I agree with some of the comments above, I definitely had a few friends post things about their experiences with me and their pets to get things started. I then bought a shirt and business cards for advertising. I posted on my social media page and had many of my friends share it on theirs to extend the exposure. I also joined the local town message boards and posted there. Once you get your first few bookings with confirmed stays, you'll easily pop to the top of the list. I will say, the positive reviews are huge - many people have told me they read them and make their decisions based on them.

As an independent contractor, you did the right thing by going with your gut & only working with customers you feel comfortable. I will say, I haven't had that type of experience, but knowing some people will be difficult. The only thing I can say moving forward, is to not perform the service prior to them officially booking, that would hopefully avoid some of that in the future. If they don't want to pay in advance, then you can archive and move on. I also agree, gettin Rover involved preemptively is always good.