Derek Duran

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself: where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My name is Derek Duran, and I’m the founder of Houston Pet Sitters, Houston’s professional pet-care team based in Houston, Texas. I was born and raised here, and I’ve loved animals since childhood. What started as a side gig eventually grew into a business that has become a huge part of my life.

Today, I focus on continuing to build a company that provides dependable, professional care while creating an environment where our Pet Care Specialists enjoy the work they do and feel valued as part of the team.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

I love the diversity and identity of Houston. It’s a city with so many different communities, neighborhoods, and people, but we all share a love for H-Town.

It’s also a place where small businesses have opportunities to grow and build meaningful connections with the people they serve.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

Houston Pet Sitters provides professional, in-home pet care in Houston, including pet sitting, dog walking, drop-in visits, and other services for pets whose owners want truly professional, curated care while they’re away or busy with their daily lives.

I started pet sitting about ten years ago as a side gig. I came across an ad asking, “Do you love dogs? Do you love walking? Do you want to get paid to love on dogs?” Immediately, yes! So I gave it a try.

As my client base grew, I realized there was an opportunity to build something much bigger than just “Derek the dog walker.”

One of the most important realizations was that I couldn’t do everything myself if I wanted the business to grow and remain dependable. I needed to build a team, create systems, and establish consistent standards of care.

That became the foundation of Houston Pet Sitters. We help customers by providing a professional team and a shared system of care, so they aren’t dependent on one individual’s availability or ability. Our goal is to make arranging pet care straightforward while giving clients confidence that their pets’ needs, routines, and instructions are being taken seriously.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

My advice would be to think beyond simply being good at the service you provide. You also need to learn how to build and operate a business.

But you don’t have to do it all at once, and you don’t have to know everything before you start. Just start!

When you’re starting out, it’s easy to focus entirely on doing the work yourself. But if you want to grow, you have to develop systems, understand your numbers, communicate clearly, and learn how to delegate. You also need to be willing to adapt when something isn’t working.

Building a business takes time, and there will be plenty of things you have to figure out along the way. Be patient, stay consistent, and don’t be afraid to improve your processes as you learn.

But honestly, most of all, take a chance. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

There have been so many experiences where clients have been incredibly supportive and genuinely rooted for me and the business.

One of the most meaningful happened years ago when a client told me that he wanted me to take my business seriously because he wanted to make sure he would be able to hire me in the future. He encouraged me to build the company I had been thinking about and told me that the service I provided was invaluable to families like his.

That stuck with me.

At the time, I was still figuring out what, if anything, the client base I had built could become. Hearing a client say that made me realize that what I was building had value beyond simply walking dogs or taking care of someone's pets. People were depending on this service, and they wanted to see it continue.

Today, one of the most meaningful things is when a client expresses confidence in the entire Houston Pet Sitters team—not just in me personally. That means a lot because building that trust has been such an important part of growing the company.

I want clients to feel comfortable knowing that their pets’ care is supported by our shared systems, detailed instructions, and professional standards. When a client tells us they can travel or manage their busy schedule with greater peace of mind because they trust the team caring for their pets, it reinforces why I’ve worked so hard to build HPS the way I have.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see Houston Pet Sitters everywhere—in people's homes, online, on TV, and in local pet businesses throughout Houston. I want people across Houston to recognize Houston Pet Sitters as a trusted professional pet-care company they can turn to for pet sitting, dog walking, and other in-home pet-care services.

I want Houston Pet Sitters to become one of the most recognizable and established pet-care companies in the Houston area. But for me, success isn't simply about being the biggest company or having the most customers. It’s about becoming known for consistency in the quality of care we provide.

I'm not focused on becoming the biggest. I want us to become known as one of the most consistent. I want to build the kind of reputation where even other pet-care companies refer clients to us or rely on us as a backup because our reputation precedes us.

I want to keep strengthening the systems, training, and standards that support our team while expanding our ability to provide dependable care across a larger service area, a wider range of services, and a broader range of client needs.

Growth is important, but I don’t want growth to come at the expense of consistency. The goal is to build a company that can scale while maintaining the professional service, communication, accountability, and quality of care that clients expect from Houston Pet Sitters.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that pet sitting is simply a matter of loving animals—or that anyone can pet sit or walk a dog. That passion is certainly important, but providing professional pet care involves much more than that. Our Pet Care Specialists can tell you that!

It requires reliability, sound judgment, attention to detail, communication, and the ability to follow care instructions consistently. Pet Care Specialists may be responsible for medication routines, feeding schedules, home access, safety concerns, and many other important details.

At Houston Pet Sitters, we take those responsibilities seriously. We believe professional pet care should be supported by training, clear procedures, and accountability—not just an individual’s good intentions.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of my biggest challenges has been moving from a business built around me personally to a company built around a team and shared systems.

When you start out on your own, clients naturally get to know you and develop trust in you. As the business grows, you have to help them understand that the same level of care and attention can be delivered through a professional team—precisely because you are at the helm. You know your clients and their pets, and you didn’t build that relationship and bring them this far just to let them down.

I’ve worked through that by investing in better processes, clearer communication, training, and more detailed care information. We’ve built systems that allow our Pet Care Specialists to access the information they need and follow consistent standards.

It’s an ongoing process, but that transition has been essential to building a company that can serve clients reliably without depending on one person to do everything.

What was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

My favorite music artist growing up was Tupac.

For athletes, it’s harder to pick just one, but let’s just say the Astros! Killer B’s! Go ‘Stros!

Any shoutouts you want to make?

I’d like to recognize our Lead Pet Care Specialist, Ana, and all of our PCS, whose work and dedication make Houston Pet Sitters possible.

Building a team takes people who are willing to show up, take responsibility, and provide thoughtful, dependable, consistent care. I’m proud of the team we’ve built and the work they do every day.

I’m also grateful to every single client who has trusted us with their pets and supported the company through every stage of its growth. That trust is something we work hard to earn and maintain.

Truly, thank you. I’m so grateful.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

Readers can learn more about Houston Pet Sitters, explore our services, and get in touch through our website:

Website: houstonpetsitters.com

They can also follow Houston Pet Sitters on social media for company updates, pet-care information, and more about our services.

Instagram: @houstonpetsitters

Facebook: Houston Pet Sitters

For a behind-the-scenes look at the founder and the person behind Houston Pet Sitters, they can also follow me on Instagram at @derekthedogwalker.