Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan Gonzalez.
Hi Meghan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My background is in broadcast journalism. Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved talking and telling a good story. After graduating from college, I started my career in news and eventually moved to Austin, where I worked for Spectrum News 1 for many years.
Over time, I started to notice how much the news industry was changing and how people were losing trust in it. I knew I still wanted to tell stories, so I decided to try something different. I eventually landed a job on the video production team at a marketing company, where I produced video content for brands and companies like Johnson & Johnson. I loved the creative side of the work and getting to tell stories in a different way.
While I was working from home, I started pet sitting on the side. I had a sweet pup of my own who needed some company during the day, so it started as a way to give her some friends while making a little extra money. I began boarding dogs in my home and offering doggy daycare. What started as a side gig slowly turned into something much bigger.
About a year later, I was laid off from my job. I spent a lot of time trying to find another position, but nothing was really working out. Meanwhile, my pet care business kept growing. As I had more time to dedicate to it, I started expanding my services and realized there was a real opportunity to build something of my own.
After about a year of searching for a job, I decided to take a chance on myself. I officially started my LLC, Drippy Media, with Drippy Pet Care as my DBA, and made pet care my full-time business. I still do freelance video production on the side because storytelling is a big part of who I am, and I didn’t want to give that up completely. I even made my sweet pup, Sugar the logo of our business since she was the inspiration.
Today, Drippy Pet Care is my full-time gig, and I get to spend my days hanging out with dogs, cats, and the occasional bearded dragon. This year, I was able to expand and bring on five contractors to help care for our clients’ pets. Two of them are my daughters, so it’s become a bit of a family business, which makes it even more special to me.
Our whole philosophy is pretty simple: we treat every pet like they’re our own, whether their in our home or at their home. The dogs get to lounge on the furniture, sleep in our beds if they want, and be part of our everyday lives. We’re not a traditional boarding facility. We want pets to feel comfortable, loved, and at home while their people are away.
Building this business has been such a rewarding experience, especially because I know how hard it can be to leave your pets behind when you travel. Being able to give people peace of mind, knowing their furry family members are safe, loved, and having a great time, is something I’m really proud of. I never expected that losing my job would lead me here, but I’m grateful it did. I’ve been able to build something of my own, involve my daughters, and create a business that genuinely makes people’s lives a little easier.
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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Building a business is hard, and honestly, when I started, I had no idea what I was doing. I just knew I needed to make money. Sometimes I still feel that way! I’m really good at customer service and caring for animals, but the business side of things has been a learning curve. Bookkeeping, in particular, is probably my least favorite part of owning a business. I’d much rather be hanging out with the dogs!
I’ve also learned that not every client is going to be the right fit. The pets are almost always the easy part. Sometimes it’s navigating the humans that gets tricky! You learn pretty quickly how important it is to set boundaries and stand by your policies.
Another challenge is knowing when to grow. I hate having to turn down clients because we’re fully booked or don’t have the capacity to take on more pets. I’d love to keep expanding, but this business is built on trust. I’m asking people to care for someone’s family members in their home, sometimes overnight, and that’s not something I take lightly. Finding the right people who are dependable, trustworthy, and share the same level of care can be difficult.
There are definitely days when it’s overwhelming, but I’m figuring it out as I go, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is a mix of creativity, organization, and a whole lot of animals! Between Drippy Pet Care and my freelance video production work, my days are rarely the same, which I love.
With video production, I specialize in taking an idea and turning it into a finished story. I enjoy working with clients to figure out what they’re trying to communicate, how to bring that message to life, and how to make the final product connect with an audience.
With Drippy Pet Care, I get to use a completely different side of my brain. There’s a lot of planning and coordination involved in caring for multiple pets and managing a team. One of my favorite things is creating fun experiences for the pets we care for. We do things like seasonal activities and special celebrations, and I love sharing videos and content with their owners and on my social media.
I don’t think I could pick just one thing that sets me apart. I’m creative, I’m organized, I’m a relationship person, and I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves and do the work. I can spend one day running a video production shoot and the next I’m walking dogs.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’m just really thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and for the people who have supported me along the way. I have some amazing pet parents who trust me with their babies, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.
I’m also grateful that I’ve been able to build a successful business while still making room for my freelance video work. I love having the creative side of my career and getting to do something completely different with Drippy Pet Care.
Running a small business is definitely not for the faint of heart. I honestly can’t remember the last time I took a real vacation or had a holiday off! There’s always something that needs to be done, and you’re constantly figuring things out as you go. But even with the long days and the hard work, I love what I’ve built. I’m proud of how far Drippy Pet Care has come, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Drippypetcare.com
- Instagram: @drippypetcare
- Facebook: @drippypetcare
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghangonzalez32/?isSelfProfile=true
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@meghangonzalez32
