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

Hi Royah, thanks for joining 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 happier as a business owner and can’t imagine my life any other way. There are times when I think about having a regular job, but the thought doesn’t last too long. And if it does, it usually sends me down an entrepreanual rabbit hole.

The last time I thought about having a regular job was 2 months ago after I got bit by a client dog and still had to do my accounting work, respond to emails, and all the other behind-the-scenes work. I work alone and wear all the hats, I’m not ready to hire anyone yet but maybe in the future. So I accept the responsibility, but that’s when the “regular” job thoughts start. As the days go on, what ends up happening is that entrepreneurial rabbit hole I mentioned earlier.

I shift from thinking about working a regular job to….what other ways can I increase my income? What do I need to change? What are the other lanes I can add to dog training? I’m a business owner first, and a dog trainer second. Fast forward since that dog bite, I am now adding real estate and short-term pet-friendly rentals under the Quing Canine umbrella.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Royah Nuñez and I am a professional dog trainer in New York City. Quing Canine is the lemonade I made when life threw me lemons. I was living in the Transitional Living Community inside the Brooklyn Women’s Shelter in 2018 and decided to focus on building a business to help distract me from a rough time in my life. Initially, it was a side hustle to get out of the shelter faster, as I was already working for a dog training company outside of New York City. I moved out of the shelter as a business owner, and I’ve been working Quing Canine full-time ever since.

Quing Canine offers private in-person lessons and hybrid board & training. I help dog owners create better relationships with their dogs. From puppy basics, basic obedience, and behavior modification. The main thing that sets me apart is the Hybrid Board & Train program. I open my home to dog owners. Training takes place in my home and owners are allowed to visit once a week throughout the length of the program. We have a hands-on lesson to keep them in the loop and follow-up lessons once the dog goes home. I enjoy keeping dog owners involved in the process

I am most proud of how well I am able to manage my mental health because of Quing Canine. I live with bipolar and have struggled with regular jobs and relationships in one way or another. As a business owner, it keeps everything in check and gives me the time to better myself. Because if I am not my best, neither is my business. It has helped me improve my communication skills and resolve conflicts in better ways. It has helped me to stay calm under pressure and look for solutions.

I’m proud of how far I’ve come, my success, and all the client family I’ve made along the way.

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

When the pandemic started it felt like round 4 of a war I thought was over. I had finally moved out of the shelter after being there for over a year, got my balance, and felt safe enough to leave my full-time job and build Quing Canine full-time. I had just purchased a car for my business when the pandemic hit. Everything closed down and I was almost numb. I was still getting use to the sudden stillness and quietness that came once I moved out. I felt very alone, just when I thought things were getting better. Quarantine put me right back into isolation. I was worried because I didn’t know how I was going to pay rent, and I knew I’d do anything not to go back into the shelter.

It was almost comical.

I was thankful that I purchased my car, signed up for Uber Eats, and was able to make enough money to pay rent and continue to live. On my bio, I would have my business information and would drop a business card into each delivery bag. Was it illegal? Probably, but I was a new small business in the middle of the pandemic and there was no way in hell I was moving backward. I got a car magnet which also brought in a lot of business. Always forward and never back.

The amount of clients I gathered by doing that is wild. I networked with so many people, people would call and say hey I got your card in my delivery bag and I have a dog….

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’m still unlearning the idea of doing it alone. It’s hard for me to ask for help, but I’m learning that there is power in numbers and that I don’t have to do everything myself. I would say my character backstory led me to this point. It taught me that you have to go out and get what you want, but as time goes in and I’m connecting with other trainers and people – I’m unlearning that idea. Yes, of course, you need a bit of that, but it can’t be it all. There is balance in all things.

Contact Info:

• Website: quingcanine.com
• Instagram: @quingcanine
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuingCanine91/
• Linkedin: Royah Nuñez
• Twitter: quingcanine
• Other: tiktok: @quingcanine