Business classes help every dog have their day!

Guest post by Anna Ridle, graduate of the Consulting & Business Development Center’s Seattle Business Certificate Program

The Consulting & Business Development Center’s Seattle Business Certificate Program (BCP) wrapped up after six weeks of educational coursework early this summer with over sixty graduates. We have invited graduates from the BCP to reflect on their experience of the Program; this is the second in the series written by Anna Ridle, Director of Camp Canine Doggy Daycare, Inc. in Mukilteo, WA.

Camp Canine Doggy Daycare, Inc. opened our doors during the summer of 2006. Our owner, Dr. Susan Torgerson, had an open lot on her land next to her veterinary clinic. She saw the market potential for a dog daycare and started business! At the time, Dr. Sue’s vision was to build a daycare that could service about fifteen dogs per day.

I began working at Camp Canine in January 2008 as a fun, part-time job while I completed my programming degree. In April 2009, I was promoted to a management position. I graduated in June 2010, and currently serve as the Director for Camp Canine. During the past two years, we’ve expanded the business to offer additional services, such as boarding, grooming, merchandise, and training classes. This year we are averaging 54 dogs per day, nearly 4 times greater than what Dr. Sue originally envisioned.

Because my educational background is not in business, I began searching for programs to help me navigate the increasing demands of a growing company. The UW Consulting & Business Development Center’s Business Certificate Program fit my needs perfectly. For six weeks, the Program offered a three-hour long crash course on different business related topics. We covered marketing, selling, common legal issues, leadership, financial health, and had a discussion panel composed of entrepreneur CEOs.

I have been able to directly apply concepts from each class to my job. I am especially thankful for Professor Leta Beard, who taught a workshop on how to market and brand your company. Not only did I gain valuable information from her marketing class, but she met with me after class and lent me resources to further my marketing education so that I could build a comprehensive marketing plan. Thanks to this Program I’ve been able to streamline processes and procedures, which has allowed me more interaction time with our staff, clients and the doggies!

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