We’re looking forward to introducing you to Maya Gopalakrishnan. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Maya , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My day usually starts with my 10 year old cat waking me up before my alarms go off at 5:15AM. She curls up with me so I can start my morning off relaxed before I have to run getting things ready before I leave for work. My dog usually is a bit more laid back. He’ll wait for me to get out of bed to also rise from his. I feed my cat her breakfast, then take my dog out for a walk. We usually walk for 45-60 mins when the weather is cooler. My dog loves to sniff everything and I use the time he sniffs on his walk to mentally prepare for my day. I leave my phone in my pack. I bring it with me for safety, but I don’t pull it out to text or scroll through social media- our walks are our time to build a bond, connect and do some training if we feel like it. After I finish walking my dog, we come home. My dog settles into his crate and I get started on my breakfast. He gets his breakfast while I’m eating mine. I get ready and finally get around to checking my phone, emails and messages for the day. I spend 25-30 mins doing some admin work before packing my back to leave for work. I spend most weekday mornings wishing I could have more time with my pets before I leave to care for other pets.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Maya Gopalakrishnan, the CEO of Pawpins Petsitting LLC in Denver Colorado. We specialize in caring for, walking and enriching the lives of cats and dogs in need of some TLC when their parents are busy at work. We’ve been in business since February 2023. This year, we added our first team member to the company. She’s an aspiring, very skilled and talented dog trainer. We are working towards creating services that are tailored to each individual pet and the humans that love them.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I was told I would never amount to much. I worked hard, but had nothing to show for that hard work. I was 21 years old when I got diagnosed with ADHD and it changed everything for me. I’m still working with a therapist and a psychiatrist to manage it but my life has been irreversibly changed since the diagnosis. I started to believe in myself, my ability to handle stress, organize my life and run a company, I started to believe that I could be someone who is charge of someone’s livelihood, and someone people trusted for care for their pets. Slowly but surely, the voices in my head, the voices of those in my early days who told me I’d amount to nothing, faded until they were replaced by my own, self assured one that said I’m capable and able.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Plenty of times. There are so many people who run similar businesses to mine. I have the panicky urge to quit and move to the remote mountains, somewhere far far away from human civilization. Every day, I’m so glad I’m able to shut down that impulse and keep going
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
As much as possible, the public version of me is the real version. I’m still discovering who I am and I try and share who I am with the people around me, whether it’s my friends, family or clients. I think helps build trust in the relationships I foster. That said, there are still parts of me that I am either too embarrassed or reticent to share with others. I still worry about being rejected by the people in my life.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What false labels are you still carrying?
I was labeled difficult, inept, dimwitted and lazy by family and teachers. I was told I would never amount to much with my life, by the people who molded much of how I saw myself. Their voices echoed in my head constantly as I entered adulthood and struggled to find my purpose. In 2021 I started dog walking, and what started out as temporary work, sparked a passion in me for running my own business. Suddenly I was able, capable, smart, savvy and confident in my knowledge and skills. I built on those and created my business. Today I’ve hired an employee, I’m working on hiring more. The voices I heard regularly have quieted and mostly replaced by my own voice- one that is kinder, and more forgiving.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pawpinspetsitting.com
- Instagram: pawpinspetsitting_llc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15yb6GSxVh/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Image Credits
Ksusha Kay of Milk and Soul Photography.
