If you love animals and feel that you have patience in abundance, a pet grooming business could be the perfect entrepreneurial venture for you for earning a part-time or a full-time income. It doesn’t require a heavy initial investment or mandate a specific academic or professional background. You can start off in your own home to test the waters and establish a reputation before putting more money into the business and moving to a commercial setup or even a mobile business.
Getting a License
Call or visit your local business licensing agency to learn whether you will need a special license to run your business. If, for instance, you are a pet groomer in Noosaville, Australia then being a Full Member of the Pet Industry Association of Australia will strengthen your image and win customer confidence. Depending on how you start your business – home-based, commercially or mobile – you will need to check the jurisdiction dictum for the requisite license.
Trained for Success
Having a profound love for animals will not seal the deal for you in this business. You need to enroll in training programs, attend workshops and attain a professional certification. Prior work experience in a grooming center would be a huge bonus and also provide business insight.
Pet grooming is often equated with dog grooming but the pet market is wider than that. You have cats, guinea pigs, parrots, rabbits etc and the variety of species for each animal is boundless. Grooming skills for each don’t fit under the same hat and you should mention which animals and breeds you cater for, otherwise decide on a case-by-case basis. Even for dogs, the grooming requirements of a high-maintenance poodle are quite disparate than that of the larger, feisty Rottweiler.
Setting Up
Procure good quality products and equipment for rendering different services e.g. a variety of grooming tables, tubs, dryers, cages, combs, brushes, scissors, clippers, shampoos and styling equipment. You can start off at the basic level where you only provide washing services. As you gain experience and repute, you can expand into clipping, styling, nail trimming, treating fleas and ear mites, obedience training etc. It is best to start off small and gradually build up from there rather than getting your hands full and struggle to manage everything.
As a safety net, apply for insurance for your pet grooming business to cover you in the event of a liability claim against you in case a pet is hurt on your premise. If you have a mobile business where you provide at-home services then you may not need one.
Promote your Brand
Direct your cash stream here in the start to spread the word about your service. It is a one-time cost but it can make or break your business. Visit pet stores, pet supply stores and veterinary clinics and introduce your business and place your advertising materials there.
Client referral is an excellent marketing tool (also free) so delivering on customer expectations each time is imperative. Positive feedback will attract more customers and help your business grow.
