Work/Life Balance
Entrepreneur's work helps reduce the number of pets going to sheltersKeeping dogs and owners togetherMost pet owners will tell you their dog or cat is like a family member. Sometimes, those family members simply don't get along and could benefit from some professional help. ROGER PIERCE -- www.bizlaunch.ca |
|
|
Julie Ott, owner of Canine Foundations, helps dogs and their owners live happily together.
"Our expertise helps to keep those families together," entrepreneur Julie Ott says.
Ott owns Canine Foundations (www.CanineFoundations.com), which provides private canine behaviour consulting and obedience training to clients in the comfort of their own home.
The company provides hope to dog owners and their pets experiencing some trouble by getting to the root of unwanted dog behaviour. "We look at diet, exercise, medical condition, daily routine, household rules and past history before designing a training program customized to both the dog and the owner," Ott says.
After several years working as an animal control officer and animal cruelty investigator, Ott decided she could better change the lives of dogs and their owners through her own business.
"Animal shelters are experiencing an over-population crisis that could be greatly improved if more owners were better educated and equipped to deal with their canine issues," she explains.
"In my surveys I found that more then 70% of dog owners who surrendered a dog to a local shelter would not have done so if they had had a real alternative to help address canine behavioural issues. I want to help such owners by helping them to better understand their dogs and therefore keep the animals out of the shelters."
Ott says the majority of her clients tend to be owners of adult, second hand or rescue dogs with deeply ingrained behavioural issues, or young families looking to either introduce a baby to their existing dog or a dog into their family.
While she loves being in control of her destiny as an entrepreneur, Ott says she also worries about being able to pay the bills each month. "Thankfully I belong to a wonderfully supportive family filled with successful entrepreneurs who keep me inspired and on track," she says.
Future plans for Canine Foundations include launching a series of public seminars on canine behaviour.
TRACK YOUR NUMBERS
In business, it all boils down to the numbers. Good bookkeeping records will help you to monitor your business performance, track expenses and manage operations. Plus, accurate records will help you to obtain money from banks or investors.
Bottom line, good financial records are crucial to the future of your small business. Follow these tips to get your numbers in order:
Start by creating a receipt file. Place in it all of your expense receipts, invoices, bank statements and deposit slips. Label these files to match your monthly or quarterly GST reporting period.
Get in the habit of putting your receipts and invoices into those files every day. It's amazing how many little slips of paper end up in coat pockets, purses, glove boxes or briefcases. Create a system that works for you to make sure all that stuff gets deposited into your receipts file.
Decide who will record your income and expenses. You've got two choices: Do it yourself or delegate it. If you decide to input your own numbers, buy decent small business accounting software such as QuickBooks. Or, hire a bookkeeper to do it for you (which will free you up to do other things like run your business.)
Hire an accountant. While a bookkeeper will enter your income and expenses into accounting software, an accountant will help you to take advantage of current tax laws and know how to maximize your deductions. A good accountant will therefore usually pay for their own services from the money you save by embracing every available tax break. (Check out small business accountants at www.OpenBooks.ca.)
Keeping great books will let you know exactly how your small business is doing, where it can improve and will help identify problems. With the right bookkeeping system, you'll be able to make informed business decisions and sleep better at night.
To learn more about this topic and others, catch the next free Staples BizLaunch Seminar near you at www.staples.ca/bizlaunch.
Do you have you a bad boss?