Small Business Owner Starting Over
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Aimee and I'm the 4 year owner of a small pet sitting business based in Columbia, MO. Business has had its highs and lows but after nearly 5 years the struggle to grow is too much for me. A few of my core clients were offered better jobs and recently moved to new states and yet another large job is ending at the end of April. While I've greatly enjoyed the experiences and memories I've made pet sitting, I'm just unable to keep up with its constant demands. People don't want to pay the rates it takes to keep a pet sitter in business and factors like working every holiday and constant travel have led to physical and financial exhaustion. I tried my best but the government also offers little to no incentives for a business my size and after tax season every year it gets harder to justify running a business that still keeps me well below the established poverty level. I feel shame in having to ask for help at all and a pretty epic sense of failure, in general, from my business closing after all the hard work, miles and sacrifice. I prayed for a new start and this is part of it. I'm searching for a job now and have been for some time. Please help any way you can, I need to believe that trying to make a dream come true and failing doesn't also equal financial devastation and ruin in the end, also.
My intentions for the money are:
-Evaluate fixing costly car repairs vs using some as down payment for a reliable, used vehicle. Service manager of Bob McCosh, Mike Mountjoy, helped me through 4 major GM recalls on my vehicle in the last 12 months and he will give honest guidance towards this decision.
-Get set up with health insurance that is affordable, I've been without since my divorce 2 years ago and the stress and uncertainty it causes are something I've decided to resolve as best as possible.
-I'll pay a few months of my rent upfront so that I don't have to fear losing my house while conducting a job search.
-I was recently injured in a car accident (fault of the other driver) and injuries included a strained back and sprained ankle. So far I seem to be healing up fine and only have occasional pain from them. I'll be seeing a chiropractic specialist to ensure the injuries don't remain problematic and cause me more issues in the future. These injuries caused lost time at work that hurt me financially.
-Expenses for my pet care, my sweet babies! The cats I've had since I was 18, my boys have been with me all the way and the girl joined us a few years back. They are my everything and being able to continue to provide them with food and vet care during the next few months will be a huge burden lifted.
-I plan to pray for guidance before using any of the funds and I promise to make smart use of the resources given and make a good new start for myself!
Organiser
Aimee Marie McGoveran
Organiser
Columbia, MO
