Featured Solopreneur Diana Guerrero: “Find What Sets You Apart”

This is “Featured Solopreneur,” an ongoing series that gives all of us a glimpse at how other solopreneurs operate their small businesses. Click Here to read more Solopreneur Success Stories.

Name of solopreneur:
Diana L Guerrero aka “Ark Lady”

Name of business and city:
DBA as Ark Animals & Guerrero Ink Offices in Big Bear Lake, California

Web site addresses:
www.arkanimals.com and http://guerreroink.com

Type of business:
Animal Coach/Consultant/Professional Writer

When did you officially go into business?
Self-employed since 1988

Why did you start your own business?
I had been working in a career with animals since the mid-1970s. I started the business after I began spending weekends in the mountains of Southern California. I was sick of the city and the ups and downs in the animal acting industry and the limited imagination in the more traditional animal-care facilities. The environment and location and way of life was attractive to me. So, I began searching for a business model that would work and started my animal business.

What was the best thing you did when you were starting up your business?
I invested time and money in researching a business model and hired professionals to help me clarify my goals and design my marketing materials.

What is a mistake that you made that you have learned from?
I did not realize that the community was so resistant to newcomers and that the business would be vulnerable during the winter snow season. I had to adjust my marketing efforts to match the area standards and strategize how I would endure the down season.

What is your biggest current challenge in the business and what are doing to try to solve it?
I am recently recovered from some health challenges that were not clearly identified and that left me unable to produce. At the moment I am focusing on my writing and designing and creating online products and programs that will create a residual income and continuous stream of revenue.

What are your goals for the next 12 months?
To recover my health completely; I am close but still have a few presenting symptoms and need to build up more stamina. Professionally, to complete and launch an online animal school that can be used by pet owners, pet professionals, and pet shelters to keep pets healthier, happier and better behaved—and to stay in their homes and out of the shelters.

Where do you want to be with the business in five years?
In five years I want to have at least two programs online managed by a team of online support staff while I focus on weekly programs and coaching an elite group of pet professionals in the animal translation skills I have developed. In addition, I would like to have at least two more books on the market and to be back on the speaking circuit.

What are your main software programs?
Good question! I am using more and more online programs versus computer software. I use a lot of Google products including Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Reader.

At the moment I use:
Open Office
Camtasia
Fireworks
Audacity
WordPress CMS
Assorted WordPress plug-ins

What lifestyle choices have you had to make to stay in business?
I’ve chosen to be more diversified and open to offers that come in that might not always be my ideal work of choice.

My life is simplified and I live adjacent to a lake and the forest. So, I take time every day to walk, visit neighbors and live life versus commuting or trying to keep up with some of the material goods a lot of people value.

I don’t watch a lot of television and prefer spending time outdoors in nature.

What are your strategies for staying competitive?
Being creative, progressive and helpful are the big three.

I think offering good-quality service is essential, along with ease of access and a solid track record.

Really, I think the customer service piece is becoming even more critical. People want to connect in an authentic manner and so if you do, you’ll come out ahead.

Another investment I make is that I am an avid continuing education person. Although I’ve always taught courses, I make sure that I am enrolled in multiple online programs and networking groups where I can keep up with the changes in my industry and business in general.

In my industry, I am usually ahead of the curve.

Do you need a second household income to support your lifestyle?
I have two businesses—the writing business and the animal consulting business. I’ve embarked on a few tangents when I’ve been bored (my degree is in exotic animal training and management and so pets get a little “tame”).

Sometimes businesses seek me out since I am good at a lot of things. Once I shut my business down and went to work at a famous zoo training elephants. I have also been a sales trainer (training is training—human or animal) and have done business consulting and management. My affinity for marketing and public relations gets me a variety of writing gigs, and sometimes I accept odd assignments because they intrigue me in some way.

If your business should fail, what is your fall back position?
*sigh* I’ve had two setbacks—the first was a fall that rendered me disabled for a while and without an income and ability to produce—and that is how I got into the writing. The second hurdle was my recent health issues; fortunately I had some investment accounts but long-term health stuff wiped me out and I am starting over—which is why I am working on the online business models—to avoid the vulnerability.

If you could start your career all over again, what would you do differently? Why?
Wow, this is hard to answer because on one hand, I would not change anything because of the valuable things I’ve learned and the unique experiences I’ve had.

If I knew then what I know now and could go back? I’d be more aggressive online earlier (I was up and running back in 1995) and would have made a few different choices on what battles I fought and how I prepped for my future. I also might have pursued the publishing and writing aspects of my career more aggressively.

What’s your advice for aspiring solopreneurs?
Find a way to diversify and outsource some of your tasks. Find what sets you apart and be assertive in promoting yourself.

Are you glad you became a solopreneur? Why or why not?
Yes, mostly because of the freedom and lifestyle. I have a flexible schedule and time to live life. I also enjoy being able to be creative and innovative which has been threatening to others when I worked in the traditional work force.