If you’re contemplating the idea of starting a home-based business here are some facts you should know:
•According to the Small Business Administration, home-based businesses account for over half of all the businesses in the United States.
•Each year thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs launch a part-time home business to supplement their existing income or to test a new business idea.
•There are two industries that have shown exponential growth over the past years, and they are (in no particular order):
1.The Wellness Industry
2.The Pet Industry
Now that you know that, and that we’ve agreed you’re a pet lover, it’s time to choose the right pet business for you. You will have to ask yourself some basic questions such as:
1.What are my strengths?
Do you like to work directly with people, or do you prefer to work alone?
2.Do I want to work from home or at home?
Some home-based businesses require you to hit the road, while others let you work without ever leaving home.
3.Do I have certain skills that make me stand out from the crowd?
Can you bake the most delicious cookies in town? Are you a whiz with your camera? Does every pet you encounter just love you?
4.How much can I afford to invest?
Do you have all the necessary equipment to operate your business? Can you start operating on a shoestring and then add as your business grows?
After you have answered those questions is time to search for more information on your desired business idea, you will find a lot of information online. Some ideas are: Read the rest of this entry »
People spend quite a bit of money on their pets. This means that prospective small business owners have quite a few options for starting a business that caters to pets and their loving owners.
- Pet Sitting Businesses
While there are quite a few veterinarians and kennels that will board family pets, many pet owners are concerned that their animals will be upset in new surroundings or worry that the small kennels their pets will be placed in aren’t very comfortable. A pet sitter goes to the pet’s home to care for it several times a day while the owners are away. Some pet owners use a pet sitter every day because they work long hours. Others only book the sitter when they are going on a week’s vacation.
The key to a successful pet sitting business is to only take clients in a small area. This enables the pet sitter to make 13 or 14 half-hour visits in an eight hour day. Driving long distances between houses means longer hours or fewer visits.
- Doggie Day Care
A doggie day care is similar to a child day care. Dogs and puppies are dropped off at the day care center, where they enjoy a day of activities and playtime with their classmates. A person who starts a doggie day care needs to be able to control a large group of dogs and should know how to handle dog behavior problems.
The biggest drawback for this business is that it can be hard to convince a local zoning board that it will not be disruptive. Dogs make a lot of noise and there is a lot of traffic from pet owners dropping off and picking up their pets.
The array of product and service businesses for pet owners is only limited by your imagination. Many people treat their pets like their children and, following that logic, most products that people want for themselves, they’ll want for their pets. Just look at recent trends in the industry–organic foods, homeopathic products, luxury accessories–and you’ll easily find they mirror counterparts for human folk.
But there are still traditional services and products for pets and their owners that will never go out of style. Here, we present 10 evergreen pet businesses, excerpted from James Stephenson’s books 202 Things You Can Make and Sell for Big Profits, 202 Services You Can Sell for Big Profits, and Entrepreneur’s Ultimate Start-Up Directory. With ideas like these, you’ll be catering to your furry, finned and feathered friends in no time.
- Pooper-Scooper Service
Believe it or not, you can make a very comfortable living by starting and operating a dog pooper-scooper service in your community. This is an easy business to start; it requires little investment, no special skills, and minimal equipment to operate. Basically, if you can handle a shovel and plastic bags, and can put up with less than aromatic smells, you’re qualified to run a pooper-scooper service. If not, you can still cash in on this booming growth business by marketing and managing the service while hiring others to do the dirty work. Spread the word about your pooper-scooper service by advertising in local newspapers, pinning fliers to bulletin boards, and through dog-related businesses and clubs in the community. Most services charge a flat monthly rate of between $30 and $60 to stop by customers’ homes or businesses weekly to clean up their yards, which takes no more than 10 minutes per visit. You’ll need reliable transportation, a cell phone, garbage buckets, plastic bags, shovels, gloves and a good pair of rubber boots. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re contemplating the idea of starting a home-based business here are some facts you should know:
People spend quite a bit of money on their pets. This means that prospective small business owners have quite a few options for starting a business that caters to pets and their loving owners.
The array of product and service businesses for pet owners is only limited by your imagination. Many people treat their pets like their children and, following that logic, most products that people want for themselves, they’ll want for their pets. Just look at recent trends in the industry–organic foods, homeopathic products, luxury accessories–and you’ll easily find they mirror counterparts for human folk.