Kim Plache shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Kim, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
For a pet sitting company, especially with Inside and Out Pet Care, I don’t think there’s a “normal day”. I can think in my head on what my schedule will be but seems like somethings always comes up. The something that comes up is spam wear, then I have to call my IT person if he’s working on this project? or a customer has an emergency and needs our help today or working on our AI system or taking classes on how to grow the business again. Never seems to be a dull moment.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Kim Plache’, founder & owner of Inside and Out Pet Care. I started this pet sitting business in 2024, we are in our 10th year. My brand was updated a few years ago, to show all the animals we can take care of, from reptiles, rodents, cats/dogs and the farm pets. A family can consist of many different types of pets, this is how I started my business. I learned this from a client who had to bring his dog to a kennel & then it took him 2 hours to catch the cats to be housed in another kennel environment, Inside and Out Pet Care saved him a total of 3 hours transporting his animals. The cats were able to go outside to chase mice, the dog was relaxed overseeing the cats work. Everyone was happy and they received personal care from our pet providers. I had a couple of adverse years recently that almost took us out of business but luckily I had a team of pet providers that carried the business through this trying time. Today, it’s about growth and finding dedicated pet providers in many surrounding towns so we can grow and care for the client’s pets as if they were our own, loving and caring. We also provide many services for free that others charge for. Last year I implemented a high school apprenticeship program. My high schooler, learns “on the job” how to groom dogs & cats, So the client has two people grooming their animals for one low price. I’m the only pet sitting company in Colorado that does this! I’m always trying to think as a client and what can help them out with their pet’s needs.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child I was very timid & shy. Growing up and especially running a business, I have “come out of my shell”. I have no problems getting up in front of a crowd of people and give a speech about my business. Some of my clients say I might be rough around the edges but once they get to know me I’ll bend over backwards to get their pets into our scheduler. Follow-up is a good trait with the clients, I am still involved in the company for the backup for my sitters and to evaluate the situation that a client might be having with their pet(s). A good example of this is, the assistant living facility, we come in to take care of a cat with feeding and litter box issues. The pet sitter tells the office on what she sees, the facility has another issue with the cat’s owner, so then I come in and suggest and solve the problem between all parties involved. In the end, it’s all about the proper care of the animal with the owner keeping her cat even with Dementia.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, I think all business owners go through this. With me, it’s been recently, two years ago I was in a major car accident. I lost my confidence since other friends & employees were running my business without me. My business was “falling apart”! My dear friend Tracy took on the roll of office manager, she said it was like herding cats, too many personalities going in different directions. Once, I started running my business again, I had to sit down with my sitters, when they wanted more money, I had to tell them what they made on the number of hours and pets they took care of, they didn’t realize what their hourly pay was at that point, then asked them if I gave more then are they going to pay for advertising and marketing? Of course, the answer was no. Then when I had a little time under my belt, my next question I asked my workers is how many hours a week do you need? So this is our mission: get more clients to my helpers so they can make a decent wage to live and provide the best care for the client’s pets.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Some of my friends started as clients with my business. My friends see how dedicated I am to their pets. I think out of the box when I notice something might be wrong with their pet. Some client’s have told me “Kim, speaks dog” which means if the dog has diarrhea due to having a procedure or is stressed, I know the natural remedy to solve their dog’s problem. I also speak to the client on why this or that remedy is best for their pet.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Kim, is a kind hearted pet lover, who takes care of the pets as if they were her own. She took care of our Rat Terriers but also our home, she let us know what the dogs did or things that needed attention in the home to be looked at when we got home from our trip. She keeps our home orderly and clean when we come home.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.insideandoutpetcarellc.com
- Instagram: instragram.com/insideandoutpetcare
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/insideandoutpetcare
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/insideandoutpetcarellc
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/inside-and-out-pet-care-loveland-3
Image Credits
Kim Plache
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