Julianna Starling has always been passionate about providing high-quality care that improves the lives of pets and their owners. For many years, she has been immersed in the dog community, from training her dog in high school to completing many courses in Fundamentals of Dog Training, Dog Body Language, and Group Management.
Her passion led her to open Mrs. Slobberworthās in Boone, IA. Initially starting with pet obedience training sessions at a local park, Julianna and her husband transformed their garage into a dedicated business space in the fall of 2023 to broaden service offerings. As her clientele grew and the demand for pet-related services increased, Julianna expanded her operations by opening a Boone storefront in June 2024.
At Mrs. Slobberworthās, Julianna takes pride in offering her customers a wide array of services. Currently, the business provides small group or one-on-one pet training, boarding, grooming, and doggie daycare, along with selling unique pet-related products at its Boone storefront. Setting itself apart, Mrs. Slobberworthās also features daycare membership and monthly treat subscriptions, catering to the needs of pets and their owners.
As a small, women-owned business, Julianna attributes much of her success to the unwavering support from her community and clients. The support from her community has helped her grow a supportive clientele base and find employees passionate about pets and their well-being. Julianna emphasized the importance of finding employees who are like-minded and passionate in their work to represent your business.
The business also plays a pivotal role in fostering a supportive community for pets and their owners. Events like Social Saturday, featuring an indoor dog park, exemplify Mrs. Slobberworthās commitment to creating spaces where pets and owners can bond and connect.
Mrs. Slobberworthās encapsulates its mission of āhelping build positive relationships between dogs and their humans through training and support.ā Reflecting on her journey, Julianna acknowledges the pivotal role played by the Iowa SBDC and ISU SBDC Regional Director Leah Locke, noting, āLeah was awesome. She took time to listen, came to my events and open house, and still checks in regularly to see how my business is going. I am very appreciative of her assistance and am fortunate to call her a friend.ā
Juliannaās Advice: Figure out what you are passionate about and what gives you a sense of purpose. From there, find the need, and the support and clients will follow. As you move forward in your entrepreneurial journey, you must be willing to pivot and learn from your experiences to succeed.
Check out Mrs. Slobberworthās on their website or Facebook below!