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01:09 - Introduction to the interview with the founder of DogInclusive
03:35 - Early career beginnings
05:41 - Transition to working on startups
08:05 - What is DogInclusive?
12:23 - Growing market and dog owners' needs
14:46 - Satisfaction from running the business
17:24 - MVP and platform development
21:56 - Acquiring the first customers
26:18 - Early marketing efforts
28:49 - Acquiring lodging properties
31:26 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
32:49 - DogInclusive's business model
40:12 - Current state of DogInclusive platform
44:38 - Decision to create a new version of the platform
51:23 - Preparations for the new platform
54:28 - Benchmarking and key functionalities
57:57 - No-code vs traditional solutions
58:57 - Future plans
01:02:32 - Challenges and work-life balance
01:09:08 - Recommendations for founders
01:10:08 - Closing remarks
Hello everyone! Today, I have the pleasure of hosting a special guest – Marta Roszkowska-Jermakow, the owner of DogInclusive. It’s a booking platform for dog owners that makes it easier to plan vacations with their furry friends. Privately, Marta is a mom, and professionally, she runs a business that she has developed over the years. Her professional experience is very interesting because she has worked in several different fields related to running platforms like DogInclusive and building startups.
Today, Marta will share her insights on building a business, running it as a mom, and how to develop strong relationships with customers. We’ve been working together for quite some time now, so I can vouch that this conversation will definitely be interesting for you. Without further ado, Marta, could you say a few words about yourself?
Hi, thank you for the introduction and the invitation! Yes, I’m Marta, and right now I’m 100% focused on DogInclusive, a booking platform for dog-friendly places. It’s a platform that helps you find the perfect spot for a vacation with your dog, whether you have one, two, three, or even more dogs. Everyone can find something perfectly tailored to their dog’s needs. Personally, I’m a mom, a wife, and the proud owner of a Labrador named Felga, who started it all seven years ago.
Thank you for the introduction, Marta. Tell me, what did you do professionally before you started DogInclusive? Was this your first project?
Oh, no! I’ve had many different roles and worked in various industries. I graduated from SGH with a degree in MIESI, which combines econometrics, statistics, and some programming. Right after college, I started working in analytics and marketing research, first in research agencies and then in IKEA's marketing department. After that, I became interested in the UX and IT industries. I was looking for my place, starting with UX research and web analytics.
Eventually, I came across a job posting on a startup group, where a startup called Yestersen – a marketplace for vintage furniture – was looking for a project manager. I went for an interview, and I just knew this was what I should be doing. I left the safe, Swedish corporate world of IKEA and decided to try something new. It was a leap into the deep end because I started from scratch.
So, that was the beginning of your startup career?
Yes. At Yestersen, I worked on moving the platform from an out-of-the-box solution to a custom-made platform that was meant to be international and scalable. It was my first experience working in IT. After three years of developing that product, it was time for a change – I joined Allegro, where I worked in a project team with developers. And while that job was great, I kept thinking that I wanted to create something of my own.
That’s something I probably inherited. My dad has always run different businesses, so entrepreneurship is in my blood. That’s when the idea for DogInclusive started to form, but in the early years, I developed it during evenings and weekends.
So, the idea for DogInclusive started to grow even back then? What were the first steps?
Exactly. In the beginning, it was a battle during evenings and weekends. I worked full-time, but after work, I would come home, eat something, and sit down at the computer to develop DogInclusive. There were ups and downs, as with any business. The breakthrough came when my son Józek was born. That was a time when I could slow down a bit and focus more on my company, using my maternity leave. That’s when I decided to devote more time and energy to DogInclusive.
That’s a great story. So now, the big question: what exactly is DogInclusive?
DogInclusive is like Airbnb but specifically tailored to the needs of dog owners. Users can choose places that not only accept dogs but are perfectly equipped to meet their needs. You know how it goes – you have a “dog-friendly” filter on big platforms, but often it turns out they only accept small dogs. But what if you have a big dog? Or more than one? We solve that problem.
Every place on our platform must accept dogs regardless of breed, size, or age. That’s the most important thing. The second thing that sets DogInclusive apart is the amenities for dogs. For example, we have places with fenced yards, which is a huge hit. You can have your morning coffee on the terrace while your dog runs around the yard, and you don’t have to worry about them escaping.
That sounds amazing! What else do the places on your platform offer?
The owners of these places know what dogs need because they are often dog owners themselves. For example, we have places that offer welcome packages for dogs – beds, treats, poop bags, and towels for wiping paws. People really care about their dogs' comfort. Some places even allow dogs to sleep on the bed, which is quite common since many people don’t want their dogs sleeping on the floor. The owners just ask that you cover the bed with a blanket, which they also provide.
It seems like this market is growing rapidly. Dogs are increasingly treated like full-fledged members of the family.
Exactly. More and more people treat their dogs like family members, and the pet care market is growing at an incredible pace. Companies like Pet Help are emerging – it’s like a Medicover for dogs, which was unimaginable just a few years ago. Now, taking care of dogs has become a standard. It just proves that the demand for platforms like DogInclusive is growing because people are looking for places that meet their specific needs.
Have you had any direct feedback from users of your platform?
Yes, we get a lot of positive feedback. Recently, I was with Dominika, who manages our social media, at a shelter for International Dog Day. There, we met a girl who, when she found out we were from DogInclusive, said, “You make my vacations! I have four dogs, and there’s no way I’d go anywhere else.” It’s incredibly heartwarming and gives me a lot of satisfaction.
That must be an amazing feeling! How long has DogInclusive been running?
This November will mark exactly seven years since the platform launched. It’s also the month Felga, our Labrador, was born, so we celebrate a double anniversary each year – the dog’s birthday and the website's launch.
Where did the idea for the platform come from in the first place?
The idea actually came before we even had a dog. When my husband and I started thinking about getting a dog, people kept asking, “What will you do on vacation?” And I thought, “Why should that be a problem?” People travel with dogs all the time! But when I started looking for places, I realized it wasn’t that easy. I knew it could be done better. And that’s how the idea for DogInclusive was born.
Building a platform like this must have been a challenge. What was the first version of DogInclusive like?
The first version was very basic. It was more of a directory site, where users could search for places, but reservations had to be made by phone or email. It was pretty old-school, even for that time. Later, we added inquiry forms, but in the beginning, everything was really simple. From the start, I wanted to have full control over the project’s development and wasn’t looking for investors.
That shows there was a strong market need, even though the platform’s functionality was limited at first.
Exactly. The demand was huge, and people were willing to use the platform, even though they couldn’t book directly. They wanted to find places that met their specific needs – whether it was a cabin without fireworks for New Year's Eve or a fenced yard for their dog. There are still more people looking for such places than there are available accommodations, which just shows how big the demand is.
So, Marta, could you tell us a bit about how you attracted your first customers? Was it all pure marketing? How did the process look? Were you active in Facebook groups, promoting your platform? How did it go?
Are you asking about the dog owners or the accommodation owners? We have two customer groups, you know – the owners and the guests. So, I assume you mean the dog owners?
Yes, I’m asking about the dog owners first.
Well, at first, it was all about Facebook. I started a Facebook page and slowly built it up myself. Later, I collaborated with some great people who had ideas for how to build the brand. I also focused on SEO from the beginning. These two things helped us build solid traffic and a user base that knows and trusts our brand. That was the foundation. Right now, most of our users come from organic traffic, and our social media presence has grown to include not just Facebook but also Instagram, TikTok, and a Facebook group where people actively search for places.
Do people exchange opinions about the places on the group or something like that? I'm curious about how the group functions because I can imagine these are very engaged users, either with your platform or those places, maybe they even meet offline?
I haven’t heard about offline meetings, but you know, there are plenty of events like dog camps, some focused on water activities or other integrations. But yes, the group is very active, and we usually get opinions. If someone finds a great spot, they’re happy to share it, which is awesome. Often, people are looking for something with very specific criteria, sometimes it’s last-minute when they suddenly get time off, or it’s a property that has an open slot and is looking for guests. So, it’s kind of a parallel reality to our platform. It may seem like the group could be taking users away from DogInclusive, with people booking directly instead of through the platform, but we treat it as a place where people discover us, and we’ve noticed that...
That’s how it seems to me too. Even if one client or a few people book outside the platform because they connect directly with a place they find last minute, that’s okay. It might be a theoretical loss, but in the long run, it builds more trust, engagement, and brand loyalty. They still booked through your DogInclusive group, so next time, they’ll probably use the platform. I mean, last-minute bookings are rare, not something that happens all the time, so next time, they’ll...
Exactly. Plus, have you ever tried looking for something in a Facebook group? I did it this year when I was going on vacation with my child and my mom. We couldn’t find anything on any portal, so we turned to groups. And let me tell you, it’s a long process. A very offline and drawn-out process. So, we know that people who end up there often don’t even know about our platform. Then they realize it’s much faster to just use filters and find what they need.
Absolutely. I’m one of those lazy types who only uses platforms. I don’t think I’ve ever booked anything offline for a trip in my adult life. I remember once going to a travel agency, but it wasn’t a good experience. It was more about selling what suited them rather than showing me everything clearly. It was just a different approach.
So, you initially attracted guests mainly through Facebook? Was that a lot of organic work on your part?
Yes, organic efforts were key. Over time, I started working on SEO as well, and that also started to pay off. For the first few years, I really focused on that, and it helped build a solid user base.
Did you invest in ads or rely more on your marketing experience to create engaging content?
At the beginning, I didn’t invest much in ads. I focused on organic growth, creating content, testing different formats, and experimenting. And yes, my marketing experience definitely helped. From the start, we showcased great places, which really attracted people. The most effective strategy was highlighting well-selected properties.
So, showing off the best and most attractive properties you had on the platform was key?
Yes, exactly. People really appreciate well-chosen places. Nowadays, besides showcasing properties, we also focus on educational and entertaining content, especially on Instagram and TikTok. But Facebook remains the main space where we showcase properties that could be perfect for vacations with dogs.
And how did you attract the property owners? A marketplace is always tricky because it’s the classic chicken-and-egg problem. How did you convince the properties to work with you when you didn’t yet have many customers?
I could talk about attracting properties for hours. In the beginning, there was a lot of trial and error, testing things out. I spent a lot of time on the phone, talking to property owners, explaining the vision for the platform. The entry cost was low for them since all they had to do was invest time in adding their listing. Most of the properties were self-added.
So, the properties had to add themselves?
Yes, exactly. For some, it wasn’t an issue, but others needed more encouragement. However, the database of properties began to grow slowly, and the ones that joined early on are still with us today. I have a lot of fondness for those first properties that stuck with us from the beginning.
Do you remember how long it took to reach your first hundred properties?
No, unfortunately, I don’t remember the exact timing. But now that I think about it, I should set a counter for a thousand because that’ll be the next big milestone.
So, you’ve been running the business for seven years now. The company has traction, revenue, customers, and all that. What advice would you give yourself or others who are just starting out? If you could give advice to yourself from seven years ago, what would it be?
Oh, I’ve thought about that a lot, you know. It’s a fun thought experiment because if I could go back, I’d probably tell myself, “Do it the way it’s done now, borrow a little more money from friends or family, and just go for it because it’s going to work.” But you don’t know that. It’s a huge risk. Back then, there weren’t as many technologies as there are now, so building something like this would’ve been harder. Now, I think it would’ve been great to have a finished product from the start, but that’s not possible. If you don’t know, and if there’s uncertainty, my advice to myself or others would be: test things bit by bit and keep checking...
Like eating an elephant, you do it one bite at a time.
Exactly, and see where the money is coming from. When I think of myself from a few years ago, I had a lot of ideals but not enough focus on numbers.
Not enough business focus.
Exactly.
So, a booking platform without the ability to book at the start – how did you make that work? How did the platform generate revenue?
It was a subscription model. Properties paid a fee to be listed on the platform. So the platform was making some money. But there were places that were fully booked for the entire summer season by DogInclusive guests, and they were still only paying a flat fee. So, the return on our promotion efforts wasn’t in our favor. Yes, it made money, but the potential was slipping away.
Was this subscription model in place from the very beginning, or did you introduce it after gaining some traction?
We had the idea from the start, but we always had a free trial period. We adjusted the length of the trial based on how long it took for results to show, to maximize the chances that someone would convert to a paid subscription.
That’s really interesting. So, you had to be incredibly patient before the platform could gain traction and the properties could see the results of being listed there. Because, let’s face it, customers often don’t tell you where they found you. They just call and say, “Hi, I want to book,” and you don’t always know where they came from. I imagine that wasn’t easy at the start.
Yes, exactly. Later, we introduced an inquiry form for reservations, so we had more clarity. That was added relatively early. Patience was key during those first few years. As I mentioned, it was evening and weekend work for me. I had the luxury of allowing it to grow slowly. I knew it was growing, and I knew there would come a time when I could fully focus on it. Meanwhile, the community was growing year by year. We developed it gradually, and that’s the path I chose instead of taking on more investment and risk. I went for the safer, slower route.
So, it was like weekend bootstrapping. You had a stable job that you enjoyed, but evenings and weekends allowed you to build the platform until it reached a point where you could leave your job and focus solely on the business.
That’s a perfect summary. Exactly.
Great. Now, you worked at large companies, where you probably had some contact with B2C marketing. B2C marketing is not easy, especially when it comes to niche areas like this. But I imagine that the dog owners’ market is also divided into several different types of dog lovers.
Yes, absolutely. Among people who travel with their dogs, you can divide them into many segments and personas. It could be a single woman who takes her dog hiking for a week, a family with a child who has a dog and needs a relaxing beach vacation with a fenced yard, or a couple who just wants a weekend getaway with their dog. Each group has different needs. We try to communicate in a way that makes people feel like we know them and understand what they’re looking for.
That sounds great because everyone has their own individual needs. And I guess, since you have a dog and Dominika, who manages your social media, also has a dog, you’re able to really understand your users. Dog humor, jokes, memes—it’s a whole different universe.
Exactly. It’s a completely different world that people without dogs might not fully understand.
Have you had any unusual situations with customers or property owners? Anything interesting you’d like to share?
Oh, just a couple of days ago, a new property was added to our database. In the description, the owner wrote that they welcome small animals. So I contacted them to clarify that they accept all dogs, regardless of size. The owner replied, “Oh yes, dogs of all sizes are welcome! I just meant that we don’t want someone to show up with a horse.” So that’s the level of openness to animals—they’re fine with dogs, but no horses!
I can imagine! A horse would be a bit much, but maybe a pony? A pony is technically not a horse, right?
Marta, could you tell me a bit about the platform you currently have? What exactly does it allow users to do?
Maybe you should answer, since you know it so well.
I do know it well, but I’d love to hear it in your own words.
Alright, so we’ve talked about what it was like seven years ago and three years ago. What was all this fuss about in the first place?
That’s a great start: “What was this all for, Kamil?”
Well, as we’ve said, the goal was to actually make it possible to book a dog-friendly stay on the site. In May, when we launched the new version… You know, I used to remember the exact date, but now I’ve forgotten if it was May 16th or May 21st.
To be honest, I don’t remember either.
It was a big day. Anyway, from that May date, users can now go on DogInclusive.com, find a place to stay, click "Book," pay online with any payment method, and that's it – your dog-friendly vacation is booked. The idea was to avoid having to send 50 different inquiries asking, “Is there availability for New Year's?” Now, as you’d expect in 2024, users can filter by available dates, quickly complete the process, and be done.
Of course, this is the simplified version, because there are tons of functionalities that had to support the new platform. And here…
A calendar that syncs with other channels?
Exactly. One of the bigger features we have is the calendar, which is visible to users searching for stays, but behind the scenes, there’s a full module for property owners to manage their listings. We have syncs with various channels because there’s no room for manually updating dates. Everything has to be synchronized, automated, and essentially hands-free.
Our work over several months was focused on creating a portal that’s both beautiful and easy to use for users searching for stays and super simple for property owners to manage, with all the functionalities they need.
It seems like you’ve achieved that. The feedback from property owners suggests that the onboarding process is simple and intuitive, even though you can add quite a lot of information.
Yes, exactly. I remember owners commenting that they were pleasantly surprised. Of course, changes always bring some resistance, but ultimately, most said that the process was easy, simple, and went smoothly.
Tell me, this process took some time before you decided to launch the new platform with all these features. What was behind that?
It was something that could no longer be built in pieces. At one point, I sat down and thought, “Wow, even adding this one small module takes so much work, and it’s not even everything. It’s just the beginning.” That’s when I realized we couldn’t keep expanding it – I had to start from scratch. It was a long decision-making process because such a project seemed impossible, especially with my goal of staying independent. But eventually, the moment came when I thought, “I have to do this because it needs to be done.”
And that’s when you came across no-code?
Yes, I was looking for a solution and found a product that didn’t quite work out. But I knew there had to be something simpler. That’s when I came across Bubble’s site, which had case studies showing how to build platforms similar to Airbnb.
Right, they have mini-examples on their site showing how to build a Duolingo clone, a Facebook clone, and so on. They position themselves under various SaaS solutions that can be built on their platform. That seems to be a good move, as we can see.
It worked. I looked at it and thought, “That’s perfect, this is exactly what I need.”
And what happened next?
Well, I found the page on Bubble where they list different agencies. I went through quite a few and eventually found you guys.
Okay, so it was a pretty standard process. Usually, when we’re looking for information or a provider, we start with Google.
Tell me, from your perspective, how do you remember the preparation for building this new platform? You already had a pretty well-defined idea when you came to us.
I’m trying to remember exactly what I had when I came to you. Yes, I had a specification written out, but you see, it seemed concrete at the time, but later, when we started getting into it, of course, there were more questions. Once we began the workshops and started asking questions, it was like, “Okay, but what about this? And what if this happens?”
The challenge was that it wasn’t about building an MVP anymore. I’d already been through the MVP stage – validated that there were customers and properties. Now, I wanted to build a full-fledged portal.
Yes, this wasn’t just the MVP of the portal. It was one of the first versions, but we launched it with lots of customers, transferred the domain, properties, users, and more. How did that feel from your perspective?
As you said that, it hits me how big it really was. There was a lot of research, benchmarking against other platforms, figuring out what I wanted and needed, and talking to property owners because it couldn’t launch without speaking to them. That’s how the list of must-have functionalities came together. There was a lot of learning, going through processes, consulting with industry experts, and slowly piecing it all together.
Exactly, we iterated on a lot of things along the way. You were clear that the transition from one platform to the other had to be seamless. What was the decision-making process for choosing a provider?
I’m not sure if it was one single thing. It’s always a combination – pricing, budget, trust. I felt like your team would deliver. I needed to have confidence that this would be done exactly how I wanted it, within the timeline I needed. Trust was important, especially since we got to know each other before signing anything. Quality was also key, and I checked out the case studies on your site.
Did you benchmark your brief with traditional approaches before deciding on no-code?
Yes, maybe not exactly one-to-one, but for parts of the solution. It wouldn’t have been possible to do it traditionally with the budget I had at the time. The decision was, either we do it with no-code, or I wait and keep raising funds.
What were the features you cared about the most?
The search engine, of course. And the entire panel for property owners – it’s made up of many submodules, but it all had to be done at once, without dividing it into stages. From day one, property owners had to be able to set up everything they needed, including pricing, calendars, and descriptions. It had to be ready from the start because these were offers for stays, and all those elements needed to be in place.
So the platform works as a self-service portal? You can intervene as an administrator, but essentially, users – both property owners and those booking – handle everything themselves.
Exactly. That’s how it was designed, and that’s how it works in practice. 99% of bookings happen automatically, without us needing to step in.
There are often opinions that no-code doesn’t scale, that it’s good for a toy project, not a real business. Have you noticed any differences between what’s built with no-code versus what you had before, which was done in a traditional way?
No, absolutely not. Nobody knows what no-code is on DogInclusive. It works without issues, we handle 30-40 thousand users a month, and everything runs smoothly. I think anyone can check for themselves by visiting the site.
Are you planning to continue developing the platform with more features? Do you have a direction in mind?
Of course! In the short term, we need user reviews of properties. That’s the next thing we’re working on. In the medium term, it’s scaling in Poland because many people and properties still don’t know us. In the long term – international expansion. DogInclusive was always meant to be international, hence the .com domain. The plan is to expand abroad. There’s no platform yet that covers all of Europe.
What are the biggest business challenges you’re currently facing?
We still need more properties. So if anyone listening owns a dog-friendly vacation home, we’re inviting you to join DogInclusive.
How do you find a balance between running your business and being a mom?
I’m still figuring it out, but family support is key. Shout out to my husband, my mom, my in-laws, and daycare. Without them, it wouldn’t be possible. It’s all about juggling two intense roles—business and motherhood. I’m learning to prioritize and focus on what’s most important at the moment.
Do you have any methods for relaxing?
I stopped working in the evenings – that really helps! Staying active, fresh air, downtime. I like to chill out, watch a series, read, or go rollerblading.
One last question. Do you have a book you’d recommend or a single piece of advice for aspiring founders?
The book I’d recommend is Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Its message is that sometimes you can’t change what was or what will be, but you can change how you approach what’s happening. That’s helpful in both life and business. As for advice, I’d say: test in small steps, find out what works, and do what brings results, not what looks perfect on paper.
Great, Marta. Thank you so much for today’s conversation. To our listeners, I encourage you to check out DogInclusive.com to find the perfect dog-friendly stays for your next trip. Marta, thanks again, and I wish you continued success!
Thank you, it’s been a pleasure. Take care!
The No-Code / Low-Code Podcasts is a technology-focused podcast where we discuss digitalization, automation, website creation, app development online platform building, and no-code tools. You will learn about the pros and cons of low-code and no-code technologies and understand the basics of these tools. In our episodes, havenocode experts also cover business topics and highlight the best low-code and no-code platforms.
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