Today we’d like to introduce you to Virginia Bidwill.
Virginia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I was in my early 20s, 6 years or so ago, my Aunt asked me to stop by her house because she wanted to make sure everything was going well with the animal care company she had hired for her dogs and house. My then boyfriend (now husband and business partner) and I stopped by on the off times they visited and everything was perfect, and it was more than that, it was incredibly professional. I thought to myself, this is pretty great! It wasn’t until then that I began to think about the business side of pet care, and the great importance/need for it. At the time I was a freelancer photojournalist for local Patch.com page and was volunteering my time with various Animal rescue efforts. I started to think about what I was not only good at, but what did I enjoy doing and what did I believe in, and maybe find somewhere in the middle. Animals and dogs were a common sight in my childhood home and childhood in general. With 5 dogs over the years, 2 bunny’s, many hamsters and gerbils and my rat squeekers, you could say we loved animals. We also spent a great deal of our childhood on my Grandparent’s farm in Oklahoma with their farm animals. My boyfriend and his 5 year old daughter had just moved in with me when he was laid off from his steady job as a supervisor for a large corporation. So having remembered my roots. I finished my degree in Photography from Columbia College Chicago, while still freelancing and then not knowingly, ended up applying to the pet care company who turned out to be the same company my Aunt had hired that one time a few years back. After a couple years the owner of the company decided to shut down suddenly for personal reasons, but after having been in business for 25 years, she only gave the walkers as well as her clients less than two weeks’ notice, which sent everyone into a panic frenzy mode, especially with a quickly approaching Spring Break season, and especially because we had just become engaged. We knew we had to do something, even if it was just temporary because our clients had made reservations with their ‘trusted’ professional pet sitter, who had now fallen through, putting them in quite a situation. My original plan was to go onto Vet Tech School after graduating and continue with Animal Rescue, however we knew we had to do something for ‘our dogs’ and their owners, even if it was just temporary. We became insured, bonded, and licensed within 2 days. We started our very first working day of Doggie Dharma with around 35 existing clients who transferred over to us without question with no break between company switches. Now we have more than triple the clients we started day one with and we have a solid, small team of experienced, dedicated and professional caregivers. I quickly learned that I had a passion than ran deep for not only caring for all types of animals, but for being the one who provides exceptional peace of mind pet care on Chicago’s North Shore, and that there were others out there that shared that passion and love. Through many long nights and many early mornings I am able to happily say we are growing every day and see the future as oh so bright!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I recently rescheduled a doctor’s appointment online and I saw there was a place for a comment and I thought to myself, I really should say something, after all I had rescheduled so many times. So I just typed “Owning your own business is hard.” That summed it all up in my mind at the moment! And while that is incredibly true, I laugh to myself now because in reality, the rewards you reap from hard work and dedication far outweigh most hardships, especially while pursuing a path to success of owning your own businesses, even more so when said small business is considered a mom and pop shop in the ever growing world of animal care. So besides the average growing pains of a small business, I would say learning how to balance my own labor for the company, with office time, with time dedicated to my clients, human and animal, as well as my amazing walkers, all while attempting to incorporating family time is still a struggle. Making time for my family and setting aside specific ‘No Work Time’ or “No Phone Time’ has proven itself to be very important, especially when your husband is your business partner, and your almost 10 year old step daughter comes to work too.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Doggie Dharma – what should we know?
Doggie Dharma provides Peace of Mind Pet Care for the Chicago North shore. We are individualized per household, meaning we provide top notch in home care for dogs, cats, birds from parrots to parakeets, reptiles, chickens and more. We believe in the importance of in home care because it allows us to care for all types of pets in the comfort of their own home. This holds true in my own household as I am unable to board my dog due to her anxiety and deep desire to stay home. The purpose of in home care is to limit or diminish the amount of stress to the pet while the owners are away for work just for the day, away on vacation for the weekend or an extended one. Some/most pets seem to do better when they are in their own home with their own bed and blanket, their other pals (other pets), and most importantly, their own routine! Doggie Dharma provides this luxury by making daily walks, multiple vacation care visits to care for the pets, or even spending the night with them. We are known for working with all breeds and being an advocate for the bully breeds often discriminated against. We are also known for taking on the more acquired pups, the ones who may have had some trauma in their life. I guess you could say we specialize in quirks! We are known for going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to animal care for our clients.
I am most proud of what makes Doggie Dharma complete, the amazing walkers and caregivers, and our amazing clients. We are so lucky to have a solid crew of 8 walkers (including myself and my husband). They dedicate more than just time, miles, sweat and energy to Doggie Dharma, their nonstop hard work and exceptional love and care makes it full circle. I am also proud of my husband and my daughter who are hands on with no only Doggie Dharma but also in our own home as we have had many cat fosters, short term puppy fosters, our current long term foster dog, and our own 80 pound hunk of hippo love, Diesel. Doggie Dharma also has some big goals that include offering luxury out of home boarding, where some pets would come to our home for vacation care or day care on a smaller scale to start with room to grow, this is desired for some clients, we also have plans of opening an extension of our own animal rescue and/or sanctuary haven. I have also had discussions with other members of the animal care world to provide educational get together for clients, pet owners and pet sitters alike. There is so much room for growth and development!
What sets us apart from others is that we adapted 25 years of experience and proven success of in home animal care to our already experienced team members. Animal care is not a hobby for us- it is a profession and a way of life. We live it 24/7 with our own animals, and our Doggie Dharma animals are considered and treated as if our own too. We are also certified in Pet CPR/Pet First Aid, we stay up to date with the latest trends and information in the industry by attending seminars and/or workshops, and we are a huge part of the animal community within Chicago and the north suburbs. Continued education for ourselves regarding animal care is a top priority. I personally have a degree in Professional Pet sitting from Pet Sitters International and I am pursuing a second degree in Applied Animal Behavior. Our walkers are long term team members, allowing them to build relationships with our clients and ‘their pets’.
Lastly, what sets us apart from others is that Doggie Dharma is not competitive. Having other reliable, experienced and trustworthy animal care experts to refer to when we don’t have an opening or a client is out of our area, is incredibly important. I always say, we are here to help find the perfect pet care for their needs, regardless if it’s Doggie Dharma who provides it!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Of course! No successful small business venture is ever conquered alone, or at least in my opinion. My husband Andrew would have to be first. He was with me from the start and supported Doggie Dharma before he was even a part of it and continues to support it through it all while also helping it grow first hand. Our daughter Quinn who also supports Doggie Dharma and is a big part of its success. My Father, Charles, for his continued support and guidance as a successful businessman himself, and my Mother Bettye for always being a guiding light and listening ear. Both parents are obviously good for big hugs and a free meal too! Ha!
My old manager Laura Lee for showing me the ropes day one those many years ago and what it takes to be a professional pet sitter, and of course my current walkers and caregivers, 110% of the time. Andrew, Jeannette, Ashley, Jackie, Kim, Heather, and Liz. It goes without saying why they are important and how they continue to help Doggie Dharma. The exceptional care they provide allows me to pursue a future where Doggie Dharma continues to grow and do great things as a business within the community while providing great animal care.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.doggie-dharma.com
- Phone: 847 906 3361
- Email: info@doggie-dharma.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dharma.doggie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoggieDharma/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/doggie-dharma-glenview
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