We are a young energetic company with a fanatical passion for our customers and products.

Pup-Pee Solutions are the innovators and distributors of The Pet Loo – www.thepetloo.com.au & a full range of eco friendly based pet related cleaning products.

We are an international company, with offices in Australia and the USA and distribution partners in South America, Canada and Europe. We sell our products to over 84 countries worldwide.

Our company continues to grow and transform at such a rapid rate. The result is that we require an experienced admin professional to support our team in the field and service our growing customer base throughout Australia from a head office level.

The position is based in our Collingwood VIC office / warehouse; however in a short period of time we are planning to move to a newer facility in the south eastern suburbs (tentatively Moorrabin but TBC)

Exceptional relationship management skills coupled with a winning can-do attitude will be a major factor in your success working with our corporate chains, key accounts & independent retailers

The successful candidate will bring with them, experience in general admin, computer software skills (our company centers around the Netsuite platform) & customer service experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

-        Managing of reception at Pup-Pee Solutions AU Head Office

-        Dealing with all enquiries either in person, via phone, email and/or general correspondence

-        Dealing with any random complaints from customers, retailers, distributors and/or suppliers in a professional, courteous and helpful manner

-        Collection and distribution of post and daily banking

-        Reconciliation of accounts payable

-        Managing Netsuite, including the entering of purchase orders, invoicing clients and reconciling accounts receivable

-        Arranging dispatch of the daily dispatch of goods and all communications with our freight providers (both International and domestic)

-        Liaising and providing general administrative assistance with Pup-Pee’s International distributors/retail partners

-        General office maintenance including scanning / filing / drop box / admin

-        Procurement and management of all office supplies of stationery, kitchen supplies, equipment and furniture

-        Management of travel itineraries and meeting co-ordination for team

-        Assisting with the processing of insurance policies and claims

-        Organisation of the Pup-Pee Solutions AU warehouse

-        Manage stock control, to avoid out of stock issues (system and CEO will assist)

-        Inside sales & support to field team

OFFER:

* Competitive Salary

* Incentive Program

* Superannuation

* Uniform

The position will be a trial period for the first 3 months.

It is essential that:

• You have your own reliable transport to get to and from work.
• Be of a professional manner and appearance (company uniform will be supplied).

This is a wonderful opportunity to lead an enthusiastic, growing and innovative company. If you feel you have the experience and integrity to be a part of our team please do not hesitate to forward on your resume.

ALL APPLICANTS to forward resumes here

Position to be filled immediately.

* Must be a full time resident within Australia and hold a tax file number.

* It is NOT OK to contact Pup-Pee Solutions for any other reason other than applying for this position

* Do NOT contact if you’re a RECRUITMENT FIRM or RECRUITMENT GROUP – Thank you.

O: (Rear) 15-21 Derby St, Collingwood Victoria 3184

W: www.thepetloo.com

F: www.facebook.com/PetLoo

T: www.twitter.com/PetLoo

B: www.thepetloo.com/blog

Y: www.youtube.com/petloousa

F: +61(03) 8080 6491

Pup-Pee Solutions are the innovators and distributors of The Pet Loo – www.thepetloo.com/au

 We are an international company, with offices in Australia and the USA and distribution partners in South America, Canada and Europe. We sell our products to over 70 countries worldwide.

 Our company is transforming & growing, and as a result we are seeking a General Manager to lead our Australian team for a career in the booming pet industry. Pup-Pee Solutions are looking to recruit a General Manager with exceptional people skills, who is confident in sales and posses an ability to lead a growing team.

 Your exceptional management skills will be a major factor as you will be working with key accounts; independent retailers and national chains like Pet Barn, PETstock & Pets Paradise, etc.

 The successful candidate will need to bring with them a wealth of leadership experience with knowledge in the pet industry preferred, but not essential. The position is based in Melbourne, but interstate travel to meet and liaise with our retail partners is expected.

 RESPONSIBILITIES:

- To oversee all facets of the business

- To manage our sales team, targets & budgets

- To service a regular database of clients

- To seek out and establish new opportunities and clients for the company

- To have a winning can-do attitude

- To represent Pup-Pee Solutions at the highest level

- Be willing to travel to see clients

- Be willing to learn more about Pup-Pee’s sector of the pet industry

- Continue to build strong relationships

 ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

- Ability to manage and motivate a team

- Ability to grow a team

- Ability to lead and innovate

- Ability to create additional source of clients

- Ability to generate B2B sales

- Ability to present to clients face to face with confidence

- Ability to create marketing & sales opportunities

- Ability to close the sale

 OFFER:

* Base Salary

* Incentive Program

* Car / Car Allowance

* Petrol

* Laptop

* Phone

* Super

* Uniform

The position will be a trial period for the first 3 months.

 It is essential that:

ü  You have your own reliable transport to get to and from work.

ü  Be of a professional manner and appearance (company uniform will be supplied).

ü  You will be required to travel for this position (expenses will be paid for by the company).

 This is a wonderful opportunity to lead an enthusiastic, growing and innovative company. If you feel you have the experience and integrity to be a part of our team please do not hesitate to forward on your resume.

 ALL APPLICANTS to forward resumes here

 Position to be filled immediately.

 * Must be a full time resident within Australia and hold a tax file number.

* It is NOT OK to contact Pup-Pee Solutions for any other reason other than applying for this position

* Do NOT contact if you’re a RECRUITMENT FIRM or RECRUITMENT GROUP – Thank you.

A: PO Box 141 Elwood Melbourne Victoria 3184

O: (Rear) 15-21 Derby St, Collingwood Victoria 3184

W: www.thepetloo.com

F: www.facebook.com/PetLoo

T: www.twitter.com/PetLoo

B: www.thepetloo.com/blog

Y: www.youtube.com/petloousa

F: +61(03) 9415.8419

As more Melburnians make the switch to high-density living, how to manage animals in apartments is a hairy issue.

KIRA is a fluffy-white, 12-year-old dog. She lives on the 38th floor of Eureka Tower, rides on trams and goes to work with her owner daily.

The pampered bichon frise (she had a manicure before our interview) is part of a growing trend of people with pets living in apartments.

Kira and her owners, Louise Schaper and Ryan Turan, professionals who work in the city, have lived in Melbourne's tallest apartment tower for nearly a year.

Dr Schaper, like many prospective tenants with pets, relates a tale of rejection after rejection when applying for a place to live soon after arriving from Western Australia.

''No one would give us a place. I would explain, show photos, say she's small and doesn't shed [hair],'' Dr Schaper says. ''As soon as you say you've got a dog, you just go straight to the end of the line.''

In the end, a sympathetic real estate agent helped find an amiable landlord but only after they paid extra bond and $50-a-week more in rent

The couple chose an inner-city apartment lifestyle so they could ditch the car and walk to work. And they wanted their much-loved pet to live with them.

They're not the only ones making the lifestyle switch. Melbourne is undergoing a residential apartment boom with close to 13,000 dwellings in the development pipeline.

Increased affordability constraints and high house prices are pushing people into the already tight rental market, where vacancy rates are at record lows, particularly in inner-city areas.

It's all part of a long-term trend towards smaller, single-person households and strata-title living where a balcony barbecue and shared living spaces are more common than the backyard Hills Hoist.

A total of 22 per cent, or almost a quarter of all Australian households, are living in what could be considered medium or high-density housing, says the Petcare Information and Advisory Service.

It's also a social issue, with many Australians condemned to lonely and unhealthy lives because of bans on pets in rental accommodation, according to University of Tasmania sociologist Adrian Franklin.

Professor Franklin says there is considerable evidence to show companion animals are highly beneficial, but ''as our population ages until fully a quarter of the population is over 65, the disparity [from pet bans] can only become more obvious''.

As a result, body corporates, landlords and property developers are having to grapple with how to manage pets in apartments and rental accommodation. Some are doing it more successfully than others.

Several large apartment buildings such as Eureka Tower have pet-friendly body corporate rules that encourage or facilitate tenants or owners with animals.

Australand's Victorian residential general manager, Robert Pradolin, oversaw a pet-friendly approach at Freshwater Place in Southbank after living with his labradoodle BJ in an apartment. About 25 of the building's 530 apartments now have pets.

''It's something you can't ignore if you are designing apartments for living for the older generation,'' Mr Pradolin says. ''It's about companionship and that's important.'' It also makes commercial sense if you are targeting the owner-occupier market, he says.

But although goldfish don't make a splash, larger pets do. Overly large dogs, property damage, barking and other noise in confined spaces are concerns for landlords and body corporates. Smells, excrement (think of Parisian streets) and animal welfare issues – pets left alone in confined spaces for too long – also cause conflict.

The inner city has 2871 registered dogs and 1806 cats, a 28 and 19 per cent increase in two years, according to the City of Melbourne. Ten years ago few people lived in Docklands; now there are thousands and they own 111 dogs and 28 cats.

''No pet'' clauses in advertising and rental agreements are a constant source of grievance among tenants and landlords, according to Tenants Union policy worker Toby Archer.

Although Victoria's Residential Tenancies Act doesn't have rules on pets, the commonly used Real Estate Institute of Victoria's tenancy agreement does.

''The tenant must not keep any animal, bird or other pet on the premises without first obtaining the written permission of the landlord or agent. Permission will not be unreasonably withheld,'' it states.

The Tenants Union successfully challenged this ban several times, arguing landlords are not entitled to restrict tenants from having pets because it interferes with their ''quiet enjoyment'' of the property.

Tenants can't be evicted on the basis of the clause, says Mr Archer, but they can be evicted if their pet is a nuisance, damages property or is a danger.

''The last thing you want to do as a tenant is not be clear about that and then sometime down the track get into a dispute with your landlord.''

People are proving more willing to challenge the ''no pets'' clause.

A recent Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing found in favour of a Geelong couple wanting a pet in their rental home.

''The tenants have permission to keep the labrador Harry at the rented premises on condition he sleeps in the outhouse and primarily resides outdoors,'' VCAT ruled in February.

Another yet-to-be-decided case sparked a legal stand-off between body corporates and landlords and will test which law – the Residential Tenancies Act or body corporate legislation – prevails.

The dispute was prompted when a landlord signed a tenancy agreement allowing the tenant to keep a pet in an apartment when the body corporate rules banned pets.

VCAT is yet to hand down a finding on the West Highland terrier versus Owners Corporation case.

Shontelle Payne, property manager for MICM Property, says although body corporates are becoming more pet-friendly, ultimately it comes down to the owner's decision.

''Depending on the pet, I'm always one to try and explain to the owner it's not necessarily a bad thing.

''Pets are not the worst problem.

''Kids do more damage than dogs,'' she says. ''Dogs can't draw on walls.''

sjohanson@theage.com.au

Article: http://theage.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/when-pets-prove-a-problem-20110410-1d9cf.html

With offices in Melbourne Australia, Los Angeles California & New York City The Pet Loo is Pup-Pee’s flagship brand. The Pet Loo replicates a backyard and is a safe and hygienic device that allows dogs & cats to do their business in a mess free, sanitary manner. It is suitable for apartment dwellers, the elderly, office dogs, boat owners, plush garden owners, cold climates and grassless backyards.  

Pup-Pee has won multiple awards for its ever evolving Pet Waste Management range of products and has successfully sold them through tens of thousands of independent dealers, multi-chain retailers as well as national pet retail giants in numerous markets. 

Further growth is an ongoing objective for Pup-Pee and they are currently seeking multiple partners with experience to expand their current distribution channels. 

The success of Pup-Pee Solutions to date is all about innovative first class products merged with first class service. The team within the organization is highly professional, motivated and passionate about pets. Pup-Pee has built an honest and reputable name within the global pet industry servicing Vets, Doggy Day Care Centers, Breeders, Obedience Professionals & even Groomers. 

Keen to discuss business? Feel free to jump online at www.thepetloo.com to find out more about Pup-Pee Solutions – who they are and how they go about their business. 

Follow Pup-Pee on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PetLoo

Contact:

Los Angeles (Global Business): +1 310 591 8123 | Email Now

New York (US National Business): +1 646 383 8886 | Email Now

Australia (AU & NZ Business): +61 9415 8599 | Email Now

  Videos & TV appearance: www.youtube.com/PetLooUSA

 

FuzzYard is a new and exciting pet goods brand, producing innovative and creative products for dogs and cats. FuzzYard’s Pet range includes beds, grooming products, toys collars and accessories.

The Pet Loo’s Subii & Coopa only ever sleep in their FuzzYard beds!

Founder, Stu McIntosh, started the FuzzYard brand in 2003. His vision for FuzzYard is simple…

“To create premium pet products with the highest aesthetic appeal whilst maintaining the highest of human standards.”[1] 

After all, pets should be loved and treated equally as humans.Pup-Pee Solutions stands behind the FuzzYard ethos – it’s something that brings our two companies together. Well, that and the company founders – Tobi and Stu just happen to be best mates! 

The FuzzYard range is extensive and continuously growing. Every dog deserves the best possible quality and care and that’s what FuzzYard provides. Their range can now be found in over 20 countries across the world including luxury department stores such as Harrods in the UK and the top boutiques in North America, Europe, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong – the list goes on.

FuzzYard continues to grow and develop new and innovative products for our four-legged friends whilst remaining proudly 100% Australian owned and operated.

“We’re proud of everything we design in our Melbourne studios and we travel the world hunting for new materials, trends and ideas. We never settle for less than perfection and why should your dog?”

Logon to their website and see why Subii & Coopa are making such a "Fuzz" over FuzzYard!

[1] http://www.fuzzyard.com/aboutUs

Publicist

Los Angeles l New York I Melbourne I Singapore
P:  + 1 323 382 0102

In the video, Skovron talks openly about Pup-Pee’s success so far. “Pup-Pee Solutions has distributed its products in excess of over 73 countries around the world. Not bad when you consider we only became commercial in 2006. In Australia we distribute the products ourselves. In the United States we have a New York office in New York City and Los Angeles, California on the West Coast.”

“Our Board of Directors is comprised of patent attorneys,  licensing attorneys, trademark attorneys, international accountants, engineers, biochemists and some really business savvy people”. 

Skovron then goes on to talk about The Pet Loo’s conception. “Entering the International Pet Industry I recognise that there’s a need for young, innovative and fresh ideas and I think that’s why we’ve been so successful.”

“Pup-Pee Solutions went commercial in 2006, but it was three years before that we really worked hard on the research and development (stages). I had moved a thousand kilometers south from Sydney to Melbourne – my lifestyle and circumstances changed which really required a product such as The Pet Loo.” 

“The reason Pup-Pee Solutions took three years to come to market was because we wanted to ensure our product was a premium product, second to none. On top of that our board of Directors wanted to ensure all of our intellectual property rights were protected.” 

“Pup-Pee Solutions has really made a name for itself worldwide for its hero brand The Pet Loo, and what we’re doing right now is extending our range so we become more of a (pet) waste management company.”

To see the full interview go to:

www.thepetloo.com/walking_on_a_dream/

For Youtube regulars go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1PkgNpN_xI

• $35K – $50K + Company Car + Super +Sales Commission Incentives
• Unique Products in the Australian Pet Industry
• Enormous Sales Opportunity with Unlimited Growth

Company:

Pup-Pee Solutions are the innovators, manufacturers and distributors of The Pet Loo www.thepetloo.com . We have a highly regarded name within the industry. Pup-Pee Solutions are seeking a Sales Representatives to join our team within: 

• Sydney & Greater NSW
• Melbourne & Greater VIC
• Metro Adelaide, SA
• Perth & Greater WA
• QLD (Brisbane, Sunshine Coast & Gold Coast) 

For a career in the business and booming pet industry! Pup-Pee is looking to recruit a sales professional that shows enthusiasm, motivation, and professionalism, must have exceptional people skills with a background in sales and preferably the pet industry. There are varying positions Nationwide with some country and interstate travel. You will be working on a weekly call cycle with established customers. 

Position:

Reporting to the General Manager, you will be designated a territory. The main focus for this position will be calling on existing clients along with developing new business amongst pet shops, animal hospitals, and veterinarian clinics. You will be working in a close knit environment; however you will be predominantly operate autonomously. Responsibilities include, but not limited to a daily reporting on the progress of your customers / territory and a weekly meeting with head office.

 RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To create and service a regular base of clients
• To have a winning can-do attitude
• To represent our company at the highest level
• Be willing to travel to see clients
• Be willing to learn more about this area of the pet industry

 ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

• Ability to make appointments on time
• Ability to create own source of clients
• Ability to generate B2B sales from cold calling
• Ability to present to clients face to face with confidence
• Ability to create sales opportunities
• Ability to close the sale
• Ability to complete weekly written reports. 

The position will be a trial period for the first 3 months. Pup-Pee Solutions requires across the board performance and weekly reporting to the General Manager.

Candidate:

To be successfully employed with Pup-Pee Solutions, you must have a minimum of 2 years business to business sales expertise. You will preferably have a strong knowledge in pet supplies and have a strong grasp on the industry. 

If you have existing contacts that can be utilised will be highly regarded. You must be new business focused and have demonstrated your ability to work autonomously.

If you are an excellent communicator with strong sales skills in closing deals, this position will be ideal for you. Please send in your resume in confidence (Please click here)

This is a wonderful opportunity to get in on the ground floor and establish yourself as a sales professional with Pup-Pee Solutions as we expand globally.

 If you feel you have the experience and integrity to be a part of a courageous sales team please do not hesitate to forward on your resume.

 Must be a full time resident within Australia and hold a tax file number

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Pup-Pee Solutions Australian Office
A: PO Box 141 Elwood Melbourne Victoria 3184 O: (Rear) 15-21 Derby St, Collingwood Victoria 3184
 P: + 61 (03) 9415.8599 W: www.thepetloo.com  F: +61(03) 9415.8419

By Andrea Coombes, MarketWatch

Last update: 7:01 p.m. EST March 4, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Small companies are suffering as much as larger ones in this global financial crisis but some small-firm owners say they're ramping up sales even as they're forced to rethink how they do business. Of course, just as Lehman Brothers, Circuit City and other household names have imploded in recent months, some of the 26 million small businesses in the U.S. likely won't make it through this protracted economic slump.   In a tough job market like this one, laid-off workers often try to transform themselves into entrepreneurs. But does it make sense to launch a startup during a recession? Fred Ackerman should know: He founded his travel company, Black Sheep Adventures, during the last downturn in 2002. MarketWatch's Andrea Coombes reports. While 60% of small firms said it's unlikely the financial crisis will force them to shut their doors, 22% said it's somewhat likely and 14% said it's very likely, according to the February Discover Small Business Watch, a monthly survey of 1,000 firms with five or fewer employees conducted by Rasmussen Reports for Discover  

Financial Services.  

Fifty-four percent of small firms said they see conditions for their business getting worse, and 42% of small firms said they had temporary cash-flow issues in the past 90 days, according to the survey.

Still, many firms are optimistic. "For a lot of us, things are not nearly as dire or grim as they are in the evening news," said Martin Simenc, president and founder of Home Safety Services, a seven-employee firm in Foster City, Calif., that installs safety features to protect children and improve accessibility for seniors.

 Certainly, sales have slowed, Simenc and others say. But for many, business continues to grow, albeit at a lower rate. "We've got some favorable things on our side because of the demographic we're serving, particularly on the senior side of the business," Simenc said.  

Change the message 

Still, business owners are being forced to adapt to a profoundly different economic mood, said Victor Cheng, author of "The Recession-Proof Business" and a San Francisco-based executive coach.

 "When the economy contracts, money is still being spent, but it's being spent for different reasons," he said. Tapping into that change "can be as simple as changing how you communicate how your products are relevant," he said. For instance, the owner of a massage therapy business should focus on "stress reduction" today, instead of "pampering."  

Adapting to change is what Tobi Skovron is doing. The chief executive of Pup-Pee Solutions, a Melbourne, Australia-based maker of pet products, knows consumers aren't shelling out for luxuries. Skovron said he now makes a point of promoting his main product — The Pet Loo, essentially an indoor "bathroom" for dogs — as a pet owners' necessity, particularly for apartment-dwellers or pet owners who live in severe winter climes.

The downturn is an opportunity, he said. "There are established distributors going out of business all around the world and retailers are looking for new suppliers. We're there to catch that business," Skovron said.

 Another strategy: He's made it easier for retailers to order his product by eradicating minimum order requirements, letting them buy just one at a time.  

It's almost easier to be a small firm in this type of economy, he said. "If we were doing revenue of $100 million, to keep or maintain that revenue stream in a down market is difficult. For us as a young growing company, if we push out an extra 5,000 units on top of our expectations, which is still not hard, it's growth for us. We really haven't maxed out on all of our opportunities," he said.  

Others agreed. "Frankly, we're kind of in a growth mode," Simenc said. He's hiring field personnel and sales support. Why? "One, it's a little harder to come by the business — you need more emphasis on that side," he said. "Two, there is such a good talent pool out there available right now. It makes it real attractive to be recruiting at this time." See story on small businesses hiring.  Keep costs down 

Holding costs down is important for small firms in any economic climate. Rethinking your assumptions can help with that goal.

 The owners of PlanetMomTshirts.com want their product to get to consumers quickly, especially during important gift-giving holidays. After trying other delivery services, they realized the U.S. Postal Service was their best bet.

 "It costs 50% less than UPS and FedEx and often gets to our customers even faster," said Eileen Schneidman, co-partner with Elise Nappi in PlanetMomTshirts.com, a Fairfield, Conn.-based maker of T-shirts sporting witty, parent-focused phrases, including "Whine? No. Wine? Yes."

 Also, Schneidman said, they've rethought advertising. Rather than paying 35 cents a click at one gift-focused Web site, they now advertise on an 18-cent-per-click site while, separately, emailing hundreds of bloggers who write about parenting. "We'd tell them about our shirts, invite them to our site, sometimes send them free shirts," Schneidman said. "The word got out that way, and on our end it was the cost of a shirt."

 Another cost-saving solution: Work at home. "We had looked at opening up an office in the area," she said. Instead, they stayed in their home offices.

Working with workers 

Even as larger firms slash payrolls to cut costs, some small businesses are doing their best to hold on to workers, out of a sense of loyalty but also with an eye on the future. Cutting payrolls too much can cause problems when the economy turns around.

 A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing, a Dubuque, Iowa-based maker of water-system parts and plumbing valves, has instituted four-day work weeks and offered voluntary temporary layoffs in recent months.

 "We have done a whole host of other things to manage the slowdown, but currently we're still trying to manage it without layoffs," said Chad Huntington, the firm's vice president of human resources. The company, which employs 342 people, recently won a Principal Financial "best practices" award for its benefits programs. Read more about the award for small firms.

 "For us to even consider doing a permanent layoff and having to try and find more workers when things get busy again is going to be extremely difficult," Huntington said. "We really want to be careful that we're well positioned when things do return."

 In business for 153 years, A.Y. McDonald has seen downturns before. "We managed to survive the Great Depression without a single layoff and we're certainly hopeful and working aggressively to survive this severe business softening without layoffs as well," he said.

 Diversification

 Branching into new niches also helps companies survive. Carl Svensson, chief executive of Foster City, Calif.-based Powertronix Corp., said that, while medical-technology companies drive about 50% of his sales, the increasing national focus on wind power is fueling growth at his company. Powertronix makes custom-designed power supplies and transformers.

 "Wind power right now is a very big growth area," he said.  

But he's also paying close attention to receivables — "We have people calling and making sure we get paid in time," he said — and ramping up sales efforts, including hiring more sales and support staff. "We're intensifying our market and sales activities. We have more people right now calling on customers, visiting customers," Svensson said. The company has 15 employees now, up from 12 a year ago.

 Simenc of Home Safety Services is ramping up the senior-focused side of his business. "Over the past couple of years, we've grown the senior side much more significantly," he said, in part because "the child-safety side is more discretionary."  

Meanwhile, A.Y. McDonald, the waterworks maker, is boosting sales efforts on a product that helps municipal water departments more accurately measure — and charge for –customers' water usage, with the thought that cash-strapped cities in drought-suffering states will be interested customers. The company's efforts include hiring a new product manager.

 That's a sensitive step in a company asking employees to consider voluntary layoffs, so Huntington said he talked to production workers about the job posting. "We expressed the fact that we don't see the market rebounding any time soon, that we're curtailing hiring and replacements," Huntington said, "but this is one we absolutely need in order to capitalize on opportunity in the downturn."  Expert advice 

In worrisome times like these, isolation can be difficult for small-business owners. To counter that problem, Svensson of Powertronix and Simenc of Home Safety Services are members of The Alternative Board, a business consulting firm offering fee-based access to monthly "board" meetings with other local owners to discuss strategies.

 Simenc said the participation helped him better assess his company's outlook. In board meetings and seminars, owners were encouraged to assess their companies' strengths and weaknesses.

 "Are we going to have cash flow to support staff if revenues take a significant downturn?" Simenc said answering such questions eased his mind. "If things do go south, in our particular case, so many of our costs are variable, it won't be as happy of a time but we'll still be very viable."  

Andrea Coombes is an assistant personal finance editor for MarketWatch, based in San Francisco.