Archive for category Business consulting
Three alternative business ideas for pet lovers
Posted by Katie Andrew in Business consulting on December 1, 2011
Despite some of the tough economic times people are facing, the pet care industry continues to do well. There are lots of things people are willing to cut back on but it seems their pets well being isn’t one of them. If you are a pet lover yourself, you will probably have noticed the abundance of dog walking or doggie day care facilities popping up. If you want to get involved but you’re looking for something different to offer, here are three alternative ideas for pet lovers to start in the comfort of your own home.
Boarding kennels
If you have access to a farm or a large open space, why not consider opening a boarding kennel as temporary homes for pets whose owners are on holiday or unable to look after them due to personal emergencies. Like a hotel, pets are allocated their own rooms or suites that come complete with a comfy bed and a small play area. You’ll have to be on call at all times you have a pet so do bare this in mind when considering this type of business. Pets will need to be fed round the clock and also if they need medication, you will have to administer this too. Make sure you are considering a pet accommodation facility, check first with the animal authorities in your area. In many countries, proprietors of boarding kennels are required to get a license from the local authority.
Guard dog rental service
If you currently have big dogs such as a German shepherd or Dobermans, you can offer their services as a guard dog at a variety of large outdoor and indoor areas. For business that look to hire guards for their events, a dog can be a much cheaper alternative. Clean, healthy, well-trained dogs can serve as the perfect deterrent to crime and vandalism. Once you start researching this, you’ll be surprised at how common the hire of guard dos actually is. Before you begin, you will have to ensure you have full commercial liability insurance as well as worker’s compensation insurance.
In addition to this, you might also consider supplying your dogs for local government authorities as well as individuals who are looking for extra protection.
Pet wear
These days pets have their own salons and spa facilities so why not have their own boutiques. If you know how to sew and have some creative flair, designing clothes for pets may just be the business for you. Owners often assign their pets personalities and so it is important that you listen to how the owner describes their pet when considering designs. You don’t just have to stick to the larger pets such as dogs, you can even get outfits for birds too. You don’t just have to stop at clothes, you could also offer personalised beds, cage covers and toys.
So if you are considering supplementing your income, consider starting a business from home, you don’t have to worry about working on things such a business plan to secure funding or looking at the best places to rent office space. And in an industry which continues to boom, you can start of small but there really are no limits in terms of scale.
Team Development Plan for Business Managers: The Etiquettes
Posted by Katie Andrew in Business consulting on January 3, 2011
Who says – Team building activity is just a part of HRM Process? In reality, it is more than a mere training session and business meeting. Managers dealing with critical management issues will realize its significance well.
Team building exercise is a useful business tool for process and quality improvement. It has more to do with company cost reduction and higher customer satisfaction. A good manager can rightfully recognize the benefits of having a successful team, so as to lead it in the way management desires.
But, how should a manager design and develop an effective team? What are the principles and strategies come in place?
Let’s take a simple approach to discuss on the necessary plans:
Determine the purpose:
Enquire –do your team members understand why they are in a team? What are they supposed to do? How they will know about their contribution and success to the team?
It’s important that team members and management come to a written term or mission statement. They should feel that they are working together in a common direction to meet overall targets. Team goals and management deadlines – these are very much aligned to team performances. Let the members accept the challenges of their own, not by force.
Emphasize on participation:
It’s a crucial job of a manager to decide – who will be the best people to be the part of the team? How large a team should be to satisfy the requirements? Management should conduct team workshops and thus verify the necessary skill sets, professional and interpersonal attitude, process orientation etc. personality and work should balance each other.
Moreover, a team leader should help the personnel to grow in all way. This makes a team innovative and diverse.
Perfect placement:
Where will the team members be placed and how they should plan to organize daily or weekly meetings? If the team is a type of fixed work group, the things get simpler for the manager. But for complex problems, team may require a separate meeting room.
If the team is widespread over multiple locations- time, costs and culture might be the concern to form and manage a team. Make sure members are able to meet each other via phone or internet.
With all these plans made well in advance, managers can build a performing team.