Brenda’s Pets

I figured my first story for Passion in Action would be one of my own. I have many passions and animals are one of them.

In 2003 I had come to the end of my rope with my present career, accounting.  I am very good at it and I enjoy parts of it, but I had become disenchanted with the corporate world.  I expect that the people in power are going to do the “right” thing and had found again and again at company after company, this is not always the case.  I had quit a job, without notice or another job, due to this ethical conundrum.  This resulted in a stretch of unemployment, which due to God’s grace I had friends and family to help me through it.  I just wanted out of that field.  Initially without thinking things through, I tried selling cars. HA! Good-bye frying pan, hello fire, which lasted two weeks.  Next, brilliant idea, waitressing!!  Again, bad idea!  I lasted less than a week in that experiment.  I finally decided that I would go back to accounting.  I got a job right away.  I found a room to rent and started back on that path, praying all the way.  After a year and a half in a sweatshop atmosphere, I quit and decided I would do accounting only as a temp employee while I found my passion.

My running partner growing up

So here we are in 2005, I’m doing temp work for Match.com and in the evening I am working on finding my path.

1. I made a list of everything I love I had a hard time to start, but it come down to two things: Animals and Helping Others.
2. Next I listed everything I could do to possibly support myself in those two areas, with no real start-up costs?  I know what you’re thinking, good luck lady.  I thought about it and I am everyone’s go to girl for pet sitting, but I wasn’t charging for my time.
3. I did some research and found an organization called Pet Sitters International (PSI). They have a certification program, group insurance rates for pet sitter insurance, all the forms and business tools needed and a way of marketing.  JACKPOT!!  Only $200 at the time to get started.
4. I designed my own website…not an easy task, but I got some clients that way. Most of my clients were my friends and referrals from my friends.  I used Google advertising and set a budget for what I could afford each week.  I got a few clients that way.
5. Obstacles for me were that I could really only do morning and evening visits, overnight stays, or midday near my work. I pulled in probably a good $5,000 the first year this way.  I thought by 2007 I could hire on some sitters to expand my area.  I tried it and found that I didn’t have that level of trust and after only a few jobs I said back to just me.
6. I decided that I may not be able to support myself with this I did have a nice side income and I got to hang with some great dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles. I also learned how to give insulin shots to cats, which came in handy when one of my own cats was diagnosed with diabetes.

After the economy crashed fewer people we willing to pay for pet sitting and it is a taxing job. I decided to set the business aside until retirement.  My pets have kept me very busy and I am so glad I followed through with my dream.  I learned so much about running a business and people in general.

My tip to anyone who has a dream they just can’t seem to make time for, MAKE TIME!!  You always have time for what is important.  How much time do you waste just doing nothing of value and call it relaxing.  I had to face this this year 2016, that I do tons of stuff but much of it is just a form of procrastination from doing the hard work related to what I REALLY want in my life.  I have to do the hard work and stop hiding in being “busy”.    TAKE THE ACTION!!

I have a list of 13 people I know who made the time and have pursued and are still pursuing their passions.  They have many successes even while having children, aging parents who need care, medical ailments and the list goes on.  There is nothing that can’t be done if you WANT it and LOVE it!!  GO!! DO IT!!  TAKE ACTION!!

Mr. Boots

Miss Maggie