I grew up in East Texas, then moved to Plainview, TX  and attended junior high and high school there before moving to Lubbock.

I attended South Plains College and Texas Tech, graduated from neither and instead chose to play in bands and record music for the bulk of my twenties. I had a lot of fun. I did not make any money, which is totally fine. Some people, apparently, get "real" jobs and end up WAY ahead of you by the time you're both fifty. That is also totally fine. They may have a well-funded 401K but my band once played the grand opening of a Smoothie King on the back of a flat-bed trailer. That, sadly, is a 100% true story.

I moved to Austin in 2004 and worked various jobs (for a printing company, for a criminal defense attorney, tech support at Apple (pre iPhone!), for the world's most unpleasant veterinarian) before landing at Hip Hounds as the very first employee in 2006.

My plan was never, "I'll have a dog daycare and boarding facility when I grow up". I really never had much of a plan at all. Prior to Hip Hounds, I had owned dogs but my only "professional" experience was volunteering at the Lubbock animal shelter and working for the previously mentioned World's Most Unpleasant Veterinarian™. She was awful. As I write this bio some 17-odd years later, I still don't think I've ever disliked another human more. Clearly, I have not processed my employment with her in an adult manner. I digress.

My daughter Lily was born in 2007 and with an unbelievable amount of help from friends, family, the SBA and Frost Bank, I was able to buy Hip Hounds from Melissa (the original owner) in 2016.

Seriously, I got so much help.

I'm not going to tell you that it was always my dream to work with dogs because that isn't true but it turns out that I really like doing this.

I like having the flexibility and autonomy to do the right thing and that no one gets to tell me I can't. I like the relationships I've built with my clients and I like that we provide a service that genuinely helps people and animals.

When I'm not here, I'm usually hanging out with my wife and daughter and our two dogs (Consuela & Pablo) and five (you read that correctly, FIVE ) cats (Titus, Eugene, Chewy, Murray & Sabina). I still play music (quietly and by myself) and also enjoy poker and (very) novice woodworking.

Thanks for reading this incredibly boring summary of my life up to this point.

You can email me at michael@hiphounds.com if you ever have any questions or concerns about anything at Hip Hounds.

-Michael

I know this isn't a "work" picture but, hey, I have on the shirt. Also, please notice my amazing, smart, talented, beautiful kid who just gave me the funniest/best/most thoughtful-but-also-mean birthday present ever. Someone more business-savvy than me would have their picture taken outside with a dog (preferably one wearing a bandana and maybe multiple dogs) because that would actually make sense. If you look to my right, there is a small cat, so....that counts, right?
I know this isn't a "work" picture but, hey, I have on the shirt. Also, please notice my amazing, smart, talented, beautiful kid who just gave me the funniest/best/most thoughtful-but-also-mean birthday present ever. Someone more business-savvy than me would have their picture taken outside with a dog (preferably one wearing a bandana and maybe multiple dogs) because that would actually make sense. If you look to my right, there is a small cat, so....that counts, right?