We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shellie Carriker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Shellie, thanks for 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.
On December 2, 2021, my husband and son were in a tragic car accident that completely upended our family situation. My son came out on the other side unscathed, but unfortunately my husband was not so lucky. I had to be at the hospital off and on for 9+ months. I was forced to say goodbye to a job I truly loved and brought much needed income to our family. My new adventure of owning my business became my family’s healing journey. One month before the accident we had decided to adopt a rescue puppy. She became a central part of our future. After 16 months of not working, I remember lying in bed in the middle of the night saying to myself “what am I to do next?” I knew I wasn’t going back into education or coaching. I wanted something fun, something that was healing to my soul and yet would provide financial gain for my family. Bailey Bear (or Bay Bay) was in her usual spot curled up between us. I was petting her when suddenly a quiet calm came over me and I heard a whisper in my mind. “What if I revived your dream of working with animals?” Whether you believe in God or a higher power, this for me was the quiet awakening to my calling. That is when the idea of pet sitting came into fruition. When I was a little girl I wanted to be a vet, but when I found out I would have to cut into them for surgery, it was a big no!!!! I remember telling my dad someday I will own an animal farm. While cuddling Bailey, I decided right then and there I wanted to do it differently and operate more along the lines of a pet concierge service. I wanted to have an LLC, trademark the company, and be bonded and insured. This is what separates me from most in the industry. I immediately called my friend Diana, a dog trainer, to get her honest opinion. With her support along with the excitement of friends and family, I was ready to leap into it!
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?
I have spent my entire life surrounded by animals. As a child, I was constantly bringing home strays. My childhood home had anywhere up to 8 animals at a time! My friends and family would ask me to help with their animals when they were traveling or just to watch while they enjoyed a night out. When tragedy struck our family and I could no longer work a 9-5 “job”, it was time for a shift. I believe my background with teaching and coaching gave me an edge in the industry. I am able to connect with people, pay attention to details, and value what is important to them, their fur babies. I make sure each client walks away knowing we cherished their fur babies for the time they shared them with us. I make sure our team goes above and beyond for each client. For todays’ society and all that is happening in this world, being bonded and insured is not just a bonus for my company– it’s a win-win for the client. They know this is not a side hustle. This is my passion. My team and I care deeply about each client. We tailor to their specific needs, whether it is a daily check in, overnight/day stay, premium boarding, or just walking their fur babies.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
When we are taking care of their fur babies, it is important for the client to receive updates. Enough they know they are safe, loved and cared for, but not overwhelmed to the point where they can’t enjoy their time away. It is a critical balance. We treasure the time we are able to spend with them, and they become like family to us. One of the avenues I utilize for fostering client loyalty is partnering with other local companies to collaborate with. For example, I partnered with a local coffee roasting company to make bags of coffee with my logo on it for my clients to sample the coffee. It is a win-win for all. My clients receive an amazing gift and know that we appreciate them, while another local company is revealed to my clients. I am selective as to who I partner with. I want the product/ service to be high quality and with high integrity.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
You begin to find a “new normal” or rhythm when you walk through tragedies or challenges in life. My husband was seriously injured in the accident, causing him to be in and out of the hospital for multiple procedures for 10 months. In less than 8 weeks, we had lost our car, his sweet mama passed away, we moved, then I lost a job I dearly loved and was faithful to. You know that saying about the top 5 stressors of life you shouldn’t do? Well, we had “accomplished” 4 of them in 2 months. I was grateful to have people surround me and help through this dark time.
Though this time was super challenging for my inner strength and spirit, a lot of lessons were gained in the process. I found strength I didn’t know I had and learned to celebrate the small wins. Every single day my husband and I had to name 3 good things that happened that day. Even if it was to pick up a fork, reach for his cup, or sleep more than 3 hours during the night. We were focused on the positive and continue to stay true to that even today. I learned to dig deep when nothing seemed possible and I had no energy left. I refused to buy into limits. I also leaned into knowledgable people who could help me in the process. I had to humble myself and ask for help. Most of the time, people don’t know what you need, you have to speak up. People want the opportunity to help and utilize their gifts. I was given the gift of people in my community assisting during my family’s tragedy. It was truly a beautiful thing to behold.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.awagginggoodtime.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awagginggoodtimedstx?igsh=MXJld3o1Y2p3YzJzZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/7A9THJ3oNuoSV5J9/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
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