And you’ll have plenty of products to choose from. There are all-natural (that is, human-grade) foods, specialty foods for diabetic pets or pets with kidney problems, and raw-food diets, as well as food for pet birds, livestock and exotic animals like snakes. There are even bakeries that specialize in making dog biscuits and other tasty treats. In addition, some pet-food stores choose to stock other pet-related products, like collars and leashes. Whether you should do so, too, depends on how much you can afford to sink into your inventory and how much room you have to stash the products until they’re purchased or shipped out. According to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 15,890 pet and supply establishments in 2001 (the latest year for which data is available), with sole proprietorships numbering 7,945. The Census Bureau doesn’t capture information about how many of these establishments are internet-based, but you can be sure that no matter how many there were then, the number is growing now because an online store is such a cost-effective way to start a pet-food business. There’s virtually no building overhead if you work out of your home, and it’s possible to make arrangements with manufacturers to drop-ship product (that is, arrange shipping directly from the manufacturer to your customer) so you don’t even have to store and ship the product yourself. All you need is a merchant account to accept credit card payments or a PayPal account, and you can ship products all over the world. The cost to establish a site-based store obviously is higher, but it may be the right choice for some. By specializing in one type of product, you can keep the store fairly simple (basically, four walls with shelves). The key will be to find a good location and the right product mix, as well as a great staff to assist you when it comes to keeping the business running. Upscale Pet Products The urge to splurge on pet clothes, toys and other goodies has been around for a while now. But ever since Hollywood starlets started carrying their pooches around in designer bags and tucking them in to sleep under silk comforters on custom-made beds (and getting press for doing so), the upscale pet-products industry has exploded. Doting owners can now adorn their pets with rhinestone tiaras, pearl collars and cashmere coats. They can wheel them around in luxury strollers or tuck them into glove-soft leather totes. As with a pet-food business, it’s possible to sell products to the public entirely through a website. But you could also sell exclusively to retail outlets like pet boutiques or pet stores. Or you can open your own retail location. If you establish a store and your product mix is truly exclusive and expensive, you’ll probably be more successful if you open in a resort area, in or near an upscale neighborhood (can you say, “Rodeo Drive?”), or in an exclusive mall. The rent in the locations may be very pricey, but it will be worth it when you reach people with a lot of discretionary income and the desire to lavish it on their best friend(s). Some of these business owners choose to manufacture the products they sell, which you’ll find out later isn’t as difficult as it might seem. “Manufacturing gives you more control,” says Exton, Pennsylvania, pet-product manufacturer Joyce Reavey. “I know I won’t run out of inventory, and I always know what the quality is like. That’s important to me.” More on Pet Sitting/Dog Walking Imagine a job where you get paid to play and romp with God’s littlest creatures every day, spend time outside in the park, and set your own work pace depending on your personal goals and needs—and do it all with minimal overhead and expenses. Those are some of the benefits of a career as a pet sitter or dog walker. Continue to Part IV...