Meet Kelly Winter

We were lucky to catch up with Kelly Winter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I found my (work) purpose finally – at 40 years old! I have always loved animals since I can remember and I always wanted to work with them in some capacity. At 20 years old, I got that opportunity and started my career with the County of San Diego, Department of Animal Services. Driving to work each day and hearing all of the barking dogs as I made my way into the parking lot filled my heart with joy! I was finally going to be able play with dogs and cats all day, right?? Boy was I wrong. I worked at the shelter for many years in different capacities – as a Customer Service Rep, and as an Animal Care Attendant. I was part of a team responsible for the daily care and feeding of 150 dogs and 120 cats. It was a TON of work! There were so many animals and so few humans, we didn’t have time to stop and play or interact with the animals like we wanted to. We were there to make sure their very basic needs were being met – food, water, clean shelter and veterinary care. That’s it. As time went on and I was promoted, I also became the person responsible for euthanizing up to 30 animals per day. My love for animals had turned into a nightmare job that I wanted out of.

I left Animal Control and worked as a manager for another County department before we decided to move to Florida in 2014. Once here, I worked for the State of FL as an Operations Manager for FDOT for 5 years and was content, more or less, but definitely not fulfilled. I was just going through the motions. I was starting to show signs of depression, was getting sick, always tired, etc. It was just a blah existence. My husband suggested I take some time to think about what I’d like to do that would make me happy. I ended up quitting my job at FDOT and taking his advice. Two weeks later it dawned on me…I wanted to work with animals again but in a loving environment where I could utilize my professional level animal handling and behavioral training, and also my management and communication skills. I was starting my own pet sitting business! I was so excited and suddenly filled with an overwhelming amount of purpose! I knew that any animal in my care was going to be treated with the utmost compassion, and even if I could only help a few people with their pets, I would still be making a difference. I would have purpose again.

Fast forward 5 years, and I now own the largest pet care company in Flagler County with 17 employees and hundreds of happy clients! We have never wavered in our dedication to provide the very best service to any animals entrusted to our care. We have all 5 star reviews which we are extremely proud of. We know it is a privilege to be chosen as a pet care provider and we take our jobs very seriously.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

After creating a successful business, I now mentor the newer pet sitting professionals in town. I created a Facebook group for all of us to ask questions, send referrals, vent or get advice. We network in person. Collaboration over competition is our motto. We all have room to succeed. It’s been extremely successful and I have received so much positive feedback from it.

I also enjoy attending National Association of Professional Pet Sitters conferences, doing continued education, fostering rescue dogs when I’m able to, and being a resource for the community on all things pet care related – whether it’s speaking on a podcast, doing interviews such as these or sharing information and resources via my business Facebook and Instagram pages.

I’ve added several niche services to my business including ground pet transport across country, flight nanny services and travel pet care. Now that my team is able to do the local jobs, I can expand my own services offered. I flew with a dog to Mexico earlier this year so she could be in her pawrents wedding, flew her back and cared for her while they had their honeymoon. We try to make things as easy and stress-free for these big life events, including cross country moves.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The main skills that have helped me on this journey the most have been professional level animal handing/behavior training, communication (both written and oral), and determination. If you want it, you have to work for it. If you want to be the most knowledgeable and stand out from the crowd, you have to earn it. This is a job that a lot of people think is easy. I’m here to tell you it is not. There are a thousand other things you need to know and be capable of other than “playing with dogs and cats all day”. Just ask the people who haven’t hired a professional and have the horror stories to show for it.

My advice for newcomers to this career is this: carefully set your prices to match your level of expertise and don’t negotiate on them. Set boundaries with clients on when they have access to you (my phone goes on do not disturb from 7pm-8am daily). This can easily turn into a 24/7 job 365 days a week. You must block off time for yourself to reconnect with family and friends, and take care of you. It can also be an isolating job, so being comfortable being alone and having only animals to talk to is a plus 🙂

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

My husband of 20 years passed away suddenly 4 months ago at age 52, leaving me (44) and our four children, ages 16-27. I took some time off to take care of myself and my family and try to get some clarity on how to handle this new life. There are many challenges I face and particularly with my work, I had to prioritize being home more with our youngest daughter who is the last one at home. I used to work so much and took for granted that my husband was here to help with her. I’d often stay at clients homes back to back for a month or more, popping in at home here and there daily. While my business is a huge priority, my family is so much more. I am delegating more to my team, hiring new team members and learning to be ok with saying no more often. I’m adjusting the kinds of jobs I take on myself and focusing more on working ON the business rather than IN the business so much. It’s been a shift, but one I’m at peace with currently.

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Photography by Images By Alina

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