Running a small business is tough , and although the positron emission tomography market has been booming of late , pet product fund can still be toilsome to keep in business . The recent growing in the market place has had many entrepreneurs diving into the business , which has overpopulated the industry in some orbit . With so many favorite product stores in one minor area it can make it strong for any of them to survive .
Susie Atherton , owner ofCanine Creekshared her story at a recent meeting of the Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council . Her inspirational storey shows how diversifying a commercial enterprise to meet the needs of the citizenry in the community is all it takes to make a business sector thrive .
Atherton started Canine Creek back in 2004 as a dog - lavation line with no retail sale . As her client began to inquire for more pet Cartesian product she slowly began selling dog food , dainty , anddog supplying . Then she branched out into supplies and solid food for all eccentric of pets .
Photo: tehachapinews.com
In 2006 she even encounter the Small Business of the Year award from the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce . Pet Product News , an international publication , recognized Canine Creek with their Retailer of the Year award in 2009 . With all of this great publicity , you would think things would be easy for the meddling entrepreneur , but alas there were many struggles she want to overwhelm .
After grow out of her original space , Atherton ended up in a battle over mitigation fees at a shopping snapper and eventually terminate up with an expensive lease on a fresh location . At the clock time , she think things would be outstanding because her stage business was thriving and her presence in the community was strong .
Sadly , in 2008 Atherton was already in the hole from relocate her business to a bigger facility , and then the economic system crash after that year . She continued working 70 hour a week and her suppliers were generous enough to extend her credit so she could continueordering pet food .
Photo: tehachapinews.com
She listened to her customers and begin stocking the thing that they needed most . By diversify her business and hear to her clientele she was able-bodied to not only keep her loyal customers , but also bring in new line . As style in pet products changed , so didthe supplies stocked at Canine Creek .
As natural and constitutional pet foods grew in popularity Atherton lead off to order more . As favorite engineering became more popular she began to stock the point her customers requested . Once she was capable to get out of her expensive lease and move to a more appropriate placement , thing began to turn around .
Thanks to the personal connection that she made with her client , their pets , and her staff , Atherton felt an obligation to stay on defend and make her line of work expand . In the last yr she was able to pay up back all her debt and Canine Creek is now cash - positive and going strong .