Why These Entrepreneurs Bought a Business AI Can’t Replace

Issue #296

January 26th, 2026

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Laura Maurer and Katie Tabb are the co-owners of What’s Up Dog, a Brooklyn-based dog daycare, boarding, and walking business.

Laura brings an operator’s mindset, focused on people, systems, and long-term durability, alongside her work as a strategist and advisor to DTC e-commerce brands. She documents the journey of buying and building a local service business in her newsletter Sit.Stay.Build.

Katie brings a finance and investing background, leading the company’s financial strategy, cash flow management, and performance tracking with an emphasis on downside protection and long-term value creation.

Why was What’s Up Dog BK the right business to acquire? What traits - market demand, reputation, operations, community trust- made it stand out versus starting fresh?

LM: The business was compelling because of the combination of proof and possibility. There was real past performance, a loyal customer base, strong community trust, and a solid team already in place. We weren’t walking into a hypothetical business - we had staff, revenue, a space, and customers from day one.

At the same time, it was clear there was meaningful room to grow. Operations could be tightened, the experience could be elevated, and there were opportunities the business simply hadn’t had the time or resources to pursue. Starting with a strong foundation and the ability to improve quickly is what made it exciting to us.  

KT: I remember being excited about this business from the first time Laura raised this opportunity with me. From a location, reputation, brand, community, and operating ethos, everything felt aligned with what we were looking for. We both love our own pups, and it felt like a perfect fit with where both our passion and expertise were - a business with a lot of great bones (pun intended) but also room for improvement for two people with complementary backgrounds in an industry that we both understood and loved.  

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