Rising Star Furlocity President/Founder, Amber Kirsten-Smit, Finalist for Pet Industry Woman of Year

SAN DIEGO - July 18, 2014 - PRLog -- Local business woman Amber Kirsten-Smit of Furlocity, Inc. in San Diego, California has been named a finalist in the annual Pet Industry Woman of the Year Award competition. Kirsten-Smit, who has been in business for over two years, was nominated in the Rising Star category. She and 24 others will now move on to compete within the categories and, finally, for the 2014 Pet Industry Woman of the Year Award. Winners will be announced Aug. 15 at the Women in the Pet Industry Conference and Awards Show in Portland, Ore.

Award categories include Rising Star, Solopreneur, Entrepreneur, Corporation and Advocate. Five finalists were named in each category. One overall Pet Industry Woman of the Year will be chosen from the 25 finalists.  A panel of four independent judges reviewed and scored nominations for more than 50 applicants in the five categories. This year’s judges include a serial entrepreneur who is also a corporate CEO, an IT professional with a major broadcast company, a former owner of two vocational schools, and the founder/owner of two 30-year-old businesses.

Kirsten-Smit will sit on a panel of experts, who will participate in a round table discussion on Friday of the WIPIN conference, which runs Aug.14 through 16 at the Sheraton Airport Hotel in Portland.  She also will be recognized during an evening awards ceremony.

“I feel genuinely privileged and excited to have been selected by WIPIN as a finalist for the prestigious 2014 Pet Industry Woman of the Year Award.  As my company and I continue to exponentially grow and be even more successful, I can honestly say that my membership in WIPIN has played a substantial part in Furlocity’s overall success as well as a driving force for my own success both professionally and personally,” says Amber Kirsten-Smit, Co-Founder and President of Furlocity.

Kirsten-Smit recalls her first impression of WIPIN as a new member over a year ago and the impact made on her while attending the inaugural 2013 Women in the Pet Industry Conference & Awards Show last August,  “I looked across the table of “strangers” and scanned the massive room full of other passionate pet-obsessed women like myself. At that pivotal moment, like a flash of lightning, I knew with every fiber of my being that I was meant to be in the Pet Industry. Most importantly, I finally found what I had been searching for my entire professional career, that perfect place that I can call home and share the same space with like-minded strong women. I finally feel like I belong to something greater and discovered my purpose---my home is WIPIN!”

Kirsten-Smit adds, “Since that pivotal moment over a year ago, I still continue to be and will always remain a very active WIPIN member because I genuinely believe in the organization’s vision, mission and future as well as all the professional and personal relationships that have been/will be forged among the most amazing group of female thought leaders any industry has ever seen!”

“The Pet Industry Women of the Year Awards were designed to recognize the amazing females who dedicate their time and talents to improving the lives of all pets – dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses and exotics – and their parents/guardians,” said Shawna Schuh, president of WIPIN. “The Awards are a celebration of women who have devoted their lives to the pet industry and shine as beacons of women helping women and pets with passion. Finalist Amber Kirsten-Smit is a perfect example! It is exciting to honor her and other women of such high caliber with a genuine calling to make the pet industry stronger.”

About Furlocity

Furlocity, Inc. (https://furlocity.com/) was founded in 2012 by Andy Smit, CEO, and Amber Kirsten-Smit, President. As pet parents themselves, the humans behind Furlocity understand the changing mindset of pet parents in the United States. Furlocity, Inc. is a comprehensive website where pet parents can instantly find and book trusted pet accommodations (https://furlocity.com/) and pet care services (https://furlocity.com/) in cities nationwide and on one centralized platform.  Furlocity’s 1^st-of –its-kind online marketplace includes top-rated pet boarding facilities (https://furlocity.com/) in over 30 states, veterinary services (https://furlocity.com/) and more than 40,000 pet-friendly hotels (https://furlocity.com/travel) in the US.  Furlocity is committed to delivering first-in-class web-technology, online booking and search engine capabilities that allow pet parents to simplify the way they search and book pre-screened dog boarding (https://furlocity.com/), pet boarding (https://furlocity.com/), veterinarians (https://furlocity.com/veterinarians/san-diego) and pet care services for their furry family members.  Book your pet’s accommodations through Furlocity.com and relieve your anxiety knowing that your perfect pet is safe and having more fun than you while you’re away!

For further information about Furlocity, visit https://furlocity.com/ (http://www.furlocity.com/),  or call 1-888-859-9927, or connect with Furlocity via https://www.facebook.com/furlocity, https://www.twitter.com/furlocity, or https://plus.google.com/+Furlocity.   To learn more about Amber Kirsten-Smit call 1-858-353-8683, or email pr@furlocity.com, or connect with her via http://www.linkedin.com/in/amberkirsten/

About Women in the Pet Industry Network (WIPIN)

Acquired in 2012 by Shawna Schuh, the current President and Chief Pet Wrangler, WIPIN is headquartered near Portland, Ore., and serves a worldwide membership base of women in all sectors of the pet industry. WIPIN helps entrepreneurial women grow their pet-focused businesses through unique networking opportunities, valuable business growth options and online resources.

The All About Growth Conference & Awards Show (http://womeninthepetindustry.com/conference/) in August will bring women together to connect, network, and learn how to grow their pet-focused businesses. WIPIN is affiliated with Pet Age Magazine, Black Dog Education, and PetPR.com. With 430 members, and growing daily, WIPIN is the premier networking organization for women in the pet industry, offering its members the opportunity to connect, share and learn from other like-minded professionals. Members share three core philosophies: Give first, grow continuously and connect for reasons that matter. Learn more about the benefits of becoming a member at www.womeninthepetindustry.com/join/. For more information, please visit www.womeninthepetindustry.com, or contact Schuh at 503-970-5774; shawna@womeninthepetindustry.com; or on her blog. (http://blog.womeninthepetindustry.com/pet-biz-blog-things-to-help-your-business-grow/)