JD and I lived in an apartment when we got married.  He traveled a lot for work and was just starting my business, so I spent a lot of time alone.  I was so busy trying to get my dream off the ground, I never left the house.  Like, ever.  I worked part-time, but every minute when I wasn't at work was spent at home, behind the glow of my computer.  I was researching, learning, and trying to navigate my business with such dedication that time was flying by without me noticing.

In 2006 I attended a conference and returned home to find a white, fluffy dog waiting for me.  He couldn't run, so, instead he hopped from room to room.  And I was smitten within minutes.

We lived in a second-story apartment, so I found myself taking Polo outside every hour to potty train him.  As he got older (and JD transitioned to working for our business full time), we scheduled three daily walks with the dog, a pattern we keep to this day.  It's on these walks that the best ideas come to life.  Perhaps it's the fresh air or simply getting away from the computer, but our business has become stronger as a result of our walks.

When people ask me for business advice, I shy away from telling them to get a dog.  But today that changes.  Our daily walks ground our souls, remind us to breathe, and encourages us to be present.  These are incredible assets for any entrepreneur.