He said, She said

"To love what you do and feel that it matters--how could anything be more fun?" Katharine Graham

Me and My Shadow

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has a great story today about a job shadowing program at the Woodland Park Zoo.

"Now for $500, Woodland Park zookeepers are offering a rare chance for a behind-the-scenes look at animal care. The shadow-a-keeper experience is more than a tour; it's a hands-on opportunity to work, prepare meals and learn about the animals."

Opportunities like these abound and are great ways to learn more about a career that interests you. Can't find a program like this in your field of interest? Many professionals are happy to share their work day with you. Just ask!

Don't forget that every developing country is teeming with volunteer opportunities to work with animals. Idealist.org is a great source for linking volunteers and open positions. It's where I found my 3-month gig in Ecuador, helping to set up a dog biscuit bakery for a wonderful NGO.

More market data

From the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association:

• Americans spent $38.5 billion on pet products and services, with spending expected to surpass $40 billion in 2007.
• 63% of American homes have pets.

From Entrepreneur Magazine, Sept 2007

The number of pet franchises rose 23% between 2005 and 2006 among the Entrepreneur Franchise 500, an index of the top franchise opportunities in the US.

Some stats

In preparing some business documents today, I ran across some statistics regarding the horse show and dog show industries.

From AKC: There are 340,000 registered dogs who participate in 18,500 sanctioned events annually.

From USEF: There are 80,000 riders who participate in 2,700 events annually.

Have you met our sister?

We're happy to introduce our sister company, Chew Toy Holdings. The purpose of Chew Toy Holdings is to provide a resource for helping people start businesses, especially animal-related businesses. Chew Toy Holdings will provide financing, assist in product or service development, help create a business/marketing plan, and all the other tasks necessary to help a new business thrive.

Current projects include this site, a media company for animal-related businesses, and 3 patent projects. Chew Toy Holdings is also in discussions with a group to develop and market stylish office supplies to career-minded women.

Have you had an idea that you've wanted to bounce off someone? Do you have a really great skill, but not sure how to translate that into money? Are you looking to grow your business?

Contact Chew Toy Holdings today!

He said, She said

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right"-- Henry Ford

The Snicker factor

No. Not the candy bar.

I'm talking about the reaction some of us have gotten when we've told our friends/families/co-workers that we were planning to embark on an career path which included animals. Or when you approach a potential customer and they look at you like you are from another planet.

We have all faced the skeptics, at some point, haven't we?

Of course, in the last 5 years especially, the animal boom has been widely documented and legitimized in the mainstream press. Nonetheless, when you mention over lunch to your sister that you are planning to leave that perfectly fine 9-to-5 job to start a doggie day care, you may very well hear some skepticism in her voice. Likewise your parents, your boss, your bank, and most importantly, new customers.

I faced the same reactions. I was a former corporate ladder-type and I was now making a living selling animal massage classes around the world. When we attended a trade show, the reactions were mixed. Some people had heard of us, others were curious, and still others literally laughed out loud and elbowed their companion in the ribs saying "Hey, look! Animal massage! That's the craziest thing I've ever heard."

It used to get me down. Then I read a book called "How to Close Every Sale" by Joe Girard. In the book, Girard (a car salesman) tells the reader that the skeptics are actually more likely to become a customer than you might think. "Objections are an expression of interest," he writes. "I've always believed that when somebody tells me why he doesn't want to buy my product, he's expressing a willingness to listen to why he SHOULD buy."

At the next tradeshow, I tried this strategy. Everytime someone would visibly object, I would say "Yeah, goofy huh. Animal massage...." And then they would always stop. And then I would give them The Pitch. (People are spending lots of money on their pets. Pets are living longer. Animal massage is recognized as a having a wide range of benefits. Animal massage is a great career for someone who wants to work with pets.) Some of these people would become our most loyal customers.

The next time you are greeted with a chuckle or a laugh when you tell someone about your animal career, use it to your advantage. Be prepared and respond with facts and data about your field. Tell them about your training. Tell them about your experience. Tell them in a short, sweet way, how you can help them.

You'll be surprised how well they'll listen and help you turn those snickers into..

Call for interviews

In the next few weeks, we will be launching a regular series here at animalcareerist.com. This series will feature interviews of successful animal careerists.

Are you a successful animal careerist? Do you have a business that you'd love to tell the world about? Do you have a new or unique specialty? Do you sell a product that is the "next big thing"?

Drop us a line and let us help you tell your story!

To vet or not to vet

As I mentioned in a previous post, there are varying opinions on how closely a person involved in an animal career might want to partner with a veterinarian. But first, why is this even an issue? Let's look at some reasons:

• Regulation: Depending on where you live, your animal business may be regulated by the state or local veterinary laws. In some states, you may even be prohibited from providing certain services or using certain terms in relation to your business. In other jurisdictions, you might be required to operate under the guidance of a veterinarian. An example of this would be animal massage, which, is regulated to varying levels in different states.
• Liability: Operating your business in partnership with a veterinarian may create a shared liability should a negative event occur.
• Customer base: As mentioned earlier, an established veterinary practice has an established customer base which you can tap into.

These are all pros or cons depending on your viewpoint. Some people want to work alone, and would rather create their business independently. Others are more focused on rapidly building their business into a sustainable entity as quickly as possible, without regard to how their create their success. Either way, when starting your animal business, you should at least consider what role a veterinarian might play, especially early on in the process.

Career Boost: Entrepreneur Magazine

I used to count myself as a skeptic on the issue of general business publications really having much to offer a person involved in an animal career. But as the boom in pet and animal related businesses evolved and matured, mainstream media caught up quickly.

One such publication is Entrepreneur Magazine. The magazine has a wealth of information for anyone who owns or is thinking about starting a business. In every issue, I find at least of dozen articles or bits of information that I use in day-to-day business.

Recently, Entrepreneur's website has evolved into a goldmine of information about all things small business. With entire sections of the site devoted to start-ups, marketing, legal issues and franchising, Entrepreneur.com is an invaluable tool for anyone interested in animal businesses.

He said, She said

"If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint", then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." --Van Gogh

Fishing for customers

It's fall and in these parts of the country, that means the salmon are running. All this buzz about fish has me thinking about the way in which business owners find customers.

This summer, my friend Michele and I loaded up the kayaks and went to a local lake. I took my fishing pole, eager to catch a trout for breakfast. The lake was only about a half mile long, and quite narrow. As we put in, I noticed a group of about 10 small boats in one corner of the lake. I decided to head off in another direction, paddling to the other end of the lake.

My friend tagged along, eager to see me catch a fish. After 30 mins, I hadn't gotten a single bite. Michele paddled off to explore, while I intently continued my casting. About an hour later, Michele returned and asked how I was doing. I told her I hadn't had a bite yet. So she said helpfully "Hey, I went over to where all those people are, and they are catching lots of fish. Why don't you go over there?"

Stubbornly, I refused. I sat in the same spot for another two hours and never had a single bite. Fishless, dissappointed and hungry, we stopped for muffins and coffee on the way home and the fishing pole went on the wall in the garage for a few months.

My own stubbornness on that lake reminded me of some conversations I had with students while teaching business development at the Northwest School of Animal Massage. Within the first 5 minutes of the class, invariably, someone would ask the question "How do I find clients for my new animal massage practice?" And I would reply "Well, the simplest way is to find a veterinarian to partner with who will provide you referrals. They have dozens of clients a day and at least one could benefit from a massage."

The reaction to my advice was predictable. A few people would ask more questions about the process of approaching a vet, compensation sharing, etc. Others would quietly take notes.

But there was always at least one person in each class who, upon hearing my advice, would vehemently disagree. Usually this person would speak up. "There is NO WAY I am EVER working with a veterinarian!" was the usual reaction. Then this same person would close their notebook, fold their arms and look out the window for the rest of the session.

Just as I had stubbornly refused to go to the fish, these new business owners were refusing to go to the customers. As an animal business owner, where are YOUR customers? A vet office? A dog park? A horse farm? A street fair?

You can't expect the customers to come to you. You need to go to them. Otherwise, you'll go hungry.

Animals + Business, lower blood pressure

Hi, am Sophie Paladichuk and I too am one of the founding members of animalcareerist.com. In my day to day life, I have been implicated of being overenthusiastic in my love for animals. In business, I have cemented a solid reputation for being a creative thinker with proven results, who's not afraid to think outside of the box. So a place, or a "home", where we can share our talents, experiences, and knowledge of animals PLUS business, just seemed to make good ol' common sense.

I started my professional career in sales & marketing for A.L.S., a retail jewelry company out of Woodinville, WA. From there I moved into sales & marketing of commercial equipment for Market Northwest.

Then, the dot com era hit. I was always one to look into new technology, especially when it held hands with media that can be used for marketing. Over many weekends, I attended webmaster certification courses, back then, only offered at Comp USA. After receiving my webmaster certification I was hired on to a men's clothier company, SAVI/ SAVIshopper.com We were just expanding into the world of online retail and I was named Director of Marketing. It was a golden time to work in the dot com era, money was flowing like wine and we all worked with stars in our eyes. It was towards the end of SAVIshopper.com that I lead my most successful marketing campaigns. Working with very little budget due to the lack of funding I was able to stretch my mind way out of the box and solidify my reputation as a creative thinker.

II then spent another five years in the marketing world but I was always yearning to be the one actually sunk in color swatches and font choices. I went back to school and studied multi media design and production. I am now a full fledged multi media designer.

NOW, combine that with a love for all animals ? I grew up with a cat, a tortoise, three mice, a frog, four dogs and various lizards. I have been, for over (6) years now, a dog owner, a dog lover, and a dog trainer. I am the proud mom of a young teen who shows, trains, grooms, and works in the world of Dogs. She is currently one of the top five junior handlers in the US, she works for professional dog handling team Shea and Tiffany Skinner, and participates in the D.O.G.S. 4-H Club. We also have fun with our four legged buddies in flyball & agility.

In my off time, you can usually find me at Marymoor off leash dog park, chew toy in hand and covered in ball slobber. When working, you will find me designing (working) on my computer, a dog's head in my lap, another dog keeping my toes toasty... who wouldn't want a career working in the animal world? It's good for your blood pressure.

Introducing Sophie

I'm pleased to introduce Sophie Paladichuk as member of the animalcareerist family.

Sophie has extensive experience in sales, marketing and design. Look for posts from Sophie focused on helping our readers kickstart their animal businesses with a dash of flair.

He said, she said

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

--Mark Twain

Call for tips, suggestions, comments

A blog is only as good as it's readers.

So if you have a story you want to share, or have a great idea for a post, by all means, let us know! Do you have a great story to tell? Do you know someone who would make a great interview? contact us!

Do you have a question? If we don't have the answer, then we'll do our best to find it for you. Drop us a line!

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Panda Marketing

From time to time, we all get emails from friends containing jokes, videos, and links to other sites. On many occasions, these emails are forwarded from other people.

The other day, I received an email containing a link to a video of a sneezing baby panda. It's hilarious, adorable and I had to watch it 3-4 times in order to actually understand what was happening.

Then I forwarded it on to more friends.

About a day later, I went looking for the email to watch the video a fifth time. But I stopped to look at the actual email itself. It had been forwarded 7 times before it got to me. (And who knows how many times prior to that...) The first person forwarded it to 17 people, who forwarded it on to 9 friends, and so on. I could see where 74 people had received this email, and that's not even counting how many others it was forwarded to upstream from me.

This is viral marketing at it's purest form. Consider an item forwarded to 5 friends. If each of them forward it on to 5 friends, and so on, after only 5 handoffs, incredibly 3125 people have received it!

So next time you get one of those funny videos or emails, consider adding your business information (name, website, business description, etc) before forwarding. By the end of the day, you may have your name in front of 3000 new customers!

Oh, and here's that video:

About Brad

Hi. I'm Brad Cassiday, one of the founders of animalcareerist.com. I'm really excited to share my experiences and learn more about the business of animals. A little about me personally and professionally...


After a few years as a newspaper reporter, I found myself back in grad school, chasing an MBA and heading up the corporate ladder. After 10 years in the rat race, I decided to change my way of life and pursue a career that meant more than just a paycheck.

At about the same time, the Northwest School of Animal Massage was formed by two really bright women. It was a really intriguing concept and I started lending a hand in developing that business. Soon after, one of the partners sold her share of the school to me, and I spent the next 5 years helping NWSAM become a leader in the animal massage community. (There are so many people to thank during my time there, I wouldn't even know where to start!)


During my time at NWSAM, I taught a business development class and spoke with literally hundreds of students and thousands of prospective students. Each of them had a shared interest: a desire to work with animals. Nearly every day, I would go home at the end of the day and think about all of the great ideas that people have regarding animal businesses.


But for the most part, the only thing they lacked was information. How do I get started? How do I market myself? How to I set my prices? How do I get a business license?

So, with this blog, our goal is to begin to share this knowledge to anyone who cares to listen. Want to learn more? Stick around!


Also, I'm in the process of developing Chew Toy Media which will focus on helping animal businesses grow and thrive through cost-effective marketing and product development. Want to speak to me directly about your business idea? Visit me at Chew Toy Holdings, our business development incubator.

3-2-1 Liftoff!

Welcome to Animalcareerist.com! Join us on a journey into the business side of the animal industry. We'll be covering all aspects of the animal business world: planning your new business, sales and marketing, industry news, products, services, success stories. We'll also incorporate interviews, book reviews and funny stories along the way.

Obviously, every species of animal is different. However, we believe there are common threads to every successful animal business, regardless of the animal or breed specialty. In fact, you can learn a great deal about your area of specialty or interest just by looking at how other markets are being served. (More on this subject later.) So just because a topic is related to a different area of interest, don't click away. Instead, consider how that idea might be incorporated into YOUR own business.

In the meantime, we welcome any comments, tips, and stories you would like to share.