Peoples pets are big business

People love their pets - and they’ll spare no expense on them. “My dog is my child and I want the best for him,” agrees entrepreneur Roxanne Pettipas.

Pettipas owns a company called Class Art Productions Inc., makers of a unique dog harness called the Buddy Belt (www.buddy-belts.com). It hugs a dog around its armpits, offering dog owners a safe, comfortable and humane alternative to neck leashes and other harnesses currently on the market.

“I designed a special harness for my dog, Buddy, and it quickly became a popular product,” recalls Pettipas. Now in its third year, her company started out as a home-based business but now manufactures the leather product at a factory. After machine cutting, each harness is hand-crafted to ensure a comfortable fit for any body type of dog.

While she was originally motivated to improve the quality of life for her own pet, Pettipas soon realized she was on to something big. “The timing was great for such a product. In Canada, the pet industry is worth $3 Billion annually and in the United States it’s worth $34 Billion annually,” she says.

Buying everything from gourmet treats to walking services to insurance, pet owners show no signs of slowing down their spending on cats and dogs. In fact, the industry is projected to grow at a rate of 6 percent each year.

Pettipas’ biggest challenge now is keeping up with the demands of her growing business. “There’s a lot of work to do and it can be overwhelming at times. I’ve always thought of myself as a very organized person but the demands of entrepreneurship have pushed this concept into a new realm,” she comments.

Small businesses that survive the first few “chaotic” years will usually stabilize and achieve success, providing the owner sets clear goals, establishes a vision and remains positive. “Keep your eye on the ball by staying focused,” recommends Pettipas. “Believe that step-by-step and inch-by-inch, you will get to where you are going.”

Creating your identity

Like naming a new baby, you’re going to want to invest considerable thought and time into the process of creating your small business identity.

Your identity combines three elements: The legal name of your company, a logo and a descriptor.

* Your business name should clearly express what you do. Avoid being clever, mysterious or ambiguous when choosing your words. “Smith Consulting” doesn’t say much about your enterprise. Play with word combinations until you generate a short list of three name possibilities. Test your list with colleagues and prospective customers.
* Develop your one-line descriptor. Also known as a slogan or tag line, it should convey a benefit or position. For years, BMW used “The Ultimate Driving Experience.”
* Add a visual element to your words. Known as your logo, a good graphic should somehow illustrate what you do and be memorable. Hire an experienced graphic designer to produce three design drafts. Again, do your homework by soliciting feedback on those designs from business people or customers before selecting a final version.

Ironically, you may not end up with an identity that you personally like. Go with the one that resonates most with your potential customers.

Peoples pets are big business - To learn more about this author, visit Roger Pierce's Website.

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