Start & Run a Pet Business. Heather Mueller
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within their area. Depending on which type of pet service you wish to provide, certifications in the service industry can be obtained through courses that take a few weekends or evenings to a couple of years in college.
Before you sign up for courses, research any institution or organization to make sure that it is recognized by your state or province. Pay special attention to who or what within the pet industry recognizes these certifications. Aside from some specialized services, it is wise to pick a course that is nationally recognized, versus just locally recognized. State, provincial, and federal mandates regarding the type of certification required to offer certain services, such as training or grooming, will differ depending on your location. Be aware of what your municipality expects when you obtain your business license. For example, should you decide to open a doggy daycare in the same location as a pizzeria, some municipalities will not allow a food service combined with an animal-based business. Depending on the region in which your business will be located, and what services you wish to provide, your facility may need to be approved by your local health authority. Be apprised of local health requirements and municipal bylaws regarding types of services before you create your business plan.
It is also advisable to research health and safety standards in your area. You should strive to meet or exceed the current standards. Not only does this help to establish credibility of your new business, it also keeps you ahead of the game. If you choose to do less than what is expected of you in an effort to curb start-up costs, it could result in failure or having to spend time or money to catch up to current standards.
When opening a service-based business, an easy to clean location is a must (see Chapter 4 for more information about picking a location). Look at properties that have concrete or vinyl flooring or plan for this as part of your renovation costs in your business plan. Note that a pet-service business can range anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 (USD or CAD) on average in start-up costs.
When providing services for animals you must have a contingency plan in place in case the unforeseen should occur. Depending on your specialty and training, most associations will already have guidelines or suggestions for contingency plans. Be sure to research these so you are educated as to what is considered the best practices model for your given venue. You should also create a more specific version of your contingency plan, which includes what is required of you by any association you may belong to as well as points specific to your particular venue.
Consider every worst-case scenario you can and then write a policy and procedure manual for how you would handle each situation. This should be done on some level for all types of pet businesses. Even in retail you and your employees should know how to handle an upset customer before you ever have to deal with one in person.
Based on the one-stop-shop approach, service providers are catering to the business of today’s consumers and benefiting from the extra revenues. You will have to decide if providing one service or many services is what you want to do and whether you will incorporate it at the beginning, in future expansions, or not at all. Some considerations will include hiring support staff, or perhaps a receptionist (see Chapter 7 for more on hiring staff).
2. Health Care
Pet businesses that fall under the health-care category include, but are not limited to the following:
• Veterinary clinics and hospitals
• Rehabilitation therapy centers
• Animal communicators
• Animal therapists
• Homeopathic practitioners
When looking at health-care pet businesses the first thing you should be aware of are the training requirements, as most opportunities in these fields will require a higher level of education or training. For example veterinarians, chiropractors, physiotherapists, veterinarian technologists, massage therapists, and acupuncturists all need higher education.
This is not to say you could not start a business in these fields without specific training. Typically, owners of these types of businesses perform the services themselves, rather than hire those with the required skill set. This leads to owners that have a sound knowledge base of their business, and the services they provide. This also minimizes the stress of dealing with employees with a higher level of training than yourself as it is difficult to critique their performance if you really have no understanding of their duties or requirements. Be realistic in your endeavors. After all, seldom do you see a person who can’t boil water opening a restaurant!
Within the service industry, health-care services and providers will be regulated differently state to state, and province to province. Depending on the type of health-care service you will provide, the necessary training can take anywhere from six months to eight years, depending on your state or provincial requirements. Your local health authority will definitely be involved in the start-up process. Get to know the officials you will have to deal with on a regular basis through start-up and the duration of your business. It is far easier to work with someone you are familiar with and, depending on how long you own your business, you may work with a specific person continually.
Most start-up costs for businesses in the health-care field will cost $30,000 to $150,000 (USD or CAD). This will include things such as leasing or a down payment on a location, advertising, renovations, and marketing. This does not include the cost of your education or certification.
3. Retail
Retail pet businesses include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Stores (e.g., food, clothing, toys, herbal and natural supplements)
• Boutique stores
• Online stores
When choosing a business in the pet-retail industry you have considerable options with little-to-no need for specialized training or certifications. When reviewing different pet-retail options, consider the following questions:
• Do you have any moral or ethical standards for the companies from which you choose to purchase products?
• What is your budget for purchasing products?
• Will you be creating the products yourself? If so, what are your business standards and practices?
• Are you attempting to serve a niche market or a general population?
When you have answered these questions, you then need to consider what method you will use for your retail-pet operation. There are generally two standardized methods of operating a retail business: online or storefront. Whichever you choose should be based on target market, best method for product delivery, and location of your business.
3.1 Online retail
Online pet boutiques are a modern trend that is beginning to dominate the industry. These businesses are versatile, convenient, and trendy, which make them a popular choice for many would-be business owners. Online businesses are also typically less expensive to run in terms of overhead costs, start-up costs, and the nonexistence of the legal liability of signing a rental lease or purchasing a building associated with storefront businesses.
Overhead costs for online businesses range from $1,200 to $20,000 (USD or CAD). Some websites claim to be able to help you start an online business for less than $1,000, but there are always conditions, so do your research. Check references, look up the business on the Better Business Bureau website, and ask for recommendations of others as you don’t want to have to pay for any aspect of your new pet business twice.
Start-up costs associated with this type of business can include ordering the product you wish to sell, setting up an online payment system, computer, high-speed Internet connection and modem, business license, specialized packaging for your products, and office supplies.
Online retail businesses are a popular option for entrepreneurs with low funds or for those who wish to avoid high risks. What’s more, online retail is a great business to run as a home-based