The Cozy Chicks | Cozy Up To Some Killer Books

You Don’t See This Everyday

When I daydream about starting my own business, I lean towards a Vermont B&B, a little breakfast-only diner, a small ice cream shop, or a little bookstore filled with charm.

I don’t think about pooper-scoopering.

But someone did. I opened my local newspaper yesterday and saw a half page ad featuring the banner headline “Got Poop?”

Yes, you read that right. (And it did catch my attention, so the marketing did its job.)

It’s an ad for DogMasters, LLC, a “Dog Waste Management” company. And for a fee, once a week they’ll come to your yard and rid it of offensive doggy-doo. As part of their ad campaign, they focus on keeping yards safe for children by getting rid of waste filled with parasites, and they also stress the importance of not contaminating water tables, thus improving the environment.

My first thought was to laugh. A pooper-scoopering company? Really?

And then I thought, why not? All the points they make are good ones. I think it’s just not an easy a subject to read about (or write—trust me). But if I had a dog (I don’t) I wouldn’t want to scour the yard every week cleaning up after Fido. No thanks. And I want to help the environment. And make sure my kids are safe from parasites when they’re playing outside. I imagine I’m not alone. Someone, somewhere, decided to capitalize on just this kind of thinking. It’s unique, that’s for sure, and I doubt there are many other companies doing the same, so odds are this business could really take off and start a trend.

So, instead of laughing, I say, Good for you! (Since I don’t have a dog, how about a little free PR?)

Hmmm… I wonder if there’s a company for cleaning hamster cages.

How about you? Do you ever dream of opening your own business (or have you?) and what kind?

~heather

19 Responses to “You Don’t See This Everyday”

Every once in a while I dream about my own business. Probably something marketing related as that’s one of the only skills I have, LOL!

I think it would be fun. But I also think you’ve got to be really smart in every step you take. Which means getting off the ground correctly would mean a lot of sleepless nights I think.

by laura on October 12th, 2007 at 6:26 am
I have my own business as a consultant with Mary Kay but ultimately I would love to open a B&B in Camden, Maine.

I swear you and I were seperated at birth. LOL

by debbie on October 12th, 2007 at 8:09 am
The ALCS begins tonight, and Heather writes about people with fecal fetish? C’mon! Anyone with their priorities so out of whack doesn’t deserve their own blog. Sox in five, baybee!

by Theo Epstein on October 12th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Yes, Theo, we Bostonians will be glued to the t.v.!!!!!

by debbie on October 12th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Ultimately I would love to open up a little yarn and handspinning/handweaving shop, but until I win the lottery I’m making do with selling my handspun yarns at small local festivals. I’m not getting rich, but it keeps me off the streets!

by Becky on October 12th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I tried my own business for about two years - it was part-time and I kept my teaching gig, but I soon found that being a folk art dealer doesn’t bring in much money for the time input. Oh well, it was fun to wear another hat for a bit.

by JB on October 12th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Laura, I can see you doing that–the sleepless nights might be worth it!

Deb, how about you open the B&B and I’ll come visit?

by Heather on October 12th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Theo, I thought about doing a Red Sox blog, but didn’t want to jinx them. Ahem.

Deb watching the Sox? Hmm. More likely she’ll be in the tub with a book! ‘Fess up!

by Heather on October 12th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Becky, I bet your stuff is wonderful. Sometimes I walk into knitting shops and just take it all in. Heaven. Then I feel unworthy and don’t usually buy anything! I need knitting lessons in a bad way–I’ve got to move past making scarves at some point.

by Heather on October 12th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
JB, a folk art dealer? Sounds so fun! And I’m sure what you learned helped in writing your antiques series. Do you think you’ll ever go back to it?

by Heather on October 12th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Quite often, which is half the fun of dreaming about owning one’s own business…

1. Running a small bookstore
2. Operating a bakery (small scale, with cookies/baked goods/coffee etc available all day long…
3. Being a librarian in a small town, the sort of library that is almost a one-room house.
4. A knitting/yarn store - what Heather and Becky said sounded a few chords!

When I was much younger, I sometimes dreamt of running a cats’ home - much to the horror of most of my relatives…

by Rudolf on October 12th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Hi Heather!

Yup, there are hundreds of scooping companies out there. I’ve been a full time professional turd-herder for 5 years now. We have a national non-profit trade group and an annual convention. The last one was in Las Vegas, the next one will be in Atlanta.

It’s really a great business. We work outside all day, get to see hundreds of dogs every week, and don’t have to wear ties or sit in Dilbert meetings. You get past the poo part pretty quickly, and the satisfaction of running your own business is a real payoff. The money’s surprisingly good, too.

Don’t know about hamsters, but many of us clean cat boxes, and I know an aquarium cleaner or two. I’ve done temporary birdcage cleaning for a client and had a call for a llama once…

If you or someone you know needs a scooper, email me a zip code and contact info and I’ll probably be able to find one for you wherever you are!
–
Jeff Morgan
The Grand Poobah, Denver, CO

by Jeff Morgan on October 13th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Hubby and I have had our own business forever… here’s a bit of what we do among other artsy-fartsy things:

http://churchartist.blogspot.com

by Dani on October 13th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I confess……I watched TLC’s What Not to Wear while the hubby and kids went across the street to my sister-in-law’s house. I did check the score around 9. Go Theo!

by debbie on October 13th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Rudolf–a bakery–ahhh. I could see that, too. As long as I didn’t have to do the baking!

by Heather on October 14th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Grand Poobah!! I love it! Congrats on the success of your business, Jeff. LOL on the llama!

by Heather on October 14th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Dani, how wonderful!!! Your work is beautiful. Just gorgeous.

by Heather on October 14th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Deb, hah! I knew it. (Btw, I love What Not to Wear!)

by Heather on October 14th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I love baking…the problem is that I like eating even more…

by Rudolf on October 14th, 2007 at 4:36 pm

You Don’t See This Everyday

19 Responses to “You Don’t See This Everyday”

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