Looking for superior pet care in Sellwood?
Renée Stilson wrote the book on it.
Renée Stilson had big news for us when she picked up her car recently… her new book is finally out!
Renée was an Occupational Therapist for many years until ethical qualms with today’s health care system became overwhelming. “I had to keep telling patients they couldn’t get the therapy they needed because their insurance determined they should be well, whether they were or not. It broke my heart.” Her occasional fill-in position with a neighborhood pet sitter gave her the rewards she was missing as a therapist. “I 
loved caring for the animals and comforting them when they were apart from their humans.” When that pet sitter moved away, Renée took the leap to fill the void (though it was still a while before she could quit her day job!) “The Balanced Pet Sitter-What You Wish You Knew Before Starting Your Pet Care Business” tells how Renée built Home Sweet Home Pet Care here in Sellwood, how her personal philosophy affects her business, and how people can find the best care for their animal family members…
What makes a REAL pet sitting business?
How hard can it be to walk a dog? Seriously, couldn’t anyone just scrape together a leash and a couple dogs to be a qualified pet care business? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Pets are family members and very few pet owners think ‘good enough’ is good enough at all. Renée brings the care and attention they’re looking for. “I don’t just “love” animals, I “get” them,” she says. “It is my calling, my gift. I hold myself and my staff to the highest standards when it comes to care, communication, reliability and responsiveness.”
Caring for the pets is just part of the equation; their humans need care too. It’s common for humans to project their own anxiety onto their animals, so Renée’s first priority is always helping her clients feel comfortable leaving their furry friends in her care. She quickly learned to be a counselor as well as pet-care provider, and her experience with human healthcare was a huge advantage in transitioning to homecare for animals. “I believe that all sentient beings deserve love and respect. Just as with humans, every animal has their own unique needs and we respond to those. I look at the animals holistically, taking into account their emotions and sensitivities.”
Loving, attentive care to people and pets is primary, but it still doesn’t make a business. Renée has gone far beyond with Home Sweet Home Pet Care…
- She offers additional services that people need when they’re out of town. An unoccupied house is an invitation to crime, so Renée also waters plants, brings in the newspaper and mail, turns on or alternates lights, opens and closes blinds, and takes trash in and out.
- She’s formed a networking group for pet sitters, and has mentored many pet sitters toward their own success.
- She was one of the first pet sitters in the area to develop a website (homesweethomepdx.com).
- She continues to integrate the latest technology into a high touch, very personalized service.
- She is Pet First Aid and CPR certified, and is fully licensed and insured.
Renée knows she’s most successful when the clients don’t have to think about her at all. “I like to say that clients will return home to find everything just as they left it. They wouldn’t even know that we have been there except that the animals are relaxed and happy with all of their needs met. I am a stickler for this and our clients appreciate it.”
When things go bad
Pet care deals with real, breathing clients, both animal and human. This means serious implications if Renée’s meticulous standards aren’t met. “I’ve heard stories from clients about past sitters not showing up, collecting the money and never coming back. If miscommunications happen with our clients they might mistakenly pay for services until we get it sorted out, but that’s not the worst. If animals get sick and go unnoticed it can be too late. Animals that aren’t well monitored can be destructive, stressed, and they can escape. There’s been an uptick in postings on neighborhood sites about animals lost by the ‘pet sitter’. I can almost guarantee that these folks are not professional pet sitters! It is a huge responsibility and involves a great deal of trust on the clients’ part to leave their beloved animals and their home in the care of someone. We need to be worthy of that trust.”
Balanced work life
Renée also knows a huge factor in running any successful business is knowing when to NOT run it. “I’ve learned to develop very healthy boundaries around what I will and won’t do. When you’re self-employed, you’re basically always thinking about the business. Clients email, call and text at all hours. This can be very difficult for those of us who are caregivers. We have to learn to put our own oxygen masks on first or we can’t effectively serve others. When you work at something you love so much, you need to make sure that you don’t burn out and can continue doing that work for as long as you would like to.”
Teaming up
Hiring a team of sitters has helped Renée share the load. “My team is well-trained in my methods and I keep in close contact with them. We know how to recognize anything that might be “off” about an animal.” She realizes how much of a difference this makes. “I no longer need to be the be all and end all. We all love to be loved, but giving up the attachment to being indispensable is really important. We won’t find the help we need if we think that no one can do it as well as we can.” These team members are actual employees so she can maintain great quality control in a way she couldn’t if they were merely independent contractors.
Renée wrote the book on pet sitting
Renée’s book “The Balanced Pet Sitter-What You Wish You Knew Before Starting Your Pet Care Business” brings together everything she learned through years in the field. It is a treasure trove for pet owners, people considering pet sitting as a career, or people building other types of home-based businesses. “I would say about 60% of the book is targeted toward pet care with very specific information on caring for dogs, cats, rabbits and chickens,” says Renée, but “there is a plethora of information on how to start a home-based business of any kind.”
“There are so many side hustles these days with folks trying to make a living doing something they really enjoy. Many folks do so because they don’t know how to get into a business themselves and rely on an app to generate customers. The companies get most of the profit and the worker makes quite a bit less than they could by working for themselves.” This book shows them how to break free and transition to a stable, viable income.
“I use mindfulness and intention to create a balanced life as a self-employed person. I give examples and exercises to get very clear on one’s vision for their business. The clearer the picture that one has, the more likely they will be able to bring their vision to reality.”
As just one example, all businesses are tempted to take on clients that aren’t a good fit just to pay the bills, but in her book, Renée explains why this is a bad idea. “This never works out well and causes a lot of stress. I only work for clients that I enjoy. I still don’t enjoy saying “no” to clients but I have gained a comfort level with it.” But she doesn’t leave anyone hanging… “I also believe that there is someone for everyone and if I am not a good fit for a client, I refer them to a colleague who would be.”
Looking to the future
We asked Renée what goals she had left for her business… was growth on the horizon? She seemed quite comfortable with the size of Home Sweet Home Pet Care for now, but not its impact. “I want to stay small enough to keep the very personalized service that we provide. We will be adding one or two team members this year in order to serve more clients, but I don’t want to expand the business beyond my comfort level. I hope to spread my message and share my wisdom through my book rather than the business itself.”
A business based on values
One of the things that initially made us so interested in “The Balanced Pet Sitter” was the conversation we had with Renée when her book was published. Tom Dwyer Automotive Services is proudly value-based, so it was a pleasure to hear her discuss the central role her values play in building and maintaining her own business. So much of what she said resonated! She began with the fundamentals of “always doing our best and keeping a positive attitude. This gives clients a great level of comfort with me and my business.” But then she moved on to take responsibility for her business’ place in the larger world…“I believe that preserving the planet for future generations is of utmost importance, and thoughtfully run businesses can play a huge role in that.” She believes knowledgeable clients are the best clients, so she “educates her clients on recycling practices and use of sustainable products” for their pets. She “believes that a high level of integrity is essential in any interaction”, so for her each client/business relationship must be “one of mutual respect and trust”. She believes ‘cheap’ isn’t an advantage to client OR business in the long run… “I believe you get what you pay for, so a bargain is rarely a bargain. I believe in charging a fair rate so that my team and I can earn a living wage and be here for our clients for years to come.”
Freedom to be excellent
One of Renée’s main reasons for loving her pet care business is a wonderful point to close on. “With my own company, I determine the amount of time I want to spend with the animals and no insurance company tells me what I can and can’t do.” That fiery independence motivated Renée, it motivated Tom Dwyer, and it seems universal among people who start their own businesses. They itch to get out and “do it right”, and breaking out on their own gives them the freedom to be excellent. It’s one reason we’re so enthusiastic about independent businesses… each one is an opportunity for you to work with someone whose goal is your satisfaction, and is accountable to you to see it’s achieved.
We hope our pet-owning Sellwood neighbors take advantage of the opportunity they have in Renée Stilson’s “Home Sweet Home Pet Care”, and we hope people far beyond benefit from the wisdom in her book as well.
Get Connected
You can buy Renée Stilson’s book, “The Balanced Pet Sitter- What You Wish You Knew Before Starting Your Pet Care Business” in both paperback and e-book options.
If you’d like to bring Renée’s superlative care to your pet family, her primary service area is Southeast Portland south of Holgate and east to 60th. Her website is homesweethomepdx.com, her email is homesweethomepdx@gmail.com, and Renée’s phone is 503-310-7105.
