PET FAIRY SERVICES
San Jose, California
WHAT IT IS: A dog walking, pet sitting, and pet boarding company
HOW I STARTED
I was born in India, and there were lots of animals at the adoption center where I lived. I played with them all the time. When I was 3, my parents adopted me and brought me to the U.S. I liked to visit the Humane Society and play with the cats and dogs. When I was 9, I came up with the idea to start a business taking care of animals in my neighborhood. I named my company Pet Fairy Services because I felt like a fairy who will magically take care of your pet. I started posting on Nextdoor, an app where people can discover businesses in their neighborhood. When I’m taking care of a dog, we might go to local dog parks, or I’ll even do a dog beach day. Afterward, I make a little card for the owner that lists all of the things we did together. My job doesn’t even feel like work, except for when a dog pees in the house and I have to clean it up.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Covid made things hard because people stopped traveling, but I still had customers in my neighborhood. Now business is slowly coming back. I have business cards, so if a person walks by with a dog, I hand them one of my cards and tell them to check out my website.
MY ADVICE FOR OTHER TEEN ENTREPRENEURS
If this is something you really want, go and chase it. I donate my earnings to a charity for elderly dogs, but it’s OK to keep yours. If you love animals, having a pet care business is a win-win situation because you’re helping people too.