As entrepreneurs, we take risks every day. Most are seemingly small. Should I hire this person? Do we have enough cash flow for our employee to go to a conference? Should I purchase a booth at this new event coming up? Although each decision seems only mildly significant at the time (what’s one more silent auction donation?), it is the cumulative effect of those small choices that can make a big difference in your business long term.

In the early years, we took large risks involving opening our facility, making big policy changes like becoming an all spayed and neutered facility, investing in new buildings, or having more than one manager on staff to help us run this place we call our own. After 18 years, it seems like the biggest risk we’ve taken is the one we’re taking right now. Changing our software from a system made just for kennels to a customized CRM (Customer Relationship Manager), which can work for any business, has been unbelievably scary but at the same time a completely exhilarating experience.

More than 10 years ago, we were using a software designed for kennel owners by a kennel owner. Brilliant, right?

There were definitely things that worked the way they should; reservations, a contact database, and the ability to email from the software and print reports were all nice features to have. But the software came with limitations: no customization abilities, reports couldn’t be sorted or filtered, email was text based, and ideas for improvement could take years to implement if ever. It was clear that we had outgrown our system, but what else was out there? After doing my research, I was humbled to see that the answer was “Not Much.”

It was a year ago now that I was contacted by a global giant in CRM. The company was very clear in their message that this would not be an inexpensive route to go. Signing on meant that I would go from spending thousands in total to tens of thousands annually. Customization by an endorsed software development company would cost another 30K. By the time it’s all said and done, I could have had someone design my very own custom software that I could turn around and sell. The difference here is that this company is so large that it integrates with other companies that I already use like Quickbooks and HubSpot.

Am I taking a risk? You bet. But here’s the benefit, if it works in my favor: completely customizable fields, reports, and an unlimited amount of things I can track. I wonder how many of my Golden Retrievers have completed our Canine Good Citizen class? Done! I can now track not only reservations but all of our training, all of our retail, reserve special events, and even track members of my private dog park. I finally have the ability to see all the details of each and every client, how we interact, how they spend their money, and what my staff does to say thank you.

If you’re thinking, “There’s NO WAY I would spend that kind of money on software!”, then you’re not quite the risk taker I am. If you’re thinking, “That sounds amazing! I’ve got to find out more,” then you just might be up for the roller coaster. I’m not writing to tell you to switch software. My goal is to make you think about taking a risk and then to do the impossible. Take a deep breath, trust your instincts, and JUMP.

Courtney Emken is the co-owner of DogBoy’s Dog Ranch in Pflugerville, Texas. In her free time, she spends time with her family, helps people with their health and fitness, does consulting, and speaks nationally on a variety of topics relating to business. She has two blogs at http://dogboys.com and http://fitclubaustin.com. She can be reached by email at [email protected].

Next Article