What does a German-born pet groomer have in common with a former casino employee/ travel agent?

Both have built successful management careers in the pet hospitality industry: Anja Aleshin applied strong organization skills and a willingness to train others to shift careers from pet stylist to center manager, while Leanne Barenbaum leveraged her customer service expertise and leadership skills to rise through the ranks with Best Friends.

From stylist to manager
Aleshin grew up in Stuttgart, Germany where, she says, she developed her work ethic early thanks to her parents' restaurant business. She had always wanted to work with animals, but never had the opportunity. Aleshin never went to grooming school, but when she moved to the United States, found herself living near a kennel in need of a groom tech. "I didn't have any experience or training, but I told them I could learn on the job." She "bought myself a book about dogs", watched the stylists whenever she had free time, and asked for help and guidance - guidance that she has been giving back by training others ever since.

Aleshin joined Best Friends as a pet stylist in 2000 after more than 14 years working in the grooming industry. She quickly became lead stylist at the Gaithersburg MD Pet Salon. Eager to help build the center's grooming business, she also took the groom techs under her wing to train them for advancement. Her dedication and hard work were recognized: first with a "Best Buddy" award last year for her training efforts, and later with a promotion to center manager of the Gaithersburg Resort.

Aleshin, a resident of Germantown, MD, was recently honored as "Rookie of the Year" by Best Friends, an award that recognizes exceptional performance by a new manager during their first year in that role. The award was presented at the company's annual Managers Meeting, held in Las Vegas last month and attended by store managers from across the U.S. and corporate leadership.

"Joining Best Friends was the best move I ever made," says Aleshin. "There is tremendous opportunity in this company for people to learn and grow. I'm proof that if you really want to advance, you can."

Hospitality for people … or pets
For Barenbaum, years of working in the hospitality industry paid off when she joined Best Friends. The Pennsauken, NJ resident grew up loving animals and worked as a dog walker and in a pet shop when she was growing up. But her adult career was largely in the hospitality industry, largely in hotel and restaurant management. She spent time as a travel agent, and even worked in concierge services at several Atlantic City casinos.

Barenbaum never expected a career in pet care. Her first introduction to Best Friends was as a prospective customer of the West Berlin, NJ Pet Resort. When she saw the facility in 1999, she knew she wanted to work there and applied for a job as a doggy daycare camp counselor.

Instead, she was offered the position of management intern. After two years of training, she became Center Manager of the company's Cinnaminson, NJ Pet Resort, and, a year later, returned to West Berlin as Manager. By August 2003, Barenbaum had become Dual Center Manager, adding responsibility for Best Friends Chestnut Ridge, NY Pet Resort. She was promoted to Area Manager in June 2004.

"This is a great company for people who want to advance," says Barenbaum. "The doors are definitely open for people here. If you are willing to work hard, you will be rewarded."

Best Friends owns and operates 39 facilities in 18 states and recently announced plans to open its 40th location in White Plains, NY later this year. For information on job opportunities, visit the Come Grow with Us page of this website.