Guest Blog Post by Penny Martin, Fureverfriend.info
If you’ve been sitting on the idea of starting your own business, it’s time to stand up. There has never been a better time than right now to get going, especially if you’re looking at starting a pet-centric business. Springs Pet Portraits outlines a few things you can do, tips to get started, and reasons why now is your time to shine.
Types Of Pet-Care Businesses
Dog walking. Fresh air, sunshine, and companionship? Sign us up. If you plan to walk dogs, living in or being in close proximity to a walkable neighborhood can be a boon. As a dog walker, you can make anywhere between $15 and $40 per hour according to Airtasker. The only downside is that you have to take care of any messes your four-legged clients make along the way.
Pet grooming. Grooming other people’s pets is a great way to help ensure that the animals in your neighborhood stay clean and fresh.
Trainer. When you love animals, are a people person, and have lots of patience, the Animal Humane Society suggests that you might be a great fit to become a dog trainer.
Pet products. People buy things for their pets every day, and there’s no reason you can’t get in on the action by making custom collars, pet clothing, or dog houses.
Starting A Business
Choose your name. Every business needs a name, and now you have an opportunity to make your stand out. Even if you’re planning to use your legal name as your LLC, you can still create a DBA (“doing business as”). Your DBA name might make it easier to find the right domain, and you can create different iterations of your name to market different products and services.
Evaluate your skills. If you’re sure about your skills with animals, but still feel a bit shaky when it comes to running a business, consider going back to school to earn a degree that can help you with planning, finances, accounting, and marketing. You can go to school online while you start your business so that you can grow with your customer base.
Set your prices. Pricing products and services is difficult, and your best bet when you’re first starting out is to look at the competition and price similarly. Make sure that you get paid by offering multiple payment options, such as credit cards, cash, and PayPal. Use a customized invoice template (you can put your business name and logo on this) to spell out your payment terms as well as any penalties associated with late payments.
Square away your bookkeeping. Proper bookkeeping is a must in any business. Bring your skills up to speed by taking a few accounting classes. Online options are inexpensive and flexible so you can focus on getting your business up and running. It’s easier than ever to enroll in an online accounting degree program, as some programs begin at different times throughout the year, allowing you to get started on your degree when the time is right.
Get insured. No matter what business you choose, get insured. If you’re walking dogs, insurance can protect you and your business from what Pet Care Insurance describes as a “financial disaster” in case of an accident.
Why Now?
Pet adoptions are skyrocketing. With the widespread explosion of work-from-home positions, more people than ever are adopting pets. Chewy says that more than a million shelter animals found a forever home in 2021 alone.
Access to quality pet products. You are not boxed into using products off the shelf at your local pet store, and you can quickly and easily order grooming products directly from Fur & Feathers.
Enhanced quality of life. Being around animals is good for your health. Even if you can only spend 15 minutes each day petting your new pet clients, your body will jump in the action releasing feel-good chemicals. Plus, if you choose to walk dogs for a living, you’ll get lots of exercise. The additional money that you make can also improve your financial position.
Business you can grow. While competition is fierce in all areas of animal care, as you grow your clientele, you can expand your business by getting lots of positive reviews and earning a reputation for being the best around.
Starting any kind of business is a big deal. If you’re already an animal lover, this is a great opportunity to provide for your family while also doing something good for the animals in your community. To get started, handle the administrative details first, such as creating your DBA name and setting up an invoice structure. You can also take the time to sharpen your business skills to enhance your success. And, remember, you can always grow your business if you’re looking to replace a full-time income.
Springs Pet Portraits is a full service studio specializing in portraits of pets and pets with their people. Contact us today to book your free photo consultation! (719) 475-0160