So many business leads Susan’s run off her feet

Aug 3 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

A FORMER Northern Rock worker has swapped the world of finance to look after her furry friends after starting a pet care and dog walking business when she opted for redundancy from the bank.

Susan White took voluntary redundancy so she could fulfil a long held ambition to set up Furry Friends North East, which operates on a mobile basis from her home in North Shields.

She realised there was a niche for a dog walking and grooming, pet sitting and feeding and animal taxi service, after carrying out extensive research into local pet owners’ needs.

“I decided to take redundancy because I had been thinking for a long time about setting up this type of business,” Ms White said.

“I was a voluntary dog walker through the Cinnamon Trust for about eight years and every weekend and bank holiday, I would walk a dog for a lady who was disabled.” When more and more people asked her to look after their pets, she realised there was the potential to start a business.

“When I left work, I did loads of research into pet owners’ needs in our area. I found out there was a whole package needed. I am up front and honest about charges – I feel that as a pet owner, that is important,” said Ms White, who owns two dogs herself -– Mitzy, an Alsatian cross and a retired greyhound called Breeze, who both came from Benton Dog and Cat Shelter.

She said: “Obviously, we are in the middle of a recession so demand could have been higher, but I am pleased with the response. I am working almost every day – I have only had one day off in July.”

Ms White, who worked at Northern Rock for four years in customer services, insurance and redemptions, attended a series of Business Link workshops to help set up her enterprise and also received support from Project North East.

She said: “I already had a number of skills that I could apply to my new venture, having operated in administrative and sales roles at Northern Rock.

“The key topics that I consequently focused on were starting your own business, how to be your own boss and marketing.

“It was not as hard as I thought due to the help I got from Business Link and Project North East. Initially, I got a grant from Business Link and Project North East helped with the business plan. I am pleased the way it has worked out. I have absolutely no regrets at all.”

I am working almost every day – I have only had one day off in July.