After more than two decades running highly competitive businesses in recruitment, marketing and career strategy, Sue Parker made an unexpected and heartfelt pivot.

Known for her bold media contributions and fierce advocacy against ageism, Parker has turned her back on the corporate world to launch Doggo Apparel & Readywear Ensembles, a playful range of custom-fit fashion for dogs and their humans.

The shift, while surprising to some, had been years in the making, as Sue says her soul was so exhausted.

Burnout hit hard

“Soul exhaustion is real,” Parker says “It’s not the same as burnout. This goes deeper, it’s a long-term emotional depletion that creeps in when you’ve spent years advocating for change in the face of apathy, resistance and slow-moving systems.”

For Parker, who was often at the coalface of age bias and job search inequities, the emotional toll finally outweighed the mission. “I reached a point where I was so miserable. I didn’t want to be part of that hustle anymore, fixing broken systems, carrying the emotional weight of clients’ despair and pushing uphill.”

So she did something bold and totally walked away. Not to rest, but to create.

Launched in May 2025, the venture is a feel-good business born from joy rather than strategy. Each piece is handmade by Parker, inspired by her beloved tribe of Cavalier Spaniels, and tailored to each dog’s unique shape, with optional matching hoodies for their “pawrents.”

“I’ve always loved sewing, colour and dogs,” Parker says.

A lifelong love of sewing—and spaniels

“It’s been in my soul for decades. I was the kid who poured over fabric samples and made clothes for friends. My great-aunt Eva was a dressmaker, so when she passed in 1978 I bought my first Elna Contessa sewing machine with the little money she left me. It still works beautifully today.”

Parker’s designs are all about comfort, colour and fun, the kind that comes from wagging tails, and not taking life too seriously. But the idea was also born from a practical frustration.

“I could never find clothes that fit my own dogs properly,” she laughs. “It was always a Goldilocks situation, too big, too small, wrong proportions. Even within the same breed, every dog is shaped differently. I’d spend hours adjusting things. And I knew I wasn’t alone.”

Combining her creative flair with her pooch devotion, Parker began creating dog wear that fits. A ‘feel good range’ has smiles, hearts and stars to bring in more fun.

Doggo Apparel: built for real dogs and real joy

Parker says she will be tweaking and adding lots of new ideas and designs over the coming months.

While Parker brings decades of business acumen to the table, this venture isn’t about scaling up or world domination.

“I’m not trying to build a global juggernaut. I just want to create fun things with love, and sell them with other dog lovers. That’s enough for my soul and business brain now”

The launch has already generated excitement online. And while the change may have surprised many of her network, she says it was a long overdue.

“I’d given enough to fixing broken people and systems. Now, I want to have more fun and give joy and encourage others to find what sparks their soul”.

Find out more about Doggo Apparel and Readywear Ensembles

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