Mandy and Juliana are both currently successful small business owners in Kitchener, ON. Their combined passion for happy pets, happy people and entrepreneurship make them an unstoppable pair! Get to know them individually, below!

Mandy Turcotte
Owner, KW Tails

“I graduated from the University of Guelph with a bachelors in commerce back in 2006 and spent the next 12 years as a data analyst for various companies. In the last 2 years I joined a marketing team working with customer analytics where I learned how to take a product to market, how to engage with new potential customers and now to maintain good communications with your existing customers.
While I was busy working for other companies and learning new skills, I always had the desire to leave my cubicle and spend time doing what I love as well as getting to be my own boss.

So in January 2017, my spouse and I, along with our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Pierre, decided to make Kitchener our new home. We’ve always had a soft spot for the community, the people, and beauty that Kitchener always seemed to resonate. We love it here. In the spring I got to realize my dream and I opened my dog walking and pet sitting business, KW Tails.

Within a few short months I built my tiny company into a full time job! I work tirelessly to ensure that I’m open and transparent with all of my customers and treat every pet I see with as much love and tenderness that all pets deserve. I am constantly looking to improve and grow not only as a pet professional, but also as a business owner and, a community member by taking courses, meeting with other professionals, and developing a disciplined routine of organization.

Seeing the Wealthy K9 Club become a reality is something I could have only dreamed of before I started my journey. Through meeting other professionals and dog lovers here in our community, it is quickly becoming a dream come true!”

Juliana Heppler
Owner, Platinum Pooch Salon

“Hello! I’m Juliana, a total animal nut and passionate entrepreneur! I’ve worked with all kinds of animals in various situations; starting with raising parrots and small pets in a pet store in high school, then hotwalking and grooming thoroughbreds at the Woodbine Racetrack and working as an ACA in emergency and regular veterinary settings during college and most recently as a pet groomer!

At 19 I started Toronto’s first bird sitting and grooming company which is still run by family. In 2015, after exploring several college programs, I graduated Police Foundations with Honours with the goal being to start a career in Animal Control/Protection. Through volunteering I found it takes a certain kind of person to be able to work with the horrors of that side of the pet industry and unfortunately I am just not that kind of person! I channeled my energy for animals and rediscovered my entrepreneurial side to create a dog walking and pet sitting company in South Etobicoke! It wasn’t easy… I worked overnights as security in a mental health hospital to have my days free for dog walking. Luckily my business took off and I was soon able to reclaim my nights!

My partner got a great opportunity with a tech startup and I happily followed him to the “small town” of Kitchener with our two dogs, Stitch and Lily and cat Gordo. I quickly fell in love with the area and decided to sell my company to a fellow pet lover in Etobicoke to focus on something more local and Platinum Pooch Salon opened it’s doors in February 2017!

When I started hearing mention from clients, trainers and other local dog owners that more and more people are wanting an indoor dog park space in KW, my creative and entrepreneurial ‘spidey-senses’ were tingling so I started the initial research for this project. I knew I’d need help and was super excited when Mandy showed a lot of interest and our ideas were on the same page! I feel confident we can make an amazing space with something fun for every dog and I’m excited to make it happen, even it it means some overnights to get it going! 🙂
Thanks so much for reading and for your support! Please consider donating to our Kickstarter!”