From personal tragedy to success

Rebuilding life after loss

In 2018, Anna made a life-changing move to Norfolk with her two sons. Just 12 months earlier, she had lost her husband to suicide.

Faced with unimaginable grief, Anna made the difficult decision to start over somewhere new, hoping to create stability and a fresh beginning for her family. It wasn’t easy.

As a single mum to two boys, aged 12 and 15, Anna did whatever she could to keep things going. She worked multiple jobs, including as a dinner lady at a local school, while also taking on dog boarding and dog walking work to help pay the bills. Anna openly admits those years were incredibly tough. She says:

“It wasn’t easy. My mum was helping buy the boys’ school uniforms and things were really difficult financially.”

But even during the hardest times, Anna refused to give up. She knew she wanted more than just getting by. She wanted security, independence and a future she could feel proud of.

Taking a leap of faith

In May 2023, Anna made a bold decision.

She invested in the Waveney branch of We Love Pets as a resale territory.

Although starting a business felt daunting, Anna knew she wasn’t doing it alone. With the support of the We Love Pets team and an established brand behind her, she finally felt ready to take the leap into business ownership.

That decision changed everything.

Anna says:

“The support I received from the team at head office has been second to none.”

“I couldn’t have done it without them and I’m still pinching myself that I actually own my own business and earn a decent income.”

Growing faster than expected

What happened next exceeded even Anna’s expectations.

In just her first year, Anna tripled the turnover of her resale territory.

By working incredibly hard, delivering exceptional care and building strong customer relationships, demand for her services grew rapidly.

Dog boarding played a huge part in helping Anna accelerate her income in the early stages, giving her strong cash flow while she continued growing the branch.

She says:

“To begin with, I took on lots of dog boarding jobs, which really helped me financially. I’ve now built a solid base of clients and I’m continuing to grow.”

With growth came new challenges.

As the business expanded, Anna began recruiting team members and learning the realities of leadership and staff management.

Like every business owner, she has had to adapt quickly.

Creating the life she dreamed of

Running a successful business isn’t always easy. There are long days, difficult decisions and constant demands. But for Anna, the rewards have been life-changing. She says:

“Some evenings I have to put my phone on silent because I’m too tired to answer enquiries. It’s a nice problem to have.”

“I know things will level out, but it’s also important to have time with the boys.”

For the first time in years, Anna has financial security, flexibility and a business she can truly call her own. She even achieved something that once felt impossible.

“I managed to take us on holiday to Turkey. It’s quite incredible.”

Today, Anna’s branch is so successful that it has surpassed the VAT threshold - a milestone many new business owners aspire to reach.

What once began as a chance to rebuild has become a thriving, highly successful business.

A future built on resilience

Anna’s story is a powerful reminder that your starting point does not define your future.

No matter how difficult life has been, with the right support, determination and opportunity, it is possible to rebuild something extraordinary.