Q – Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
A – I am owner of Aunt B’s Pet Resort & Spa in Deforest Wis. We provide very upscale, custom boarding and day care for dogs, cats and other domestic animals. Our facility is a luxury Resort nestled on 12 acres. We have a 5 acre dog park, indoor swimming pool and poochie jacuzzi. We provide group play, private play time as well as massages. We take your rountine at home and bring it into the resort.
Q – What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
A – 1. What ever hobby you do on your leisure time should be your career.
2. Solve a major problem for your customers.
3. Always do more than what is expected.
Q – What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
A – 1. Solving problems.
2. Creating systems to generate results for the company.
3. Mentoring and making a difference in people’s lives.
Q – How many hours do you work a day on average?
A – 12 hours
Q – To what do you most attribute your success?
A – Never giving up. Just changing my approach and my ability to be unique and innovative.
Q – How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
A – Social media, sign on the interstate, word of mouth.
Q – Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
A – I had investors but I recently bought out my shareholders and paid off the resort.
Q – What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
A – Listen to your customers. Make them feel cared for on a personal level and always do more than what is expected. Give them great value for services without jeopardizing what you need to charge.
Q – Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
A – I’d like to be one of the top pet resorts in the country. I want to smash my competition.
Q – Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
A – Cozy Inn Pet Resort in Pennsylvania.
Q – How important have good employees been to your success?
A – Everything! If you don’t have that , you will not succeed.
Q – How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
A – I don’t give up, I just change my approach.
Q – What motivates you?
A – Making a difference in people’s lives and utilizing all gifts, I’ve been given with gratitude.
Q – How do you generate new ideas?
A – My best ideas come from problem solving.
Q – How do you define success?
A – 1. Being completely fulfilled
2. Being happy and a peace
3. Being grateful and noticing your blessings rather than the things you don’t have.
4. Utilizing the gifts and talents you were given.
5. Making a difference in people’s lives.
Q – How do you build a successful customer base?
A – 1. You listen to their needs.
2. You always stay honest
3. You do more than what’s expected
4. You never take them for granted
5. You establish a relationship on a personal level.
Q – What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
A – The challenge of executing plans and systems that work.
Q – What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
A – Paying off the resort
Q – What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
A – Entrepreneurs come up with the creation of a great concept. Workers execute that plan and make it happen. That’s why your employees are everything and should be valued and respected.
Q – What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
A – My culture is personal, intimate, motivating, and comical. Our standards are high and boundaries are in place but I have a very personal relationship with my employees. I take time to show interest in their lives but while working day to day I also, have high expectations for very high quality. I promote honesty and being a person of your word.
Q – In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
A – Dynamite!
Q – If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
A – I would have built the building to be less expensive to run.
Q – How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
A – Unfortunately it cost me the opportunity to have children as time got away from me and I have not been able to join my family for holidays as this is a holiday orientated business.
Q – What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
A – To have a major financial crisis that would jeopardize years of hard work.
Q – How did you decide on the location for your business?
A – It was a location that fit all my needs and was zoned for my business.
Q – Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
A – The harder you work, the luckier you get.
Q – If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why?
A – Abe Lincoln. I’d like to know what was in his heart and how and why did he have the bravery to abolish slavery. What an incredible for the time.
Q – Who has been your greatest inspiration?
A – My father
Q – What book has inspired you the most? (OR what is your favorite book?)
A – The Road Less Travelled.
Q – What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?
A – I don’t have the time and I’m sure you don’t either.
Q – How can you prevent mistakes or do damage control?
A – You must always antipathetic the worst and have a plan in place so the hit isn’t colossal.
Q – What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
A – I cook
Q – What makes you happy?
A – All my blessings.
Q – What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?
A – I gave up huge time with my family and the chance to be a mother.
Q – If you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask?
A – Name 3 ways you could change the world.
About Auntbspetresort.com : At Aunt B’s Pet Resort and Spa, the caregivers and animal care experts at our overnight boarding facility and day care love, appreciate each and every treasured guests as if they were their own. Visit us with your pet or Call us today & Choose which suites best for your pet!
Business name: Aunt B’s Pet Resort & Spa
First Name: Beth
Last Name: Liautaud
Address: 6990 Hickory Ln.
City/Town: DeForest
State: Wisconsin
Zip code: 53532
Tel No: 608-846-4115