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Career Change - Libby - 05-10-2018

At the beginning of March I took a leap.  I was miserable at my small loans job (greedy loan sharks) and there was a big chance that I could be moved to a different location and have no say so.  I was already being forced to cover locations with little notice and cost to my time with my husband and animals.  I had no time to myself, tired, and stressed for little pay.

So I started looking for a new job and found Wag! I had tried to apply before but it hadn't been added to my area until last year.  So I reapplied and 5 days later I was employed by Wag! so then I had to quit my other job.  I did like the people I worked with and gave them a month to try and find someone new.  Which they didn't but I was free as of April 6th.  If you haven't heard of Wag! it is a phone app where you can schedule dog walks, sitting and boarding.  Their tag line is it's like uber for dog walking.  There are scheduled dog walks but also ASAP walks.  This past month I've been building my dog walking clients.  Some weeks are better than others but I set myself up to cover what I wouldn't be making those first few weeks.  I'm still stressed at times but it's a good kind of stress because I'm doing what I love instead of the crushing weight of doing something I hate that separates me from my loved ones.  My schedule is what I make it and I'm never that far from home for long. There's also the added bonus of all the exercise which I desperately needed.  This also means I will get to start my own business of training dogs!  Training dogs, walking dogs, and pet sitting for a living.  I'm also on Rover which it could take 2 more weeks to get my background check back but I'm trying to get the word out far and wide.

I also have a facebook page and soon a website if I can get the money together.  I already have the domain (libbysmuttmanner.com) paid for I just have to pay the cost of the layout.  I'm also looking into a business license so I can be totally legal.  Also intuit quick books has helpped for figuring out taxes and business expenses. 

https://www.facebook.com/libbysmuttmanner/?ref=bookmarks

A lot of start up but I'm really starting to get the hang of it.


RE: Career Change - Catherine - 05-10-2018

Congratulations on making a big leap. It may be less secure right now, but it will be totally worth it to be doing things you love. 
Work takes up too much of our day for us to spend it doing work we don't believe in and love.

I have never heard of wag, but it sounds like a good idea. You have your business all figured out and now you just have to push ahead with it. I am happy you are going to be working with dogs from now on. I know that is where your heart is.

Have you thought of adding reptile sitting and boarding to you business. Do you know how hard it is to find someone to look after your reptiles if you want to go away. You could even go to the house to check on the reptiles. That way they wouldn't have to be disturbed.

I can't wait to hear all the details of how things are working out. All the best of luck. 
All your years of planning and hard work are going to work out for you.


RE: Career Change - Libby - 05-13-2018

(05-10-2018, 04:45 PM)Catherine Wrote: Congratulations on making a big leap. It may be less secure right now, but it will be totally worth it to be doing things you love. 
Work takes up too much of our day for us to spend it doing work we don't believe in and love.

I have never heard of wag, but it sounds like a good idea. You have your business all figured out and now you just have to push ahead with it. I am happy you are going to be working with dogs from now on. I know that is where your heart is.

Have you thought of adding reptile sitting and boarding to you business. Do you know how hard it is to find someone to look after your reptiles if you want to go away. You could even go to the house to check on the reptiles. That way they wouldn't have to be disturbed.

I can't wait to hear all the details of how things are working out. All the best of luck. 
All your years of planning and hard work are going to work out for you.

It was a crazy leap but I had to get out I was so over worked and just morally hated the job.  The customers that were coming in didn't have money to begin with and then they were in there to borrow money they can't pay back so then they would have to borrow it again and that was the company wanted.  It was eating at me to my core.

As for reptiles, owners have to contact me personally but I have a rate for collection exotics too.  Depending on how big the collection is I have a base rate this would be for bigger collections and for special needs collections $50 for up to 4 enclosures and the $10 for each addition cage after that.  That would including any feeding and water, soaks, cleaning up to full cage cleaning, and daily monitoring up to 4 hours split however needed.  Otherwise if it's just a couple exotics I can fit it into my check-in rate.  Which is $15 for 30 minutes.

I don't board yet but I could once we move out of this house.  With any luck that could happen in the next year.  Kasey has a teaching job at the community college he is applying for which would give us the extra money we would need for a house payment.  I'm looking for a house that has a good sized basement that has tile or concrete floor that could be my animal area where I could board animals.  There's this one house I found that is nearly perfect we just aren't ready to actually buy unfortunately.
It's frustrating knowing that I could make more money if we moved but because I don't make enough right now we can't even think about making a house payment.

I just got approved for Rover this morning which means my background check came back clear.  So I'm on Rover and Wag! now.  I hope this means more business.


RE: Career Change - Catherine - 05-13-2018

Quote:I just got approved for Rover this morning which means my background check came back clear.  So I'm on Rover and Wag! now.  I hope this means more business.
Things are already moving in the right direction for you. You will get a good client base going and have a steady income.
Kasey will get a steady income. After that you can look for a house. You are both very handy so you will be able to build a boarding area. People always need someone to care for their pets when they go on holiday. 

A house with a big yard would be perfect for your dogs and any dogs that you end up boarding.
It is too bad you can't get the nearly perfect house, but maybe next year you will find a perfect house.
You have only been married a little over a year and already you are talking about buying a house. That is doing very well.

I hear you about your old job. I hate to think of people borrowing like that. You must have hated working with that kind of  lending. It is toxic to work in a place that you don't agree with. It is a good thing you are out of there. Even if it is a struggle at first, it is better to be doing work you believe in.


RE: Career Change - Libby - 05-19-2018

Once I have my mind set I am ready to jump into whatever it is and situations don't always call for that. Big ideas but not always big pockets lol. If you know what I mean.


RE: Career Change - Catherine - 05-20-2018

I know exactly what you mean, moneywise and otherwise. The reptile centre is that kind of dream. It is still a struggle to keep it going, but it is a place where you can get reptiles, learn about reptiles, feed your reptiles cheaper, get set ups cheaper and surrender reptiles that you can no longer keep. 

Your dream is different, but it is a dream that allows you to work with animals in the way you want and to help animals in the way you want. You will make it work. That is the amazing thing. A dream in the hands of someone like you can become a reality. 
You have the vision, but you also worked hard to gain skills and sort out practical realities. 


I am posting a link to a friends dream that is becoming a reality. Ben collects fossils, bones, rocks and all manner of oddities. It is all ethically sourced. He has an online store called The Skull Store. Now he has opened a free museum where people can see dinosaur bones and everything else. He has a left handed Neanderthal hand ax. It even fits my hand!

http://prehistoria.ca/

I remember when he was just talking about opening a store front. I was even at the opening party. He has even expanded into the store front next door. 

I can't wait to see where your dream takes you.


RE: Career Change - Tobi - 05-22-2018

I wish you the very best with this new venture Libby! It is so nice that you have found something you love doing. There's nothing worse than some Soul-destroying job.
Dogs rule. Walking them rules too....except when it is the worst weather imaginable. But even then I recall being happier outside in dog-company!

Wishing you the best of luck setting up your business and website. Good for you.

Catherine, Ben has worked hard to make his dream a reality. I wish him all the best too. What an intriguing store!


RE: Career Change - Catherine - 05-22-2018

The Prehistoria Museum is really interesting. It is a hands on museum. That is how I know the left handed Neanderthal hand ax fits my hand. Ben let me hold it in my left hand.

I just know that you will make your dreams work too, Libby. You will just keep working until it happens.


RE: Career Change - Catslave - 05-22-2018

Well done Libby not everyone gets to live their dream.