I started Pet Harmony back in 2016. Not because I necessarily wanted to, mind you. I had just left a full-time animal behavior consulting job, moved halfway across the country, and already had some contracting gigs lined up with local training companies. I thought I was set.

I started PH one month later after realizing that if I wanted to, y’know, pay my bills, I would need to have my own business. 

I was scared. I was lonely. I was working way too many hours for not enough money. And I was at the beginning of a very steep learning curve learning a whole lot of things the hard way. In short, it sucked.

Over the years I’ve found that some version of this story is true for the majority of people in our industry. Either they knew the training side but had no idea how to run a business or understood business but had a lot to learn when it came to working with clients and their pets. It seems like no matter your background, that steep learning curve is par for the course. 

Or is it? 

It turns out that mentors who have been where you are and a community rallying at your side makes a BIG difference. Since starting PETPro, I’ve watched people who were in a similar situation to the one I was in in 2016 get so much further faster than I did (and with a whole lot less blood, sweat, and tears). It took me years to learn what they learned in a few months. 

We know how important antecedent arrangement and skillful trainers are for pets. It took me a long time to understand and embrace that the same was true for my career. Here’s hoping you learn that lesson faster than I did.