Groom shop

[mishelle]

Looking for any groom shop owners that could give me advice on my shop. I've been in business (sole proprietor) for 6 years. I work alone and have grown to the size that I am either going to have to get some help or sell the business. I don't really like the idea of hiring employees and paying wages and taxes on them, plus my shop is beside my house and hubby doesn't like having strangers with that close access to the house. Has anyone ever heard of a groom shop set up like the beauty shops do and rent their booth space? I wouldn't have to pay taxes on independent contractors but would still get the help in the shop. If my payments on the building were paid by renters then I wouldn't have to work so hard to make my payments. I don't know, I'm just looking for opinions and options. Thank you.

[bernicesmama]

I'm not a groomer but that sounds like a good idea. How did you learn your trade?

[Luvmyjob]

I have my own shop in my basement. I won't hire anyone either, I like being by myself. Your idea sounds good, just remember you are opening yourself up to more liability. You wuold have to ok it with your insurance co. since it is still your property and I would also make sure whoever you leased out to carries their own liability ins.You would of course have to take into consideration more crate space, more utility usage and of course check references.

[mishelle]

My shop is not attached to my house, although I worked out of my garage for 4 years before I built the shop. That was really hot in summer and really cold in winter. In summer I had to make sure I had all the dogs finished by noon or it would get too hot. In winter I had a kerosene heater. The shop is wonderful and my clientel has almost doubled in the 2 years I've been in it. I really like being by myself also but its to the point that I'm loosing clients because I can't get them in for 2 to 3 weeks in the busy part of the year.

Bernicemama, when my kids started school I needed to do something. I've always loved dogs and dabbled in obedience training. My dad got a schnauzer for a gift and wanted me to groom it for him. I decided that if I'm going to do his then I would just open a business. I wanted to be certified so that I could advertise that and hopefully build up trust with the community. In Oklahoma you don't have to be certified and not many groomers are. So I went to school and got certified and started out with my dad and about 5 other clients from my church and the Lord grew it from there. I've never regretted it. I have learned alot about running a business. I just don't know exactly what I want to do next with it. I live about 3 miles out of town and know that if I moved to town the business would boom but then I would have a higher payment on a building. I don't know what to do. That is probably more info than you were after. Sorry.

[Luvmyjob]

mishelle: Are you wanting to acually expand? If so you really have no option but to lease out to someone or this is what I did when my business got established and grew beyond my schedule allotment. I started making auto appoinments for all clients. This guaranteed them a spot on my schedule.This way I could plan the days better. If you get new people calling just tell them you have a wait list and posssibly refer them to another groomer that you know . It's better to draw a cut off line than to overdo your workload. Yes money is an issue but it sounds like you had the same thing happen as did to me when I opened shop. People who come to you regular are the ones you want to accomidate they will stay with you.

[mishelle]

Luvmyjob: Thanks for the input. I have a lot of clients that do schedule ahead (auto appointments) and that does work well. Some clients don't know what they will be doing the next day, let alone in 6-8 weeks. But you are right, I'm going to have to do something. What's that saying, if you always do things that way you've always done them, then things will always be the way they are. I just need to do something. I agree with the not overdoing my workload. I was told once that grooming is high on the list of burn-out jobs. Sometimes I feel I am almost there. I hate that! What other job can you have that lets you stay at home and play with dogs all day!