Burnout and frustration are par for the course when it comes to most jobs. But we can choose what to do with that suffocating negative energy: suck it up and stay out of fear, or decide to roll the dice and bet on ourselves for a change?
Frankie Dogs owner Chris Torlone recently faced that decision, and with a nudge from a furry friend, he decided to take a gamble on himself.
Torlone 's energetic Jack Russel-Chihuahua mix, Frankenstein, was his source of inspiration when he woke up one day and realized that he was stuck in a rut. "Frankenstein just lived his life to the fullest. All of my friends loved him. Back in the day he had more friends on MySpace than I did!," joked Torlone.
Sadly, Frankenstein passed away after a bout with lymphoma but his outgoing spirit provided the extra push that Torlone needed to make a change that was long overdue. He channeled Frankie's positive vibes and decided to take the leap leaving his nearly decade-long career as a hairdresser to pursue his dream of self-employment.
Unhappy with the lack of vegetarian and vegan options available at most food truck round- ups, he launched Frankie Dogs, a gourmet veggie dog stand named after his charismatic canine. Torlone started his business just a few months ago with a simple tabletop set-up which was convenient for various indoor events; recently, he has upgraded to a traditional cart.