How I Found My Bliss as a Professional Dog Trainer
“Follow Your Bliss, and the Universe Will Open Doors Where There Were Only Walls.”
– Joseph Campbell
After graduating with an MBA and spending nearly a year in search of the perfect job, I landed the job that was going to take my career to a whole new level.
The pay was good. The benefits were amazing. What more could I ask for?
And yet, after 18 months, I was so miserable that I’d cry the entire 50-minute drive to work.
Every. Single. Day.
I was in a deep, dark hole of despair.
A few years prior, I’d spent piles of money and nearly two years to complete my M.B.A. I’d finally landed the ideal job. My career was flourishing.
My family, my husband, and all my friends had all given me “two big thumbs up” and lots of congratulatory pats on the back.
But after a year of corporate relocations, 3 different bosses, drastic staff reductions, and a complete overhaul of my original job description and function, I was not only miserable, I was also fearful of losing my job due to an impending corporate takeover.
The turmoil within the company was affecting everyone, and morale was at an all-time low.
Here’s the problem: At that time, both my husband and I were dependent upon my salary and benefits, so I felt trapped. (If you’ve ever felt trapped, you know how hopeless that feels).
I felt as if my job and lifestyle was stealing my energy, my mental health, my physical health, and even my joy of living.
I felt like I was slowly dying inside.
I knew something had to give. Something had to change.
I Was No Longer Willing to Settle
I didn’t want to work in the corporate world anymore. No amount of money could make it tolerable, much less desirable.
As difficult as my circumstances were, I had to find a way out.
I was determined. But how? How could I escape my soul-sucking job?
I discussed my dilemma with friends and family. I read every book I could, trying to find answers. But as much as I searched, and as many questions as I asked, I came up empty-handed and frustrated.
I finally realized that I was the only person who could help myself.
And so, one day, I sat down and did some serious soul-searching.
It was painful at first. I’d been trying (often unsuccessfully) to bury my feelings.
For years, I’d practiced just “sucking it up” and doing what I had to do to get through each day. And now, finally, I was taking the lid off of Pandora's box, and peeking inside.
I sat down and wrote out a list…a list of all the things I did not want in my life or career, and would no longer tolerate.
I never even stopped to think. The words tumbled onto the paper.
I was no longer willing to tolerate --
- Having my job security dictated by company politics, mergers and acquisitions, structural changes, and relocations
- Hour-long, bumper-to-bumper, rush-hour commutes
- Pretend, mini-vacations
- Dressing up for the corporate world
- Spending lots of hard-earned money for a wardrobe
- 3-hour long meetings
- Running around trying to do 5 things at-once
- Having to train my new bosses and get them up-to-speed
- Dine-and-dash-lunches
- Mind-numbing, robotic work
- Endless mounds of paperwork
- Constant pressure and unrealistic deadlines
- High heels, pantyhose, and aching feet
- Office gossip and co-worker quibbles
- Rigid 9-5 days without any flexibility
- Work that was neither interesting, nor gratifying
- Getting up at the crack of dawn
- Arriving home in the dark
Dumping all of these thoughts and pent-up frustrations onto paper was a release and catharsis for me.
This process provided amazing moments of clarity and insight and many “aha!” moments.
A Vision of My Ideal Career
After completing this list, I wrote out an entirely different list.
I started by writing out a list of all the things I wanted and needed for my life and career going forward.
It wasn’t easy. I struggled to formulate my thoughts and commit them to paper.
Here’s what I finally came up with…
My ideal career would:
- Bring me Joy, fulfillment, and meaning, and align with my values
- Allow me to earn a healthy, year-round income without struggling
- Offer flexibility in my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly schedule, so that I’d have more time to devote to friends, family, pets, my health, travel, and hobbies
- Involve working with animals (preferably dogs) :D
- Allow me to have my own business, and be my own boss
- Be captivating, interesting, and stimulating
- Challenge me, and provide me with opportunities to expand my skills, knowledge, and talents
My Process of Self-Discovery
I learned an incredible amount about myself by simply taking the time to inventory my thoughts, feelings, wants, and desires. I had a constant stream of “a-ha” moments.
I learned that I was incredibly stressed and distressed.
I learned that I needed (not just wanted) more control of my life, my time, and my day.
I learned that although I played the part of a hard-working, agreeable, team player, I despised the corporate grind.
And that’s when I realized I was an entrepreneur at heart.
For years, I’d admired independent-thinking, forward-looking visionaries who followed their soul’s desire and made their dreams a reality.
Whether they started a family-run restaurant, a T-shirt shop, an auto repair shop, a health food store, or an online business, I admired them for their courage, fortitude, determination, and creative genius.
Despite the inevitable obstacles and roadblocks, they stayed the course, and they persevered.
They had a desire to have a business of their own, and they made it happen.
While it’s true some of them may have had a stash of cash and lots of help getting up and running, many of them started from scratch with no money, no consultants, and no idea how to create a successful business.
They simply put one foot in front of the other, did the work, and stayed the course.
Bravo!!!
After a whole lot of thought, and conversations with my husband and a few good friends, I made a decision.
My New and Improved Plan
I’d go back to school, learn how to be a dog trainer, and start my own dog training business on the side.
I’d take evening classes while I stayed at my corporate job and complete my dog training program.
I was so excited! I had all these GREAT, innovative ideas for my dog training business.
I fantasized about a business in which I was this phenomenal, highly sought-after trainer, taking on the super challenging cases, enjoying a great reputation in the community, LOVING my work, having so many clients I couldn’t help them all, and making the big bucks……
I joined online dog training and business building groups, and I spent hours at the library and online digging up any useful information I could find (though there wasn’t much at that time).
I spent nearly a year learning to become a dog trainer, and then…one day…with great anticipation… I started my dog training business with high hopes, big dreams, very little money, and absolutely no idea what I was doing.
I thought I’d simply leap into the unknown and rely on my instincts, resourcefulness, and determination to guide me.
Oops! Wrong.
The Realities of Starting My Own Business
As much as I wanted to jump from “amazing idea” to “crazy successful company” and skip all the hard work in between, the world of startups isn't about taking reckless gambles.
There's no way around it: starting your own business means taking a risk, but it must be a risk tempered by knowledge and forethought.
I had all these great ideas and this fantastic vision for my business: the services I would provide, and the type of dogs I’d train, but…
I didn’t have a concrete plan to get me there!
I didn’t understand the legalities required to start a business.
I had no knowledge of the financials: the cost outlay to start and run my business, or even how to estimate a realistic net profit!
I had no knowledge of marketing or advertising, and I had ZERO idea if there was even a demand in my area for my particular services.
Yes, I had enthusiasm, and yes, I was highly motivated, but the rest of it was a great big question mark.
What I learned the hard way is that it’s wonderful and necessary to have an idea and a vision, but there’s a lot that has to happen in between to make that genius idea a reality!
As you can imagine, there were many unforeseen problems and challenges along the way.
Finally, Success!
I’m happy to say that despite the many challenges I faced over the next couple of years, (and there were many), I somehow summoned the courage and strength to stay the course.
After years of frustration, and lots of trial and error, I started to turn things around.
After my 4th year in business, suddenly, everything came together, and my sales began to skyrocket!
Things that had once seemed difficult were now effortless and even easy.
I stopped struggling, and instead started enjoying my work.
I wasn’t worried where the next job was going to come from. In fact, jobs were coming in faster than I could keep up with them!
My career trajectory changed dramatically for the better!
- I had a 95% close rate with leads
- I was soon in a position to pick and choose my clients!
- I had a healthy, steady income and cash flow
- I had a good reputation in the community, and regular referrals
- I even had a waiting list of clients!
I’m so glad I didn’t give up because having my own dog training business is one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made…
I’m telling you this story to embolden and encourage you to reach for your dreams, but to also caution you to view your entrepreneurial endeavors realistically.
There will be hard work and hurdles to overcome, but isn’t that true of anything worth doing?
If you have the passion and determination to have your own business, don’t settle for anything less.
You can do it.
And I’ll be rooting for you. :D
Click here to subscribe to Pawfitable Pet Biz emails
