Petsitting: like a member of the family

Dogs used to work pretty hard, in security, farming, hunting… and some still do. But most of our four-legged friends live like kings today. This explains, at least in part, why people are willing to invest more and more in services like doggy day-care and next level pet-sitting. This is a market opportunity that Amandine, originally from Strasbourg, has tapped into in Olingen, on the outskirts of the city of Luxembourg.

EMPLOYEE TO ENTREPRENEUR

After 10 years in the communications and print world, Amandine moved to Luxembourg in 2008 to work with some friends running a pet-sitting business. In 2012, she took over the company: “I never dreamt of owning a business, it just happened,” she explains. “But now it’s my dream job and I can’t see myself doing anything else,” she says. Today, Amandine offers day-care and boarding services for dogs, immersed in the beautiful natural landscapes Luxembourg has to offer. “My philosophy is to care for the dogs as a member of my family, without cages and in plenty of fresh air.”

THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY

Although fulfilling, running her own business comes with the heavy baggage of responsibility: “The hardest part is finding resources on how to run and grow the company. You don’t know who to ask for help. You’re on your own. You swim, or you drown. Plus, this was a new type of company, which made everything yet more challenging. Insurance for example… Initially, they didn’t even cover this kind of service.”

CASHFLOW BRIDGE

Another challenge has been bridging the cashflow gap between high season and slower months. Reaching out to banks, she found many doors closed, but her luck changed when she secured a microfinance loan from Microlux, backed by the EIF under the InvestEU programme. With cashflow constraints resolved, Amandine was able to go back to the important stuff: taking care of dogs and growing the business. “I would like to have a larger garden for the dogs. I’ve found a place actually, and now I’m negotiating with the municipality,” she says. Looking back, it’s been a bumpy ride, particularly with the pandemic slow-down. But Amandine remains upbeat: “I’m proud to still be here, even after 15 years - and especially after the last three. I would have never expected these struggles.” Cheers to that!

Location: Olingen, Luxembourg
Financial Intermediary: Mircolux
SME: Petsitting sarl
Sector: pet care
Number of employees: 1
Financing purpose: cashflow
EU financing: InvestEU