Today we’d like to introduce you to Meagan Dowell
Hi Meagan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my career 15 years ago in accounting and worked as a Tax Manager for a decade at a large, local accounting firm. During my time there I had the opportunity to work with small businesses and entrepreneurs. Helping them achieve their dreams in business was the biggest joy of my career. Their innovation and passion for their product or service was inspiring! My whole life dogs, and animals in general, have been my passion. I worked with local animal shelters raising money and awareness for homeless pets. During that time, I adopted 2 dogs with unique needs. Every dog is different and needs something different when it comes to their care. Not finding that type of unique care in facilities for my dogs, I decided to create a space and business model where dogs’ individual needs come first! In March of 2019, I started On the Ball.
We are devoted to dogs by providing a custom experience tailored to each individual need. We offer engaging daycare, comfortable overnight boarding and experienced grooming for our pups! Our community has been very supportive since day 1. The past 6 years have not been without challenges, from navigating COVID to our changing economy. However, our mission remains the same, our dog’s happiness and care comes first! We look forward to many more years caring for the dogs in our community.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The past (almost) 6 years has not been without its challenges! Building a business from the ground up was extremely difficult. Getting our name out there, finding the right staff who see our vision and can execute that vision to our clients took time and MUCH effort. After 1 year in business (to the week), COVID hit, and the world shut down. Figuring out what that meant for our business and our clients was terrifying. We shut down for 6 weeks and once reopened, we began building again. Luckily our clients were supportive and appreciative of our new safety protocols, and they brought their dogs back.
The other major challenge we faced in the years post COVID was staffing. Finding the right people who wanted to come back to work was tough. Employees’ wants and needs from a job/career changed after COVID, and businesses had to figure out how to adapt. We definitely experienced some turnover with people actually leaving the industry all together (our groomer we had when we first opened decided she no longer wanted to groom dogs and found a different career path). The past few years with inflation being so high, we have had to manage our expenses in a different way in order to stay in business. All businesses seem to be dealing with similar issues, so we are not alone, but it still is challenging!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
On the Ball is a doggy daycare, boarding and grooming facility that focuses on individualized care for our dogs. This means something different in each category of our services! We operate a daycare environment where play groups are smaller and have more staff, so each dog gets the attention and care they need. We take our time with new dogs to slowly socialize them in groups that they are comfortable in, so they gain confidence in a safe environment.
We have a high staff to dog ratio to ensure every dog receives personalized attention and care. This is one of our distinguishing factors in our market. We also offer flexible booking options and drop off and pickup times to accommodate our clients’ busy and changing schedules.
We believe that every dog is different and needs different types of care. We do not put parameters surrounding age, weight and altering (spaying and neutering). Working one-on-one with our clients through open and honest communication surrounding their dog’s behavior and needs enables us to create a high level of trust.
We take our time with every dog and go according to their pace and comfort level. This spans from daycare socialization to grooming. We ensure we use gentle methods to make every dog feel safe and work with the dog and the parent if the dog is nervous so we can achieve the goal the parent desires. I believe something our clients would agree on is we care very much about every dog and only want what is best for them!
As 100% owner of On the Ball I work as owner/operator of the business side by side with my management team. I am the final decision maker; however, I believe my employees should be heard and I am always open to feedback on how to improve processes. Many dog daycares are franchisees and must abide by the franchise instructions and model. We can be nimble and adjust to the changing market and our clients’ needs. I am intimately involved in the day-to-day operations and the care of the dogs. I believe our clients appreciate the fact that the owner knows their dog personally and is hands on.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
As a business owner, it can be very lonely. You cannot discuss a lot of your issues or frustrations with your employees or your clients so finding a mentor is extremely important. I have done a lot of networking in the dog industry in Kansas City and have found people I can call on for advice or just to vent (which is also important!) I have also relied on my former CPA colleagues at times to connect with and ask advice.
Recently I was accepted into a mentoring program called HEMP (Helzberg Entreprenurial Mentorship Program). I was paired with a mentor for the next 3 years and we work closely together to solve problems, enhance my business and grow me as a leader. That program has also allowed me to meet a lot of people in Kansas City (both business owners and other executives) that are willing to mentor and help me if needed. It feels great to have a team of people rooting for you!
I suggest making it a goal to meet with new people weekly if possible. When you meet someone that you connect well with, ask them before the meeting is over if there is anyone in their network, they feel you should meet. That way you are able to tap into their connections and your web of contacts grows. I am also a big believer that you should not just take from others but GIVE as well! I love connecting people to others who I think could help them. If you put positivity and inclusivity out into the world, it will give it back to you!
Pricing:
- Full Day Daycare: $37
- Half-Day Daycare: $29
- Overnight Suite Boarding: $74/night; Overnight Regular Boarding: $59/night
- Grooming (bath plus brush): starts at $40 and up (depending on size and fur length)
- Grooming (haircut includes bath and nails): Ranges from $75 and up depending on type of dog and size
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ontheballkc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ontheball.kc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ontheballkc
