‘I am so looking forward to working with animals and being my own boss and being able to work my hours to suit me and my family. The best part is not having to get up and travel in heavy traffic each morning to get to my job.’
But what if I fail? What if I make no money?
We understand those concerns and we’re here to show you that we have a ten-year successful track record, so our question back is, what if your employers no longer need you? Being your own boss can be seen as a much more secure option in this climate.
Caroline, what made you want to run your own pet care business?
Due to the pressure I am under at work and not enjoying my job, I feel it is time for a change in career. I have thought about a dog walking business for the last 2 years and know that now the time is right.
I adore dogs and animals in general and can’t think of a better way to spend my days than walking dogs and caring for animals.
I currently pay a friend to take Hattie, our family dog, out whilst I’m at work, so I understand that there sometimes isn’t enough time to give your beloved pet the time they deserve, which can lead to stress for both pet and owner. I want to take away the stress by providing a flexible service that suits the customer and helping them to keep their pets happy and healthy as well as mentally and physically stimulated.
Why did you decide on the franchise route as opposed to going it alone?
I’ll be honest and my initial thoughts were to go it alone, however when I looked into franchises further and bombarded Ryan (Franchise Director) with hundreds of questions, I knew investing in a franchise from We Love Pets was definitely the way to go. The training and support from the team is second to none & my gut feeling was definitely right to go with We love Pets.
Your previous jobs must have required an awful lot of patience and resilience, you must be overjoyed about stepping into a job where your customers are all grateful and appreciative of your services and support?
Being a civil servant for 23 years, I have been through a lot of change, so yes have been very patient and resilient. I get a lot of job satisfaction, knowing I have provided an excellent service. However, in my changing roles over the years, you didn’t always see the end result to know if the part you played helped the customer. I am so looking forward to working with animals and being my own boss and being able to work my hours to suit me and my family. The best part is not having to get up and travel in heavy traffic each morning to get to my job.
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am in being able to provide a service that I will get so much pleasure from, and the main one is the satisfaction in knowing I am helping customers in keeping their dog(s) fit, healthy and mentally stimulated.
This life changing opportunity is going to be so much better for family life as I will be around more for my children and other family members especially for my youngest will be doing his GCSEs next year!
What aspects of running your own business will you look to the WLP team to support you with?
As running a business is all new to me, I will be looking to the WLP team to support me with how to run the business, the accounting side of it and managing my bookings.
I’ve already had many questions for Laura (Operations Director) at the Head Office, who has been amazing! I know that once I have been on my training course, I will still get the support as and when I need it and I just can’t wait to become part of a large and successful company.
What emotions have you gone through from first considering running your own business to this moment now?
It has been a rollercoaster…..I have had my doubts and I’ve nearly given up and thought I’m better sticking within my comfort zone with a job that I know and have a regular monthly income with no financial worries. Then I suddenly realise that I need to escape the job I’m in and start doing what I love, being outdoors, working with animals and being my own boss, what could be better? So here I am, moving out of my comfort zone and I can’t wait to get started.
Caroline offers Dog Walking and Pet Sitting services in Chorley and the surrounding areas.
