Free tool
How many clients do you need to quit your job?
Start from the income you need, not the clients you have. At $22 a walk, taking home $40,000 a year means billing about $67,000, which is about 21 regular clients walked three times a week. Put in your own numbers below.
Free, no sign-up. Everything runs in your browser.
Your goal
What you'd need to replace your current job.
Your 30-minute rate. Not sure? Try the pricing calculator.
A weekday regular is 5. Many clients book 2-3.
50 leaves two weeks off.
Self-employment tax, income tax, gas, insurance, fees. 55-70% is typical for solo walkers.
Clients you need
21
regular clients at 3 walks a week, which is about 12.1 walks per weekday.
A full but realistic solo schedule. Group walks or a small rate increase make it easier.
Each $1 you add to your walk price cuts the walks you need by about 4%. Pricing is the fastest lever you have.
How the math works
- Gross needed = income goal ÷ the share you keep. As a self-employed walker you pay self-employment tax (15.3%) on top of income tax, plus gas, insurance and payment fees, so a dollar billed is not a dollar earned.
- Walks needed = gross needed ÷ price per walk, spread over your working weeks.
- Clients needed = walks per week ÷ walks each client books, rounded up.
Making the number smaller
- Charge more. New clients pay your new rate from day one, and existing clients usually accept a modest yearly increase with notice.
- Add overnights and drop-ins. One overnight sit can equal three or four walks, and holidays pay a premium.
- Fill the middle of the day. Midday weekday walks are the backbone of a full-time schedule, because that's when owners are at work.
- Stop losing time to admin. Scheduling, reminders and chasing payments by text quietly eat hours every week that could be walks.