Community Highlights: Meet Katie Mcvicar and Jennifer Bradley of J & K Pet Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Mcvicar and Jennifer Bradley. 

Hi Katie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Katie. My business partner and I, Jennifer Bradley, are from a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan called Munising. We’ve been friends since 3rd grade. We became officially family when Jen married my cousin Brian Bradley in 2014. We started our pet services journey in a big box store. While we appreciate the knowledge and experience we gained, we wanted to do things a little differently. We wanted to be able to focus on quality over quantity with an at-home feel. We have over 10 years combined experience. J & K Pet Services offers dog training and grooming services. Whether it’s for basic manners or more complex behavioral issues, our trainer is focused on not only training your pet but teaching owners how to effectively communicate with them without using fear, submission, or intimidation. With our grooming, we like to focus on the same things and create a safe and less stressful environment for all pets. We treat all pets like they are a member of our family. J & K started off small in our homes. Jen was training in her yard in Paw Paw, people’s homes, and public place. I was grooming out of my basement in Portage, MI about 20 mins away from Paw Paw. We got our LLC in March of 2020, and things started to take off. We were working full-time for the government while also trying to build our business. Finally, we decided to take the plunge and quit our regular full-time jobs and put our all into J & K. Working with local relators and scoping out businesses for lease ourselves we were finally able to find a great location in downtown Paw Paw that would perfectly suit our needs. Jen and I are pretty handy and independent, so we took on most of the renovations ourselves. We were able to really bring new life into the building and put our creative stamp on things. Business has been growing exponentially since renovations have been completed. Every day new customers walk in or call, and we’re able to bring a much-needed service to our community. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In the beginning, it was difficult to grow the business while still working full-time for someone else. We were really able to put our all into it and grow the business once we decided to quit our full-time jobs. Also, when starting, there were a lot more steps than we were aware of. When working from our homes, we were pretty laid back, but once we really started bringing in business, we had to navigate a lot of paperwork and learn a lot about taxes. We also had to figure out how to go about selling products along with our services, and that took some figuring out, but we were able to get together with some really great companies. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a family-owned business with over 10 years combined experience. We offer dog training and grooming services. Whether it’s for basic manners or more complex behavioral issues, our trainer is focused on not only training your pet but teaching owners how to effectively communicate with them without using fear, submission, or intimidation. We also like to focus on those things when it comes to grooming so that we are able to give your pet the best care while creating the least stress possible. We believe in quality over quantity. Our grooming is usually 1-2 dogs at a time to reduce noise and stress for all pets. Our trainer uses positive reinforcement techniques and science-based training that has proven results in many pets. We are accepting new clients and love meeting all the dogs and their humans in the area. We are creating lifelong friendships with many of our customers. 

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
We have so many people to thank for our success, from our customers that followed us to our own business to family who have shown their support in numerous ways, from watching kids so we could renovate to helping paint and do trim. We also have to thank many people in our area for helping us get into contact with the paw paw chamber of commerce. Our spouses have been instrumental in supporting us with this giant endeavor. They have supported us from day one. We can’t give enough thanks to our small hometown bank in the UP for helping us navigate all the ins and outs of our start-up financing. Our silent partner for helping us navigate all our many tax and business questions. And finally, we have to thank the community for being so open and welcoming to our new business. 

Pricing:

• Group Training Classes – $125
• 4 Hour Private Training- $250
• Grooming Prices based on breed and coat condition – $50 to start for smaller dogs like a Shih tzu
• Grooming Prices based on breed and coat condition- $75 to start for Goldendoodles
• Nail trims starting at $11

Contact Info:

• Website: jkpetservices.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkpetservicesllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jkpetservicesllc
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jandkpets?lang=en