My Doggedly Determined Business Partner

I'd like to introduce you to my business partner. His name is Bonzo and he shares the FamZoo office with me night and day, day in and day out.

Here are some of the key things that make Bonzo such a great business partner:

• He is an excellent listener - at least I think he listens. Well, let's just say he doesn't talk back much unless it's dinner time or bone time. I read all my Blog entries, the copy on my web pages, and even some code out loud to him. He patiently endures revision after revision and helps me correct countless errors.
• He is wise - 84 dog years old. Every startup needs a "grey hair" on the team to provide perspective and adult supervision.
• He is always loyal and friendly - even when I am grumpy or short with him for the stunts he pulls from time to time like peeing on the computer science books I left on the floor, pulling the cloth off the dining room table and snacking on the bounty, or getting into unmentionables in the trash.
• Most importantly, he is a resilient fighter - a hardy survivor - and exudes a presence well beyond his tiny elongated stature. As such, Bonzo is a great role model for any entrepreneur launching a venture. Bonzo has overcome huge obstacles and maintained his happy-go-lucky demeanor throughout. He started life as the last of the litter and had to be plucked out of the womb via C section and resuscitated. In mid-life, he endured massive back surgery to (partially) deal with an onset of paralysis in his hind legs. When I saw them stapling up his back, I didn't think he'd last much longer, but he's been going strong for years since then. He suffers through seizures on a near weekly basis, but always rebounds quickly. Even more miraculous, throughout all this, he survives the endless poking, prodding, "weener dog" derision, and "tough love" of countless children (think of Lennie with his puppy in "Of Mice and Men" and you'll get an inkling of the picture) . Yep, Bonzo repeatedly takes a licking and just keeps on happily ticking (or perhaps its the reverse). And, despite his diminuitive stature, he is not to be underestimated. Just ask the burly contractor that Bonzo chased out of our backyard one day or the large poodle that is missing a big puff of hair from his manicured back side. Raised as badger hunters, these little dogs are tough and tenacious.

Yes, quite the role model and partner for an entrepreneur indeed.

I just hope someone will let me know if my breath gets as bad as his though - he could really use a tic-tac. Remind me not to let him pitch FamZoo to prospective investors - the odor could be a real deal-breaker.