Hi, I'm Steve. I started Porchlight because I believe your dog (and mine) deserve the best.
I've spent most of my career in demanding, high-stakes environments: Doctors Without Borders, the UN Refugee Agency, NPR. I've always been drawn to work that has a direct, tangible impact on people's lives.
Dog grooming might seem like a departure from that. It isn't.
Every dog I groom belongs to someone who loves them deeply. Every anxious dog who learns to trust my grooming process is a small, real victory. Every household that finds a groomer they can count on. That matters to me.
That's why I built Porchlight.
Why Porchlight Exists
I came to grooming after watching how stressful the standard salon experience can be - for dogs and for their people. The drop-offs, the waiting, the rotating staff, the rushed appointments. I wanted to build something different.
Porchlight is one dog at a time, in a quiet van, outside your home. I handle every appointment from start to finish myself. I use your dog's name. I remember what they liked and what made them nervous. I keep notes from every groom. I move at your dog’s pace, not mine.
Fred, Venus, now Sadie.
I’ve had a pet all my life. It’s the three I parented as an adult who inspired me to start Porchlight Grooming. Fred. Venus. Sadie.
A neighbor gave me Fred, a jet-black husky cat, when I was 21. I’m convinced Fred believed he was a dog. He played fetch. We were roommates and best friends for 23 extraordinary years. Yes, 23!
Venus, the white and brindle American Pit Bull Terrier pictured here and above, came to me through Seattle Humane in 2016. Together we explored hundreds of miles of the PNW. She was the center of my world until she passed in 2021.
My husband and I found Sadie about a year after Venus passed. She's a Pitbull mix, and when we met her she was highly reactive, not because of her breed, but because of what she'd been through before the shelter. She was a little too much for the shelter system, so she came home with us. She taught me more about patience, trust, and individual care than any of the grooming courses I've taken ever could.
All of our pets have a specific temperament, a specific history, and specific needs. Sadie clarified that for me.
Her silhouette is the foundation of the Porchlight logo. She's part of every groom.
Who Porchlight Is For
Porchlight is for households where the standard grooming experience just hasn't worked, for whatever reason. Maybe your dog is anxious or sensitive. Maybe your schedule doesn't have room for one more errand. Maybe you've just never found a groomer you fully trusted.
Whatever brings you here, you won't have to explain yourself. You'll just be taken care of.
My promise to you and your dog.
One dog at a time.
I'm not managing a lobby or watching a clock. When I'm with your dog, I'm only with your dog.
Clear communication.
You'll never be left waiting for an update or surprised by an invoice. I keep you informed at every step.
Comfort and care.
Every groom moves at your dog's pace. If they need a break, we take one. Nothing is rushed.
A welcoming inclusive space.
BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and differently abled households — you belong here. No exceptions, no asterisks.
