Foreword

Welcome to PetGroomer.com. We have information to help you decide if it is right for you to join 60,000 to 80,000 pet groomers in the US and more beyond our borders.

During our 49 years of field experience we established one of the world's largest pet grooming businesses, and wrote the classic grooming business management book, From Problems to Profits in Pet Grooming. At present we continue to write additional workbooks in a series called Grooming Business in a Box^® and of course operate the world of PetGroomer.com.

In 2009 we celebrate our 20th year as grooming industry consultants to both career seekers and advanced groomers. Every year thousands of career seekers find the decision making process difficult when entering the grooming industry without adequate industry resources. Their mistakes are understandable. Until the availability of the Internet, grooming career information was scarce.

Our compilation of information and leads to industry people and companies is without comparison. We want to help you to answer questions like these:

• Is a career in pet grooming right for me?
• Should I be an employed groomer, or self-employed?
• What forn of training is right for me?
• What can I expect to earn as a pet groomer?

There's no shortage of opinions on career opportunities and training. We are a diverse industry with little regulation. Here we will express our opinion, but we will also make you aware of other diverse opinions in the field we share.
 

Consultants should never sell anyone on a grooming career. The well-being of pets is too important. Pet owners often require extra patience too. Some groomers regularly complain about clients and rarely acknowledge dozens or hundreds quiet, happy clients. Why do some groomers brag about "firing a client?" That's simply a people management problem. Pet groomers are artists. Emotions run high in many of them regardless of their field. It is a well-known fact that artists are weak in delivering client services. In fact, that’s why there are art galleries. Consumers often receive better service from professional sales staff rather than from artists. Cocooning with the pets they groom is what artistic groomers do best. The art of grooming arises from superior training and the right working environment.

Loud demanding pet owners overshadow most pet owners loyal to professional groomers. You will experience this predicament. It's stressful. In our business, we had no "groomer burnout and stress" arising from pet owners. To this day we are grateful for our customers as far back as 1961? As consultants our viewpoint is that we are still serving pet owners everywhere by helping you, tomorrow's pet groomers. Never lose sight of the fact that you have two clients for every grooming service, the pet and their owner.

Even in the poor economic climate of 2009 there are career opportunities awaiting. If you are right for pet grooming, you can prosper in this industry. The financial limits of your earnings are few. You can enjoy a career as employee earning desirable wages. You can start a one-person grooming business, or grow a large one. Some career seekers we work with have gone so far as to build major pet care centers. It's your decision. Pet grooming is unique, challenging and never boring. You need the right attitude and qualifications, and plenty of information.

Stephen, Webmaster and Industry Consultant
Son of Madeline Ogle, author
From Problems to Profits: The Madson Management System for Pet Grooming Businesses

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Don't expect everyone you know to agree with your career choice. Millions of workers don't love their jobs. Holding a job they love is like "mission impossible." The public's stereotypical view of pet grooming has improved. However, few realize just how resilient the market for grooming is during economic downturns. They also are unaware of the significant incomes derived from growing a large grooming business.

We've sold thousands of copies of our grooming business books to career seekers working in office cubicles. They long for a dream career hidden somewhere over a rainbow. At our career seminars participants share stories about how they were lead to pet grooming. In a moment it dawned on them that they would love to groom pets. Pet grooming was answer to good to be true. They found a career they could love.

Pet grooming is not all lemon drops with clouds far behind you. However, it's close. The economic record of grooming in the U.S. has been favorable for decades. The current current recession is having some regional impact. On the other hand, we average about 1,000 job openings daily in the PetGroomer.com Help Wanted Ads. Millions of pet owners will not altogether forgo clean, attractive pets.

If you plan to be self-employed, our advice is to write a professional business plan. The process requires you to:

• Conduct a market study of the business area.
• Examine local competition.
• Organize business goals for 3 to 5 years including financials.
• Project "cash flow" as well as sales and operating expenses.
• Determine required startup capital and more.

Having an accurate and complete business plan is even more important during an uncertain economy. While the outlook for grooming is favorable, there are significant benefits from having a plan. Think of it as a road map supplemented with alternate routes for unexpected challenges. A business plan creates awareness for the risks of self-employment as well as benefits. Is it then any wonder that banks require formal business plans for business loans? Even if you don't require a loan, a business plan for self-employed careers. We've made writing a business plan a fun and somewhat easy process with Pet Grooming Business Plan Helper & Sampler. It's one of the Grooming Business in a Box titles. We will take a closer look at self-employment later in this report.

If employment interests you we suggest you write a career plan and earnings projection. Projecting how much you will earn as a pet groomer is not a simple task, not even close. Most employers do not offer straight salaries, and earning a steady income by commission has its pratfalls too.

On the next page we will share evidence of the positive outlook for the pet industry in 2008 from business experts.