Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As for the RV thing, I've always wanted to travel around the country (and Canada) in an RV to see it all, but perhaps that should be a month or two long trip, not a couple of years while working at the same time, hehe, I just thought it'd be possible to do both.
But I do not want either of us to be working in a city, I want to live in a smaller town with a more country feel, in New England, near the coast. So I'm trying to figure out how to market his services in a larger radius, but that does not include a city as a headquarters, per se...
Anyway thanks so far. You all have been very kind and realistic in your responses. I really appreciate any talk from a business standpoint.
Keep the ideas flowing. Ultimately, the right idea will click.
One thing that I really believe in is that business and pleasure do not mix. Driving around seeing new country is great, but you probably will not be thinking about the business as much as that neat place to see around the bend. I suppose some people really can do things like work from home in a robe and slippers, but I just cannot. When I have work to do on a Saturday, I go to work, spend a few hours there, and get more done than if I sat at home with the dogs and mulling about, the personal phone ringing, and all the other distractions for a full day.
With respect to non urban dog training, my experience says that those businesses will tend to prosper more in an urban metropolitan area. In the cities people are more likely to spend more money to go to a private trainer.
Now that our existence is more rural, we took our shepards to the local kennel club for training. Pretty low cost, well done by people who could be professionals but donate their time, and you get to know people in the community. Demand for discretionary dollars are just different in a more rural area.
BUT! I have seen businesses thrive that are in a more rural setting who concentrate on pet grooming and pet massage. Pet massage in a rural area? Believe it or not, pet massage for hunting dogs to keep them in top hunting form are in demand in places where you might not think so.
Bottom line. Write up a business plan on whatever you want to do. Market. Competition. Expected two year financials. See the local Chamber for advice and contacts. Look for community grants to start a business. Meet the politicians. Do the homework before you start.
Here's a thought about dog training that I feel compelled to share here. Most people that need it, don't know they need it. It's thus an industry which has plenty of opportunity for providers to "sell" their services; not just to provide them.
I don't know what you can do with that, but some ideas I have would be to provide informational websites, in-person demonstrations, and marketing for selling the concept of how all new dog owners would benefit from learning how to best train their new friends. Specifically how it's not rocket science and anyone can learn the most basic and impactful techniques in just one or two 30 minute sessions.
Perhaps these things could be accomplished through co-marketing with other area trainers. You could thus "create market awareness" through your efforts.
Mbuszu makes a great point. Before I had dogs, I thought dog training was obsessive. Not only do I understand it now but I see it as a way of having fun with my dogs. In fact, agility training could be a great recreation.
Another thought: We want to a class to train our new Australian Cattle Dog. (Any fellow owners know how stubborn they are.) I can't find ANY that will allow my child to participate. (My child is about 10, very engaged with the dog, and well-behaved.)
Remember that you have to be prepared to have an indoor area to use when the outside weather is too hot/cold/snowy/rainy to take the dog/dogs outside for the training. Indoor areas would also need someone to keep the area clean and sanitized.
As for myself, I would want a trainer that I knew would be around when I needed him for advice, etc.
May be if you can hold camps in different areas on pre-decided dates and them advertise well in advance, it may assure you good number of clients in all of these places.
I have been running an internet and marketing company for a very long time and I am a firm believer that any business can succeed if you really want it to, you are willing to work very hard to make it succeed, and you are very passionate about it.
Don't get frustrated, and just keep at it. Take the falls with the highs and advertise smart.
Feel free to email if you want some cool and creative ideas
[URL="http://www.cassie-designs.com"]www.cassie-designs.com[/URL]
[EMAIL="info@cassie-designs.com"]info@cassie-designs.com[/EMAIL]
As the owner of a new puppy who is enrolled in puppy classes, I just cant' see it working. I take rounds of 6 week classes, not a single class or two. I also take makeup classes and get extra time before and after classes given the very small class size. It's also really cheap, only $109, for 6 weeks. I get a money back guarantee as well... Since my puppy is actually learning she's enrolled in the next round, higher level, with the same trainer because I like her.
I am all for free thinking and enterprising entrepreneurs, but...
As a dog owner I like the low price, guarantee, access to the trainer, options of more courses on various days of the week. How can you compete with those types of things that will make me, a dog owner, want to use your services over 3 other trainers within 5 miles from my home?
As the owner of a new puppy who is enrolled in puppy classes, I just cant' see it working. I take rounds of 6 week classes, not a single class or two. I also take makeup classes and get extra time before and after classes given the very small class size. It's also really cheap, only $109, for 6 weeks. I get a money back guarantee as well... Since my puppy is actually learning she's enrolled in the next round, higher level, with the same trainer because I like her.
I am all for free thinking and enterprising entrepreneurs, but...
As a dog owner I like the low price, guarantee, access to the trainer, options of more courses on various days of the week. How can you compete with those types of things that will make me, a dog owner, want to use your services over 3 other trainers within 5 miles from my home?
As a dog owner with a dog that needed training - I discovered the only way that it was effective was to have a set time and day every week with the same trainer, week after week after week. I have a very stubborn GSD and he (as well as I) needed the consistency over a long period of time. I can also pick up the phone and call the trainer whenever I need to.
There are a lot of people that do travel with their pets, I'm not sure how this fits in with what you want to do but there must be some needed service/product that is not being fulfilled. Good luck with your brainstorming!
Start a "luxury" pet hotel/day care business. If well managed and marketed, those places can do very well. Overnight rates run anywhere from $30 to $60 per dog, depending on the services provided. Relatively low start up costs too. You can also sell pet supplies and toys, which are high margin items. If it's within proximity to a big city, you'll get tons of business from busy professionals that travel and will splurge on their pets due to the guilt of leaving them for a few days. I use one for my dog pretty often.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Coming from a dog owner
