How To Start a Business When You’re Welcoming a New Pet to the Family
Are you thinking about adopting a pet in the midst of starting a home-based business? While you certainly have your work cut out for you, both decisions can help lead to a happy and fulfilling life. The key is to make sure you dedicate sufficient time to your pet, your business venture, and your personal life. Loyal Pit Bull Love offers the following tips to help you balance your time properly between business, pleasure, and raising a pet.
Set Your Business up the Right Way
The first thing you should do when starting a home-based business is research the different business structures available. The four main business structures are corporations, limited liability companies (also known as LLCs), sole proprietorships and partnerships. You’ll find that most home-based businesses are set up as either sole proprietorships or LLCs.
If you’re looking for a business structure that’s flexible, easy to set up, offers tax advantages, and limits your personal liability, an LLC is the right way to go. You’ll need to take a look at the regulations for LLCs in your state to make sure you’re fully complying with the law. If you want to save money and avoid exorbitant lawyer fees, consider using a business formation service to form an LLC in Connecticut.
Create Distinct Spaces for Your Office and Pet
Just as you need a personal area to sleep, you also need to set aside a distinct area for your work. While you’re at it, take some time to figure out where your new pet’s personal area will be. You can set it up inside your office, nearby, or in a completely separate area of your home. But try not to put it somewhere so far out of the way that your pet will feel lonely and alone. You want to make sure your newest family member knows he or she is a valued member of “the pack.”
Set Aside Sufficient Time for Work, Play and Pet Care
It can be hard to manage your time when you work from home and also care for a pet. One way to make sure you don’t neglect any important areas of your life is to create a schedule that allows you to set aside sufficient time for work, play and pet care. Determine what time you’ll start work, what time you’ll end it and how many breaks you’ll take throughout the day. Be prepared to be flexible, since you can’t predict when your pet may need a potty break or require attention throughout the day.
Train Your Pet
One of the most important things you can do for your pet and yourself is reserve time for training. If you don’t have the time or the know-how to train your pet all by yourself, you may want to hire a trainer. The cost is definitely worth it, as a trainer will know how to help your pet learn the house rules very quickly. When you have a well-trained pet, you have less stress because you don’t need to worry about your animal misbehaving while you’re trying to focus on your work. If your dog does start to act unruly, it may be an indication that you need to give him or her a little bit more attention throughout the day.
Owning a pet and starting a home-based business can be challenging but fun. Follow these helpful tips to make both adventures as pleasant as possible.