Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

Inspired early by an entrepreneurial couple who hired me at one of my first jobs, I always had the itch to carve my own path. Dead-end jobs and a car accident left me lost, until a difficult dog forced me to get outside and lit a spark. I quit my job at 25 to walk dogs professionally, learned from every mistake and many breeds, levelled up with courses and mentors, built a reputation handling the toughest dogs, and everything just kept growing from there.

How do you stay motivated?

I learned independence early, navigating life on my own from the age of 15 while witnessing the realities of addiction and incarceration within my family. Those experiences didn’t define my limits, they defined my standards. They instilled a relentless drive to build a different path, one rooted in discipline, ownership, and growth. Today, that drive is no longer about proving something or avoiding failure, it’s embedded in how I operate.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I’d reinvest in my business towards building my future dream facility so I can help more dogs and their owners. I’d expand programs, create resources, and provide hands-on training that changes lives. Every dollar would go toward growth, impact, and giving people the tools to connect more deeply with their dogs.