People love their pets, making the pet industry a million dollar business. That why a business like Playground Pups fits so well in New York City.
Gail Nord was determined to launch a business in an industry she was passionate about. Without the help of the government or bank loans, she went out and started a business taking care of dogs while their owners are busy or away, reports FOX Business.
“To make a long story short, I decided after 20 years of managing audio/video post production facilities both in New York and San Francisco, that I was tired of running other people’s businesses and I also felt that I was stuck in an industry that had changed dramatically and I was no longer interested in,†she tells me. “My passion has always been dogs and I decided to follow my passion, as they say.” Nice story to hear amidst the Prozac crankiness and the gloomy atmosphere, right?
“I left my job and began researching opening a dog daycare facility on the upper west side. I knew it was the right location – home to dog and baby lovers, so I knew I would have a built-in client base,†Gail says.
Next step was getting money to start the business. And just like the situation so many businesspeople are now facing, that’s where the dream began to crumble.
“I had to self-finance, which involved a second mortgage and the steady decimation of both my old 401k and my son’s college fund,†she says. “Not fun.â€
Business has taken off.
“So now my business is skyrocketing (knock on wood), and we are beginning to look for our second location which we hope to open next spring or sooner if possible,†Gail says. “I was able to create just the type of place that I envisioned – warm, intimate, personal, and staffed with qualified people who love and respect dogs. Every day that I walk in here, I am filled with joy when I greet my beautiful ‘clients’ as they arrive each morning.â€
Logo from Playground Pups