Lessons Learned on the Road to Happiness with Rene and Jim: Creator Series

by Rene Agredano and Jim Nelson

Welcome to our new series Creator’s Creations where creators submit their stories. We are sharing highlights from transformation stories and how we are creating FIT Life Creation and the community.

In this Creator series feature, we are featuring Lessons Learned on the Road to Happiness with Rene and Jim.

Highlights of Story and Creations:

Turning Tragedy into Triumph

Content creators and influencers filled the packed conference room, eager to learn how to grow an online niche community. Jim stood at the podium and told them how. “If we can do what we've done with our Tripawds site for three-legged pets, you can grow a successful business around your blog.”

Then he drove home his point. “No niche is too small, and you are all an expert about something.” He spoke at the popular pet bloggers conference to expand the reach for our labor of love – the world’s largest support community for amputee pets and their people. Why did we do it? We owe it all to our first dog.

Jerry was our heart and soul dog, the Chief Fun Officer of a full-service marketing firm we had grown from scratch over a decade. He kept us sane and centered during long, stressful workdays while teaching us how to work together and keep our marriage intact.

In 2006, he turned eight years old. And one month later, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a deadly bone cancer with a grim prognosis. Back then we didn't even know dogs got cancer. And the shocks kept coming when doctors told us amputation could get rid of the pain and improve his quality of life for a few more months, maybe a year.

It seemed impossible that our best friend and hiking partner could cope on three legs. Feeling lost and alone we turned to the Internet, but what we found back then wasn’t very helpful – nor was it hopeful.