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By Carol Frank
I am so honored and excited to be asked to do a bi-weekly blog for Pet Style News. An entrepreneur virtually my entire adult life, no one has ever had to ask me twice for my opinion on all things pet industry related, and now I am getting an opportunity to share my wisdom and insight with savvy Bowtie Publication readers. 
For those of you whom I haven’t met, I am a 22-year veteran of the pet industry. During that time, I have owned a retail pet store, a distribution business, a manufacturing company, and now a consulting firm. I think one of the reasons Bowtie picked me to blog is because I have walked in the shoes of virtually all of their readers. I understand firsthand the challenges you are facing, because I have been there and done that.
I am a recent transplant to Boulder, Colorado after living in Dallas for 27 years. Living here gives me a unique and positive perspective to the pet industry. People care SO MUCH about their animals here. Since I am an over-the-top animal lover, one of the things I love to share with my Texas friends is how my passion for animals is much more appreciated here than in Dallas. Nobody thinks I am weird or strange when I tell them about my love for my “babies.” It’s very cool. And being in a city with one of the highest per capita rates of dog ownership (oops, I mean “guardianship”…it’s Boulder after all) in the country, allows me to have my fingers on the pulse of what is important to your customers.
As a former CPA with an MBA, my specialty is the “business” side of the industry. I’m a voracious reader and observer about what is going on in the pet industry, but I am also anxious to hear from you what the particular challenges and frustrations you are facing in your business are so I can address them in upcoming posts. So please e-mail me with relevant topic ideas that you feel would benefit you and the readers of this blog. carol@carolfrank.com
Some ideas for future blogs include:
• Trends in the Natural/Organic – a guest interview with Melissa Grosjean, founder of Only Natural Pet
• What’s Cesar Milan up to next? A guest interview with the COO of Cesar Milan Inc.,
• Location Location Location - how to pick the right location for your store.
• Why do stores end up closing their doors? What you can do to thrive in these tough times?
• Growing up with pets – the difference it makes in our adult lives
• Exercise – nature’s greatest stress reducer
• Lessons from The Edge – how successful entrepreneurs are able to overcome significant adversity.
• My recent visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
• Southwest Airlines finally allowing dogs and cats – how do they compare to the other airlines?
• Lots of valuable business tips on employees, partners, and profits.
I also like to talk with interesting guest experts from time to time, so if you know someone whose experience and knowledge would be of particular interest to our readers, send them my way!
No matter what the topic, my commitment to you is to give you valuable information and insight to grow your business…and have some fun along the way!
Carol Frank’s consulting firm, Birdseye Consulting, can be found online at www.carolfrank.com.
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