Clean Run - May 2014 - 63

otherwise. The demise of most clubs
comes from lack of planning or focus.
"A good business plan is a roadmap that
highlights the best routes to profitability and warns you of potential hazards
along the way," says Dave Lavinsky, cofounder of Growthink, a business that
teaches entrepreneurs how to succeed.
"If you don't have one, it's highly likely
that you'll be lost-and out of business-in no time at all."
In addition, you and your officers could
face legal problems if your club has a
treasury or outstanding debts, or if
you've accumulated assets like equipment or buildings. So the best protection for yourself and the club is to start
with a legal contract of sorts. That's the
constitution, which should begin with
a mission statement.
"If you don't have a mission statement,
you need to get one," says Patrick Hull
of Forbes Magazine. "Don't underestimate the importance of a mission
statement. Every entrepreneur [club]
should write a mission statement early
on because they provide you and your
employees [members] with the framework and purpose." The mission statement is a few concise lines that answer
the following questions:
„What do we do?
„How do we do it?
„Whom do we do it for?
„What value are we bringing?

Here's a hypothetical example:
The Deer Dodgers Dog Training Club
is a not-for-profit group that promotes
training and responsible dog ownership
primarily for, but not limited to, residents
of Deer County, Montana. We provide
classes for the public, promote participation in dog sports like agility and obedience competition, and support youth
education through outreach programs
like 4-H and school demonstrations. The
club is committed to helping all dog owners improve the relationships they have
with dogs through better understanding,
training and communication.
The constitution that follows the mission statement establishes the organization and basic structure with officers
and directors, standing committees
and the like. The by-laws section of a
constitution lays out the details like
committee functions, meetings, elections, and membership classifications.
You can look up existing constitutions
from established dog clubs and use
them as boilerplates when writing
your own. Most are fairly similar. The
AKC also provides a good example in
its publication, Sample By-Laws for AllBreed and Specialty Clubs. You may have
to change a few words and phrases, but
the basic components are there.
Just read the document and you'll get
an idea of the next necessary steps in
forming your club. Designate temporary officers, starting with a president

and a secretary for note-taking. You'll
eventually also need a vice president,
treasurer, and a board member-atlarge, with all five taking office after the
club's first real election. The officers' duties are generally well outlined in any
standard constitution you adopt.
Once you've done your groundwork
(roughing out a constitution and temporary by-laws, and recruiting temporary officers), publicize the fact that
you're forming a dog agility club and
invite the public to an organizational
meeting. Contact dog trainers, dog fanciers, youth group leaders, and even the
local media. Generate as much enthusiasm as you can for your new venture.
From these groups you'll potentially find
experts in everything from bookkeeping to graphic design and marketing.
These talents will be just as vital to your
agility club as a set of new equipment.
At the meeting, lay out a timeline for the
club's first election. Discuss dues--the
amounts, the classifications, and dates
for the membership year. Take good
notes of everything that transpires at
this meeting, and keep them available for reference in your club archives.

The Fun Part:
Choosing a Name
In its How to Form a Club pamphlet,
AKC has practical guidelines for choosing a club name, particularly if you plan
to become an accredited or licensed
group that can hold AKC events. What-

If you live in a place that's devoid of dog agility (and yes, there are still many such places!), it doesn't matter how much
you love agility if you can't get several other people interested. Generate the interest and commitment from people
before you form the club. If you're expecting a "build it and they will come" reaction, you might be in for a big financial
hardship and disappointment. But if you have as few as two other folks who have already said, "Yes, let's form a club so
we can really go somewhere with agility here," then you're on the way.
A friend of mine queried me about how to generate interest in agility in her rural area so she could start a club there. She
loves agility and wants to share her enthusiasm with others in her area. I cautioned her not to put the cart before the
horse. Let the club evolve out of the truly interested, but don't use the club itself as a recruiting tool without first building a solid foundation with already committed members. A club will succeed only if it has dedicated individuals with a
long-term vision. And despite your best efforts at recruiting good help, the majority of the club work will probably end
up being done by a small handful of people.
But if you and two others are hopelessly hooked on agility and need a club, go for it. The benefits are great, especially
if you strive to share the joys and challenges of your sport with your friends and neighbors. Motivational icon Zig Ziglar
said it well: "One can get anything if he is willing to help enough others get what they want."

May 14

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Clean Run - May 2014

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