07/28/2026
Funny how life works.
I sat through a zoning meeting hoping to get approval to open my dog boarding facility. Even though I had planned everything down to a separate septic system for the kennels, concerns were raised about "runoff." Another neighbor who lives nearly a mile away worried about barking—even though we already live next to a dog breeder, and anyone who knows me knows I go above and beyond to keep barking to a minimum.
Then came the questions.
Because another facility was also seeking approval, the board had to dig into every detail. One of us had answers for every question because we had done the research and prepared to be a full time kennel.
In the end, neither of us was approved that day. We were both delayed another month.
It was frustrating, but it taught me something: preparation matters, patience matters, and sometimes even when you've done everything right, success doesn't happen on your timeline.
Looking back now, I'm thankful I didn't quit. Every obstacle became part of the story that got me where I am today.