Women grooming a big dog. ()
Whether you find yourself constantly moving with the military or you are just wanting to work for yourself, set your hours and be your own boss, entrepreneurship may be a path for you. More women are turning to entrepreneurship for employment so they can have more control over their work/life balance. In 2019, 42 percent of small businesses in America were owned and operated by women, up from 4.6 percent in 1972 and 29 percent in 2010, according to earthweb.com.
Of course, starting your own business comes with various tasks and pros and cons, such as start-up and production costs, scheduling, marketing designs and flooded markets. You can combat some of the cons, such as scheduling dedicated time to your fledgling business: get away from distractions by working from a local café or coffee shop. You can get some productivity out of this time just for you and your ideas while supporting a local business when you purchase a tasty treat to go with those marked checkboxes. Bonus points if it’s a woman-owned business.
Every month, we are going to present 5 business ideas for women based on different themes such as education, hospitality and care, content creation and editing. This month, we are talking about businesses you can start that are all about pets.
Pet Day Care, Boarding and Sitting
While more and more places and jobs are becoming welcoming to pets, there are just times when everyone’s best animal pals cannot come. That is where you can come in. Whether you want to open a fancy pet hotel/boutique or simply take up pet sitting to make some pocket change, these services are in-demand. In 2021, “the global pet boarding market was valued at $19.5 billion [dollars],” according to alliedmarketresearch.com. That same year, pet sitting was valued at over one billion dollars, according to grandviewresearch.com.
Pet Clothing and Accessories
Many people are spending their expendable cash spoiling their pets and turning them into little fashionistas or trend-setters. If you are handy with a sewing machine or a crafty jewelry maker, this may be the field for you. In 2021, pet clothing was a 5.75 billion-dollar market and is expected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2 percent, according to emergenresearch.com.
Pet Grooming
As a former Basset Hound owner, I can say that my dog was high maintenance. Along with the typical grooming requirements of dog ownership like nail grinding, brushing and bathing, he also had to have his anal glands expunged regularly. I was more than happy to shell out the money for someone else to take care of that for me and I am not alone in this thought. With a 2021 market value of 5.38 billion, according to grandviewresearch.com, it seems that plenty of people are happy to drop off their precious companions for their own spa days.
Pet Snack and Treat Maker
If your skills are more in the culinary lane, you can still from profit working in the world of pets. People are always looking for healthy, specialty and unique treats to spoil their puppies (and other pets) with. Think about all the dog-friendly birthday cakes that have popped up in your social media feeds in the past couple of years. In 2021, “The global pet snacks and treats market size was valued at USD 33.16 billion,” according to grandviewresearch.com.
Dog Walker
If you cannot commit to keeping pets all day or overnight or do not want to handle all the clean-up that can come from grooming or cooking, dog walking might be for you. Many people do not seek full-blown daycare services, but rather, need someone to pop by in the middle of the day and let the dog stretch their legs and go to the bathroom. In 2021, dog walking was valued at almost two billion dollars, according to grandviewresearch.com.
For spouses living overseas, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families produced a helpful SOFA “Portability Roadmap” to help you navigate working overseas in various countries. Always check with your local, state, and national legal regulations before starting and running a business.
