This morning I was talking with my friend Tommy Gilmore from the Cedar City Small Business Network following our weekly meeting about the concept of "sitting in the right room." He was telling me about how various networking groups he is a part of has really helped him grow his business, Noisy Bird Marketing, just by putting himself in the same room as people who have experience and success. For those of you who don't know Tommy, you should check him out. He makes a lot of positive contributions to our group and has also personally helped me reach more dog owners that are looking for high quality obedience training and behavior modification.
Anyway- I've been thinking all day about our conversation, and how much it pays to know people who are achieving what you want to achieve. I promise I'll get to the part about dogs- keep reading! This conversation reminded me how much being a part of CCSBN, which is basically a support group for small business owners, has helped us make Mindful Canine what it is today! We have also benefited greatly from working with the Cedar City Business and Innovation Center, which is a separate entity that has all sorts of business planning resources as well as creator equipment that can get a small business started. Since these entities plus all of the incredible people we have met through them has helped us take our dog training dream to the next level, I've been waiting for an opportunity such as this one to spread the word about them because I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to have a small business if they want one. It has been one of the single most rewarding experiences of my entire life.
As I reflected on how much this professional network has helped me grow, I thought also about how important it is to be surrounded with like minded people when you embark on a new training journey with your dog! I wish I could say that dog training was always easy, but the truth is that it is an art that takes some practice, time, dedication, and consistency. The biggest leaps and bounds I have made as just a regular dog mom and as a trainer have all been facilitated by relationships I've had with other dog people, often older and wiser than me. When I got a mentor, my skill set and training instinct increased tenfold! Even in the early days, I found people I could really look up to and hope that I could be just like them.
Since then, those interactions have inspired this incredible network of people who want more for their dogs. We now have dog training group classes, pack walks in Southern Utah, our GRC Dog Sports program, plus tons of other social activities planned for the future! The people who have come to these new programs are really blowing my mind! I'm amazed at what they have been able to accomplish with their dogs in a fairly short amount of time, and I think a lot of it has to do with the camaraderie- people motivate and encourage each other, they swap tips and stories. Dream dogs are made! Essentially, they have found a room full of the other "crazy dog people" and there is something really amazing about that. I remember how lonely it felt from time to time in the early days of my dog training obsession, where I basically had to just try not to annoy all of the non-dog people around me with my new passion.
My point is that one of the best things you can do is show up to places where people who already have what you want with your own dog are hanging out. Get out and meet handlers who inspire you and can help you on your training journey- you won't regret it! You may be surprised how much you can relate to other dog owners who have had their own unique wins and losses. Your new friends will understand why you had to go home early to check on your dog with separation anxiety, skip the football game to meet with your trainer, and understand completely why that lady down the street with the off-leash chihuaua is such a pain!
You can get pretty far on your own in your living room or neighborhood, but if you're ready to take things to the next level, we'll see you in 2025 at our group activities! If you don't live close enough to have fun with us, I challenge you connect with other crazy dog people in your area and start your own community.
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