Make Thousands Each Month Pet Sitting

I am a 20-something trying to pave my way through the life and career maze. One of the most important career lessons I have learned is that you do not have to be a genius like Mark Zuckerberg or sit in a corporate office for decades to be able to work for yourself. I took the typical route of looking for full-time employment after college, but my career took an unexpected turn for the better. I now work as a private tutor full time, but also do other work part time. Pet sitting has been one of my most enjoyable and lucrative gigs. Check out my story and learn how easy it is to get started! 

I hated my 9-to-5 job.

Shortly after graduating from college, I took a 9-to-5 job in insurance sales. It was the summer of 2015, and I had just graduated from the BA/MA Economics Program at Boston University. I wanted to live in Nashville, so I was happy to find a job quickly that would allow me to relocate there and pay my bills. Like many 20-somethings, I was planning to spend time trying different careers and figuring out what I really want to do with my life. I ended up feeling depressed about doing work that I disliked and wasn't particularly good at, along will being micromanaged by an incompetent boss and having to commute two hours each day. 

Then I started my entrepreneurial journey. 

I would have felt much worse about quitting and being unemployed. That just wasn't an option on the table for me. I decided to stick it out until I could find something better. Through various blogs and articles, I learned that there were several different ways I could put my education and interests to use outside of full-time employment. I was excited to get started and learn as much as possible. 

I came across Rover and DogVacay, two sites that connect clients to local dog sitters. These sites let you set your own rates, and you are covered by their premium insurance. I began by making profiles and asking some people to leave me reviews. It also helped that I have a dog. One week later, I had my first doggy client, a Jack Russell Terrier named Halo!

As I began getting more reviews, my clients started pouring in. Unlike the leads I was cold calling each day in my insurance job after college, the dog owners were very appreciative of my work. Bailey was also happy about having some buddies to play with all day. This along with all my other gigs more than replaced the full-time income from my insurance job. 

I learned that with your own business, you can make a six-figure income. 

One of my favorite parts of not being in a 9-to-5 job is the opportunity for career advancement without having to be promoted by someone else or sacrifice your lifestyle. I feel more in control of how much I make, when I work, and what I get to do now that I do not have a boss who gets to decide those things. 

If you decide to get into this industry and want to take your commitment to the next level, you can start your own pet-care business and eventually get more training so that you can offer other services, such as dog grooming and training. It may be worthwhile to get a pet-care certification to be able to advertise yourself as a professional and make your business stand out. 

The pet industry is hot and growing. It is not difficult to find your first clients by word of mouth, referrals, and social media. Not to mention, you can also use services like Rover and DogVacay that connect you to clients. By having a stable clientele and offering a wide range of services, several people have been able to achieve six-figure incomes. 

Whether you want to do this as a part-time gig or run a business full time, this is a great way for a dog lover to make money.