McLean Business starts 2024 with new leadership promotion

MCLEAN, Va. – Jan. 10, 2024 – PRLog — McLean based dog walking/pet sitting business KSR Pet Care, which reached a milestone birthday in 2023, has started 2024 with a new leadership promotion. Christy Kline who has been with KSR Pet Care for 9 years was promoted to Vice-President. This newest development is one more step in a series of sizable staff investments, which KSR Pet Care started years ago.

The secrets to KSR Pet Care’s success have been considered unworkable by many of their peers, but KSR Pet Care has continued to move forward, even during the pandemic. “As a business we chose to make a sizable investment in different phases. The most progressive one was in our health benefits (medical, vision, dental) which we offer not only to our full-time but also our part time employees and their dependents.” says Karen Rosenberg, Owner/President of KSR Pet Care. “After 7 years, I can say it has been worth the investment. We did not interrupt those plans during the pandemic: Although our market was dead, we chose the only viable option, the government loans, which have since been forgiven.”

Usually, a pet care business of KSR Pet Care’s size employs one, maximum two office staff members. Again, KSR Pet Care took a different approach. About 10 years ago, more field as well as office staff were hired. Office manager Julie Lessner who has been with the business 8 years, clarifies: “We currently are a 30+ employee business including three managers and office assistant to offer detail-oriented customer service as well as support to our team in the field. We strive to take care of both as the stakes in a pet care service business are high.”

The business is not new to pioneering. In 2015 another exceptional measure was taken. Vice-President Christy Kline remembers: “In the course of 2015-2018, we employed three aspiring dog trainers at KSR Pet Care who needed help establishing themselves as certified dog trainers and/or were still completing their certification. We therefore decided to start a dog training school at KSR Pet Care offering dog training to complement our other services. It was a win-win although we knew it would not last. The training school  ran its course from 2016 to 2018 until all three dog trainers left the nest and started their own dog training businesses. The relationships we wielded, the coaching and referrals we offered are gems for life.”

KSR Pet Care’s investments were always calculated and still with risk as the cost of living in KSR Pet Care’s service area (McLean, Vienna, Falls Church, North-Arlington) is high and more staff members have been forced over the years to move further away, while travel expenses remain high. It seems though that 40% of their staff today still weighs off in favor of staying employed at KSR Pet Care because of the care the office support team provides and the extralegal benefits. Turnover is medium-low and total employee count is to date the highest since its founding in 2008.

“Having a small business in Northern Virginia is both a dream come true as well as an honor,” concludes Karen Rosenberg. “Having survived the pandemic, which brought our industry’s market to a stand-still, we feel confident again and hope to continue offering dog walking and pet sitting for many years to come. But not alone, never alone. Investing in people on all levels is key, even if that means taking calculated risks.”
https://www.ksrpetcare.com