Owner of Dog Culture and

Real Estate Agent-Coldwell Banker Caine

Clemson B.S. Financial Management, 2006

What role do you play in the entrepreneurial ecosystem?

In 2018, my wife, Megan, and I opened Dog Culture, a dog daycare, boarding and social facility in Downtown Greenville, SC. Last year, we opened our second location in Mauldin, SC. We focus not only on creating a unique experience for the pets in our care, but to also establish a positive rapport with each and every client. We believe our success is built on the individual relationships we build and not the transactions that take place each day. The key to being able to achieve this success has been to ensure we have surrounded ourselves with a great team. Each day, our goal is to build and improve the dog “Culture” in each and every community we serve.

What are some of your best memories of your time at Clemson?

The best memories I have from Clemson are the friendships that I made while I was there and of course, Clemson football. Many of those friendships continue to this day, and I love coming back to campus during the fall to visit with people that I don’t have the opportunity to see often. That is one of the reasons why I love Clemson football so much. For eight Saturdays each fall, it gives me the opportunity to connect with people who have impacted my life in so many ways.  

What were the key inflection points in your career after you left Clemson?

Right after graduating, I started working at a regional bank. After several years, the writing was on the wall and the economic downturn was in sight, so layoffs were happening left and right. I happened to be one on the chopping block. To say this was an inflection point is an understatement. I used this as an opportunity to jump into a business that always held my interest.

In 2008, I started selling residential real estate in the Upstate of South Carolina. Over the next 10 years, this would be my sole focus until Megan and I decided to take a leap of faith and open up our own business. This was obviously another major inflection point. Starting a business from scratch was no small feat and required many long nights of research and planning.

My background in finance and experience in real estate were critical in the early stages of planning for Dog Culture and continue to be essential today. As a small business owner, you wear many different hats each and every day. From CEO and CFO to HR and FOH, the roles we play in the business can change by the minute. 

What are your personal and professional dreams?

Personally, I have an incredible wife and son, so I am lucky enough to say my family dreams have been fulfilled. I do look forward to furthering my relationship with each of them and working hard to help them achieve their dreams as well. We hope to one day move out of the burbs and purchase some acreage to build a small family farm (one that can be home to lots of dogs, of course). Our family also loves to travel and visit new destinations, so we are always dreaming of a distant beach or snowy mountain to visit.

Professionally, I hope to further our Dog Culture brand by expanding our personal ownership to several more locations. Our goal is to then us our proven model to franchise and develop our locations while owning the actual real estate. We also hope to start a non-profit this year to help foster, adopt and support dogs in our area that are in need. Finally, we employ many young team members who I'd love to mentor, in order for them to grow, succeed and maximize their potential and dreams.

What would you recommend students do to maximize their remaining time at Clemson?

Be Adventurous, Be Present and Be Humble

Being Adventurous means different things to different people. What I mean though is to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Study abroad, go skydiving, or simply join a club or organization. The goal is to create new and exciting experiences that expand your mind and allow you to develop relationships that will in turn grow your influence. 

Being Present means living in the moment. It doesn’t mean texting your best friends about the party tonight. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there for the world to see. Your goal should be to truly get to know the people around you and create deep connections that will last a lifetime.

Being Humble means to be modest in your successes while holding your head up during challenges. Life is going to throw you curveballs and when difficult situations occur, use those opportunities to make positive changes. Your reaction to those circumstances

will define you and your path moving forward.

What else should we know about you?

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I also work in Real Estate with Coldwell Banker Caine. I have been selling residential real estate since 2008 and continue to work with past clients and their referrals. As a Financial Management major, I chose Real Estate as my emphasis area. Real estate has always been a passion of mine, even as a kid when my family moved around SC and GA growing up. I am truly lucky having been able to work in two careers that I enjoy. And when I’m not working, I love playing golf and hanging out with friends and family.

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