Amy Schwab shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Amy, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of every day look very intentional and grounded. I wake up and do a deep meditation, grounding myself in openness, love, and gratitude. I have found that when I do this within 5 minutes of waking up, it has a significant impact on my mental health throughout the day. It helps me feel calm, focused, and ready to take on anything. After meditatin, I immediately journal and freely write a stream of consciousness, pen to paper. I write down any blocks, fears, patterns, or ideas that are on a hamster wheel. I write it all down, including any new epiphanies or breakthroughs from my meditation, so I’m not carrying around a heavy mental load in addition to tasks I need to complete that day. Then, I take a walk in nature down to a local coffee shop and I try to pet a dog and give them a treat (if their owner approves!). I take a pilates or lagree class 4x per week and then I dive into CEO duties of emails, meetings, and reviewing the schedule for the day. Every single day, I actively think about how I can be a better leader and be of service to the people around me; how I can uplift and empower my team to feel their best. That’s the core of leadership for me, and it’s incredibly important to continue building a loving, cohesive team. And that starts with me taking care of myself and my mental health.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Amy, and I’m the founder of Betches Walking Betches. We’re the only luxury pet care company based west of the 405 that blends emotional intelligence, personalized routines, and white-glove service to create deep, lasting relationships with both dogs and their families. What began as a one-woman operation during my transition out of corporate tech has grown into a trusted team serving over 170 families across West LA.
What sets us apart isn’t just the services we complete every day, it’s how we show up. My team of 12 is incredibly calm, grounded, and highly attuned to the needs of both dogs and their humans. We know almost every single thing about someone’s dog before we enter for the first time. We don’t just “walk dogs,” we build relationships, create routines that reduce stress, and become part of the family.
Right now, I’m focused on scaling to additional neighborhoods outside of the westside without compromising what makes the brand feel personal. We’re constantly improving and refining our training, internal systems, and partnerships to deepen our presence in the community while keeping our care intentional and boutique.
To me, leadership is about showing up with heart, clarity, and service, and that’s what I bring into everything I build, whether it’s my team, this brand, or what’s coming next.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One of the most perspective-shifting moments for me came while traveling through Bali, Indonesia. What struck me wasn’t just the beauty of the water or the palm trees. It was the culture, deeply rooted in gratitude, presence, and oneness. Every day, Balinese Hindus place offerings on the ground outside their homes three times a day, each time pausing with stillness and prayer. These handwoven trays made from young palm leaves are filled with colorful flowers, rice, and incense. Every part is placed with full presence and love.
What moved me most was how dogs are treated in this ritual. When a dog walks by and eats the rice and food from the offering, it’s not seen as a disruption. It’s honored. They believe when a dog eats the offering, it’s a past ancestor or Goddess showing up in physical form to receive it. That moment is sacred. The dog is sacred. The act itself is sacred.
Street dogs that do not have homes are also often adopted by restaurants and little corner stores. They are fed, given water, and are able to roam freely inside. There are many free organizations that drive around to the street dogs and give them medical attention. Bali is such a beautiul reminder just how important and sacred dogs our in our lives. The energy, respect, and kindness that the Balinese show towards these dogs is unmatched. It’s so beautiful to witness.
That lens shapes how I lead, how I train my team, and how we show up for every family we work with. Because care is not a task. It is a way of moving through the world.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You don’t have to keep proving your worth by how much you do. You can stop hustling for belonging. You already have everything you need. You are allowed to trust what feels good, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else yet. One day, that trust will be the reason everything finally clicks. One day, you’ll stop performing and start creating. You’ll stop surviving and start leading. And you’ll do it your way; with presence, with love, and with power.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what matters most to me is living in full, honest alignment with who I am. I lead with my heart. I feel safe expressing my emotions, and I don’t believe I have to choose between being powerful and being soft. I lead with the feminine. That means I can hold space, feel deeply, move intuitively, and still build something strong. That’s the beauty of it.
They’d also say I’ve faced a lot and transmuted it. The traumas, the pressure, the things I used to carry; they’ve become lessons, and those lessons became my superpowers. I don’t hide what I’ve been through. I use it to lead better, love harder, and create spaces that give permission for others to do the same.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What light inside you have you been dimming?
For a long time, the light I was dimming was softness. Not passivity or weakness, but true softness. The kind that feels deeply, moves intuitively, and leads from the heart. In the corporate world, I learned to overcompensate. I led with output, sharpness, and performance because that was what seemed to be taken seriously. But it disconnected me from myself. It left no room for presence, emotional intelligence, or care, and it eventually led to burnout. What I know now is that softness is not the opposite of strength. It is the foundation of it. Emotional intelligence, grounded energy, and calm leadership are not optional, they are what make every woman in a leadership position sustainable. Once I stopped dimming that part of myself and started giving myself permission to lead differently, everything changed. I built my business around that truth. And it continues to shape how I show up in every space I lead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.betcheswalkingbetches.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betcheswalkingbetches/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betches-walking-betches
Image Credits
Max Larsen
