Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandi Burke.
Hi Mandi , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m originally from Oxford, Michigan (tiny town about 45 mins outside Detroit) and I moved to Florida back in 2010.
After years of working in Hospitality, I decided to make a change in my life to start pursing a career that provided me with the type of fulfilment I was searching for.
Caring for my own animals always brought me so much joy that the idea of being able to do this for others would be the dream job.
After months of going back and forth I decided to take a hobby and make it a full blown career. I am so glad I did and I never looked back!
Within the first 6 months I was so busy that I hired 2 sitters to work for me.
I am thankful that I have a partner who is also an entrepreneur, its not an easy life and having someone who understands how it all goes makes a world of difference! Thankfully we are also amazing support for each other and our businesses.
Mandi Poppins Pet Care has been fortunate enough to participate in local pet festivals as well as getting connected with animal rescues in the area.
Whisker Town Cats is very near and dear to me and several of my sitters as well. We all do our best to make time to volunteer our time and help those needing homes to find their happily ever after’s.
We are now a team of 10-12 depending on the time of year and we all LOVE what we do.
I have worked very hard to keep myself involved in my business and I keep an active schedule myself – I love being a dog walker/pet sitter. Its the best job in the world and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not!
When I first started and it was just me, I was exhausted! I would work 7 days a week and never have a moment for myself.
Once I started hiring and using a scheduling platform my life got a lot better and easier.
Hiring good quality sitters is always a struggle. It takes a very special person for this job, while I can teach you a lot I cannot teach common sense.
Those bumps in the road are what usually stop most people from continuing on the road to running a business. I am beyond thankful for all the lessons I have learned and will continue to learn along the way.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Mandi Poppins Pet Care is a pet sitting and dog walking business in the Lake Nona area. We specialize in visits that take place in the clients homes, which is a wonderful alternative to boarding.
We are extremely detail oriented and very organized due to the amount of things that we need to take care of at each visit.
We are also home security when no one is there, we always make sure lights are left on, window treatments adjusted, package retrieval, etc,
We treat each and every pet like they are our own, we don’t take on too many clients to ensure our attention to detail stays on point.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I’m smarter and stronger than I ever thought possible. I’ve also come to learn and embrace that not everyone will like you, and that’s ok.
I’m just here for the animals:-)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mandipoppinspetcare.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandipoppinspetcare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MandiPoppinsPetCare
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mandipoppins
