5-Point Checklist for New Pet Parents with Small Business Entrepreneurship Dreams
Becoming new pet parents is exciting! Whether you are fostering or adopting a cat or dog, there are a few good rules to follow.
Similarly, when you’re starting your own business, there are some tried-and-true principles that you should take into account. But when you’re doing both of these things together, you need to be strategic about how you spend your time and money.
In this fun guest post by Jessica Brody from Our Best Friends, we will be discussing all the things you need to be aware of as you’re starting your business and a life with your new family member.
Let’s dive right in, shall we?
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Item 1: Develop a routine
Routines are important for all creatures, human and animal alike; especially for new pet parents.
Dogs and cats benefit immensely from having a schedule they can rely on.
Establishing a routine is especially important when you bring a pet home for the first time as you’re learning more about each other and setting expectations for the future.
Having a familiar routine leads to familiarity with the environment, which leads to your pet feeling more comfortable around you.
Specific feeding schedules, regular playtime throughout the day, and plenty of toys to provide enrichment are key in this routine-setting stage.
Item 2: Invest in technology solutions
Bringing a new pet into your home and starting a business are both strategically intensive activities (even if it seems like they’re not).
Time management is especially important as you need to ensure that you’re devoting enough of your brainpower to one without depleting the energy you’ve reserved for the other.
Smartphone apps are one way to improve your time management skills and make sure you’ve blocked out enough of your schedule for both activities.
For instance, apps like RescueTime and Focus Keeper can help you determine how much time you’re spending on certain tasks and offer solutions when you think certain things are taking too long.
Are you not spending enough time playing with your new cat? Are you spending too much time playing with your new cat? If you can calculate it, you can improve it!
Some other apps that are useful for pet owners include VitusVet, which allows you to see your pet’s medical records at any time, and iCam, which is a quick, inexpensive way to track your pet’s activities through your home computer’s webcam while you’re away. The latter might be useful if you suspect your new furry friend is getting up to shenanigans while you’re working on setting up your business.
Other technology solutions like automated pet feeders and self-cleaning litter boxes can also save you time and energy. You can care for your little one’s needs without taking a break if you’re on a roll in the middle of your work, for instance.
Last but not least, consider investing in a home security system. They are a great way to keep you, your pets, and your businesses safe while you’re home and away!
Item 3: Give your pet their own space
As you know, setting aside space in your home for your new business is one of the most important activities you will be doing in preparation for your launch. A comfortable home office will help you be more productive and will allow you to jumpstart your business.
The same idea can be applied to pet ownership as new pet parents. They will want to hang out with you when you’re in the office — provide them a comfortable spot to lounge while you work! After all, your new mascot wants to be part of the action.
If you have the room for it, consider a cat tree like the one our cats love!
Item 4: Delegate business formation
As you’re welcoming your new family member and getting settled with everything you need to worry about with your business, you should put one more item on your checklist: Use a formation service to establish your business as a limited liability company (LLC).
LLCs come with several key benefits, including tax advantages and more flexibility. Be sure to check your state’s regulations around forming an LLC because the rules vary based on location.
And as you’re no doubt busy with the other activities surrounding starting your business plus welcoming a new pet, delegating Zenbusiness.com to form the LLC for you can free up time and energy better spent on other tasks.
Item 5: Find a vet now
No matter how old your pet is, what their health needs may be in the future, or what the shelter told you when you picked them up, you need to make an appointment with a trusted veterinarian as soon as you become new pet parents.
If this is your first pet or you’re new to the area, this may be a daunting task. Googling “vets near me” is a good first step, but how do you build rapport? How do you know this vet will take the best care of your new best friend?
The short answer is: There is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions.
This is a big decision, and you should give it as much thought as you would when choosing a doctor or a dentist for your family.
Take location into account, as well as internet reviews. Another way to find a good vet is through recommendation — simply ask a friend where they take their pets.
Check, check, check!
Follow these preliminary steps, and you’ll be well on your way to best friend status with your pet while establishing yourself as an entrepreneur and small-business owner.
For more cat care resources, tips, and stories, visit the Cat Care Solutions blog!
Love this post? Don’t forget to check out other blogs from Jessica, like “4 Tips for Keeping Costs Down When Getting Your First Pet” and “6 Tips for Great Photographs of Your Dog.”
Please also don’t forget to share this post with your social media family! Thank you! ♥
- Are you a small business owner who is also a pet parent? What does and doesn’t work for you?
- Do you struggle to find balance in your life?
- Did any of these resources help you?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
About Today’s Awesome Author
Jessica Brody created Our Best Friends so others could find a place to share stories and photos of their beloved animal companions.
Your tips here will help many of us be better parents to our fur babies! I have been curious about the apps for cat care and now am even more so after reading your post. I will look more into them. I have tried to develop a routine of brushing our cat Layla once a week and will make the effort to continue it. She is a long-haired cat so she really needs it. I have you have a great weekend ahead, lovely you ♥
Dearest Christy, it’s great to hear from you! ♥ I hope you find the apps incredibly useful when you check them out. I think Jessica did a great job introducing us to some that really simplify our lives and help us be productive without being overly stressed — especially as cat parents!
Aw! What a great bonding experience that must be with Layla. My Pips is long-ish haired as well and needs regular brushing to have a healthy coat. I hope Layla appreciates the extra attention. 😉
Sending loads of love your way. Thanks for stopping in & for sharing Jessica’s great guest post!
What a fab guest post! Thank you for writing it, Jessica, and thank you for hosting it, Holly. These are some great tips for whatever entrepreneurial goals you have when you also have fur babies at home.
The apps suggested here like RescueTime and Focus Keeper are new to me but I do like the idea of figuring out what I’m spending time on. It’ll be shocking to see exactly how many hours I lose to being too poorly as well. I definitely need more Virgil snuggle time. He’s lying on my bed as I write this and giving me the cute face. He’s very low maintenance so that’s lucky, but more cats or a dog would mean I’d need to be looking at other ways to save time.
Finding a vet is also super important. It’s a weight off your mind when you’ve got somewhere and you’re on the list. A pet carrier is the next step. I wish we’d had one of those last year when I had to take Virgil in during the pandemic. What a nightmare it was without one! I got one for the second trip and while I hope he never needs it again, I’m very glad to have it on stand by.
As for the LLC, I saw someone talk about doing that when they went self employed, even though they were doing odd bits of things rather than setting up a business per se. I’d never thought of an individual registering LLC like that before so I’d be curious to investigate the benefits a bit more.
Fab post guys! xx
You’re awesome, Caz! Thank YOU for coming in and sharing your thoughts on Jessica’s guest post. I agree with you; it’s great (and fun!) information! I’ve made sure she knows that she is welcome back any time!
It does break my heart that you go through so much with your health and spend so many days feeling poorly, my friend. As you know, I wish that I could make it go away for you right this second. 🤗 It does warm my heart to know that you have Virgil with you though! He is such an amazing little guy and must make you smile, even on the toughest of days? I hope you took some time to give in to his charms after you wrote this awesome comment. Cuddle breaks and down-time are a must!
You have no idea how much I related to your horror story about taking Virgil to the Vet without a cat carrier. Although we did have a carrier, the wrong one can also be equally traumatic. I’m glad you have one now that you can safely transport him in. I found the most AMAZING cat (and small dog) carrier from Chewy ( found here: https://prf.hn/l/rwNOvDG ) — even the vet’s office took photos of it and put it on their social media. It is ridiculously easy to get pets in and out of, has a seatbelt anchor, and is just all around amazing. Plus, it’s extremely affordable! I doubt I’ll use any others unless I’m forced to. 🙂
I’m in agreement with you about the LLC as well. If you find out anything interesting, let me know! I too have considered checking into the potential benefits. Being in small business, as we both are, can be tricky!
Thank you again Caz for leaving the BEST comments. You have no idea how much I appreciate you, your support, and your killer comments. Lots of love headed your way! ♥
Such wonderful tips! It’s amazing to me how animals need a set routine just as much as people. And I love the idea of giving them their own space!
Not sure how I missed your comment, Michelle. I am so sorry! And I agree with you – it is funny how much animals need a routine, just like us. Structure really seems to calm them down and help them feel much more secure with us.
Sending so much love your way. ♥
Excellent advice indeed. Need to focus on the new family member completely.
Have a fabulous day and week, Holly. ♥
Sending love your way, Sandee. Thank you for stopping in. Happy Memorial Day weekend to you and your family! ❤️