Owner and head dog wrangler, Kitty’s Critter Care
Care – it’s in the name of her business and at the core of her being. As a creature of Earth, Mackenzie “Kitty” Job cares for all critters — big, small, four-legged, and two-legged.
I try to live by the phrase, “Make everybody feel like they’re somebody.” I spent a lot of years trying to fi t into some sort of box, to find my crowd, and to feel confident in my own skin. After several life-altering occurrences, breakthroughs, and an abundance of trial and error, it turns out there’s no such thing as a right way to do anything. When one door closes, there is always a window. We each have something to bring to the table, so I try to make it a point to celebrate each person’s uniqueness and to help those around me thrive. Every person should feel safe being relentlessly who they are when they are around me, and I strive to be someone others can count on.
At the Paw-ffice – My staff and I provide care for upwards of 50 dogs per day between seven people at Kitty’s Critter Care. We provide a fun, safe place for the dogs to hang out throughout the day and burn off a lot of their energy so they’re cooler, calmer, and more collected when their owners get o work. I grew this business from the ground up with very few resources. As I’ve grown, I have had to learn how to manage scaling a business; how to manage and maintain staff; how to be an effective communicator with customers, staff, and the public; and how to market the business while keeping our primary focus on providing top-notch care for the dogs. Riding the rollercoaster that is entrepreneurship has made me a much tougher person, and getting to see success from my efforts has allowed me to believe in my capabilities. It takes a lot of guts to put oneself out there, but I’ve never regretted taking the risk and carving out a life I could have only dreamed of five years ago.
Leaving a Legacy – Remember me as a rascal — someone who got things done while being silly, courageous, and a little bit of a firecracker.
On Sustainability – Tackling sustainability must be a collective effort. I try to get folks excited about nature and all it has to offer and all we as humans have to offer back to nature. If we all contribute what we can, we can accomplish big goals one step at a time. It also helps to get a lot of input from experts
before beginning a task. For instance, new developments could be encouraged and/or incentivized to feature native plants to cut down on mowing, water, fertilizer, and herbicide use. Businesses could be encouraged and/or incentivized to become more ecologically friendly on local, national, and global scales. Experts are ready and willing to help with these designs and transitions, but making sure folks know that is an option (and what to avoid) is important. We have to make green resources so readily available that they become the norm.
On Community – Community is when people show up for one another and help each other out. It’s supporting local businesses, volunteering with local efforts, paying attention to local politics,
and filling needs within the community as we see them and we are able.
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