In the Beginning

Shared From MOTHER EARTH NEWS  Written By: MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors

A few years back I suddenly found myself without a job. However, what could have been a disastrous—or, at the very least, unpleasant situation—actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. You see, once we were faced with the prospect of not having a regular source of income, my wife and I were forced to look into the possibility of starting a home business. And, after some thought, we settled on a highly profitable enterprise that I believe almost anyone could begin in his or her home—either on a full-time basis or for only a few hours a week—with a minimal cash investment. Just what was this gold mine we discovered? A total-care dog and cat business!

Believe it or not, our operation is as easy and enjoyable to run as it likely sounds to the animal lovers among you. The services we offer include bathing, dipping, trimming nails, grooming, boarding, walking, training, housebreaking, selling collars and leashes, and maintaining breed/stud files. And all these duties can be performed by any enterprising individual . . . at a surprisingly high profit.

IN THE BEGINNING. . .

First of all, don’t believe everything you hear about the difficulties of going into business for yourself’. The professionals we’ve spoken to estimate that it takes anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 to open a full-scale kennel operation, but we actually encountered only a few minor costs in setting up our individualized dog and cat service.

We began preparations by converting part of our garage into a work area (although we later discovered that—weather permitting—it was much simpler to deal with the animals outside). We already had many basic grooming materials on hand for use with our own pets, and simply had to increase our stock of some of them. I’d estimate that purchasing a full supply of animal-care products, if we’d had to buy them all new, would have involved a cash outlay of about $90 . . . to which could be added the cost of a grooming table and a crate: two helpful but nonessential items (it’s possible to rig up homemade substitutes).

Our only other start-up money was spent on the purchase of city and county operating licenses. Because we hoped our enterprise would provide our sole source of income, we wanted to be fully authorized right from the start. The two fees added up to about $25, but that expense allowed us to promote the “Koontz kennel” as a licensed, professional business.

And advertise we did . . . whenever, wherever, and however possible. We deliberately kept our “blitz” both low-key and low-cost, though. First, we placed a small classified ad in our local newspaper, then put colorful hand-lettered signs in the windows of our van. We also posted eye-catching flyers and posters in pet shops and self-service laundries, and on community bulletin boards.

We knew we’d be facing stiff competition from veterinarians and well-established commercial kennels, but we stressed—in our publicity—the advantages of in-home, personalized service. It was our hope that most pet owners would appreciate the fact that their special friends wouldn’t be locked in concrete-and-wire “cells” . . . but would, instead, be housed in a warm, loving home and have plenty of free space. And, as the business grew, we received lots of word-of-mouth endorsements from satisfied clients.

To continue reading about Pet Care as a Homestead Business, check out A Small Investment in a Pet Care Business Brings Big Profits on MOTHER EARTH NEWS.