Are you a pet groomer or animal lover considering starting your own business?  Owning and operating a pet grooming service might be for you if you enjoy working with animals, have an eye for beauty, and work like a dog to make customers happy.  The Pet Grooming industry is a fast-growing field with low start-up costs that can allow you to do work you love while enjoying the autonomy of business ownership.

Industry Trends

The pet grooming industry is at an all-time high thanks to the health of the economy, increasing pet ownership rates, and a shift in consumer behavior regarding pet care.  The US Pet Ownership & Demographic Sourcebook cites that over 60% of pet owners consider their pets to be family members.  The growth in industry revenue supports this finding as more pet owners are spending disposable income on premium pet services.  Industry revenue has posted consistent gains over the past decade and outpaced the economy average as of 2018.

According to a Forbes article, almost 85 million U.S. households have a pet, and within the last 30 years, pet ownership has gone from 56% to 68% of all households.

Because of the increased demand for pet services and the low barrier of entry into the field, competition within the industry is also at an all-time high. Preparing a well-thought-out business plan that includes cost-effective marketing strategies is important in the long-term success of your business.

Target Market

The primary target demographic for a pet grooming business is pet owners between 30 and 64.  Pew Research Center found that 40% of 30 to 49-year-olds owned pets and had the second-highest annual pet expenditure, just shy of the 57% of 50 to 64-year-olds who own pets.

According to American Pet Products, Millennials are the largest demographic owning pets, and this generation pays more on their pets for quality products and services than other demographics.

Experience, Education, and Skills Useful in Running a Pet Grooming Business

There is no industry oversight requiring certification or education, but as pets are considered family, completing an accredited certification program before starting your business may help establish credibility. It can also be beneficial to have experience in the safe handling of pets in a grooming setting before accepting clients.  Getting your pet first aid and CPR certification through organizations like the American Red Cross can protect you and the pets you service in case of an emergency.

Costs to Start a Pet Grooming Business

The cost of starting a pet grooming business depends on your business model.  Whether you choose a brick-and-mortar business, an at-home business, or a mobile business will affect your start-up costs.

Aside from the location, every grooming business needs basic equipment and supplies.  Basic supplies include clippers, shears, scissors, sprays, shampoo, conditioner, brushes, dryers, nail clippers, bandanas, bows, and cleaning supplies.  Equipment needs include an administrative desk, office organization furniture, tubs, grooming tables, crates, and possibly a washing machine and dryer.  If you sell retail, you will also have to factor in inventory costs.

Provided the cost to renovate and furnish the location is minimal, it is feasible to start a pet grooming business for $2,000-$3,000.

Steps to Starting a Pet Grooming Business

Step 1: Write your Business plan

After coming up with an idea, the next step in starting any business should be to write a business plan.  Not only will a bank require you to have one, but multiple studies have shown that a business plan helps increase the odds of starting a successful business. A properly used business plan will serve the entrepreneur as the road map for their business, helping them achieve their business goals.

Step 2: Form a Business Entity

A business entity refers to how a business is legally organized. There are four primary business entities to choose from, which include the sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and Limited Liability Company (LLC).  Each type of entity has its own pros and cons, such as liability exposure, costs, and administrative requirements.

Step 3: Name the Business

Finding the perfect business name can be challenging. Not only does the name have to resonate with your customers, but it also has to be available to use.

Step 4: Select your Location

While most grooming shops don’t necessarily require a prime, high-traffic location storefront, it is usually important to be located close to where people traveling to and from work can easily get to your location.  Also, since you are working with animals that will sometimes be noisy, be sure to check zoning and covenants in case you have a neighbor that doesn’t approve.

The type of pet grooming business you start will probably be the biggest factor affecting your facility’s cost.  The most cost-effective option is to operate out of your own home.  While this saves the cost of renting or purchasing a building and is often a good choice when getting started, it may limit the scale and image of the business.  Hiring additional groomers to expand your business may not be an option if you are a home-based business as well.  Be sure to verify whether you can operate a business from your home if you plan to be home-based.

The second option is to rent or purchase a brick-and-mortar building to operate the business.  The cost per square foot varies depending on the area’s affluence, proximity to traffic, and demand for properties, among other factors.  You want to choose a location convenient for pet owners to drop off and pick up their pets while not spending too much on rent or mortgage payments.  The size of the building should be appropriate to allow for future plans of the business.

Pet grooming businesses have very distinct spatial needs, and the building must be able to accommodate those areas.  An effective floor plan design for a grooming business will typically contain four main spaces: a receiving lobby, a pet holding area, a bathing and drying room, and a styling and grooming room.

The third option is to take your pet grooming business on the road.  Mobile dog grooming has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to the convenience it provides pet owners and the freedom for the business owner.  Used and refurbished vans or trailers are fairly easy to find, making this option cost-effective compared to a building.  The most common issue mobile groomers face is failing equipment, like the vehicle or power generator.  When going mobile, be sure to have one or more back-up plans if this happens so that customers won’t be inconvenienced.  Another pitfall to mobile grooming is running the risk of wasting valuable time and fuel traveling between clients.  This can be avoided by keeping an efficient appointment schedule that limits travel distance each day.

Step 5: Register for Business Licenses and Permits

While there is no business licensing exclusive to groomers, there are some common local, state, and federal registrations that may be needed, including a sales tax permit, Employer Identification Number, and Occupancy Permit. If you in Ghana contact SamBoad Business Group Limited for all business consultation and registration

Step 6: Find Financing

Coming up with a good business idea and having the skills to run it are one thing, but getting the funding to start a grooming business is another.  Fortunately, the cost to start a new grooming business is relatively low; however, getting the funding to start can be difficult.  Banks are typically going to want the borrower to have good credit and personally invest 15-25% towards the total start-up costs.

Step 7: Open a Business Bank Account

Keeping your business and personal finances in separate business bank and credit card accounts makes it easier to track the business’s income and expenses.

Step 8: Get your Marketing Ready

With the increase in the number of competitors comes a need for effective marketing and advertising.  Marketing efforts don’t have to be expensive to be effective.  The most effective form of marketing is by generating word-of-mouth referrals.  According to a 2016 study conducted by Nielsen, 82% of consumers seek a personal recommendation before making a purchase, and 92% of consumers trust a personal recommendation over any other form of advertising.  Creating a referral rewards system is a great way to ensure client loyalty and attract new clients.

Another marketing tactic for pet groomers is to network with local veterinarians and pet service professionals who do not offer grooming.  Over time, those relationships could lead to your business being the professional recommendation of those established business owners.

You can also leverage the power of social media to gain brand name exposure.  Using Instagram and Facebook’s targeted advertisement platform can allow you to create ads that reach pet owners within a certain distance of your business.  This is a great opportunity to run a limited-time offer and to promote it online, reaching even more pet owners who may not know of your service offerings. For social media marketing, the best firm now is SamBoad Media Consult, subsidiary of SamBoad Business Group Limited

Step 9: Obtain Business Insurance

Groomers operating out of a shop will likely want general liability insurance to protect them from a customer slipping and falling or from a bite.  Mobile groomers will likely need to get a policy as most personal auto insurance policies don’t cover commercial activity. For insurance in Ghana, contact SamBoad Business Group Limited

Step 10: Hire Employees

For entrepreneurs wanting to grow a pet grooming business larger than what they can do by themselves, hiring employees will be necessary.  As more competitors enter the market, finding and hiring skilled workers who will maintain the business’s quality of service and reputation is an important factor in ongoing success.  This results in needing to pay higher wages for skilled groomers.  Minimum wage will apply to the front-line employees working at the front desk and answering phones.

Step 11: Set up an Accounting System

Setting up an accounting system is critical to the long-term success of your business.

Staying on top of taxes not only keeps the business out of trouble with the government, but the numbers can be used to track and monitor trends and cash flow in the business and maximize profits.

How much can a dog groomer make?

The earning potential for a grooming business depends on a multitude of factors, including the location of the business, the average per capita income of your market, the population density of your area, competition, and overhead costs.  SBDCNet found that on average, brick-and-mortar grooming services charged $36 per session whereas mobile services charged the premium fee of $51 per session.

You can limit your overhead to increase your profit margins but must be cognizant of the impact that your financial decisions will have on the quality of your services.  For example, under-staffing to cut labor costs may cause poor customer service experiences for your clients.  You can maximize your revenue potential by either selling retail or offering a wider variety of services that require little additional overhead.  Offering a dog walking service would increase your revenue while not requiring additional real estate space or inventory costs.  The only additional cost for this service would be the compensation for the employee who walks the dogs.