We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Klasen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, what principle do you value most?
Integrity….. I think integrity is so important because without it, there is no base/trust. I believe in taking responsibly for your own actions, because that is how we learn and grow. It might not be something you want to admit to (making a mistake) but own it and learn from it. I think integrity is a huge part of my success in my business, if something happened in my care, I am honest about it and take responsibility for it and my clients respect me and trust me because of that.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I currently own a holistic pet spa called Balanced Paws. I call myself holistic because I try to look at the whole experience for the animal, and not just focus on a haircut. Once I put the go pro camera on my dog and recorded the grooming experience from their perspective, it changed my perspective. I incorporate practices to help calm the animal during the grooming experience. I use sound therapy, aromatherapy, and reiki within my practice. I do one on one appointments to eliminate a lot of anxiety issues. I am a certified canine esthetician and use products that are less harsh on the animals. I also sell natural pet foods and help educate my clients on proper nutrition. I am excited to also be introducing PEMF sessions as well. A true pet SPA

I also own a second company, where I teach CPR, First aid and emergency preparedness for people and (yes) PETS!

It hasn’t been easy to get to where I am at. I was in law enforcement for 18 years in Illinois, and left my stable career to move out of state to be closer to family after some life altering incidents. I moved to Arizona and thought “I’m going to work with animals” I found someone who was willing to take me under their wing and teach me how to groom, while I also worked in a vet office as a vet assistant. I started grooming out of the vet office and built up a client base, and moved out onto my own and Balanced Paws was official. My own animals are my family, and my family that has passed away I call my best teachers. I always work with their spirits in mind, as I practice holistically because I want to give back to their “community” to say thank you for all the things they have taught me over the years. If there is one family member that sticks by your side through thick and thin….. it’s your furry companion.

One day while feeding my dogs, one of my dogs choked. I heard a noise and looked to see her laying on her side and blue. Being a former emergency responder, I grabbed her and don’t even know exactly what my body was doing as my mind was screaming “how do you do Heimlich on a 5lb dog?!” Luckily, I pushed the food out and she was fine. It was in that moment that I knew I had to learn CPR/First Aid for pets. I sought out a class and after I took it, knew I had to teach as well. I continued my education and became a certified instructor. I used to teach CPR/first aid at the police academy and my department in Illinois, so the human element is just as important to me. I formed The Frontline Coalition, and became a training center for the American Safety & Health Institute and now teach PET CPR and human CPR/first aid as well. I love teaching the pet side, because I feel it is so important. I tell my students “you are your pet’s first responders, there is no 9-1-1” the more people that are trained, the bigger emergency trained network our pets will have. No matter what side I am training, I always bring my experience as a law enforcement officer into my trainings to help my students get a more realistic training experience.

How did I overcome the challenges and what did I learn? By not giving up and being persistent. If you really want something, go for it. I have found, when I work from the heart things come easily. When I start to worry about what others think, competition or is this the right direction, etc. I have found that’s when road blocks pop up and things don’t happen as smoothly.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite places is the Sedona area. I would definitely have to take them up there. I think it is so pretty up in that area but I also like the Prescott area as well so we would have to visit both! I don’t have any specific places that I hang out at, so it would be a trip for the both of us as we could pick and choose where to check out and have new experiences!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
shout out to everyone that has supported me through the years! It is hard to name one individual since it’s been a collective that have given me inspiration

Website: balancedpawsgrooming.com or thefrontlinecoalition.com

Instagram: balancedpaws or thefrontlinecoalition

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalancedPaw or https://www.facebook.com/thefrontlinecoalition

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.