10/13/2026
How One Step Ahead Pet Services Came to Be! 🐾
I didn’t start my business because I had everything figured out. Quite the opposite, actually!
After being laid off from an interior landscape design company, I felt completely lost. I bounced between jobs, from bartending and serving to organizing and working with family. Nothing really stuck. I struggled to find something I enjoyed that could also support me.
I loved the idea of building something from the ground up, having creative freedom, and making my own decisions. I just didn’t know what that something would be.
During that time, I spent a lot of my days taking my dog, Levi, to the park. We’d walk for hours, explore, and just enjoy being outside. I remember thinking, “I wish I could do this every day.” And I knew Levi probably wished the same thing.
One day, I came across a video of someone who made a living walking dogs. It sounds simple, but something clicked. Why couldn’t I do that?
I’d already spent years around animals, from working at Oh So Pretty Pet Salon in high school to fostering dogs through WAGS Rescue. I was comfortable caring for animals with all kinds of personalities and needs.
So I started small. I responded to people looking for pet sitters on Nextdoor, made posts advertising dog walks with Levi, and slowly started building a client base.
What began as a way to make ends meet turned into something I genuinely wanted to grow.
That’s not to say running a business is easy. Some days are lonely, income isn’t always predictable, and there’s so much more behind the scenes than walking dogs. Between scheduling, marketing, client communication, and the actual pet care, I’m constantly learning.
There’s still so much ahead, and I’d love for you to follow along for the ride! 🐾
