MY STORY

 My Backstory, Or How I Started My Cat-Only Boarding Business

I started working in the family business when I was 14. Hated every minute of it. Went to "business college", then worked as a secretary at a variety of companies because that's all I thought I was fit to do. I eventually graduated from college with a four-year degree in Education, but I didn't really want to become a teacher, so...

An unexpected "gift" came my way, and I was asked if I wanted to work in the Financial Aid Office of a small private college (my alma mater). I jumped at the chance because I thought that would be more exciting. Yeah...not so much. I had a boss who, though she was good to me as an employee, refused to meet with students or take their phone calls. As a result, she was let go, and the administrators asked me to take her place as Director of Financial Aid. After thinking it over, and being absolutely sure I was not qualified to do this job, I accepted (with terror and trepidation in my heart). 

Ironically, I found that I was not only good at the job, but I enjoyed it. Helping students fund their college education was the "higher purpose" that I had been looking for. 

Every job has its down side, of course. The down side of this particular job was interference in my decision-making by the administration. 

An opportunity to move to another small private college as Director of Financial Aid became available, and after interviewing and being assured that I would NOT have a problem with administrative interference, I accepted the job and a much higher salary. I enjoyed that job for a number of years, until, as you might have guessed, the administration started making my financial aid award decisions for me in order to get the most students into the school to increase enrollment. This was so frustrating, and I was so unhappy in the job, that when an opportunity for my husband and our family to move out of state and start over, I jumped at it.

Because financial aid is really all I knew how to do, I took a job at a very, very small private for-profit college. Then a different small, private, for-profit college, neither of which panned out.

At this point, I went back to nonprofit financial aid, and found out that I was having the same problems with the administration that I had had before. This ended my "career" in financial aid, and put me in a position to have time to reflect on what I really wanted to do.

My husband wisely suggested that I spend some time really thinking hard about what I enjoyed and what I thought I might want to do for the rest of my work life. I had done some volunteer work at a local Humane Association, and I really loved it. I began to think perhaps working at a veterinary clinic would be my true calling.

So.......I went back to school. I got certified in Animal Care, and it wasn't long before I started working in a veterinary clinic. I LOVED it! The clients were interesting; I got to see and work with a variety of companion animals; and I was involved in virtually every aspect of veterinary care. At last, I had found my true calling! 

The time was slowly approaching when I would be in a position to retire, and I began thinking about what I would do during the years of retirement that would combine my love of animals and wanting to be my own boss.

We had recently moved into a larger house, and we had an extra room that we weren't using. After much discussion with my husband, I decided to turn that area of the home into a cat-only boarding facility; as far as I knew, that would be the only one like it in the city or surrounding counties. In addition, my husband had the brilliant idea of my offering pickup and delivery of the pets in my Kitty Kab, a service NO ONE else offered.

I had NO idea how to begin, so I contacted the Small Business Administration, and I attended a workshop on how to start a small business, which included writing a business plan and beginning the "marketing" I would need to get the word out about my business.

I have recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of this business idea, and I am pleased with how things are going. I have entertained a variety of kitties, each with their own personality, and have met some of the greatest pet owners, who have not only entrusted me with their beloved kitties, but who have been kind enough to write glowing reviews about their experiences with my business, Kitty Kingdom.

This is my future. I love it, I know it will grow, and my whole family really enjoys their interactions with the cats and their people. It took me 66 years to find out what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I look forward to many more years of fulfilling the needs of cat owners and their feline friends.

If you are interested in more information about my business, Kitty Kingdom, please feel free to check out my Google website at http://kitty-kingdom.business.site. If you have a need for our services, but you have questions about how the whole thing works, don't hesitate to call me at 615-336-9415. I welcome inquiries, and I will always have a place for your kitty in my home.