Page 30 - INSIGHT MAGAZINE_October 2024

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Scooping poop paying

off for business

RICK & SHERRY COUCHMAN
PHOTO BY BRIAN RODNICK

While there are many benefits “It was just supposed to be part time, and because I catastrophize everything. I
to owning a dog there is one big just kind of grew organically and fairly always thought even if I made a small
quickly,” explains Rick, who operates the mistake, they were going to fire me. The
drawback: constantly having to company with his wife, Sherry, and two- anxiety was horrible.”
scoop up after your four-legged part time employees. “It was more of a He credits Sherry for encouraging him
pal. hobby thing.” to “get off the couch” and become an
But thanks to Rick Couchman, founder, That ‘hobby’ was born out of a serious need entrepreneur and began mulling various
and general manager of The Poop Valet, to find a new sense of purpose following business ideas until one presented itself
that chore has become a thing of the past years of dealing with mental health issues while the couple was enjoying an evening
for a growing number of dog lovers as the that made it virtually impossible for Rick to around a campfire with family and friends.
local company – which began operating hold down a job, despite a previous career “There were a bunch of dogs running
only 18 months ago - continues to increase in social work and in communications at around and they were doing their thing
its customer base throughout Waterloo Rogers Radio Group in Kitchener. when my brother-in-law said, ‘I wish
Region and Guelph. The company took “I was on disability for 14 years for somebody could pick up this poop for me’,”
home our New Venture of the Year Award significant mental health, depression, laughs Rick. “I started wondering if there
at our 2024 Business Excellence Awards anxiety and borderline personality,” says was a company that does that, and it got
last May. Rick. “I just couldn’t hold jobs for long me thinking.

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