This is a thank you note to two women I met not more than 3 years ago: My illustrator, Colleen M. Madden and My printing production specialist, Josephine Pope.
We began working together on Pet Set with nothing to go on but my vision of what the company was going to be…and it was a blurry vision.
Today, we have a small, young company with many beautifully designed products — thanks to Colleen’s artistic talent, and a pretty seamless printing and distribution mechanism — thanks to Jo’s dedication and knowledge about the printing business.
Not everyday is heaven on earth …read more

Well, after 15 hours, door to door from Vegas to New York, no thanks to U.S. Airways and the entire airline industry we have returned from our trip to Vegas.
I wasn’t sure about the whole packing thing, because I’ve calculated that since I started The Pet Set, much of my wardrobe harkens back to the late 1990’s…(can you say Delorean?)
Years ago, when I was working at Mercedes-Benz, I bought the cutest little spaghetti-strapped, little black dress for, ironically, a business trip in Vegas.
Since that time, I haven’t worn this piece once, although it’s been packed about a hundred …read more

Many times, you’ll hear everyone from career counseling coaches to Donald Trump say “You Have To Love What You Do.”
Yet, those words often sound so vague to me. What does it mean to LOVE what you do?
I think it means you have to be moved somehow…your soul has to has to scream…This Is It! This Is Me!
Or you have to drool.
I swear, had I not started The Pet Set, I would be in the fashion industry. I love my business…it’s part of my fabric (ha..get it?).
But when I see a Ralph Lauren gown or one …read more

As I reviewed my e-mails yesterday, there in front of me, like a marquee in Times Square, blared the sentence that I have dreaded, since I launched The Pet Set, two years ago, this month.
My customer’s note read: “We are not doing well with the cards I chose at all. Any suggestions? I literally have not sold a single item from you yet.”
Oh my god!…instant emotional downward spiral.
I am mortified to share this story with you, but I want to give you some advice on how to handle such a situation — which, clearly we experience on …read more

This question appears somewhere on-line several times a month.
As you might imagine, there are infinite lists, opinions, rants and advice — about how to recognize when it’s time to leave your company…including the most obvious signal: the money isn’t there for you.
For me, the warning signs were typical and maybe even subtle at first — you know — more personal days, poor eating and sleeping habits…and
lordy! the occasional crying fit. (out on the streets of NYC, of course — never in the ladies room:).
Later in my career, the actual message came in the form of a physical and …read more

I certainly didn’t start The Pet Set with the goal of working more and making less money; but there are days when it seems like that’s exactly what happened.
I went from making a significant salary with long hours…to $0 salary and inSANE hours. There isn’t one moment of the day when I am not thinking about The Pet Set.
There are 2, and only 2 things that a small business owner (any business really) should be spending the most time on. Getting customers (sales) and keeping customers (service).
Intellectually, I know that is how my business will grow and become …read more

While wandering around the great ocean of blogs known as My Blog Log, I stumbled upon a small business site on which resided an article by the Gallup Management Journal.
Here is the headline text that so harshly welcomed me to 2007:

Yikes!
Here is a portion of the excerpt that had me examining my strengths and weaknesses for days: (Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton)

You may be reluctant to investigate your strengths quite simply because you don’t believe that your true self is much to write home about. Whatever the label — a feeling of inadequacy or “imposter syndrome” or …read more

In researching how The Pet Set might become a vendor at one of the larger department stores here in the U.S., it became apparent that in order to qualify, my company would have to be either owned and run by women (me) or by a “minority” group or both.
I thought if there were any of you out there who do own or plan to own a business, you might want to look into two groups in particular: National Minority Supplier Development Council and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
The application process is lengthy and detailed in both …read more

Peddling the 10th anniversary edition of It Takes A Village, Senator Hillary Clinton appeared today on ABC’s “The View”.
There was our most significant hope for a female President…joshing around with Rosie and Joy. (What’s up with Rosie lately, she’s getting just about everyone all upset.)
Everything was going along nicely — with her faux-moderate/mommy tone…very fluffy and soft on Hillary’s part.
Then at the end of the inverview(?), she uttered these words: (roughly)
We live in country in which you can grow up to be anything you want…and hopefully President of the United States…EVEN IF YOU ARE A GIRL.
How is it in …read more

My husband and I are both utterly traumatized that the calendar has so suddenly clicked to December.
His stress with work, and mine with The Pet Set ,the house, the dog and everything else — left us bickering, rather than looking forward to planning for the holidays.
Normally, I would decorate the house with traditional symbols of Christmas, like a big Douglas Fir tree, covered with our personal ornaments and mementos, all very Merchant Ivory.
But because we’ve both been so busy this year dealing with the unmercifulness of life, I thought what is needed this year is plastic Christmas!
So, I might …read more