What Do I Do??? Pet Resume Business...

Ok...like many folks, I need to work to make a living. Then, there is the project that comes from my heart.

Emeraldgreen did the website, kittycats_delight refined the logo. I had a meeting with the Exec Director of the Calgary Humane, and with the chief Animal Bylaw fellow - who said once we got some press coverage, the thing would take off.

But there is no press for a service without a track record. We have a special where the first 10 resumes are free if we get to use the clients' story on the site.

There is advertising through the Vet ass'n and the Vet Tech group too...and I don't have the extra funds yet. I am using a federal gov't guideline and the help of a friend to put together a business plan...but it keeps falling by the wayside as I need TIME to do it, and it's mostly kind of done...but there are business gaps.

I need someone to take this over and tell me what to do. And on the same note, there is a service that started in Vancouver, where pet owners seeking pet friendly rentals can register for free, as can pet friendly landlords. But now this guy has no "advisors" - no staff.

Throwing money at these won't help. But they badly need someone to grab it and run with it....almost impossible for me when I need income from my regular job. There has to be two of me, and I don't have the energy I did years ago.

I guess I am venting...but any ideas? What help should I be asking for? :(

The sites in question:
http://www.prefurredpetresume.com/

http://www.petsandapartments.ca/

So many good ideas die because there was no follow through on a good idea...but I don't know what the follow-through is!

Thanks....

The pet resume site is nicely done. I looked at it and had to tell you how professional I thought it looked. I wish I could be of help, this is a really awesome idea! This area is REALLY not friendly to pet renters, and I would love to bring this idea here but I am moving soon.

I have some ideas on how I could get you some press on the US side of things but I don't think that will help much (maybe it will lol). I have to find a home for us and the cats in Nevada and I think having something like this would aid the process.

Let me brainstorm a bit...I really would like to see this take off!

I don't know of anyone to take over the idea but if you find someone or if you find some extra time or if your partner who was in this with you in the beginning has some time, I would suggest advertising in a few different ways.
Putting a short classified ad in the apartment/house rental section of the classifieds section of your local paper and maybe papers of other areas not local to you, will hopefully find the people that might need a service like this. If you put the link to the website, people can read the rest of the info on there and you can just use a few key words in your ad. Also, you could post a short classified ad in the pet section of your paper in addition to the apartment/house rental section.
You could run the ad a few times and see if it draws in any interest.


Also, I would suggest making some 8.5x11 posters and post them in as many vet clinics as you can, along with shelters and pet stores. Find where people with pets go and try and get the info out to these places. And/or you could create business cards and ask if vet clinics will allow you to leave some cards on their counter or somewhere in the waiting room.

I do understand though that the lack of time is the key issue. I wish I could be of more help. :(

E.T.A. Maybe a silly thing like:

Have a pet and need to rent?
Don’t end up in a tent!
Find your home without delay
Let us help to guide your way!
prefurredpetresume.com

Post on craigslist, under the PETS section and on the Pets discussion section too. That is where Pet Owners hang out, who are going to need the service.

Ads are free. Post it on a Friday so it is up for the weekend. Take it down on Wednesday evening and repost on Friday so it is again near the top.

Oh, sorry, that takes time, too. :o

Friend of mine has 2 family house, she lives in one and rents the other. She's had this place for 18 years. Her tenant moved out in Sept and she has an ad in the paper. She is not even getting CALLS. This is the first time in 18 years she has lost so much as ONE month"s rent and it is turning into four months. so between the economy and the time of year, no one is moving. :( This may be impacting you as well.

I have SOME time, but not lots.

I may have to go ahead and advertise (I really like the idea of the Rentals section in the papers) without doing the business plan, at least right now. The Plan was to get a business loan, perhaps - but I don't need any more monthly payments right now.

THANKS.