This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Teddy Tawil, 32, of New York City and Irving Fallas, 33, of New Jersey, co-founders of Tribeca-based dog daycare Happy Tails. Prior to going full-time with Happy Tails, Tawil and Fallas both worked in the wholesale industry, manufacturing apparel and accessories for a variety of brands. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Happy Tails. Co-founders Teddy Tawil and Irving Fallas.

When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
Tawil: During the pandemic, we noticed our own pets seemed affected by it. Everyone was working from home, and their pets were feeling ignored or bored. Walks or going to the park seemed like an afterthought, given the stress everyone was under. My own dog, Magic, inspired us. Our vision was simple: to provide pets an opportunity to socialize and have fun outside of their home.

Related: 'I Was Called Crazy': This 27-Year-Old's Side Hustle Hit $30,000 a Month in Under a Year — Now It's Worth Millions

What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
Fallas: We purchased a 1994 Dodge Caravan for $6,000, gutted the inside and started going door to door to pick up lucky pups and take them out of the city to go on hikes and explore new areas.

Tawil: In addition, we started an Instagram account to share live updates for the owners, but it quickly became a hit among non-dog-owners who were just following along and enjoying the content of happy dogs.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Happy Tails

If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you'd done it differently?
Fallas: The one thing that I regret every single day is that we didn't get separate phones for business. We use our personal phones and interconnect our accounts. It takes a lot out of us while we field calls from customers,........

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