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Resilience, planning, and questioning assumptions are cornerstones of financial advising. Yet some of my deepest lessons didn’t come from clients or textbooks — they came from an eight-year-old rescue dog, one the world had already written off as “too old” to matter.
From Fragile Beginnings
About twelve years ago, I received a request to care for an older rescue dog. Her name was Simie — recently rescued, still recovering from mange, withdrawn and uncertain. At approximately eight years old, she had already been considered “too old” to adopt out.
At the same time, her new human, Lint Barrage, a world economist and professor, was brand new to pet ownership. New to the role, but armed with something more powerful: conviction. She was determined to give Simie the best life possible.
I didn’t know it then, but Simie (and her devoted mom) would become two of my greatest teachers — not just about pets, but about building a business from the ground up, managing money, and cultivating resilience.
Finding a Niche You Love
At the time, I was beginning to imagine the concept that would become DC Dog Sitter. Caring for Simie shaped that journey. When Lint traveled for work, Simie came along with me — sometimes for daily routines, other times on long trips, including one memorable three-week road trip from Washington, DC to the Midwest.
Over time, that seed of an idea grew into a seven-figure business that I ultimately sold in 2021.
Watching Simie transform from a timid, fragile rescue into a more confident and curious companion paralleled the way my business grew: slowly, with patience, and by focusing on a niche I loved.
The same principle applies in advising: when you find a niche you love and invest in it consistently, you can build something meaningful and lasting.
But building a business wasn’t the only lesson Simie offered. Caring for her each day also revealed a deeper truth — the danger of assumptions, and the importance of digging beneath the surface.
Questioning Assumptions — About Food and Finance
Simie was picky, which made feeding her both a challenge and a learning opportunity. It wasn’t simply about finding something she would eat — it was about ensuring she received the best nutrition possible. That search led us to lightly cooked, human-grade food, along with probiotics, sardines or krill oil, and other nutrient-rich ingredients and supplements.
Lint and I became relentless learners, soaking up every piece of information we could find. We learned that you can’t just trust what’s marketed on glossy bags — you have to question assumptions, dig deeper, and look beneath the surface.
The same principle applies to finance: branding and “best-selling” status don’t guarantee real value. Whether it’s food or financial products, true resilience comes from asking better questions and tailoring solutions to the individual. For advisors, the lesson is clear: when a client is forced to ask questions we should have anticipated, we’ve missed the chance to build trust and deliver real value.
Planning for the Unexpected
Health costs — for pets and people — are unpredictable and rising exponentially. According to recent industry reports, pet health expenses have increased at more than double the rate of inflation in recent years — a reminder that the same forces straining human healthcare also apply across the board.
Pet owners typically face two choices:
- Pet insurance — worthwhile if the policy is both comprehensive and affordable.
- Self-insuring with a dedicated fund — monthly contributions that grow with interest and can be drawn on when needed.
The latter echoes Nelson Nash’s Becoming Your Own Banker: by funding your own “bank,” you create control, flexibility, and resilience — rather than outsourcing everything to external institutions.
For advisors, the parallel is powerful: help clients understand trade-offs, encourage them to plan ahead, and show them how even small, consistent contributions can create the margin they’ll need for the unexpected.
From DC to Zurich
Fast forward to today: Simie is 20 years old (about 105 in human years) and lives with Lint and her family in Switzerland, where she was recently profiled in the Swiss press as possibly Zurich’s oldest living dog — a remarkable recognition for a pup once considered “too old” to matter.
From fragile beginnings in the U.S. to a celebrated life abroad, her story is proof that love, patience, and preparation can carry us further than we ever expect.
The Takeaway for Advisors
Simie’s journey is more than just a feel-good story. It’s a reminder that:
- Niche matters. Find what you love, invest in it, and build from there.
- Question assumptions. Whether it’s food or finance, dig deeper than the packaging.
- Plan for resilience. Encourage clients to create systems — insurance, savings funds, or infinite banking strategies — that give them margin for the unexpected.
In the end, Simie has become more than a survivor — she is a role model for thriving against the odds. For advisors, her story proves that resilience and wealth — whether for clients, families, or even pets — are not built by chance. They are built by design: through foresight, patience, and the kind of consistent small actions that compound quietly into extraordinary outcomes.