With winter right around the corner — we wanted to shine our Client Spotlight on PacKare — located in Duluth, MN. As Alicia Skjoelsvold (founder of PacKare) says — it is a beautiful place that can get pretty darn cold! Alicia and her team are providing fantastic pet care with a strong focus on exercise — they even offer Cycle Adventures for the high energy dog. Hopefully the Spotlight keeps Alicia and her team warm this winter! Check them out on Facebook here and don’t forget to visit their website!
What caused you to get into pet sitting?
Honestly, the desire kept popping up in my head, over and over again. I had been working for a telecommunications company and felt like it was a poor fit. I liked to help people and it was as if my hands were tied behind my back and that I could only sell my customers not so great internet, satellite, or phone service and then spend two hours with tech support on behalf of my customers when it didn’t work. It was frustrating, and I wanted to do something that was good. I didn’t want to be part of a corporate machine that only cared about the bottom line instead of its customers or employees. When I asked myself what I wanted to do, dog walking/pet sitting came into my mind. When I discussed it with people I knew, they kindly said that I wouldn’t be able to make a career out of it. Luckily, I have a supportive husband and a handful of other people who told me to go for it. I jumped in head-first and haven’t looked back since.
What is the most fulfilling part of owning a pet sitting business?
I love being able to give people peace of mind when they can’t care for their pets. It’s amazing to have people tell me how much they appreciate being able to go on their first vacation in forever because they have someone to watch their pet or to be able to work long days at the office without feeling guilty.
What is the most challenging?
The hours are the most challenging for me. Getting up early and going to bed really late can be a struggle.
Where do you see your business in 5 years?
In 5 years, I’d love to be offering more services, such as pet massage or other alternate forms of healing, and I would love to be able to provide all my helpers with benefits such as a retirement plan, health insurance, and vacation time. My business would not be where it is now without my helpers, and I want to provide them with one of the best jobs on earth.
What has Time To Pet changed the most about how you run your business?
I am much more relaxed for several reasons now that I’ve been using TTP, and it’s changed more than one thing. The scheduling brings me such peace of mind, especially when clients request visits through their portal. It’s wonderful to scan the request and approve it and to see everything pop right into place. The invoicing and credit card processing makes it much easier to get paid from forgetful clients, and I never forget when someone hasn’t payed yet. It’s also great that my helpers can review the activity feed before going to see a client so that nothing is missed, and I will finally be able to go on vacation because TTP will help my business run itself while I’m away!
