Hello everyone,
I currently run a fully concierge dog daycare. It’s definitely a higher end doggie daycare and we have no brick and mortar location.
My fiancé started the company. She and her business partner were doing okay, I could see the potential to grow but they didn’t feel it was necessary. Cut to May of this year and my industry -film and television- went on strike. I decided to help them with my spare time and expand the business. Each show/film is like running its own mini-business so, I felt I could help.
Cut to now and the business is up 65% (we were previously on track to be flat for the year), client intake is up dramatically, cash flow is positive, a lot of tasks that were being done by manual input are being automated now. However… I’m unhappy. I feel underemployed and unchallenged now that the bulk of the non-walking responsibilities are either automated or delegated (such as web services). I still do the new client intake, most of the client interfacing, updating vaccine records, etc. I would be missed because I handle the bulk of these tasks but …
On the other hand, These are all things my fiancé and business partner could take on themselves. I could also replace my walking hours with two or three part time walkers. The math works out that they could potentially make more money and I could find another job specifically one that comes with a family plan for health insurance, and other benefits.
Has anyone else experienced this? Were you successful in finding a new career? I feel stuck right now.
My previous career in film and television as a set builder is out. That job is about nothing more than getting every man hour out of you they can for an average living. I don’t mind working hard but I’d like to be paid in line with how hard I work. I’d also like to use my head instead of killing my body.
Turn it into passive income - Hire people to take over any tasks possible in the business. Maybe you get a few part time dog walkers to start and if any of them show the competence and work ethic, teach them to manage more of the business. Be the owners of that business, not an employee.
Discuss selling the business if no one wants to do the work. I don’t know enough about the dog walking business to know if you could sell the business? (try googling on this topic if interested). Ex. bookkeeping businesses can sell at around 1x annual revenue. Its good to show as much profit and growth as possible for 1-2 years before trying to sell as this greatly increases the value.
Get away from the business, devices as much as possible, etc, for a few days and just think about what brings you joy and explore ways to do more of those things. (within some context of earning money lol)