
Photo: Boprey Photography
Originally featured on Cereal Entrepreneur: Since her teens when she started volunteering at her local shelter, Sarah Brasky has made it her mission to rescue dogs and find them perfect homes. She is The Dog Matchmaker (@thedogmatchmaker). For those seeking to adopt, knowing the right breed or mix, age, personality, and expectations can be an overwhelming experience, so the idea of The Dog Matchmaker is to ease and improve the adoption search. For Sarah, each success story means another dog’s life saved, and another happy family.
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Q: How the idea for your business was born:
A: I started my nonprofit organization Foster Dogs Inc. in 2009, but I continued receiving requests for one-on-one help in getting a dog. Once I started The Dog Matchmaker in 2011, word spread like wildfire about this innovative social-good service.
Q: Is there anything that surprised you about being an entrepreneur?
A: One thing that surprised me about being an entrepreneur was the never-ceasing desire to continue what I started. Yes, many people have ideas. And then those ideas might become a reality. But I feel a great sense of pride in continuing my idea, for many years and seeing it grow to a nationally recognized effort. I’ve received notes from people in Canada, Egypt, Japan, and all over the US asking if I can perform my dog matchmaker work there! If I could match people and dogs everywhere around the world, now that would be a fabulous job!
Q: Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
A: Don’t give up when “the going gets tough.” Sure, there is merit to knowing when something is not working and when to close up shop. But that’s where friends and family can really come in handy, helping you stay level-headed about your achievements. I have days when I say to myself, “This is the best job; I love my adoption success stories!” And there are other days when I feel that I am not making enough of a difference, and that I should just stop and save myself the stress. Remember, your work is the sum of its parts. Not every day will be amazing, but if you can look back at your year and say, “I did something really incredible,” then you’re doing it right.