Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Meggie Williams, founder and CEO of Skiptown, located in Charlotte, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Skiptown, we provide care matched to your pet’s specific needs. The philosophy of our pet care program focuses on knowing everything about your dog and creating a personalized enrichment program for your dog to fit their specific physical, mental, and emotional needs.
Our technology supports that knowledge exchange across our entire staff, so everyone on our team can deliver customized care to each and every pup. Our mobile app makes it easy for you – our human client – to track your dog’s updates and see what she’s learning and doing and who her friends are. Through our app, you can reserve and manage your visits – you can even schedule a pick-up and drop-off for your dog!
Tell us about yourself
This all began back in 2016 when my husband and I started looking for a dog walker for our two pups, Stinson and Khumbu. We wanted a reliable pet care service we could trust to come into our home and take care of our pups during the work day. Our busy schedules would often change last-minute, so being able to easily book visits same-day was really important to us. Come to find out… convenience, reliability, and love that matched our own love for our pups would be impossible to find.
We’d run out of options, and I decided if I couldn't find what I was looking for… a pet care service that could accommodate our modern lifestyle… then I’d build it myself. Skipper was born, and since then, I’ve made it my life mission to bring trust, adventure, and peace of mind to other pet parents like us.
What started as a one-person dog walking business has expanded to the first tech-enabled social play venture built for pups and their people. A personal frustration turned into a passion for building the highest-end pet care and social experience. A place where trust and transparency guide the client experience. Where the ease of cutting-edge technology and a clean and safe place to give you peace of mind and a chance for you and your pup to get your wiggles out. At Skiptown, we’re not just dog-friendly…. we’re dog-focused.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The day we opened Skiptown CLT was the MOST satisfying. But honestly, coming to work every day and spending time with my amazing team while we keep building the place for pups and their people… it’s all satisfying.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
As a business, I think gaining the momentum of finding the right product-market fit, seeing the demand for it, and earning the trust of the people you want to serve.
As an entrepreneur, my goal for success is to quickly create formative, meaningful relationships, build the business, and surround myself with people who share the same values.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- The ability to sell trust. You have to have the integrity to become worth the trust you’re seeking.
- The ability to pivot and change. Because if you’re not changing, you’re dying.
- The ability to hire the right people. At the end of the day, you’re only as good as your team.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://skiptown.io/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skiptownHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiptown.clt/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meggie-williams/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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