Meet Kylie Holliman

We were lucky to catch up with Kylie Holliman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kylie, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Being the only one in the room that may look like I do or have the experience that I do, I have learned to be effective by being open and accepting of others.

As individuals, we have our own experiences and backgrounds that leads us to who we are and encourage the decisions we make. By being open, you can actually hear what others are saying. You may even be able to see the bigger picture and how both of your businesses may have been through the same struggles, or have the opportunity to collaborate.

My parents were an interracial couple with very different backgrounds, and growing up that taught us quite a bit. A big thing my dad taught was that people love to use the word, “I”. Therefore in social settings, he said to ask people questions and get them talking about themselves. They’ll walk away thinking you were the nicest person! And that was all do to you simply asking questions, and being an open & active listener.

Networking a big priority for my business & I, and it is essential to my businesses success to grow and maintain those relationships.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Kylie the owner of Fire Hydrant Pet Sitting & Doggy Daycare! I am originally from Kansas City, KS, lived in Pomona, CA for seven years, and moved to Chicago, IL a year ago. I went from being in the HR department at a sales & marketing firm, to owning and running a pet business full-time for the past six years!

I have experienced such low-lows of being a business owner, and all the stress and exhaustion that comes with it. Yet, I have also experienced really high-highs. Due to taking the jump and doing this full-time, I now have an amazing team of eight, have a brick-and-mortar, I am a board member for the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS), and I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to have met so many amazing pet families and small business owners over the years.

With Fire Hydrant Pet Sitting & Doggy Daycare, our pet loving team specializes in dog walking, dog and cat sitting, and providing an enriching experience at our daycare. Our two locations are in Pomona, CA and Chicago, IL.

The Fire Hydrant Team values safety, happiness, and enrichment. The thing that makes us stand out from other pet businesses is our level of interactive engagement. With our pet sitting and dog walking services we send report cards with plenty of photos after each walk or visit. Along the walks, we try to implement basic leash manners so the dog and the walker are both comfortable and confident along the walk.

For our doggy daycare, we only allow up to 20 dogs per day. It is not a place you drop your dog off and they run around like crazy. Our daycare focuses on having the dogs learn basic indoor and outdoor manners, as well as be a safe place for exposure therapy. Our daycare is mostly all windows, so people can look in and the dogs can look out. It is all very transparent. Our intention with the doggy daycare was to create a structured environment that engaged the dogs physically AND mentally. Which is quite exciting! You get to see these dogs grow, build their confidence, meet and play with furry friends, and get to express their personalities.

We love to get involved with our pet families and the community! This year we have been focusing loads on meeting local business owners. And Fire Hydrant has been hosting events for and with pet owners, businesses, and enthusiasts to gather the pet loving community both in Pomona and Chicago. For future events, they may be viewed on our Instagram (@firehydrantpetsittingco) or on our website (https://firehydrantpetsitting.com/events)

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

Looking back, quality traits that made the most impact on my business journey: (1) Grit, (2) Persistence, and (3) Openness

My advice to folks who are early in their business journey, please know that it is so crucial to just keep going, to not take things personally, don’t compare yourself to other businesses (because they are more different than your business than you may think!), and to at least complete one task a day to reach your goal.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

It is so easy to get overwhelmed. As a business owner, there is ALWAYS something to do and most likely something going awry. When working with animals, they feed off your energy SO much! Therefore, you have to be able to check in with yourself, figure out what’s up, take a step back, and go through the emotions.

When I feel overwhelmed or upset about something, I have found that I just need to accept it instead of avoiding or burrying it. When I try to avoid an emotion, I realize I am feeling that way much longer than if I just took a moment to acknowledge the emotion, and to give it the space it needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.firehydrantpetsitting.com
• Instagram: @firehydrantpetsittingco
• Facebook: @firehydrantpetsittingco