(Josh the therapy dog).
On Monday evening, I will be attending a cocktail party to benefit the Westminster Kennel Club’s Angel On a Leash foundation. — a charity dedicated to bringing together young patients with therapy dogs.
The use of therapy dogs has been shown to help reduce stress for pediatric patients and their families. Scientific studies are showing the many benefits, ranging from encouraging smiles and conversation, to motivating them during physical therapy. (Westminster Kennel Club)
Monday’s event has been coordinated on behalf of The Westminster Kennel Club, by Charlotte Reed, esteemed pet care expert and author, as well as frequent and …read more

This is a piece about giving serious thought to understanding the difference between a “traditional job” and a small, home-operated business.
I learned today, according to a key member of my business team that I am a “perfectionist monster”. That phrase took root in my mind more powerfully than if this person had called me a thief. And maybe I am. Because of my, so called, affliction or pre-occupation with details…perhaps I am stealing this person’s time.
My business is about perfection. Every detail has to do with managing customer expectations in the manner that was layed out in my business …read more

I have been having a recurring dream, or rather nightmare — and I can’t figure out what it means. If there is someone among you who knows anything about dream interpretation, I would love to hear your opinion.
It has become such a disturbing feature in my dream repertoire that I’ve been getting up in the middle of the night to work!
Here goes:
The dream is set at my old college campus; and it is final exam day. I am staring at a blank exam booklet and I realize that I didn’t spend one minute studying. Suddenly time is up and my …read more

If you’re running a business at home as I do, you can’t pick up the phone and call in sick (or mentally challenged). You have to drag your sorry, sick behind into your office and try to get work done.
But here’s the thing…I thought that when I became my “own boss”, that those old feelings of guilt would disappear. You know what I mean, you’d call in sick (legitimately), spend the day in bed, watching Food Network — $40 A Day is on A-Gain! — but while you were supposed to be resting, you’d feel horrible for having taken the …read more

I found out that that The Pet Set was mentioned in Rachel’s new magazine. Yay us, right? Somehow, as I always do, I shifted the focus of my little bit of success story away from myself, and in this case, to her success.
Friends and family wished me congratulations, but also seemed compelled to mention that Rachel “is sooo ambitious.”
Let’s see, she started with the whole 30 minute meals show, then added her travel shows, her new magazine, her upcoming chat show, her glorius new husband, great personality…she seems to have everything. How did she do it all?
There is probably a …read more

Although I’ve had my own business for a little over a year, there are many lessons, experiences and memories from corporate life that I keep with me. Some of these details are inspiring, as they help me with the daily management of the-petset.com and some other references, make me shudder.
Like the day my boss through me into a lake. Let me elaborate:
Several years ago, I worked at a large international, luxury auto maker in New Jersey. Needless to say, the men:women ratio was enourmously unbalanced, in favor of men. You can imagine the fashion environment in a car company …read more

When I simply can’t find the solution to something or I am finding it impossible to develop new ideas for The Pet Set, or when I can’t seem to prioritize my responsibilities–one of my favorite things to do to help loosen the brain molecules, is to search for cool new office supplies….look, a Post-it highlighter pen from Staples!
I have a colleague who calls this affliction “Retail Therapy”…isn’t that a great phrase? I swear it really helps to clear the cobwebs.
But today, as I was in full retail therapy mode on line, I wandered to Kate’s Paperie. If …read more

As you well know, I am a work from home small business owner. Today, our interior designer, SheRee (not Sherry) presented her design ideas for our living room, dining room and kitchen.
I was distracted because not only was The Pet Set phone and fax ringing off the hook, but because it struck me that a). refinancing may become an issue and b). exactly where am I supposed to conduct my business, while all of this beautification is going on?
Simple you say? just move my office to a nother location in the house, right? No-can-do, because my computer (which is …read more

It’s been over a year since my last real vacation; and we’ve planned a great trip to Las Vegas; and it should be fabulous, right? Gambling, fine dining, shows, lounging…the works. Then why am I nervous?
My husband seems so excited to be getting away from the office, but I’ve got the jitters. Part of my anxiety might be that it will be the first time I’ll have been away from my responsibilities for The Pet Set and, recently Blog Fabulous and I worry about leaving things unattended.
I wonder if the problem is that I really don’t know how to …read more

Have you ever cried at the office? Whenever I hear that question being asked, I immediately think of that famous Tom Hanks line from the movie, “A League of Their Own”.
You can never, ever cry at work…it can ruin your career — you know that, right? We’ve heard it over and over again from career development experts, and yet…sometimes it’s so hard to keep your emotions in check at the office. It’s like someone telling you not to get behind the wheel of your car after you’ve had a cocktail…do you always listen to that forbidding advice? I hope so, …read more