New York-based engineer Coby Goodhart has some big clients, providing clean energy advice to the Department of Energy (1) and C-suite executives and consulting on multi-million dollar projects.<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old also has some big (and small) furry clients thanks to Goodhart Dog. Co., a lucrative dog-walking business he launched last year.<\/p>\n
Must Read <\/p>\n
Goodhart told People (2) magazine the side gig brings in $6,000 a month and \u201cnorth of six figures\u201d a year. How does he balance a full-time engineering job with his doggy side hustle?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot, but I genuinely love it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He walks dogs in the early morning before his day job starts, walks more on his lunch break and hits the pavement in the evening to do more. He also walks dogs on weekends.<\/p>\n
Goodhart hired another walker to assist while he\u2019s \u201con the clock.\u201d Together, they walk up to 20 dogs a day.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how he\u2019s grown his business into a six-figure success story.<\/p>\n
Building a reputation as a luxury dog walker <\/p>\n
As with his engineering job, Goodhart works with an exclusive clientele \u2014 in this case, dogs in Lower Manhattan. Like Winston, a Yorkshire Terrier featured in his Instagram (3) feed.<\/p>\n
He charges different prices based on dog size and behavior as well as location and when the dogs are to be walked.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a luxury service, so I price accordingly and make sure every client feels that in the experience,\u201d Goodhart told People.<\/p>\n
He promotes his business on social media (4) and face to face on his walks, handing out business cards to doormen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know everyone in the building and are incredibly well-connected.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a result, he\u2019s built a positive word-of-mouth reputation as well. His clear love of the dog-walking job and his luxury marketing have helped contribute to his financial success.<\/p>\n
According to the New York Times, quite a few dog walkers in New York earn over six figures (5), like Bethany Lane, owner of Whistle and Wag, who charges clients more than $35 an hour and walks dogs full time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I would have told my younger self I can make a living caring for dogs, I never would have believed it,\u201d Lane told the Times.<\/p>\n
Still, these wealthy dog walkers are an exception to the rule. According to Indeed (6), the average dog walker makes $19.89 an hour.<\/p>\n
And turning dog-walking into a full-time, six-figure job requires a big commitment \u2014 in terms of hours spent walking dogs and managing the business.<\/p>\n
Read More: Taxes are going to change under Trump\u2019s \u2018big beautiful bill\u2019 \u2014 4 reasons you can\u2019t afford to waste time<\/a><\/p>\n What it takes to be a dog walker <\/p>\n If you\u2019re considering hanging up your hat at work and picking up a leash to become a full-time dog walker, it\u2019s a good idea to consider what\u2019s entailed.<\/p>\n Time to Pet (7) notes that you need to actually love dogs and being outdoors in all kinds of weather. You might need wheels to take dogs to places they can run.<\/p>\n \u201cRain, heat, cold, the dogs still need their walks,\u201d Goodhart notes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a good idea to be bonded and insured with liability insurance to cover yourself in the event of accidents or injuries involving the dogs.<\/p>\n You need to be as good with people as with pets, to maintain your clients. Stay on top of every dog\u2019s medical history and needs \u2014 and report any concerns to owners.<\/p>\n If, after considering all these things, dog walking excites you as much as it does dogs themselves, then you could turn your own pet project into a business.<\/p>\n You May Also Like <\/p>\n Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise\u2019s best stories and exclusive interviews first \u2014 clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.<\/a><\/p>\n Article Sources <\/p>\n We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n LinkedIn (1<\/a>); People (2<\/a>); Instagram (3<\/a>); TikTok (4<\/a>); The New York Times (5<\/a>); Indeed (6<\/a>); Timetopet (7<\/a>)<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com<\/a> under the title: A 28-year-old NYC engineer walks dogs before work, at lunch and after \u2014 and pulls in $6,000 a month<\/a><\/p>\n This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.<\/p>\n