A Step-By-Step Guide to Starting a Pet Business

A Step-By-Step Guide to Starting a Pet BusinessA Step-By-Step Guide to Starting a Pet BusinessAnimal lovers who possess a creative, entrepreneurial spirit may be barking up the right tree by starting a pet store geschftlicher umgang. Here are some basics to help you get started. Pet Store Spending is Booming In addition to the fun and personal satisfaction of working with a clientele of furry, finned and feathered creatures, a pet store can be a very lucrative enterprise. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans will spend an estimated $72.13billion on their pets in 2018. Pet spending is expected to continue to increase exponentially in the coming years. So here is some important information for those who are considering getting into the pet industry. Before You Start a Pet Business Test the waters. Its a great idea to work or volunteer at a pet store - a good, no-cost, no-risk way to begin to learn the geschftsleben and to determine if youre cut out for this undertaking. Aside from that, learn as much as you can about different pets, their specific characteristics, and needs. If you do open your own pet store, you will be in a better punkt to relate to and serve your clients. Now lets look at some pros and cons of owning a pet store. The Pros You have the freedom to choose your own products and suppliesYou have the ability to offer more personalized tafelgeschirrYou are in a position to establish greater rapport with members of your communityYou can forge your own unique niche, apart from the big franchises Establishing a Distinct Niche Offering products and services not readily available at the big pet stores will give you an edge. For example, a customer who feeds their cat premium natural foods will likely patronize a small pet boutique precisely because this store exclusively sells holistic pet products, many of which cannot be found at the franchise outlets. Being Thoroughly Educated Attracts Customers Pet parents are becoming more sophisticated and discriminating about the products they purchase and the services they seek. Thus, theyre increasingly likely to frequent pet stores where the staff has a lot more knowledge about pets than employees at the big outlets, the majority of whom are merely sales and stock clerks with little or no training in animal care. A manager who has an encyclopedic knowledge of animals will attract and retain customers who want the best care for their pet, giving them a leg up. The Cons On the downside, starting a business such as this can be quite an expensive undertaking. If youre like the average small business launcher, you probably dont have tons of start-up capital at your disposal. The good news is, there are plenty of avenues to obtain small business financing. So do your homework about what youll need, and the best ways to go about getting it. Competition from the Big Box Stores PETCO isnt the only place the pets go. Large general merchandise sto res such as Walmart and Target are expanding their pet product selections, due to their wise recognition of the current market boom. While this may be a challenge for the small pet stores, the good news is the big box stores that exclusively sell pet products are feeling this pressure. Some are experiencing slowed growth as a result. You can turn this scenario to your advantage by uniquely positioning yourself within your market. You can offer products not found elsewhere, and establish yourself as a go-to expert on certain types of pet foods. (Walmart and Target dont have such experts) Plus, theres one area in which smaller, more personalized retailers can really excel customer service So learning everything you can about this will further help you to compete. Limited Advertising and Marketing Resources Realistically, the big boys have huge advertising and marketing budgets. Thats why its important to find low cost, yet clever ways to promote your business. One way is a busines s blog. The great part of a blog is that its easy to use and maintain you can update it as often as youd like, and its very inexpensive.Meanwhile, there are a number of low- or even no-cost advertising options available. All it takes is some creativity. Marketing Tips As for marketing a small business, you actually may have an edge over the big fish because owners of small pet stores have the opportunity to get really creative. Youre also in a great position to forge a deeper, more personal connection with your core audience, the better to set yourself apart and establish your own unique brand. Above all, evaluate what might help distinguish your business from others in your area, and come up with ways to capitalize on that. Establishing a Brand When starting a business, its especially important to establish a brand. One of the first rules is to come up with a memorable business name. So its a good idea to put a lot of thought into your pet stores name. With this kind of bus iness, you can have a lot of fun doing so. Getting a Lease One advantage to this soft economy is that theres been a steady decline in business leasing. So its now generally easier to get a lease at a pet store. You may even opt to buy your space. You may also consider buying an existing store. Meanwhile, remember to check your areas zoning laws.

Commercial Leasing to Find the Right Office Space

Commercial Leasing to Find the Right Office SpaceCommercial Leasing to Find the Right Office SpaceWhen the real estate market favors home buyers, the commercial real estate market also tends to favor lessees (those who lease or rent space). When home prices are down, it is a strong indicator that you can also find cheaper commercial spaces than when home prices are strong. Finding Leads on Available Commercial Spaces for Lease There are many ways to find an office, industrial, and retail space for rent. In a difficult economy, in most places, you can simply drive around and see for lease signs posted. If you can contact the lessor (the rolle leasing the space) you may be able to negotiate a better deal, or even get a month of free rent because the lessor saves money if they do not have to pay commission fees.? Other ways to find space include Craigslist Click on your state, then county, then type of classified you are looking for. One of the benefits of finding properties on Craigslist is that many listings are posted by individuals. If a landlord can lease or sublease space without using a realtor they save money - savings that they may be willing to pass along to you. LoopNet A nationwide commercial real estate listing service online. This is a better resource for finding commercial properties for sale, but the site also lists spaces for lease. Search by state, city, or zip code. Local Newspapers You can look in your local paper for listings by realtors but pay close attention to listings posted by individuals. Landlords who can rent their space without using a realtor save by not having to pay a commission. Be sure to try and use that knowledge to your financial advantage. The Internet To use Internet search engines to find office space for lease, first type in the city and state where you are looking for space and any of the following keyaber sichers If you are looking for non-industrial space just substitute the word industrial for comm ercial and the retail or office instead of industrial. city-state industrial space for lease,city-state lease industrial office space, orcity-state lease industrial retail space. Relax, Be Patient and Wait Until You Find the Perfect Space It is hard to be patient, but the most important thing to remember when looking for commercial real estate is to take your time. Look at a variety of spaces and compare prices. Ask family and friends if they know of spaces for lease. If you only need a small amount of space, ask local churches, community centers, and even other businesses if they have a spare office to rent. Your local chamber of commerce may also be able to help you find local resources. Look for spaces that offer one- to two-year leases and ask for renewal options. While many landlords will push for long-term leases, especially when times are hard, leases beyond two years rarely serve the best interest of a tenant. In tough economic times, you have an advantage, but you can q uickly lose that advantage by being impulsive.

Child Protective Services Caseworker Job Description

Child Protective Services Caseworker Job DescriptionChild Protective Services Caseworker Job DescriptionChild protective services (CPS) caseworkers investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect for their county or state CPS agency. They typically work with law enforcement officers during the course of their investigations. According to Child Protective Services A Guide for Caseworkers, a caseworkers main focus is to determine whether a child is safe and whether there is a risk of future maltreatment. Caseworkers also offer services to aid children who have been abused or neglected as well as to their families. Abuse may be physical, sexual, or emotional. Neglect is the failure to provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, or supervision. Caseworkers may get burned out on their work because they encounter many people with difficult problems and they may feel they arent able to make a difference. Some caseworkers are able to continue in the job for a long period of time by taking heart in the small victories they achieve and by focusing on the help they provide. Duties Responsibilities This job generally requires the ability to do the following tasks Review reports of an alleged case of abuse or neglect.Investigate the case through interviews with key people, including children, parents, other relatives, and medical providers.Collect documentary evidence such as medical reports, arrest records, and court filings.Plan and coordinate services to help children and their families.Fill out paperwork outlining the investigation and the resulting actions that were taken. Caseworkers keep families together if possible. If they determine children need to be removed from a home for their own safety, caseworkers look to place them with an extended family member or someone else in the same community. Caseworkers aim to reduce the trauma neglected or abused children experience. They also act to provide the person or people who have harmed the children with the services and support they need to end the abuse or neglect. Caseworkers may find themselves in dangerous situations while confronting people they believe to have harmed children. They also are called on to testify in court proceedings and may help prepare the case against the abusive person or people. Child Protective Services Caseworker Salary The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not compile statistics specifically for child protective services caseworkers, but it does for the similar job of social worker. Median Annual Salary $49,470 ($23.78/hour)Top 10% Annual Salary More than $81,400 ($39.13/hour)Bottom 10% Annual Salary Less than $30,750 ($14.78/hour) Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018 The median annual salary for child, family, and school social workers was a bit lower, at $46,270, than for social workers as a whole. Education, Training Certification CPS caseworkers have at least a bachelors degree, often in social work or psychology, and sometimes a masters degree in social work. Requirements vary from state to state. Licensing Some CPS agencies hire licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) as caseworkers. To become an LCSW, most states require a candidate to obtain a masters degree in social work and to pass an exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards. Check with your state to determine its licensing procedures and requirements.Foreign language fluency Being proficient in a language other than English is often helpful, especially in municipalities with significant populations of immigrants. Child Protective Services Caseworker Skills Competencies Working with abused and neglected children is a difficult job. Its psychologically draining and calls for emotionally tough yet empathetic people. Youll also need these qualities to be successful as a CPS caseworker Compassion The children and adults that caseworkers deal with are in extremely stressful situations. Kindness and patience are vital.P roblem-solving skills Caseworkers must be able to zero in on the most workable solutions with the childrens best interests in mind.Communication Talking with people is a big part of this job. Caseworkers need to gear their conversations to childrens maturity and consider the cultural background and sensitivities of everyone they speak with.Interpersonal skills Caseworkers often find they have to switch gears quickly from dealing with families and children to interacting with coworkers, superiors, and other professionals. Job Outlook The BLS does not make projections about job growth specifically for CPS caseworkers. The BLS projects employment of social workers as a whole will grow 16% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the 7% average for all occupations. The BLS expects jobs for child, family, and school social workers to grow 14% from 2016 to 2026, though it notes that employment growth may be limited by federal, state, and county budget constraints. Work Environment CPS caseworkers split their time between the office and visiting families and collecting evidence in the field. Their office may be in a county or state government building. Work Schedule Although caseworkers may be expected to work only 40 hours a week, they often deal with emergencies at odd hours and work evenings and weekends because that is when families are available to meet with them. How to Get the Job APPLYLook for job postings on government websites and search broader job websites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Monster.WRITE A TARGETED RESUME AND COVER LETTERCreate a resume and cover letter that speak directly to the requirements in the job description. Check out example resumes and cover letters for related social worker jobs to use as a guide in writing yours.REHEARSE COMMONLY ASKED INTERVIEW QUESTIONSHuman resources recruiters and hiring managers often ask the same types of questions when interviewing job candidates. Review questions that typically come up for social wo rkers and prepare responses to them. Comparing Similar Jobs People interested in becoming CPS caseworkers may also consider the following careers. The figures given are median annual salaries Marriage and family therapist $50,090School counselor $56,310Community health worker $46,080 Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018