*Picking The Pet Business For You*

Maybe you already know what pet business you'd like to start, or maybe you just know that you and animals are great together and you just want to do something in the pet industry. Deciding what business works best for you and which route will be the best fit is something you should really work through.

You've probably heard about doing something you love, and this is true for most people. But in some cases doing what you love can backfire and now what you used to love is something that has become a chore or just plain not fun anymore. Maybe you should consider something that you know would be a great service to others, or something that is desperately needed where you are. I've found that success breeds interest, and when you become successful or fill a great niche or need you sometimes find something that you didn't realize you loved. How great would that be? In my personal journey I've found that when I started doing something because I loved it so, after a bit it became something that I wanted to do less and less, why? Because now instead of doing for the love of it my motivation switched to the money of it. Not always a recipe for success, it works wonderfully for some but not for all.

You need to asses what you're good at overall, are you great at organizing, or solving difficult problems, or maybe you enjoy helping others find their passions. Because the pet industry is so vast in many cases your love of what you can do best and naturally can be turned into an enjoyable and profitable pet industry business or pet service. Let me list some associations of skills that you could match with services or businesses.

You're a Natural At:::::::::::::::::::::::::: Try This:

*Designing::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Pet Home Architect (doesn't the name sound fun?)

*Creating Deserts:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Gourmet Pet Smoothies, Gourmet Pet Ice Cream

*Party Planning:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Organize Pet Pawties

*Web Design::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Create pet websites for pet parents or other

pet petpreneurs.

*Safe Driving:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Pet Taxi service

A good start is to jot down things you see that look interesting, or things you see you could do better than what is being done. Keep paper and pen handy and keep your petpreneur spirit alert, you never know when a spark could flame and you're on your way to a great pet business or service for your community.

**3 Pet Businesses You Can Start Today**

Need some pet business idea boosters? We list some great idea starters to get your start-up started!

1* Pooper Scooper- It's hard to believe but you can make a good living picking up 'doody' for pet parents who either don't have the time to do it themselves, or would rather spend their time doing otherwise. This business is appealing due to the low start-up costs, no special skills needed, and no special equipment to purchase. In a nutshell if you can navigate a shovel, plastic bags and can tolerate the less than appealing aroma, you're in business! Or if you prefer you can hire hands to do the 'doody work' and you can handle the admin side of the business. Taking care of spreading the word, handling mobile payments, scheduling appointments and managing the team.

You'll want to get the word out by talking with local vets, visiting dog parks where pet parents hang-out with their pets, and posting on community listings boards. Don't forget your weekly community newspapers as well, their advertising rates are generally cheaper than the city papers. Research other scooper's rates to get an idea of what your service should charge. But be forewarned...do not just charge a lower fee, instead look for ways to enhance your services to add value to your services. Maybe include a pet-friendly grass and yard treatment, or maintenance. Use your imagination and think about what you'd like to see offered as a busy pet parent.

Don't forget you'll need reliable transportation, a great sense of direction or a GPS, cell phone, garbage buckets, plastic bags, shovels or grabbers, and an industrial pair of rubber gloves and boots.

Keep your image professional with business cards, letterheads, and mailing labels. Be sure to keep your look consistent, this starts your 'branding' look. You'll also want to consider a logo that will be on all your materials as well.

Get started today and you're on your way to a successful Pooper Scooper business.



2*Pet Photographer- Got shutterbug skills? Then maybe a business capturing animals on film is for you. What better way to capture the furry family members than with photos or video. You can specialize in a particular animal or do all animals the flexibility is entirely up to you. Start out part-time to get your feet wet and to build up your business clientele. You can choose to be mobile, operate from a local boutique or store, from a home studio or all of the above.

Keep your business fun and entertaining for the pets and their parents with funny costumes, playful backdrops, great music and themes. Add value to your services by including customized products with their photos on them like mugs, t-shirts, collages, bags, calendars, hats and whatever you can come up with.

Taking professional photos requires a great digital camera. This doesn't mean you have to spend tons of your budget on a camera, but you'll want to spend a good deal on your camera. Do some research and pick a camera that has enough pixels, and the Macro function for great close-ups.

You'll want to have experience with a variety of animals so that you can persuade them to cooperate...and keep them at ease. This will make your job easier and keep your pet parents happy not to mention keep those referrals coming.

To spread the word about your business consider taking pictures for rescue and animal shelters in exchange for your business being displayed with flyers or business cards. Donating your services is a great way to get your name out there for your pet photography business, and you'll get great experience to boot.

So got you camera handy? Then get out there and shoot!



3*Pet Fashion and Accessories- Are you a fashion maven? Love staying ahead of fashion trends? A business in the pet fashion industry could be right up your runway! Pet parents are spending $30 billion on their furry family members, and you can carve a niche out with unique, durable pet fashions and accessories. Create your own fashions or become a wholesale distributor for a company you like.

This industry is branching off into pet 'pawties' too. Hosting home shows for pets and their parents is becoming a fast-growing trend as well. You can become a distributor for national companies that provide all the products and you can host the parties or make appointments to take the show on the road to other pet parents homes.

Again low start-up costs, but you'll want business cards or postcards to keep a professional image. Spread the word to your friends and families that own pets and go from there. You can even offer incentives to host a party for you.

Ready? Now work that catwalk!

Now there are tons more pet-related businesses out there you can start right now. We've covered just a few, but if none of these fit you keep searching or contact us we'd be happy to assist you in figuring out the best fit for you!