Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Mostello.
Hi Karen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
A Floresville native, my passion for animals shaped both my life and my career from an early age. I spent my childhood with a huge passion for anything with fur or feathers. I always felt extremely connected to the animals and truly enjoyed training and showing them. I competed with my horses almost every weekend throughout my youth. Weekends I wasn’t at a horse show you could find me showing cattle, goats, rabbits. I was around 12 when my mother and I searched for my first show dog. That path led us to over a decade of showing dogs in obedience, agility, and confirmation. I loved working with the dogs so much that I knew I needed to base my career around them. After a year of figuring out which direction I wanted to go, I ended up getting my dog grooming certification. At just 19 years old I opened my very first grooming salon. I knew I would love being able to be a part of so many dogs lives but what I didn’t expect was how much I enjoyed the business side of it. Its been almost 20 years since I first took that leap of faith and I can say that I am shocked at what that tiny grooming salon has transformed into today. We are now in a very large location and offer not only grooming but boarding and daycare as well. What started as a dream has become a thriving family-run business built on trust, community, and exceptional care. Today, I work alongside my husband and mother while raising my two children–an 11-year old daughter and a 3 year old son. I take great pride in creating a business that gives pet parents peace of mind while continuously evolving far beyond what I ever imagined.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This journey has been anything but a smooth road but the struggles made me learn perseverance and to never give up on something you love. We had multiple bumps in the road with zoning and loans along the way. Although I would say the biggest struggle was to find enough staff who share the same passion for the animals and customer service. I have some of the best of the best and they set a very high standard for future employees. With how much we have grown, its impossible to do it all without each of our team members.
I would say the other struggle that hit me the hardest was having a home life while trying to run the business. Even to have my children I only took off 3 days each time and was back to work. Its hard for me to allow myself to be away from the business. I feel that I constantly have to work on that.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Creativity plays a huge role in how I run and grow my business. From branding and themed pet experiences to custom events, seasonal photoshoots, and community outreach, I love finding fun, meaningful ways to bring people together through their pets. I’m very hands-on with marketing, visual design, and creating unique experiences that make our pet resort feel personal and memorable. Blending creativity with entrepreneurship allows me to connect with our community in a way that goes far beyond traditional pet care.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Growing up in this small town I loved how everyone knew each other. While it has grown exponentially we still have the small town feel and the warm country heart. Its hard to say what I like least about the city because its also what I love the most! I don’t like having to travel at least 45 minutes to get to most of the stores we use but I don’t want to lose our small town feel so I really can’t complain.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pamperedpoochfloresville.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamperedpoochparlor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamperedpoochfloresville
