ur Pineville location of Social Pet turned 10 this year,” says Amy Hillis, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Social Pet Hotel & Daycare. “It was Bill’s and my first baby. And just like with a human baby, there were lots of late nights, little sleep, moments of fear, questions of why we would do this to ourselves, and certainties that we were definitely screwing it up.”

“But in-between those moments,” adds co-founder and CEO, Bill Hillis, “were the rays of hope and joy that maybe we were doing it right, making a difference, and leaving a lasting impact on the world.”

Bill and Amy Hillis are definitely making a difference and are creating a huge impact in the pet hospitality field. In the last 10 years, Social Pet has grown to three locations in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. They have over 75 employees, care for 150-300 dogs daily and are on track to make $4.4 million in gross revenue in 2024.

Social Pet Hotel & Daycare began as an idea that Bill had in 2012. It was based on his and Amy’s desire to enrich the lives of dogs and the relationships they share with those who love them.

“Most of the pet care options in our area were mediocre at best, but they were always busy,” Bill shares. “There was a clear need for a better experience that put the needs of the dogs first, and we set out to provide that.”

At the time, Amy was a middle school teacher. Then she became the school’s academic facilitator, focusing on curriculum and testing.

“In those positions, I saw there was an important need to differentiate and provide individualized instruction to each student,” explains Amy. “And whether they were fast learners or needed more support, I saw the benefits when that program was followed.

“When we started Social Pet, we were able to translate that philosophy into dog behavior,” she continues. “We saw the similarities between a student mind and a canine mind, and when we meet them where they are at and give them what they need, it’s a clear win. The school environment prepared us well to apply that at Social Pet.”

At Social Pet Hotel & Daycare, Bill and Amy’s team always puts the needs of the animal first, and they place great emphasis on personalized care and enrichment activities for every dog. Client interaction and education are also important to them so that pet parents understand why Social Pet is different and how its programs will benefit their dog.

Even with over 100 other pet care businesses offering daycare and boarding in the Charlotte area, Bill and Amy found a way for Social Pet to differentiate itself from the competition, and it begins with the first contact that pet owners have with them.

Their website, www.socialpethotel.com, does not list any prices for their services. Instead, pet parents engage in a conversation with their reservations team about their dog and its individualized needs.

“We also spend a lot of time on the phone with a new client, answering their questions, explaining the various enrichment activities, and discussing our safety protocols, where other businesses may simply send them to their website,” Amy shares. “Even with this process—one that many may consider to be a barrier to entry and especially considering we are one of the highest-priced in the area—our client conversion rate is 97% and we are up over 30% from 2023.”

Additionally, new clients are encouraged to take an in-person tour of their facility.

“When they come in for a tour, we give the pet parents a checklist to compare three different businesses,” explains Amy. “We suggest that they visit and compare Social Pet with other pet care providers, then make the best decision for their pet and themselves.

“We want people to see what we are doing,” she continues, “setting the standard for what pet parents should expect and deserve. They can see our play areas and our sleeping accommodations. They can ask questions and talk to us about our training, certifications, and safety protocols, and also experience how clean everything is and how good it smells. Being open and available to the owners provides tremendous peace of mind to them.”

“We understand the lifetime value of a client,” adds Bill. “We offer intentional introductory discounts. We know that if we can get clients in the door and they experience our services, then we can retain them. Our retention rate is over 95%.

“The wellbeing of the animal comes before all other considerations,” he continues emphatically. “That’s why we try to educate the owners about enrichment activities and why we do small playgroups or have a one-on-one play model. When you do that, and they get it, the profit and all the other things fall into place.”

Staffing can be one of the most difficult parts of a business. But, both Bill and Amy are passionate about providing their team members with not just a job, but a fulfilling career.

“We take care of our employees and make sure they have what they need to do their jobs and to have a work-personal life balance,” Amy says. “That translates into them being able to provide the best care for the dogs.

“We are really passionate about education, staying current on best practices, and continued learning for all of our employees,” she continues. “From the time a team member comes on board, through their tenure with Social Pet, they receive different types of education and certification programs. Many of our employees get hands-on Pet CPR and First Aid training. Others also earn their Fear Free Certification, where they are trained to alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in the boarding and daycare environment. Our managers are required to get PACCC (Professional Animal Care Certification Council) certified within 18 months of employment. For all of our employees, we regularly do lunch-and-learns, promote webinars, hold regular meetings, and make sure they are prepared to do their job, and do it well.”

“We want to give our team members what they need to thrive in their jobs and make them a career path—whether it is grooming school, dog training, management, marketing, etc.,” Bill adds. “We showcase to our clients how well our team members work together and how that benefits their dogs.”

Bill and Amy firmly agree that part of the challenge of growth and one of the reasons they feel they are successful is how engaged they are with their own people and how effective they are as leaders and managers.

“Our focus is to be the best leaders and business owners possible so our team can flourish and be the best groomers, pet care specialists, and more,” Amy shares. “It’s up to us to create the environment where other people can be the best at those skills.”

“In order for your business to grow, you have to grow as a person,” adds Bill. “That starts with Amy and me. Our plan is to never stop learning, and we both believe in pursuing relevant certifications through some of the industry’s leading organizations. I am also an Advisory Board Member for IBPSA (International Boarding & Pet Services Association), and Amy is the current outgoing Board Chair of PACCC.

“Why some businesses struggle is that they focus solely on the clients that are in the door that day,” he continues. “If you’re not paying attention to your sales and marketing, you’re not doing anything to lay the groundwork for your future. We must continue to evolve and grow to be effective and be relevant tomorrow.”

Along with Amy, Social Pet has a marketing specialist who helps build their marketing strategy, posts to their social media platforms, and engages in community events and with local partners—whether they are rescues, shelters or other businesses—to make sure they are a productive member of the community and are giving back to it.

“Through our marketing efforts we’ve seen our revenue per dog increase, as well as our occupancy and quality of reservations, and we are able to promote more services,” shares Bill. “It lets the owners know what we offer, and it all comes back to doing what’s best for the dog. We want the dogs to be comfortable and be cared for.”

In just 10 short years and with three successful locations of Social Pet Hotel & Daycare, Bill and Amy Hillis have fulfilled their dream to enrich the lives of dogs and the relationships they share with those who love them—and they are far from done!