I realized the other day that I’m a junkie.
To be more specific I’m a recovering junkie. I’m a recovering corporate junkie to be exact.
There, I’ve said it. I feel somehow lighter, like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m not good at sharing the personal bits of myself with others but I want to tell you this because A.) I think you might be able to relate and B.) I think I might be able to help you.
I spent nearly 30 years in corporate America climbing the corporate ladder. Why? Because I thought that’s what you were supposed to do. I went to college right after high school to get a degree because, again, I thought that’s what you were supposed to do. I got a job right out of college and started working the 9 to 5 grind immediately because, you guessed it, I thought that’s what you were supposed to do.
Are you sensing a theme here?
Do I regret the path I took? No, I’m not big on regrets but I do wish someone had pointed out to me that there were other options so that I could make a more informed choice.
That’s why I’m sending you this note. If you are just starting your professional life or you’re already in the 9 to 5 grind, you have other options!
When I was nearly 50 years old I “woke up” in my corporate path and realized I didn’t have to do what I was supposed to do. In fact, I realized that I was the one defining what I was supposed to do and I had the power to change the definition. Everyone else, at least everyone else that was important to me in my life, didn’t care what I did.
They just wanted me to be happy! And so did I!
So I started walking dogs for a living. And it grew!
It took me 30 years to figure this out. My wish for you is that you find your path. It might be corporate, it might be entrepreneurship, it might be a pet sitting business. I don’t know. The one thing I’m sure of is it’s definitely what you, and no one else, defines!
Another article you might like;
The Day Job Side Hustle Juggle
https://www.thepetbusinesscoach.dog/side-hustle/
About Eliza
Eliza is an experienced pet business owner with a specialty in pet sitting and dog walking businesses. As The Pet Business Coach, she offers coaching and resources to aspiring or current petpreneurs. She maintains an awesome blog for pet business owners https://thepetbusinesscoach.dog/blog-page/ and a practical podcast to help pet business owners excel and drive their business forward. Eliza and her husband live in the Appalachian Mountains with their furry and feathery family including cats, goats and chickens. Visit her website at www.thepetbusinesscoach.dog.
give, Give, GIVE to Grow Your Business!
Why did you start your business? Was it a desire to be independent, to manage your own time, to make piles of money? Maybe, but I’m guessing there was more to it than that. Most entrepreneurs go down this road because they want more in life. Not necessarily more money...
Writing the Perfect Client Update (or your dog pooped, again)
Let’s face it, there are only so many ways to tell a client that their dog pooped. Even those of us that are super creative will, at some point, run out of ways to make an update to a client on a pet sitting or dog walking visit interesting. As a professional pet...
How to Handle Rejection (or it’s not me, it’s you)
I received the following note from a new client the other day. We were one week away from doing the first visits for them. “Eliza, I wanted to let you know of a change as soon as possible. One of my son’s friends will be staying with the dogs while we are gone so I...
My Client’s Pet Hates Me! What do I do?
It was my very first meet and greet. I had launched the business nearly three months earlier. I had excitedly hung out my social media shingle, switched the website on and prepared to greet clients. I had waiting and waited and waited for a client. Now finally, one...
My client wants a specific sitter, and only that sitter, what do I do?
I recently came across a familiar situation. An existing client was going out of town, needed a sitter and called shortly before her trip to inquire about availability. I explained that we were happy to help and that the sitter she wanted was not available but that...
5 Things that you should ALWAYS ask a Pet Sitter before you hire them
We’re accustomed to asking a ton of questions when shopping around for a baby sitter but we’re less inquisitive when shopping for a pet sitter. Why is this? They are, after all, our furry children! Here are five things that you should always ask a potential pet sitter...
