The question is, how much time are you willing to spend, and how well do you want your pet to perform?
About eight years ago I purchased a cockatiel I named Charlie. I had never had a bird before.
I didn’t tell my husband I was buying him; I figured he would probably tell me I was crazy (we had three cats at the time — that’s a different story). My brother in law told me I should name the bird “Lunch”, very funny, my brother in law.
I’ll draw some conclusions here.
It is not always advisable to listen to everyone who has an opinion about you starting a new business.
Now, back to my first question. Do you want a pet that learns just the basics (a dog who will “sit”), or are you willing to invest daily time in training your pet to be extraordinary? The same is true of a business. Do you want meager earnings, and little pleasure – or do you want to build a business that is extraordinary?
In my case, I now have a bird that whistles 5-8 songs, depending on his mood, and does about a dozen tricks. (My favorite song is, “If I Only Had a Brain” from the Wizard of Oz… good for a laugh every time.)
This did not happen overnight. But, as a result of daily input, I have a really, really happy bird! And, I am constantly entertained.
I had never owned a bird before… it took tons of research online to figure out how to train him, and some of the training I had to make up along the way. For example, I taught Charlie how to raise his wings in the air and say, “Up!” (see photo) — by raising my arms in the air and saying “Up!”.
Goofy, I know, but the key point is, I learned as I went — I improvised. I did not try to figure it all out before I brought Charlie home.
And, just like a good team member, Charlie added some new tricks on his own (unbelievable!). Your team will do as you do. You work hard, you are dedicated, you follow a daily plan, and you will be amazed when your team acts like you!
When starting a new business, you are the one who has to determine what your ultimate goal is for your business and set a daily schedule that you absolutely adhere to.
Are you a part timer who is happy with a one trick pony? Or, are you determined to have a rich business that is built slowly over time with much dedication? It is possible to have a business that will give you riches and pleasure beyond your wildest dreams.
Some people just aren’t ready for a new pet or a new business — and others will find the greatest rewards in business and pet ownership. Which one are you?
Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of www.bigfishtopdogs.com, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger, chief figure outer and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.
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