Creating Our Future

"The best way to predict the future is to create it."

Abraham Lincoln

May started with a bang. Five months ago Jacob and I started planning our dream. We knew what we wanted:

• healthy treats

• unique items for dogs & cats

• on-line store & flea market

We didn't know what we needed to know. That sounds silly, but there is a lot of steps to starting a business. There is this official part which includes Federal Tax Id and registering with state of Louisiana. We ZOOM met with Lauren from Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC). She is an incredible support. She had all the answers to my questions. Their center is just a phone call away.

Next, we had to work out the branding and logos for our business, website and social medias. This part was fun. We started with a name. A name is everything. T-Paws came from the Cajun tradition of children being called Tee. It felt right and we went with it. It took months of playing with different colors and logos to finally decide how we would brand ourselves.

While we were working on all the important, official things, we were planning the menu. So many weekends trying out recipes, thinking about presentation, and packaging. Designing projects to create a couple of dog beds and other items. Our weekends and evenings are full.

In March, I realized that I was changing. For some reason, I felt empowered. I had more energy. A friend explained it like this: "You are tapping into your creative side. All of your stress from the day is released when you are creative." She was right.

We have attended two flea markets. We are calling them a success. We have the ability to self-reflect on what worked and what needs improving after each event. We are growing personally and professionally through this endeavor. Our future seems bright.

I would like to encourage anyone reading this blog to "Create your future!"