Owning your own business isn’t for everyone.
The life of the entrepreneur or business owner might seem exciting, energizing even, and it can be. But it can also be scary, isolating and lonely. The promise of freedom is alluring, but along with the freedom of being your own boss there is also the added stress of living with the fact that everything ultimately is your responsibility. Some days, when things are not flowing smoothly it can feel like an incredible burden to bear. Of course, being the boss doesn’t mean you have to do it all, or wear every hat and fill every position, but it does mean that the buck ultimately lands on your proverbial or actual desk. Your company’s income, and the income of your staff, all depend to a large degree on the decisions you make. The happiness of your clients and their well-being depends on your actions, the actions of your team and, again, the decisions you make. All of this can feel like an immense burden sometimes.
Know Your Why
Ultimately, in order to thrive in the long run, you have to possess a compelling “why” to encourage and motivate yourself, you need to possess a passion for the work, and you have to frequently deal with a significant level of stress. Every business needs a “why”, and every person in that business also needs a “why” to align around. Your “why” should be rooted in what gives you joy, what feels fulfilling or inspiring – for pet care professionals that usually revolves around pets; dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles, you name it. And if you love being around animals, being outdoors much of the day, and facing different challenges every day then owning a pet care business might be your thing. If not, find a different business to own that does inspire you.
Passion & Purpose
But passion and purpose are not enough to build a successful business. You also need to be able to perform key functions; like managing people, engaging with new people, and analyzing all kinds of information to find what works best for you and your business. Again, you don’t have to be good at it all, but you do have to understand it all and be able to manage it all.
Key Success Factors
Success in the pet care industry really boils down to multiple key factors- a passion for animals, a passion for helping people, and a love for your business. And you need skills, both professional skills and general business skills- working with animals comes innately to some people, and is also developed through experience in different situations handling animals.. A willingness and ability to constantly hone your skills as well as learn new ones is also important. Personal characteristics like persistence, integrity, and self-discipline, as well as skills like time management and clear & compassionate communication are very important in running any organization successfully.
I have to admit that sometimes running a business feels like putting together a puzzle without a picture for reference. Other times it feels like music played perfectly. You have to be OK with both at any given moment.
Learn More
If you want to learn more about owning your own dog walking & pet sitting business fill out the form below or if you want help taking your own business to the next level, please schedule a free coaching call with me– one of my passions is helping people succeed. https://wunderpetz.com/business-coaching/#bizcontact
