After a very painful loss, everything shifted. And in the middle of that moment, something unexpected appeared: the opportunity to start Paw de Janeiro. It wasn’t something I had mapped out, nor was it part of the plan, but it was there.

With a strong background in entrepreneurship, I took a leap of faith, and it gave me more than a career. It gave me purpose.

I fell in love with the dogs, with the routines, with the trust people place in us. I fell in love with the community around it. And for the first time, I truly understood that I could make a difference, not just by helping people care for their pets, but by building a work environment where people feel supported, where they can grow, and where they can become better at what they do.

But let’s be honest, passion is not enough. Passion doesn’t prepare you for a dog that panics mid-walk. It doesn’t prepare you for a collar that slips off. Nor for a severe allergic reaction in the middle of a trail. Most importantly, it doesn’t protect the family who trusted you with their dog.

So, what does? In my experience, it’s knowledge, structure, and support. So, I got trained, got insured, and built systems and protocols, even for the situations you hope never happen. The lawyer in me stepped in and helped me build a company that is reliable, accountable, and safe.

Paw de Janeiro was built with heart, but it runs on preparation, responsibility, and care because, at the end of the day, this work is not just about loving dogs, it’s about being someone others can trust with what they love most.