It’s possible you’ll know Jay Scruggs as a well-liked speaker and choose at high trade occasions like Intergroom, Groom Expo and lots of others. He was additionally an award-winning aggressive groomer, garnering titles similar to “American Groomer of the 12 months” in 2001, the primary recipient of the “Groomer of the 12 months Award” at Westminster Canine Present in 2002 and “Grooming Choose of the 12 months” in 2004.
However, what you won’t know, is that when he’s not globe-trotting to trade occasions, he runs a high-demand cellular grooming enterprise in Germantown, Tennessee. A pioneer in cellular canine grooming, he began his enterprise, Right here Comes the Groom, in 1996, and is now booked out a 12 months prematurely.
“We haven’t taken new shoppers in years and years. I’ve the identical regulars; some canines are weekly, and others are month-to-month,” Jay says.
Like most groomers, Jay grew up loving animals. He even labored in a veterinarian’s workplace whereas in highschool as an assistant wherever he was wanted: “I shaved down canines, cleaned enamel and kennels, even washed the veterinarian’s automobile,” he recollects.
Jay then headed off to school, not sure of what he needed to do. Three years in, his mother advised he take a break. Based on Jay, “Mothers all the time know. She stated, ‘You don’t know what you wish to do. I discovered a grooming college. Do you wish to take a semester off from faculty and check out it?’”
It seems it was an ideal match: “The primary day I used to be there, I knew find out how to maintain a clipper from my time on the veterinarian’s workplace. The instructors stated, ‘We expect you’re a pure,’” Jay shares.
Nevertheless, whereas grooming college went nicely, his first job wasn’t such an ideal match: “I lasted in the future in a store. It was loopy and hectic,” Jay continues. “She instructed me to not come again; instructed me I’d by no means make it within the trade. The next day, I referred to as a cellular groomer and went to work for her. Once I received the World Championship in 2001, I despatched my first boss a replica of the article and a observe that stated, ‘Bear in mind me?’”
Issues have solely gotten higher for Jay since these early days. He runs his cellular enterprise as a solo operation and plans to maintain it that method: “Folks all the time say, ‘Why not get one other van? Develop?’ However I like holding it easy. I’m so explicit about what I do. I simply elevate my costs, and I sleep nicely at evening,” he shares.
Jay can be systematic in his method to work. In relation to scheduling his appointments, he doesn’t journey far: “My schedule is tight. I’d journey 5-10 minutes in between clients. When you drive half-hour in between clients, you possibly can have groomed a canine in that point interval,” he states.
In relation to the grooming work, he additionally has a course of: “It is determined by the canine’s desire, however I normally do physique work, legs, ft, after which head. I’ve a variety of once-a-week clients and some month-to-month shoppers. Principally they’re bathtub, brush, and upkeep grooms,” Jay continues. “No matted canines, and that makes it environment friendly.”
His clients pre-book their appointments for the 12 months in November, so it’s straightforward to schedule round competitions and different actions. For instance, when not concerned in canine grooming, Jay finds time to educate his baby’s highschool basketball staff.
When requested if he had any recommendation for groomers considering whether or not to open a brick-and-mortar store or do cellular grooming, he stated, “My recommendation is, first, work for somebody in each environments. Some individuals get claustrophobic within the van, and a few don’t like working alone all day. Different individuals like having individuals and canines round all of them day in a store atmosphere. Strive each out and see what fits you.”
Another recommendation Jay supplied was investing in high quality gear: “You want a superb dryer, actually good clippers, and a hydraulic desk. These make an enormous distinction in your profitability,” he provides.
Apart from good gear, Jay says these different components are essential for charging premium charges: “Being on time is essential. Preserve your van clear. Gown and act professionally. Then you possibly can cost the upper charges of a cellular groomer.
“Many groomers burn out as a result of they’re not charging what they’re price,” he provides. “I say, ‘Our costs begin at “X” and go up.’ I might by no means say, ‘We begin at “X” and go to “Y”’ with out seeing the canine. When you haven’t seen the canine, you don’t know the coat’s situation. For instance, if the doodle hasn’t been to the groomer in six months, it’s going to take longer.”
Along with working his profitable cellular enterprise and being a well known groomer, choose and speaker, Jay additionally runs the subscription-based coaching platform for groomers referred to as Tremendous Styling Classes in partnership with fellow famous person groomer Sue Zecco. The staff now has over 1,400 coaching movies obtainable starting from breed trims to on a regular basis questions answered. Jay can be a Wahl Elite Group Member, a Groomer’s Alternative Model rep and has his personal line of shears, The Jay Scruggs Signature Sequence.
Jay is an open e-book with regards to grooming and grooming training, and, surely, the most effective. However he says if he hadn’t been a groomer, he would have discovered one thing else to do together with his arms: “I additionally had a garden care enterprise as an adolescent. I’ve fastened up and flipped homes with my spouse. I’ve all the time labored with my arms,” concludes Jay. ✂️
