NatWest supports start-up pet firms on National Pet Day
NatWest highlighted its support for start-up pet businesses in celebration of National Pet Day - with a Tamworth entrepreneur seeing her businesses continuing to thrive, despite concerns about the cost-of-living crisis.
Sue Crowther, founded Sue 's Dog Walking in 2012 after 20 years working in finance. Although she initially had concerns about the cost-of-living crisis affecting her businesses, Sue has yet to see any signs of customers cutting back on spending where their pets are concerned, with increasing demand meaning Sue is now looking to further grow her team.
Sue, who joined the NatWest Accelerator programme in March, said: “I was really worried about the cost-of-living crisis to begin with but thankfully it hasn 't had an impact on my business.
“At the moment we walk around 25 dogs a day, as well as making multiple house visits to care for smaller pets.
“I 'm at a point where I need to recruit my sixth full-time employee as demand is so high.
“Pets are part of the family and people will always need help with caring for them, whether it 's so they can go to work or off on holiday. ”
According to ONS data, pet ownership has been increasing since 2015, with people spending more than £9.8 billion in 2022 on their companions, up more than 85 per cent in the last 10 years.
While a March survey by UK Pet Food, previously known as the Pet Food Manufacturers ' Association, revealed that more than half of UK households (57 per cent) are home to 38 million pets, up from 35 million in 2022, a rise of nine per cent.
Sue is now being supported by NatWest 's free business building Accelerator programme as she plans the next stage of growth for her business as she looks to expand her service to cater for increasing demand.
As well as growing her team, she also hopes to expand and offer her services to more pet owners across Staffordshire and the West Midlands.
She added: “The NatWest Accelerator programme has been fantastic so far. I 'm really hoping for support with developing my business structure and admin capabilities as I grow my team and look to expand the areas we cover. ”
Harinder Kunor, regional eco-system manager for NatWest 's in the Midlands, said: “With pet ownership continuing to rise, start-up businesses in the pet industry can play a critical role in providing innovative solutions for the care and well-being of our beloved pets.
“It 's fantastic to be able to celebrate Sue 's success to date and support both her business venture to thrive on the next stage of the growth journey. ”
The free NatWest Accelerator programme gives business owners six months of support, with guidance on how to scale and grow their business. Support is tailored to the needs of the business and includes one-to-one coaching on topics including pitching, finding funding and leadership development.
The programme is one of the largest of its kind across the UK and entrepreneurs do not need to bank with NatWest or give up any equity in their businesses to benefit from the support.
National Pet Day is an annual event celebrated on 11 April to raise awareness and celebrate the importance of pets.
Pictured: Sue Crowther and her dogs Jenson and Franky