How Fluffy Scooper Reached 100+ Poop Scooping Clients in Its First Year in Austin

Who is behind Fluffy Scooper in Austin?

Nikola founded Fluffy Scooper after more than 15 years in the hotel business, including executive roles at five-star properties. He is originally from Serbia, moved to the United States in 2008, and has lived in Austin for the last three and a half years.

He has had dogs all his life. At one point his family had six English bulldogs in a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles. In a neighborhood full of dog owners, young families and older residents, he saw a service he would have wanted himself. When people ask what business he is in, he says: “I’m in a time business. I give time back to people.”

He found the industry the way many scoopers do, through YouTube and an online community, and messaged experienced operators directly with questions. He began building the company in September 2024 and launched on January 7, 2025.

Why were the first months of the business slow?

The first three to four months were slow because the advertising was not working. Nikola tried knocking on doors and posting in Facebook groups, but Austin already had plenty of competitors, so he decided to go heavy on Facebook and Google ads and hired an agency to run them.

That agency focused on display campaigns to get the brand seen. The feedback he was getting from experienced owners was that this approach was probably not working. He switched to a second agency, this time knowing what to ask, and described the results since then as a steady climb.

The slow stretch covered what he called the season for pet waste removal in Austin, which still bothers him. “Everything happens for a reason,” he said.

What should you ask a marketing agency before you hire one?

Nikola’s background is operations, not marketing, so he was clear that he was not the one to run ads. His advice is to learn enough of the vocabulary to interview well:

• Ask what is working right now. Platforms change, so ask which kinds of campaigns the agency would run for you.
• Compare against the industry. Ask three owners in your trade which campaigns they run, and see whether the agency’s answer lines up.
• Ask about A/B testing.
• Ask, “Are you open for feedback?” This was the gap with his first agency. He was connected to experienced operators and wanted their ideas tried when the plan was not producing.

He applies the same thinking to every vendor. Many local owners pick one early and never revisit it. “If something is working really good, don’t be too smart about it,” he said, but there is always room to improve, and businesses stall on systems that have not changed in ten years.

Did investing in branding early pay off for Fluffy Scooper?

Nikola did not want to launch “another regular poop scooping mom-and-pop,” so he spent months on the logo, the branding and a website with more than one page.

The name has a story. One puppy from the family’s litter of five English bulldogs grew a longer coat than the others, which turned out to be rare for the breed. His name is Pablo, and Nikola said he looks exactly like the logo.

The payoff is hard to measure, but he counted 5 to 10 inquiries from local businesses and charities, such as a local coffee shop with a dog park, who saw the vehicle, looked the company up and asked to collaborate. When a technician suggested a different shirt color, Nikola said no: the current one shows that the crew is clean.

How does a hotel background show up in a pet waste service?

It shows up in the small things. Nikola hires for personality, because clients are letting someone into the yard where their kids and dogs are.

After the first month, every client gets a welcome gift bag with dog toys and a written thank-you. He texts clients from time to time, not only after the first visit, to ask how things are going. When a client took in one of several puppies found on a road until it could be adopted, she asked him to adjust her plan for the extra dog. He told her the price would stay the same.

Where does Fluffy Scooper stand after one year?

Fluffy Scooper had a little over 100 recurring clients at its one-year mark, which was the goal Nikola set at the start. For 2026 he wants 200 by the end of May. He said he converts leads better than he did at the beginning, the leads are better, and the company’s Google reviews, which grew from the mid-20s to about 78, are helping its position.

His advice to someone starting out: “Don’t be afraid of trial and error.” Be consistent, check the track record of the people you take advice from, and put your own personality and story into the business instead of copying everyone else.