Answer extracted from The Responsible Finance Podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How did a home-based pet care business transition to acquiring a commercial kennels facility?
Kaz Burness launched a home-based pet daycare and boarding service in February 2019, then added dog walking in 2021 while working at TK Maxx part-time. When a kennels opportunity came up for sale in October 2022, she and her husband Darren acquired it using a £100,000 loan from BCRS Business Loans, realizing it was the expansion she had dreamed of but hadn't known how to pursue.
From passion project to full-time business
Kaz Burness spent 23 years in various roles at TK Maxx—including security, customer service, and stock room positions—but always harbored a passion for working outdoors rather than in retail. In February 2019, a friend's request to look after her dog while on holiday became the spark that ignited a new direction. What started as a casual favor developed into a formal home-based pet care operation offering doggy daycare and boarding.
The business gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Burness supported key workers who needed reliable pet care. She continued building this venture while maintaining her TK Maxx position for about a year and a half, working both roles simultaneously. In January 2022, she made the leap to full-time entrepreneurship, leaving her retail career behind to focus entirely on expanding her growing pet care services.
The right opportunity at the right moment
By 2021, Burness had added dog walking to her service offerings, broadening the scope of what her home-based business could deliver. Yet she sensed a ceiling: her vision was to expand significantly, but as she explains in the podcast episode, she wasn't sure exactly what form that expansion should take.
When a licensed kennels facility became available for purchase in October 2022, everything crystallized. The timing aligned perfectly: she had nine months of full-time business operation under her belt, demonstrating viability and commitment to lenders. Working with her husband Darren, Burness secured a £100,000 loan from BCRS Business Loans, a community finance provider specializing in lending to small businesses and entrepreneurs who might not qualify for traditional bank funding.
The acquisition transformed her operation overnight. Beacon Barkers Pet Centre, the newly acquired kennels, could board up to 65 dogs at any one time—a dramatic scale-up from her home-based capacity. The facility also came with additional revenue streams already in place: on-site grooming services, agility training, and a retail shop. Her existing dog walking, pet transport, and home visit services seamlessly integrated into this expanded infrastructure.
"There are good finance companies and there are not so good finance companies. And if you've got a good feeling that this is not the right company for you, please change the company and go to somebody else."
Kaz Burness — Owner, Beacon Barkers Pet Centre. After 23 years at TK Maxx, she launched a home-based pet care business in 2019, supported key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in October 2022 acquired Beacon Barkers kennels with her husband Darren using responsible finance lending. Her advice reflects her experience navigating different lenders to find the right financial partner for her growth ambitions.
The real testament to Burness's success lies in what happened after the acquisition. In the episode, she shares additional details about her staffing strategy and future expansion plans, including how the business safeguarded existing jobs and created new roles within the community.
See also
What services does a licensed kennels business typically offer alongside boarding?
Beacon Barkers operates as a licensed kennels boarding up to 65 dogs at any one time, with on-site groomers, agility facilities, and a small shop. Beyond the kennels, the business also offers dog walking, pet transport, and home visits for older dogs and puppies.
How should policymakers support community finance organizations to meet regulatory requirements while serving underserved populations?
While regulation and credit caps are important, there is a case for providing support or subsidy to lenders for marketing, back office operations, IT, and other services to help them serve underserved populations effectively.
What is the consequence when people lack access to legal forms of credit?
If people cannot access forms of credit in a legal way, they will begin to access it in an illegal way. The alternative outcomes include rises in problem debt and vulnerability to predatory lending practices.