And here we go, Part 4 of this amazing continued series of articles dedicated to explaining and helping you implement the SWOT Analysis in your business or kennel. Another great article, done by Chuck Holt, with New Now Services, and this one focuses on the O of the acronym: Opportunities.
Use the blank paper to actually write down your Opportunities, and then keep this copy of The Dog Journal handy for the next parts of this. Get creative, think long and hard, and get anyone involved in your business to gather around and help you.
By the time this series of articles is complete, hopefully you can emerge with a clearer picture of where you are going, and what it will take to get you there. In the meantime, if this looks like something you should do, but are stuck on the details, reach out to Chuck and schedule a session with him!
Written By: Chuck Holt
Have you ever asked a child what they want to do when they grow up? Friends of mine are school teachers in an Amish school and they have notes from all the kids on one wall sharing what they want to be when they grow up. The great thing about children is they love to dream. For a child, there are not many limitations in their mind when they dream about the future. At one point in my childhood, I wanted to be a car mechanic and travel around the roads and stop and fix anyone’s car that was broken down. It didn’t matter that I knew nothing about repairing cars (and still don’t). I didn’t wrestle with a business plan or cost analysis plan. I didn’t even know how I was going to get paid. It was just a dream.
However, something changes as we become adults. It is as if all the cares and worries of this life choke out that little child inside of us that wants to dream. Instead of what could be, we settle for what is right now (Ivan lee, this could be a callout image). In addition to not being able to dream much because we are adults, some of us have also been taught that we should be content with where we are at in life and not want anything more. As breeders, we can always think of ways to improve our kennel program. Sometimes we think that if we had more money, resources, or time, we could do so much more. But like a childhood dream, we just push it aside for the realities of today. This is why a SWOT analysis can be so profound in helping you evaluate and develop your kennel program. So far in this series, we have looked at strengths by identifying what is working well. We have also looked at weaknesses by identifying what is not working so well. Now we get to the fun part! This article will help us identify opportunities for growth. Put on your inner child’s hat and dream for a moment.
I hope you have been keeping your lists of strengths and weaknesses. Today we will add our opportunities. To do this we must ask this question, “If I can continue growing my strengths and begin addressing my weaknesses, what is the potential for my kennel program?” Go ahead and begin brainstorming on potential opportunities. They do not have to be realistic at this time, just potential opportunities. Your list might be different but here is a list from a breeder.
Strengths
• Develop better stock of dogs – better genetics
• Get more money for the puppies and sell sooner
• Become the standard for others with same breed
• Build a new kennel
• Hire employees – better communication with current team
• Quit my day job and just focus on my dogs
• Happier customers
• Repeat customers
• Website? – better marketing
• Focus on fewer breeds
• Help other breeders – speak at events
As you can see, all we are doing at this stage is making a list of potential opportunities. Some of the things you list are achievable now and some will take years to achieve. Do not worry about how or if you will accomplish them. Just dream! What are your opportunities for the future?
Now, as you have done for the strengths and weaknesses list, let’s organize your list. See if you can categorize them and choose 2 or 3 top ones. So, in our above example, this breeder organized his opportunities as follows.
1. Develop better stock of dogs – better genetics
• Get more money for the puppies and sell sooner
• Become the standard for others with same breed
• Happier customers
• Repeat customers
2. Better Focus for me with my kennel
• Focus on fewer breeds
• Better marketing and web presence.
• Grow team more effectively
3. Long-term Opportunities
• Build a new kennel
• Hire employees
• Quit my day job and just focus on my dogs
• Help other breeders – speak at events
As you can see, this exercise is very helpful in creating a plan for the future. What does yours look like? Perhaps you want to share it with fellow breeders? Keep this list handy because we will need it to develop your SMART Goals after we have completed the SWOT.
Incidentally, if you are getting excited now and cannot wait to begin developing your opportunities, here is a sneak preview at your next steps once you identify your threats. You will take your top strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and develop action plans with SMART goals for each one. Why not give it a try on one of your opportunities? These goals will be talked about later but remember, they need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time sensitive.
In today’s competitive and slow puppy market, it’s understandable to feel discouraged. It’s possible you’ve put your dreams on hold and are simply maintaining the status quo. You might even question if improvement is possible. But now is the time to dream. Creating a list of potential opportunities could be just the spark you need to turn aspirations into tangible plans. Take stock of your strengths and devise strategies to tackle weaknesses. This will lay the groundwork for cultivating a thriving and resilient kennel program.
For more information on having New Now Services provide business coaching for your kennel program, contact Chuck at 610-223-2008 or at [email protected]
Bio: Chuck Holt is the president of New Now Services which exists to help plain community business and breeders become successful in today’s ever changing world. He is also the founder of the Responsible Dog Breeder Network. Chuck has been a consultant and coach for over 20 years and for the past 5 years brings that to the community by providing business coaching for breeders and businesses, photo and listing services, Responsible Dog Breeder Network, and pawTree Dog food. Chuck is married to Claudia and has had 24 foster kids and raised 5 adopted kids, three with special needs. He and his family love to camp and enjoy raising King Charles Cavaliers.
Ever heard of the SWOT Analysis? Well, it’s a super valuable tool that can help any business grow and thrive, and Chuck Holt, with New Now Services, is taking the time to contribute a continued series of “workshop” articles, designed to help you implement this tool into your dog breeding business.
In the last issue, Part 1 of this article revolved around explaining what a SWOT Analysis is, and in this issue, Chuck Holt continues his workshop style article by focusing on the first letter of the acronym, S is for Strengths. Use the blank paper to
actually write down your Strengths,
and then keep this copy of The Dog
Journal handy for the next parts of
this. Get creative, thing long and
hard, and get anyone involved in
your business to gather around and
help you.
