Story and photos by: Sally Ebeling
Inside and Out Pet Care, LLC is a locally owned and operated pet services business in Loveland, Colorado. Owner Kim Plache has collected some boasting rights recently.
Her small business was voted 2nd place winner in Reader’s Choice Best of NOCO for Pet Caregiver category in 2022, and in 2023 was voted one of Loveland’s favorite small businesses in the Larimer Small Business Development Center’s Small Business Week Cheers for Peers campaign.
Kim was born in Chicago, Illinois prior to moving with her family to Arizona. She obtained her Degree in Business Management at Northern Arizona University, after which she relocated to Grand Junction Colorado. She was hired at a community hospital, working her way to the position of Hospital Business Manager. This is where she spent the next 30 years learning all aspects of running a business.
She started her own business, Inside and Out Pet Care, in August of 2014 as a female solopreneur. She has four independent contractors assisting her with clients.
Her business is unique in that there is no physical location, they go to their clients. This reduces stress for the client and their pet by avoiding a boarding facility. They are the only company trained in caring for rodents, reptiles, farm animals, horses as well as cats and dogs. Services include overnight care, nail trims for all (including those bearded dragons!), and in the last year they have added a yard cleaning service, poop scooping. Kim is an American Kennel Club Certified dog trainer, Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and Temperament Tester. “I train people to train their dogs.” She is working towards adding grooming services next.
When COVID hit, she took a backward slide, “People were home with their dogs and didn’t need us.” She held on to four dedicated clients, whom she says were very generous during this time. They helped keep her business going. That changed as the pandemic came down from its height. “There was a spike of clients, the people who got pets during COVID and now had to go back to work.”
Kim credits the SBDC with helping to direct her to grants and other resources. She has taken advantage of the free, one-on-one Consulting with Marketing Specialists, which she says has greatly helped. Lastly, she credits the networking events for helping to create her network. “I built my network going to free events and meeting other business owners.” Her network has been integral to her success as a business owner over the years. When she needs anything, she knows she can reach out to her network and they will provide. Her advice for budding entrepreneurs? “No matter how frightening it is, get out there and talk to other business owners. Make the connection. It’s not about the next pet sitting job, it’s about connecting.”
Kim’s goal is to become one of the biggest, one-stop service providers for her clients in Northern Colorado.
She is most proud of her drive and desire to connect, learn, and volunteer to do the hard jobs no one else wants to do.
