Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheri Olans.
Sheri, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve grown up having cats around me all of my life. One of my feline friends was a diabetic, and it was always hard to find a consistent person/service to come in and give insulin shots and medication, I understand the importance of cats being creatures of habit and liking consistency and timeliness. I am a finance person by profession and decided once I left corporate life I decided this is what I wanted to do next. I got started watching a few of my neighbors’ and friends’ cats when their families went away.
Five years ago my job, I worked for a very large corporation, was being done away with after many reorganizations, I decided that now was the time to do want I really wanted to do.
I did my research, built my business model, worked hard and now have a thriving business.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Business started off slowly, some of the earlier struggles were how to get new clients. I handed out lots of flyers in the neighborhoods I wanted to service, along with posting business cards. I put an ad in local paper. It was hard trying to get established, without spending a lot of money to get my name known.
Just4Cats – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a cat sitter. I go to people’s houses and watch their cats, when they can’t be there. I am know for personalized attention, treating their cats like I would treat my own cats. Making sure their homes are safe and secure while they are away and my attention to detail.
I am most proud of starting with nothing and building a clientele of approx. 100, with well over 170 cats to watch.
What sets me apart from others is I only handle cats and have a knack for making even the most skittish cat feel comfortable with me. They just know.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Having a cat when I first started watching him, hang out under the sofa, I would get on the floor and talk to him underneath. I could see him, but not touch him and slowly he gained my trust and one visit. I was sitting on the floor talking to him, reading my email and the next thing I know is I feel him sitting next to me. These are some of the best moments.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.just4cats.biz
- Phone: 617-784-7740
- Email: sheri@just4cats.biz
- Facebook: Just4Cats
- Yelp: Just4Cats
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
