Check Out Bianca and Derek Carlson’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bianca and Derek Carlson. 

Hi Bianca and Derek, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
We moved to Arizona in July of 2021 into our first home. We moved from a townhome and always talked about getting a dog once we moved into a house with a yard. As our schedules got really busy, we didn’t see where we would fit training a new dog into our schedules. So, we thought, why not watch other people’s furry friends! We both work from home full time, have a big back yard, hardwood floors, we thought it was perfect to board and host daycare for dogs. We started watching dogs in October 2021 and have met SO many wonderful families and their best friends. We are usually booked out 60 days in advance and 80% of our available days are booked. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not all been smooth! When dogs are in a new environment, there is definitely an adjustment period of a couple of hours. We have learned that when we are having a new dog at the house, we take a break from work and make sure the dog is 100% comfortable before going about our day. There is also a lot that goes in outside of watching dogs. After each visit, we have to deep clean the house, clean up all the toys, and get ready for our next visitors. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Derek started working from home when the pandemic started and Bianca started working from home in May 2021. Derek works in analytics for an alcohol distributer and Bianca manages sales for hotels across the country. We have both been in the same industry for 8 years and love it! Bianca has always had a side hustle with food delivery, rideshare, and babysitting. When we moved to Arizona, it was no different that we wanted to start an extra source of income. It also brings us a lot of joy to watchdogs. 

We advertise our services mainly on Rover. What sets us apart is that we are both at home full time, so the dogs are never left alone. We only take one family at a time and the dogs get our 100% attention, versus a kennel with tons of other dogs. When there are no other dogs around other than their own family, the dogs are a lot more comfortable and not on edge. We also have a huge yard! The dogs love to run around in it. 

How do you define success?
We define success by how happy we are outside of work. Work is not our life, but it supports all of the great times in our personal life. Work-life balance is key. If we are happy and enjoying our life together, then that helps us put our best foot forward in our work, every day. 

Contact Info:

• Email: carlsonk9campaz@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.rover.com/sit/biancc96305
• Instagram: @CarlsonK9Camp