One Year.

This past weekend marks the one year anniversary of my business. It was at this time last year I was struggling for cash, not knowing from one month to the next if I would have a place to live, and looking down the barrel of a 7 month deployment. But I made it. Yes I had to barrow money. Yes there were some nights the dogs ate and I didnt. Now, as of today I would not call myself successful, but I think I have things at least figured out.

Things I have learned....

I'd say the biggest lesson I learned in the past year is that you can't trust people. You cant trust them to pay you. To be on time. To call. Or even to pick up their beloved family pet. Just the other weekend I hosted a big Instinct Test Day for a local group. One lady came up to me pleading to allow me to let her pay later and that she was trustworthy, she claimed that she didnt know I was charging for this event, when it is clearly written on the website. A year ago I would have let her. But this year, I kindly directed her to the nearest ATM .... she left and never came back. This morning I had an appointment with someone who wanted to check the property. I got up early to have the kennel cleaned ( something I normally wait to do till the evening) and he didnt show. At 10:15am he called me while I was at another appointment to say he had to be at a meeting at 9am and that he was sitting in my driveway ready to take a look at the facility. Well dude you missed your appointment by an hour and 15min, Im sorry I do not sit at the house all day and wait around for people.Just imagine that response in a more polite manor.

I've also learned that you can not please everyone. With as many people as I work with not everyone is going to be happy. I can have this facility spotless. And it will just not be right for someone. Its nothing against me personally. But not everyone wants there dog to stay in a concrete dog run and play in the dirt all day. I get it, no worries. Whats really irritating is when people make reservations and then dont show. Because I really depend on the money and I saved that space for them. I think people assume I will be offended if they go somewhere else. But in I'd rather people be honest with me. Last weekend I have a massive training event. We had 106 dogs and even more people. Out of everyone, only 2 people were unhappy, I call that pretty darn successful! And unlike last year when I would have dwelt on those two people this year, I know I worked hard and I did the best I could and thats all that matters in the end.

I've toughened up alot in the last year. I'm at a point where I love my work, I just hate that its my job. I've realized that if I could do this same job and not be the one responsible for the rent I would love everything about it. But now thats not the case. And for the moment I'll be making the best of it.