Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Province.
Hi Morgan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was raised in a family full of business owners. My grandparents on my dad’s side owned a couple funeral homes, while the grandparents on my mom’s side owned coal mines at one point, then later on a dairy, as well as raising cattle and show horses. Their work ethic most certainly trinkled down to my parents. My dad owned a trucking company my entire life mostly revolving around the coal industry as well as heavy equipment. My mom owned a florist shop and a monument company. My mom and dad both owned an excavation company where my mom also ran the equipment and still does to this day with my dad when she isn’t working at the post office, her full time job. The hustle related to making sure your own business survived and thrived came from the incredible work ethic I was raised with. I was raised to never accept hand outs, work for what you want, and the harder you hustle, the “luckier” you will get. I am so grateful for the values my family, especially my parents, instilled in me. As I grew older, I automatically began looking for my path. I was raised in animal rescue and around animals, and I always preferred them to humans. I was with them so much, I understood them, their needs, their behavior, and their body language from an early age. Though I knew my life revolved around animals and I wanted it to stay that way, my first business, that I started at 16 years old, like my dad’s business, was also centered around the coal and equipment industry. At 16 years old, as soon as I could legally drive, I started my first business, a pilot car company where I escorted oversized loads for the equipment coming in and out of the coal mines. I would go to school, go to volleyball and band practice, then on the weekends or whenever I was available, I would escort that oversized equipment. Originally, it was only for my dad and his friends. He made sure I did everything correct at all times, setting a pretty high standard. Eventually the quality of my hard work spread, and other companies began to use my little business. What originally began as a business I was using only for the work my dad provided eventually grew into doing work for GE and Komatsu. What a blessing that was! In the meantime with my business always running in the background, I was in my early 20’s and attended Lincoln Memorial University to get my degree in Veterinary Health Science. I ended up getting an AS & BS in Veterinary Health Science during my time at the university. I also got married in this time, which led to opening a corn maze & pumpkin patch business as well as a wedding venue. Both became successful before I left the marriage after 5 years. While running those businesses, as well as getting my degree and having the pilot car company in the background, I also worked full time at an animal hospital which served large and small animals of all types. In my time there, I learned SO much about animals, countless health issues, reproduction in large and small animals, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. I carry with me every bit of knowledge gained from that experience and use it daily as I monitor the animals I care for on a daily basis with my business and at home. After the marriage came to an end, and I left the animal hospital, I fell back on my little pilot car company and started working on the road more. Southern Belle Pilot Car Services was a little business that had grown with me through the years. As I was on the road, though I had my dogs with me, I still longed for home, my family, and my life with animals. I dreamed of having a business where every aspect of my day revolved around caring for animals, then it clicked, I needed to open a pet resort. I live in an area where this type of business is very out of the norm, so I needed to make sure wherever I opened it, it would be well received. Initially I was aiming for near Harrogate TN as that’s where my veterinary clinic is as well as the university I graduated from. However, getting the right location for my business just wasn’t happening. I would find a spot, but something in my gut simply felt off, so I pulled back. I then tried Wise VA, and let me tell you, it must have been a “God thing”, because I was directed to a location that was perfect, vacant, and acquiring it and everything related to converting it into my pet resort simply worked. It felt right in my gut, and in my heart. God directed me to Wise, and that’s where Paw Plaza planted her roots! Wise is about 1 hour from where I live, but the drive there each day to my dream job is entirely worth it. Sometimes everything just works out perfectly, and this was one of those times. I did every bit of preparation for this business while I was on the road. I remember my last few weeks on the road, I was working in Washington near the Canadian border and spent every evening signing documents, creating a business plan, getting electric/water/sewer set up, and getting the LLC created. I was checking all the boxes before I came off the road for the final time. Once I got back from Washington in July, I packed all of the pilot car company stuff away, canceled all the special insurances, and focused entirely on Paw Plaza LLC. Each kennel was, the play areas, the front desk, and the kitty condos were all built by hand. I wanted it to feel and look like a luxury pet resort opposed to a shelter type setting. I wanted to be sure each of the furry guests that stayed with us would feel more at home. Now, for the first time since I was 16, at 29 years old, I closed my pilot car company so I wouldn’t have anything to fall back on, and focused entirely on my dream business, a luxury pet resort. I am a firm believer that if you have a Plan B, you are more likely to use your Plan B instead of doing whatever is necessary to make Plan A work. Now, I have a successful luxury pet resort here in the Appalachian mountains, and I can’t imagine life without seeing each of these amazing animals, amazing employees, and amazing friends every day! I get to spend my days taking care of animals, grooming, hosting dog birthday parties, pool parties, ball pit parties, show & tell, pajama parties, movies days, and more!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Lord have mercy, it has been anything but smooth. I ran into issues all along the way that I feel were simply testing my faith. For instance, funding or grants for this type of business in my area seems to be impossible to acquire. There was a grant coming around that the SBA suggested I apply for because other new businesses in the area had just received money from it and I likely would too. So, I got my hopes up (something I learned not to do in the future). I began to apply for the grant as a new business, and even though I was already established, they said “oh, we want your business to have a little more meat on the bones, so try again in the spring please”. So I did. I tried in the spring, to which they said “sorry, your business doesn’t match any of the categories for our spring program BUT definitely try again in the fall! You will likely get it in the fall.” So…I tried again in the fall, only to get the response “your business has been in business too long to qualify, sorry.”
I am not exaggerating when I say things like this happened CONSTANTLY.
Also, in our area, being an outsider will sometimes work against you. Any sane person would have given up, but I refused. Later on, I realized my business had outgrown the building we were in, we we would need to purchase property and build so we could expand! Good problem to have, right? First attempt, I found land in town the would have been perfect. The man agreed to let me buy it, shook my hand on it, and we did the paperwork to get the ball rolling with the bank. Then while the bank was still in the process of getting everything sorted out, the man came in to let me know he decided to sell it to someone else, but that he is real sorry about that. The next property was slightly smaller than my building currently, but it had a good location so I could simply add on whatever I needed to to the building to make it work. This was my second time dealing with someone that didn’t believe a woman knew what she needed/wanted. To speak to this man, I would have to tell my dad so he could relay it, otherwise, I was ignored. I have been faced with that a lot in my past so I powered through. The man agreed to do a lease-to-own for 2 years, then I could buy outright….then he ghosted me, showing up months later with a higher price and no lease option. I told him no. Then, there was a much larger building which would have been perfect for all these furbabies. I spoke with the owners, and they also agreed on a 1 year lease-to-own, then letting me buy it outright. I got the document signed and sent back to them and my goodness I was so excited. Then they changed their mind, saying they needed a fortune out of some other property so they could retire, then they would work with me. Finally, or so I thought, I found a property that would also work. I met with the realtor, got the bank on board and everything before making a move. I offered them exactly what they were asking, and not a penny less. They accepted an offer for $20,000 less because it was someone they knew, unlike me. Being an outsider struck again. So, I have been through the wringer with facing struggles along the way. I have tried to not let it make me bitter. I know when God says its the right spot and the right time, he will guide me through it to make it happen. I just need to panic first.
More related to funding, I also learned quick that a “Start-Up Business Loan” was for businesses that had already been started up and running for a while. I didn’t have much of a nest egg from coming off of the road. I still had bills to pay til Paw Plaza started providing, so I had to start the business with $6000 to my name, and the rest of everything had to go on credit cards. Is it ideal? Absolutely not. But, to make this business work, it had to happen.
Oddly enough, it is also difficult to acquire funding when you are a single woman. Each time I have been asked for my husband’s income or for my husband to co-sign. However, when they realize it is just you, these lenders get a little uncomfortable. That has been a huge hurdle to overcome in my journey to expand the business.
Some other obstacles were related with finding employees. Not everyone was raised the same way I was. Work ethic these days is quite rare. I did have to go through some rough times with employees til I found the people and the system that worked. You have to be so careful as some people will come into your business or your life and become power hungry. They slowly want more and more control over your business, and you may be burnt out and willing to give them the reins, so to speak. That’s what has come back to bite me on occasion. That person who is power hungry, itching to make decisions and to really stick it to your clients does not have the same morals or values you do. If you give someone the reins too much, your business can go down hill quickly. So, I have learned to hold tight to the reins, and ensure that everyone who works for me does just that, works for me, not against me and the values I have in my business.
I’ve also learned that people will apply for a job, saying “animals are my passion”, and they may be, but when they realize just how much work goes into taking care of this volume of animals properly, they don’t seem to last as long.
Luckily I now have an absolutely incredible staff. They know how to treat everyone with kindness, even on a bad day, and maintain the humble & kind nature that my business was built on.
It has all been a learning experience, but the plus side is that it has made me a much stronger business woman. Now, when I make a move for my business, I do so in silence. Not everyone needs to know your plans. Every move you make as a business woman needs to be smart and calculated. I credit the struggles along the way for teaching me how to be smart and calculated with every move. Plus, when you have employees, there’s a lot more at stake than simply your life and your business. Now, your decisions will directly impact 9 different people, and 9 different families, so choose wisely.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Paw Plaza LLC is a luxury pet resort located in SW VA, in the Appalachian mountains. We provide doggy daycare, dog & cat boarding, and grooming services. We host a lot of parties for the doggy daycare babies, which does set us apart from the others! For instance, we have had: Easter egg hunts, pajama parties, so many birthday parties, movies & pupcorn day, show & tell, a ball pit party, pool parties, a rave, and so much more! We love having fun with our daycare babies! It’s never a dull moment.
Something else I truly want to be known for or specialize in, is simply kindness. I believe, above all else, you should always ALWAYS stay humble and kind. Everyone should feel comfortable talking to us, and we especially want them to feel comfortable leaving their babies with us, knowing we will care for them like our own.
For example, when an owner comes in with a super matted dog, I don’t believe that should be an invitation to shame them. It should be an opportunity to show them kindness, explain why the dog will need to be shaved, and educate them on how to prevent it in the future. I never want a client to leave embarrassed for their dog or cat coming in looking especially rough. We understand life happens. Sometimes an owner has been going through the unimaginable and their pet’s hair appointment simply got lost in the chaos. Sometimes its a death in the family, a birth, cancer treatments, surgeries, etc. You never know what someone is going through, so I feel it is SO important to never let hem feel as though they failed as a pet parent. Love them through it, love the animal through it, and simply find a system that helps them prevent it in the future.
Always be kind.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Take the risk. Even if it scares you, even if it doesn’t make sense to those around you, even if you don’t have the support you think you should have, even if nobody else believes in you, take the risk. Nothing worth having comes easy.
Is it scary? Good. It means you care.
When it comes to risk taking, don’t take advice or criticism from someone who has never taken a risk, and never take that criticism from someone who has never accomplished anything.
Be willing to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. When you go all in and take that risk, don’t expect for everything to be easy. You are going to have to make sacrifices that can last up to two or three years. Be prepared for it and just know, its a small price to pay for getting to live the life you dreamed of having.
Throughout my time bringing Paw Plaza to life, I had to go all in financially as well as physically. Starting & growing a business of this nature isn’t something you can do on a 9 to 5 schedule. Before the sun is up you are working, communicating with clients, checking emails, checking cameras, making payments, scheduling advertisement and posts on social media, maintaining the website, returning messages, etc. Then you get to work and you have the animals, the clients, the phone calls, answering employee questions and guiding them through their day, as well as everything else related to running a business. You go home, and continue answering messages, emails, etc until you go to bed. It is never ending and you will be uncomfortable for a while.
For me, taking risks comes naturally at this point and I am always ready and willing for whatever comes next for me. I already did risk taking with creating the business, endured the most uncomfortable parts, and I am slowly coming out the other side 5 years in. I am almost to the point of working less at home. That would have never happened without the risk & sacrifices from the beginning. I love my business more than ever, and I would have none of what I have now if it wasn’t for being risky yet calculated with my decisions.
Pricing:
- Boarding – starts at $30 per night and goes up from there with kennel size and quantity of pets
- Grooming – starts at $65
- Bathing – starts at $20
- Doggy Daycare – $12 for less than 4 hours, $24 for 4+ hours
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mypawplaza.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mypawplaza/
