Help me Build an Army!

Sept 13, 2023 - Update: In the two days since I posted this, we've received an overwhelming response! We've already connected with several current & aspiring entrepreneurs! We're ecstatic to help our community of pet lovers!

Sept 11, 2023: Episode 121

Help me build an army! Trust me. I promise this is pet related!

My husband; who many of you know & love; has always considered himself a "Love Warrior". Who coined the term? I don't know, but it's irrelevant. Keith "spreads love" (also his words) wherever he goes. He often shares genuine compliments, provides anonymous monetary gifts, offers an ear or shoulder, or indulges in humor. Our children & I are warriors. I believe that many of the people & animals we come across are also part of this army of love, spreading joy within our world. It's funny, because for many of us, the word "army" has a violent connotation. Yet here, our powerful tool which we use to "fight" is love, not a weapon. I've been a member of an army before. I've never officially created one.

We've all heard the heart wrenching stories of pet sitting experiences gone wrong. In order to combat this, we can saturate the local industry with exceptional care. I have a plea. I feel compelled to create an army of overnight pet sitters for our community. Obviously, people who deeply connect with animals are Love Warriors. We need to unite in order to keep the animals safe. Overnight pet sitting demand is through the roof, and supply has drastically dwindled. Sits & Wiggles is grateful to honestly state that our clientele is beyond incredible. We are honored to be welcomed into your hearts. We want only the best for our clients & our community.

We are only able to offer overnight services to one client at a time. This results in bookings up to 18 months in advance. This minimizes our ability to assist in emergencies, or for our clientele to enjoy spontaneity. Expanding our business doesn't work logistically, for a plethora of reasons.

This is where I need assistance from you. We can all agree that power is in numbers, & that we can achieve far greater results together versus individually. When I was in training in the US Army, there was a soldier whose family endured a tragedy. Our company, consisting of three platoons, totaled roughly 1,000 medics. Every one of us donated $5-10 so that this person could go home to be with her family during this difficult time. This was 25 years ago. After the airfare expense, the funds went to assist the family. Did this donation greatly impact any of our individual financial standings? Nope. Did the donation collectively help the family? Obviously.

In order to help our clients, and our community as a whole, this army of overnight sitters will be able to offer greater availability, flexibility & peace of mind. We can provide quantity as well quality. We won't profit a cent through this venture. Collectively, we will all profit as safety is the end goal here, not earnings.

There are few businesses who offer overnight pet sitting services in Bend. I'm not including Rover here, or unlicensed / uninsured sitters. To say that Rover is problematic is a gross understatement. Of course, people are free to hire uninsured & unlicensed individuals. We recommend seeking out those who are licensed, insured, background checked, etc in order to minimize risk. The few local professional overnight sitters are all typically booked for the same in demand travel dates. This leaves us without anyone to refer to when we express that we're booked. Overnight services are the most in demand, but they also have the lowest supply. These numbers aren't from research or statistical data, but simply from my experience.

If you have a pet sitting company, or if you'd like to create one, contact me. I'm visualizing a model of high quality care with standardized policies & procedures that we agree to & put into action. This uniformity will be easier on both client & provider. Expectations will be set & adhered to. Think of a chain restaurant. Whatever state or region you're in, you know what to expect as the food, setting, etc are standard. It feels safe, familiar, comfortable; like being at home even when you're not. (Great, now I'm craving Sizzler's cheese toast, but there isn't one anywhere near us!)

How satisfying would it be to have a circle of trustworthy pet sitters to refer clients to, knowing that they're safe, professional, skilled, etc. How free will the client feel when they jet off for the weekend without having to scramble to locate last minute care providers? How amazing would it feel for clients to know that there's an entire army of love caring for their pets? How satisfying it would be for us to be able to refer clients to someone who we trust! Of course there will be mandatory parameters such as license, insurance, background check, pet CPR & first aid, et cetera. We could teach animal body language so that pet care providers are able to predict fights, etc before they occur, in order to act to prevent them. We would need to set up scenarios & test them, to ensure that we're all on the same page with quality of care. Rates, visit times & operating procedures would all be standardized, which would enhance transparency & ease for our pet loving community.

I truly feel that this is something we can accomplish together. I believe that the dependable sitters are out there. Let's do this!

Nakala Matthews, Love Warrior, Animal & People Lover, Community Member