Business is picking up for this Waterloo region pet waste removal company

Picking up after your dog is a chore no pet owner will tell you they enjoy.

But a Waterloo region company that specializes in pet poop pick up is winning awards for getting all up in people's pet's business. 

The Poop Valet, founded and co-owned by Rick Couchman, has been going strong for two years now and has been taking home lots of recognition for it with three business awards this year year. 

The company has now won the 2024 Rise Rotman Family Entrepreneur of the Year award, the New Business of the Year and the New Venture of the Year awards from the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce and Cambridge Centre of Commerce in April and May, respectively.

"We were blessed to take it," Couchman said. "We were thrilled."

It all started at a family gathering with a backyard barbecue and campfire. Everyone's dogs had been running around all night, doing their thing. 

"My brother-in-law turned to me and said, 'If only there was a business that would pick that up,'" Couchman said. "It got the wheels turning and I started doing some research."

Couchman had been on disability for 14 years for depression and anxiety when his wife, Sherry, suggested that he find something small to keep him busy. She encouraged him to try his best when The Poop Valet first became an idea. 

In a document he wrote about his journey, Couchman said he "never expected to become an entrepreneur" because his mental health challenges, which lead to multiple hospitalizations, made it difficult for him to maintain regular employment. 

With a background in social services and communications, Couchman told CBC News he was suddenly "wearing seven or eight hats right from the beginning" as his business gained traction. 

It didn't take long before he had a new lease (or leash) on life with a business that would grow to more than 70 recurring weekly clients.

While he said he initially had plans to keep it a part-time business, word travelled and he started to earn five-star reviews and credibility in the community. He now operates the business full-time with his wife and one other staff member. 

The Rise Rotman Family Entrepreneur of the Year award specifically celebrates people who have overcome significant challenges in their lives to become entrepreneurs. They noted in giving Couchman the award that The Poop Valet "is a valuable service for community members experiencing various challenges" and that the popularity of the business "speaks to just how necessary the service is."

"I think that the community likes to help out small businesses, particularly ones that are unique niches like I found," said Couchman.