I am out meeting new people, I always mention we are on social media and ask them to follow us – it works 9 times out of 10. We have had success with new clients who found us on social, so we started doing ads through Instagram. It is a very inexpensive way to grow your followers and drive traffic to your website.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
My business partner is also my husband, Bryan. We closed on the property July 10th, 2025, and got married on the pasture 1 week later on July 19th. We did a small, family only ceremony at the site of our new adventure. As a former event planner, it wasn’t the wedding I had always dreamed about, but it was perfect. Bryan and I met when he relocated to Atlanta in 2020, right before the world shut down. Dating during the pandemic was a challenge many people faced, and it either created opportunities to really connect or showed people they weren’t right for each other. Luckily for us, we used that time to learn that our core values and lifestyles really aligned. We are both driven, motivated, and goal-oriented individuals. Bryan has shown me support from the very beginning, and when the house fire happened, I truly understood he was my person. He was living in Charlotte at the time as his company relocated him only 8 months after he moved to Atlanta. I saw how he showed up for me, taking tasks off my plate, making phone calls and even scheduling a cleaner to remedy my friend’s couch. I was staying with my soul sister, Kelsi, after the fire and one of my dogs got a UTI from stress. She urinated on her white couch and I was mortified. Unable to think clearly as my world just fell apart, Bryan stepped in and handled it, so I didn’t have to. That is a quality you want in a life partner, and a business partner. Very early into our relationship I was full steam ahead on opening the business by myself and Bryan was my biggest cheerleader. I remember sitting at one of our favorite sports bars, Whitehall Tavern, and him telling me he has friends that might be interested in investing and that he would also invest. We hadn’t known each other for very long then, so I asked him why he was willing to give me money and he replied – “because I believe in you.” He bought in from the very beginning before he even saw the business plan and my vision. Having him by my side throughout this journey has been a gamechanger. My original plan was to cash out my 401K, use my house as collateral, and sleep in my car if I had to in order to make my dream a reality. My financial advisor (shout out George) was willing to sign off on this crazy plan because he also believed in me and knew I wouldn’t let it fail. Luckily, the curveball that life threw led to me relocating to Charlotte, marrying the love of my life, and opening Paws on the Pasture. Navigating the challenges of opening a small business and the first year of marriage is beyond difficult. We spent our honeymoon at the local Holiday Inn as we were knee deep in renovations. My stress level was at an all-time high and I was getting physically sick from the anxiety. If you ask me if I would do it all over again, my answer without hesitation will always be yes. Having a supportive spouse and incredible business partner has been the secret sauce to our success. I know the sacrifices we’ve both made with pay off in the long run and we are both so proud of what we are building.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pawsonthepasture.com
- Instagram: @pawsonthepasture
- Facebook: @pawsonthepasture
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-keeley
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/paws-on-the-pasture-monroe?osq=paws+onthe+pasture&override_cta=Request+information
