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Welcome Back To Side Hustle Weekly!

I’m excited to share with you another great side hustle you can start today! Today we will be discussing how you can start an outsourced dog walking business.

Before We Get Started Here’s Your News Recap:

📊 July Inflation Holds Steady, Core CPI Hits 3.1%
Consumer prices rose 0.2% in July, matching expectations, with annual CPI stable at 2.7%. Core CPI, excluding volatile items, jumped 3.1%—its largest six-month gain—keeping September Fed rate-cut expectations just below 90%.

🤝 U.S.-China Extend Tariff Truce by 90 Days
An executive order from Trump prolonged the tariff pause until November 10, averting immediate escalations and creating breathing room for possible progress toward a summit with Xi Jinping.

🚀 Markets Tick Higher on Tamer Inflation & Trade Outlook
Wall Street futures edged up—S&P 500 and Nasdaq both gained ~0.3%—as positive inflation figures and the truce provided a dose of optimism. Investor funds poured back in; inflows into U.S. equities hit the highest level in two years.

🏡 Bill Ackman Proposes Fannie/Freddie Merger
Ackman pitched merging Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reduce mortgage rates and improve financing stability. He touted a combined valuation of $500 billion and supported potential IPOs for both.

🧠 Wall Street Eyes Fed Rate Path; Data Debate Intensifies
Market pundits now see a 91% chance of a rate cut in September. Yet with data integrity under fire—especially after Trump fired the BLS chief—analysts warn the Fed’s next move hinges on future data quality.

🏠 Ray Dalio Says: Skip Real Estate Now
Bridgewater’s founder urges investors to avoid real estate amid high interest rates, illiquidity, and mounting debt risks. He suggests allocating ~15% of portfolios to gold or Bitcoin as a hedge.

🚀 Optimism Up: Small Businesses Hold Strong Through Turbulence
A Chase survey shows small businesses remain upbeat—optimism climbed to a five-month high. Despite concerns over inflation and tariffs, many are adapting, investing in AI, and buffering through cost pressures.

Dog Walking Made Easy

Dog walking might sound like a simple gig—but what if you could turn it into a business where you don’t do the walking at all? Welcome to the world of outsourced dog walking, where you act as the middleman (or middlewoman), managing logistics, marketing, and payments—while your team of walkers handles the leash.

This isn’t just a side hustle; it can easily grow into a $5K–$10K/month business (or more) if you build it right. Here’s your step-by-step guide to getting started and scaling fast.

🐶 Step 1: Understand the Model

This business works like a local gig agency. You:

• Attract clients (dog owners)

• Manage scheduling and billing

• Hire walkers to do the actual work

• Keep the difference between what you charge and what you pay

For example:

• Charge $30 for a 30-minute walk

• Pay your walker $20

• You keep $10 x 10 walks per day = $100 profit/day

Do that across several clients and walkers, and you’re on your way to serious income.

🛠 Step 2: Set Up Your Business Foundation

Start with the basics:

• Business name + logo (use Canva + Looka for quick branding)

• Register your business (LLC optional but recommended)

• Business phone number & email (Google Voice works well)

You’ll also need basic insurance (like Pet Care Insurance or Hiscox) for protection.

🌐 Step 3: Build Your Online Presence

You need to appear trustworthy and professional. Here's how:

• Website: Use Wix or Shopify with simple scheduling and payment plugins (like Calendly + Stripe)

• Instagram & Facebook: Post cute dogs, highlight testimonials, behind-the-scenes of your walkers

• Google Business Profile: Optimize for local searches like "dog walker near me"

Platforms like Thumbtack, Nextdoor, and Rover are also great lead generators—just list your business, not yourself.

📣 Step 4: Get Clients (Fast)

Here are 3 rapid-fire ways to land dog owners:

1. Flyers in dog parks, vets, pet stores

2. Facebook neighborhood groups – Offer free first walk or discounts

3. Referral programs – Give $10 off for every client someone refers

Bonus tip: Run $5–$10 local Facebook ads with cute dog videos and a simple call-to-action: “Need a reliable walker? We’ve got tails wagging all over [your city].”

👥 Step 5: Hire Your Walkers

Post on:

• Indeed

• Facebook Jobs

• Craigslist

• Colleges (students love flexible pet gigs)

Use a simple onboarding checklist:

• Background check (optional but preferred)

• Dog handling experience

• Friendly demeanor

• GPS tracking apps like Time To Pet or Precise Petcare

Pay $15–$20 per 30-minute walk, depending on your rates and market.

📦 Step 6: Manage Like a Boss

Use tools to keep everything running smooth:

• Time To Pet or PetPocketbook (schedule, payments, GPS)

• QuickBooks or Wave for accounting

• Slack or WhatsApp for team communication

Create systems for:

• Client onboarding

• Daily schedules

• Emergency procedures

• Feedback collection

🐾 Estimated Monthly Income

Let’s say you manage 5 walkers who each do 5 walks/day, 5 days/week:

• 5 walkers × 5 walks = 25 walks/day

• $10 profit/walk = $250/day

• $250 × 22 days = $5,500/month

Scale up to 10–15 walkers and offer add-ons like pet sitting or doggy daycare, and $10K+/month becomes very realistic.

📦 Recommended Tools & Products to Buy

• Dog walking app (Time To Pet or Precise Petcare)

• Business cards/flyers (Vistaprint)

• GPS trackers or smartphone pouches for walkers

• Scheduling/calendar tool (Google Calendar + Zapier automation)

✅ Pros

• Passive income potential once automated

• High demand in urban and suburban areas

• Scalable with little overhead

• Great for pet lovers and community builders

❌ Cons

• Requires reliable walkers (flaky staff = lost clients)

• Insurance and legal considerations

• Harder to scale in very small towns

• Initial time investment for systems and trust-building

📋 Requirements

• Basic website and marketing assets

• Local legal registration (LLC optional)

• Contract templates for clients and walkers

• Payment processor (Stripe, PayPal, Square)

• Organizational software or CRM

💡 Final Thoughts

This isn’t just a gig—it’s a mini local agency model. With the right walkers, client trust, and simple automation, you can build a dog walking empire without ever holding a leash.

Start lean. Stay organized. Then scale like crazy.

Summary: How to Build a Dog Walking Business Without Walking Dogs

• Find dog owners, offer premium care

• Hire reliable walkers and automate tasks

• Use tech for scheduling, payments, and communication

• Focus on branding, referrals, and local marketing

• Expand with upsells like pet sitting or training referrals

• Profit from the split and scale to $5K–$10K/month or more

Would you like a plug-and-play starter kit (flyer, pitch script, contract template)? I can make that next.

That’s A Wrap

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and if you have any questions about the post, upcoming posts, how to advertise, or anything else, feel free to reply. See you next time with another money-making post, helping you boost your income!

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and reflects the opinions of its editors and contributors. The content provided, including but not limited to real estate tips, stock market insights, business marketing strategies, and startup advice, is shared for general guidance and does not constitute financial, investment, real estate, legal, or business advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information provided. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investment, real estate, and business decisions involve inherent risks, and readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals before taking any action. This newsletter does not establish a fiduciary, advisory, or professional relationship between the publishers and readers.