Indoor Pet Potty Entrepreneur Finds Support Through SCORE

Anastasia Miles loves walking her dog, Coco, but not on rainy, snowy, and bitterly cold days.

Her answer: A functional indoor pet bathroom, The City Loo, that she developed, trademarked and has a patent pending.

“I designed it originally for myself,” Miles, a realtor by trade, said. “One thing led to another. Next thing I know, bam, there it is.”

Since launching in November 2022, Miles has sold 1,500 of her pet potties all over the world. Her main demographic continues to be Kirland-area pooch owners who live in high rise condos with small dogs.

“Small dogs have small bladders,” she said, adding that pet parents who work outside the home have found it challenging to find time to walk the dog. “It really is a lot of stress for the dog owner and the dog.”

The City Loo’s chic design makes it look like a piece of furniture. Pet parents can outfit their Loo with potty pads, artificial grass, or an odor-absorbing tray.

“It’s designed to fit whatever your dog is accustomed to using,” Miles said.

In an effort to bring the Loo to a wider audience, Miles participated in SCORE’s 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition. SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit supporting small businesses through no-cost mentoring. Miles was one of 45 finalists. More than 2,200 small businesses applied to compete in five pitch events. Contestants were pared down to 60 contenders who presented their pitch live before panels of judges. Participants were matched with SCORE mentors to refine their pitches, strengthen their presentations, and hone their business plans. Miles teamed with Jean Edelhertz of SCORE’s Greater Seattle chapter.

“She really worked with me amazingly on my pitch and how to refine it, what I should include and not include,” Miles said of Edelhertz. “SCORE is an amazing service. Being matched up with mentors is a lifesaver.”

Edelhertz said she thinks highly of Miles and her impressive achievements.

“Anastasia is an inspiring entrepreneur whose flagship product, The City Loo, solves a daily problem for urban dog owners,” Edelbertz said. “She brought to this pitch competition the same qualities that have driven her early stage business success: An innovative product, a strong work ethic, polished presentation skills, and a vision for why her business matters and how it will scale.”

Barely two years after releasing The City Loo, Miles is already working to refine it. She’s switching manufacturing operations from China to Vietnam to avoid any potential tariffs and is moving to a bamboo product, which is more eco-friendly and better able to withstand rain.

Miles found encouragement with SCORE and her fellow entrepreneurs pitching their businesses.

“I loved how everybody was supporting each other,” she said. “Putting the pitch together really made you fine tune your company and made you look at it in different ways. There’s nothing like it.”

To learn more about SCORE, request a mentor or volunteer to be one, visit score.org.

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow, or successfully exit a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories. Visit SCORE at score.org.