Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Fischer.
Nicole, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story starts in my childhood with a deep love of animals. I grew up with an assortment of furry, feathered and scaled friends, and I never backed down from encouraging friends, family and neighbors in their adoption and care of their own pets. I never believed my love of animals would be anything more than a hobby, taking a back seat to my growing retail resume in my adulthood. I knew I didn’t have what it takes to be a veterinarian and I never dreamed further than that, until the retail burnout began to set in. Day after day, I came to dread going to work. Just when I could take no more, my fiance stumbled across a job listing that seemed like it had been written with me in mind – Assistant Manager at a local pet hotel.
In the year that followed, I ran one of the two locations, and I woke up every day looking forward to work. In fact, it hardly felt like work. I felt refreshed, throwing myself into every task like it was exactly what I wanted to be doing. Then we received word that the location was closing; the same week, a family emergency left me reeling. The coinciding events left me jobless and struggling to support my family and our three fur-babies. So I struck out on my own, picking up dog walking clients and the occasional grooming appointment near my home. The schedule allowed me the flexibility to provide care to my family and gave me a taste of the same joy I’d felt working in the boarding facility. Once again, my family backed me, providing the encouragement and support to allow the casual dog walking to blossom into a real business.
Over the last five years, Zoomies Dog Care has grown into more than just my full time work. It has become a lifestyle, one that brings me joy every single day. Each new client adds a member to my family and I live for the laughter, loyalty, love and even loss that my clients bring into my life. I still wake up every day excited to see long-standing clients and eager to meet new members of the Zoomies Pack.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a bumpy road. Just as Zoomies was starting to get off the ground, another emergency uprooted my family from our home and moved us halfway across the county, far from the entire client base I’d worked so hard to build. Starting over was a crushing blow, and I grieved the loss of all the dogs I had come to love like my own. Rebuilding from the ground up took time, resources and dedication, but the motivation to keep going was strong. It’s taken three years, but business has finally blossomed again to a point where I can begin to consider hiring a part-time assistant. I firmly believe that the challenges we face in life make us stronger and I feel that I can run my business more effectively thanks to the knowledge I’ve acquired facing these hurdles.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Zoomies Dog Care?
From the outside, it may look like any other dog walker or mobile groomer service. However, I take great pride in the dedication and love I have for every single dog in my care. I take the time to get to know each pup, each personality quirk, their fears and motivators, their challenges and how to help encourage them to overcome them. As I study to add Dog Training to the business, I’ve discovered an inherent ability to understand the incredible language that dogs speak, the tiny indicators in their body language speaking louder than words. What I offer goes beyond a potty break or a bath and haircut. I offer a way to communicate more deeply between human and pup, a way to strengthen not only my own bond with a dog, but the bond between parent and pet. I offer care that is safe and full of all the love a pet deserves and desires when their own parent can’t be present to give it to them.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I have such a wonderful and supportive network of cheerleaders behind me, I am so grateful and lucky –
My fiance, who has encouraged me to chase this dream and keep fighting to make it happen; my parents, who invested time, love and so much support to help me develop the skills that have allowed my business to grow; my dogs, both past and present, who inspired me and who taught me what it is to truly love a dog; my clients, who trust me with the welfare of their four-legged children; my manager at the pet hotel, who taught me how to run a business in the pet industry and trusted me with the responsibilities that helped me develop those skills.
Pricing:
- Dog Walking: Starting at $20 per walk
- Dog Grooming: Starting at $45
- Dog Training: Coming Soon
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zoomiescaninecare.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoomiesdogcaremd
