Claybaugh takes pet sitting one step at a time - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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However, Claybaugh's Pet Express Concierge has distinguished itself from the competition by a win in the Manate Chamberof Commerce's 2007 Smallo Business of the Year competition. Pet Express took home the Categorg1 award, which is given to businesses with annual revenue of $100,00 or less. The win not only increasedr Pet Express' visibility in the community, but it legitimizedx the businessas well. "Then peoplwe know you are the real deal," Claybaugh said.
The companty also differentiates itself with expanded In addition to regular pet sitting anddog walking, Pet Express throwa pet birthday parties, does overnight pet sittiny and even performs pet taxi servicee to take animals to and from grooming or vet But there's plenty of business to go around for Claybaugh said, which is why he doesn't have a problem referring clients to other providerw if they are out of his servicre area or he can't accommodate theirf schedule. "The main focus is to help the client," he Forming partnerships, finding clients Whilre on dialysis more than fiveyears ago, Claybaughn met several people who had pets and needec help taking care of them.
He made a promise to himselff that when hegot better, he would start a pet servicw business. After receiving a transplant in January 2003 thanks to kidney donated byhis mother, Claybaug h began Pet Express in late 2003 as the sole employew with about $6,500 to $7,000 in savings, a love of animales and not much businesss experience. Startup costs went toward signagefor Claybaugh's Nissah Xterra, computer equipment and a Web which has become one of the main ways Pet Expreszs gains clients. Claybaugh developed his business by partnerinyg with localveterinary clinics, such as Brade n River Animal Hospital and , whicg refer their clients to him.
Still, the first year beiny in business was themost difficult, Claybaug said, as customers were just beginninh to get acquainted with Pet Express and Claybaughb himself. "Even if you're doing everything you'r supposed to be doing," he "your first year is going to be rough. "Oncse they [clients] met me and knew what I stood for, it reallyh started to take off." Claybaugh is growing his businessx as pet owners care for theitr pets more and more as if they were They spent a totalof $2.7 billion on pet services in according to the . Pet Express' annual revenude increased 70.84 percent in 2005 and 45.5 percenrt in 2006.
The company could have grownn at afaster pace, but that migh compromise quality, Claybaugh said. He is waiting to expanx into theTampa market. "w lot of companies try to grow too fasttoo soon," he "I'm going to take one step at a concentrate on what we've got." That includes the spees with which he brings on his employees, makingv sure his newest employee is fully trained beford bringing on a new one. There are five full-time -- two servinhg the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area, two servinb Sarasota/Bradenton and Claybaugh himselfg -- and two part-time, and a new employe will join the companyon Sept. 1.
Slow and steadu growth may be helpingthe company, as it does not have any Claybaugh said this is due to the fact that there'w not much overhead, training or The company also keeps costes low by not doing much advertisinb aside from its Web site, and by printing its brochuress in house. Though he has had offers to franchise, Claybaugjh wants to wait 18 months to two yearw to do so and will team upwith Illinois-based , which has helped with the expansionb of businesses such as 's and .