Posts Tagged ‘pets’

Small Business Spotlight of the Week: NinjaDog Concepts

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

I knew that this week, right before the holidays, our small business spotlight had to feature something warm and fuzzy and completely heartwarming. I was going for It’s A Wonderful Life meets The Miracle on 34th Street meets a batch of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven.  And I think I almost got it.

A missing pet can be as gut-wrenching as it is time consuming, and it’s not quite socially accepted for people to take large chunks of time off from work to search for a lost pet. That’s where NinjaDog Concepts comes in. Sarah and her team work 24/7 and launch full-scale search operations to recover a missing pet.  She takes care of posting pictures, responding to leads, and would probably even take on a mountain lion barehanded if it meant returning a pet to its owner. NinjaDog Concepts’ big heart is only matched by their willingness to go through any hoops to return missing pets. That’s definitely a great sentiment to get behind this holiday season.

NinjaDog Concepts is based in Los Angeles, they also provide a list of resources for those with missing pets.

Sarah had some more to say about her amazing lost-dog-sniffing abilities:

How would you explain what you do to somebody’s grandmother?

NinjaDog Concepts works 24/7 to help people find their lost pets by creating and managing full-scale search operations.  Many people work or have other obligations that prevent them from being able to drop everything and look for their lost pet, as much as they would like to.  NinjaDog Concepts exists to take care of flyering, networking, using social media, responding to sightings, and everything in between!

 What are some industry specific challenges you faced?  

Some of NinjaDog Concepts’ challenges are dealing with the sprawling geography of Los Angeles, battling wildlife like coyotes, bears, and mountain lions that can go after loose pets, and educating people on the important of prevention (like keeping pets indoors/in secure yards, keeping current ID tags on them at all times, and microchipping them).

What’s the craziest story you have from starting your own business?  

The craziest story?  They’re all crazy when you chase missing dogs for a living.  And by “chase,” I mean, “crouch in a calm way and throw hamburgers at them until them come to you.”  I’ve (literally) crawled through drainage ditches, hopped fences, hung out with homeless folks, and traipsed through bramble in the hills to track dogs.  We always find dogs because of a confluence of all sorts of seemingly random happenings, which makes every recovery seems like a crazy miracle to me, no matter how many we do. (more…)

10 things that entrepreneurs can learn from dogs

Monday, February 7th, 2011

Some months back I wrote a post about how, as entrepreneurs, we have much to learn from our kids. Lots of you chimed in about your own experiences and about how much you, too, have learned about business from children. Well, as I was pondering what to write about this week, our family dog, Epee´ wandered over to lick my hand and it occurred to me that her small gesture of affection and loyalty was something that I could learn from. I spent the next hour or two watching her as she went about the business of being a pet and it became clear that she was, in her own furry way, not just an exemplar of the entrepreneurial spirit, but that her life  could also serve as a cautionary tale (tail?). So, with great pleasure, and in no particular order, here is a list ten things we can learn from our dogs!

1. Dogs get excited.

Dogs tend to get excited about the things they love to do. Ever say the word “walk” to your dog or show them the leash? What about at dinner time when you pick up the bowl? Dogs are not shy about getting excited about the things they care about, and entrepreneurs can learn from this. Your enthusiasm should be infectious and your passion should be contagious. When leading teams it is critical that your emotion be pervasive and the more positive the better. Just got a new client? Shout it across the office! Set a new sales record? Send out that email and let everyone know. And wagging your tail a lot doesn’t hurt either.

2. Dogs know when they make a mistake.

Everyone messes up sometimes, and everyone knows it. When dogs make a mistake (often a mistake that involves paper towels to clean up) the expression on their face says it all, “I’m sorry. I messed up and I won’t do it again. Entrepreneurs need to understand that mistakes will be made (both by you and the folks who work for you), but the most important thing someone can do is acknowledge the mistake, learn from it, and not make it again.

3. Dogs are loyal.

When a dog bonds with a person, that’s it,done deal. The end. Finito. They are friends for life That dog will ever turn on their friend and would never do anything to harm them. Entrepreneurs should learn to show the same loyalty to their team, to their investors, and to their customers. Fierce and perpetual, allegiances should be a priority for you and your team.

4. Dogs are grateful.

From the lick on your hand, to the wag of their tail, to the head on your knee, dogs are never shy about displaying their gratitude for what you do for them. Entrepreneurs should work hard to be grateful to those who sustain them; saying thank you to your customers goes a long way, helps to cement relationships, and can be an important competitive differentiator..

5. Dogs appreciate table scraps.

Don’t get me wrong, they enjoy their kibble too, but man do they go crazy for some leftover arroz con pollo! What can entrepreneurs learn from this? Be happy with the small wins – celebrate them everyday as they add up over time and, as anyone can tell you, 5 small wins equal one huge one. Or at least some delicious arroz con pollo.

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