I received a Holiday card in the mail this year. It was from Sue and she was thanking me for supporting her small business of face care products (which I love by the way). Sue also happens to be Winnie’s mom, which made it extra special. Her card got me thinking about how much support it actually does take to keep a small business going. Of course, there is support from your clients. And then there is support from your staff, your spouse, your family, your friends (one of our friends helps with my accounting education and is a big part of our success), the vendors that you work with (and have to be tough with, on occasion), your vet who gives out free advice when asked, Consultants (paid and non-paid) who keep you moving in the right direction, and of course, your own dogs who put up with all the craziness.
2016 was an amazing and successful year at Play All Day. Here are a few things to look for in 2017:
- The first round of our Levels Training Classes has been a great success. I believe it is an excellent way to offer dog training. And we are getting great feedback. Our hope is to grow dog training through our Levels Classes and also through some other fun, short classes. And maybe we will throw in a free dog related seminar here and there. 🙂
- If the Daycare Gods are with us, we will be adding a real life-sized pool this year….one that dogs can actually swim in. Keep an eye out for announcements regarding this project. We are really excited and hope it comes to pass.
- Play All Day has grown to capacity. We are still taking new daycare clients, but our waiting list is about 6 weeks out. So a big decision that is on the table for this year is expansion. Yes or No? We will be doing our due diligence and hopefully will make the right decision.
- And our ultimate goal for 2017 is to provide a great service for you and your dog(s).
People will say to me, “you must be so proud of what you’ve built”. And I am proud, but I do realize that it took all of those people (and more) that I mentioned above. I’m just the Captain, steering the ship….hopefully in the right direction. So, my New Year’s thoughts are turned towards gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to build an amazing place that really serves a need for so many dogs and their people. And gratitude for all those who were a part of its creation. Thank you and Happy New Year.
Keep an eye out for next month’s blog….”A Day In the Life at Play All Day”. This post will highlight our staff and what a day is like for them. Should be fun. 😎
