“Yelp! Yelp! Yelp!” The tiny puppies tumbled and bounced between my brother Travis, a fourth grader, my sister Sarah Jo, who shared a birthday with me just two years apart, and me, a wide-eyed kindergartner trying to keep up.

We had gathered for an important family mission: deciding which puppies would go where, and choosing the one we would call our own. One would go to neighbors, another to family friends, and the rest would find good homes elsewhere.After plenty of debate and excitement, it came time to name the puppy we’d keep. My sister and I turned to Travis for the final call. He paused proudly and said, “I learned a new word in school today … Opportunity!”

It was an unusual name for a puppy, no doubt about it, but it stuck immediately. And more than that, it became something bigger. That simple moment planted a mindset in me: to recognize and pursue opportunities whenever they appear.

Over time, that lesson grew with me, shaping how I see the world. Today, it has led to this guide, created to help children, teens, and parents recognize the opportunities in starting their own businesses.

And so, When Opportunity Barks, Let Him In!