Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandy Hendrickson.
Sandy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m the owner of Pampered Pet Services Resort & Spa, which started as an in-home pet sitting company in 2002 and now is a full-service pet care facility.
I grew up in a small town outside Indianapolis, Indiana where my parents bred and raised golden retrievers. I participated in the care and training of our golden retrievers for obedience, confirmation and field competitions that our family would compete in. Our family vacations were planned around various dog competitions across the nation (and I’m proud to say) where our dogs earned many championships. Additionally, my parents were 4-H dog obedience leaders and I was a member of for many years too. I worked at the local dog kennel (where I learned the pros and cons of boarding animals) and have been a volunteer at numerous animal shelters throughout my life.
In high school, I met my husband Patrick. I knew right away he was my soul mate because of his love for animals, like mine. We married in our early twenties and though we had our ups and downs we have been happily married for over 35 years.
In addition to my pet care knowledge, I also have over twenty years of progressive accounting experience, which I received during my previous career. Having worked for many companies has given me the insight I now use to run a professional full-service pet care facility business.
In 2002, I was laid off from my accounting job and was searching on the internet when I came across an article about an in-home pet sitter. I told Patrick about it over dinner, and he said you have been taking care of friends and family pets for years, that is something you should do. With my accounting background and his business operations skills, we started doing in-home pet sitting in our area. Over the next few years, we hired a couple of people to help with the demand of people needing pet care service.
Around 2006, we began thinking about opening a doggie daycare. So, we started researching and touring boarding facilities, veterinary hospitals, animal shelters and doggie daycares learning what is working and not working in their facilities and what pet parents are looking for.
We hired an architect and real estate broker to help us find the right location and design our resort and spa. This was a long journey by getting a business loan, rezoning our perfect property, getting building permits, hiring contractors before breaking ground. Only after a few months of construction, we realized that the architect and general contractors had very little integrity, you could call them crooks. And the contracts that had been signed with them were not worth the paper they were written on. So, we sat unbuilt for two plus years but still having to pay our monthly mortgage. Sure we could have sued the architect and general contractor but then there is no guarantee that we could get built and money was short.
Then, we found our true angels, a new architect that helped us tremendously and a new general contractor that pulled a team of local contractors together to help get us built. Though we were now over budget we were able to get loans from family and friends to get the construction completed and open on Valentine’s Day 2012. We have a staff of over forty Pet Pals that care for our furry friends at the resort for boarding, doggie daycare, grooming and we even have an indoor swimming pool for the dogs. And, along with a full staff that goes to our clients home to care for their pets, just like when we started.
Currently, Patrick and I have three cats (Autumn, Kesha and Barney) that are willing to share their home with us and our golden retriever Jack.
I have spent my entire life caring for an array animal and I am truly grateful to be doing what I love for a living, pampering my friends and family pets. Please stop in anytime for a tour of our Resort & Spa.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pampered Pet Services Resort & Spa – what should we know?
Pampered Pet Services Resort & Spa proudly provides the highest quality Dog and Cat Boarding, Doggie Daycare, Dog Grooming, Dog Training and In-Home Pet Sitting in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. We’re located in East Dundee Illinois just a minute from I-90 on Route 25. We also offer indoor swimming for therapy, exercise, and fun. We built our Resort from the ground up with dogs and pet care in mind, it is not a retrofitted building, so all dogs have room to run, have fun and can be themselves in a comfortable environment. We understand that your pet requires more than just the basic needs, such as fresh water and feeding, therefore, your furry friend is apart of our family and treated as such.
We’re set apart with our service, indoor pool and a facility that was built from the ground up for dogs.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Got more advise on construction and done background checks on contractors.
Contact Info:
- Address: Pampered Pet Services Resort & Spa
1050 Dundee Avenue
East Dundee, IL 60118 - Website: www.pamperedpetservices.com
- Phone: 847-844-7585
- Email: info@pamperedpetservices.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedPetServicesResort
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
