Time savings and tail wags: Barking with the Bradley’s builds trust with pet parents using Calendly

“We don’t just walk dogs. We give pet owners peace of mind.”

Akira Bradley

Co-Founder at Barking with the Bradley’s

I’m Akira Bradley, co-owner of Barking with the Bradley’s. We’re a pet care company based in northern Virginia, offering dog walking, sitting, boarding, and drop-in visits for people who want their pets treated like royalty.

Our business started like many small ones do: with love. After my husband Alton and I got our first dog, King, we poured ourselves into becoming the most informed, intentional dog parents we could be. We read every blog, studied best practices, and committed ourselves to raising him with structure and care. Before long, friends and neighbors began asking if we could watch their dogs too. At first it was a way to pay off student loans, but we quickly saw there was a larger opportunity.

When people trust you with their dog, they’re not just looking for convenience. They’re looking for confidence. For community. For someone who gets how much this dog means to them. That emotional undercurrent shaped every decision we made as we grew Barking with the Bradley’s from a side hustle into a real business. We brought in technology, hired and trained dog care providers, got licensed and insured, and scaled with purpose — all while holding onto the personal touch that got us here in the first place.

But as we grew, one challenge kept tripping us up: scheduling.

The challenge

A business built on trust, slowed down by back-and-forth

Our approach to onboarding new clients is personal and deliberate. We require a “meet and greet” before accepting any new bookings. It’s non-negotiable. We want to ensure the right fit, understand the dog’s temperament, and let our clients meet the person who’ll be caring for their pet.

But the logistics of scheduling that initial meeting? Chaos.

“Before Calendly, it took at least five separate interactions to book one meet and greet — and that was if everything went smoothly.”

Akira Bradley

Co-Founder at Barking with the Bradley’s

I’d first coordinate with the client, gathering their availability before checking in with our team to see who was interested and available. Next came the juggling act: trying to overlap calendars, relay confirmations, and gather all the relevant info before the meeting took place.

It was inefficient and unprofessional. We’re a high-trust, high-care brand partnering with clients who have limited time and energy. And yet we were wasting our clients’ time before we even had a chance to build the relationship. I knew we needed something better.

The solution

Seamless, professional scheduling that shows we care

Enter Calendly. Or, more specifically, enter Marriedprenuer Life founders, OL & Sway Buckley, who introduced us to Calendly — and changed everything.

We now use Calendly to power the majority of client onboarding. Instead of messy back-and-forth, our clients receive a link to book their own meet and greet. It’s embedded right on our website, so potential clients can either reach out with questions or schedule instantly. And for us? It’s like night and day.

Each Calendly Event Type is thoughtfully set up with custom form fields so we can collect everything we need upfront: address, phone number, preferred services, and special instructions. That intake is automatically emailed to me. I don’t have to retype or resend anything. I just forward the email to the assigned care provider, and we’re good to go.

Calendly’s flexible availability settings let us set up scheduling rules based on our different service areas. I know exactly which care provider is working where, and I’ve configured Event Types so only the right team members are eligible for bookings in their zones.

“The reminder feature is a favorite. People are busy. We are too. But Calendly sends polite, timely reminders before the meeting so clients don’t forget, and we don’t have to chase them. It’s a small thing, but it contributes to a big feeling: professionalism, ease, and reliability.”

Akira Bradley

Co-Founder at Barking with the Bradley’s

Results and what’s next

More time, more trust, more tail wags

Since switching to Calendly, we’ve saved hours every week and dramatically reduced our back-and-forth with clients. Instead of five emails just to book a meeting, it now takes one automated message. The process is faster, easier, and more polished.

Our meet-and-greet booking process has gone digital, and client feedback reflects the difference. They feel supported and confident right from the start, which is exactly the experience we want to create. And we keep finding helpful use cases for Calendly, including scheduling our virtual team check-ins and our quarterly reviews with our subscription clients. 

Looking ahead, we’re exploring how to do more with Calendly Workflows, particularly to automate follow-ups after check-ins and recurring visits. Our goal is to make every part of the experience smoother for both our team and the families we partner with. It’s not just about growing — it’s about growing sustainably and thoughtfully. Calendly is part of that foundation.

“Calendly makes us feel more grown up as a business. It saves us time, makes us look polished, and gives our clients confidence. We care deeply about the experience they have with us — and Calendly helps us start it off right.”

Akira Bradley

Co-Founder at Barking with the Bradley’s