Bark & Bath Pet Salon Is Going Places!

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Footage by TB Images

Canine groomer and salon proprietor Colleen Voegtli was nervous about opening Bark and Bathtub Pet Salon. But, seven months later, she has three workers and over 1,000 purchasers.

“I don’t wish to say it’s less complicated than I believed it might be, however should you’re captivated with it, it’s attainable. I want I’d carried out it sooner,” she shares about her journey to turning into a salon proprietor.

In the summertime of 2021, Voegtli began in search of the suitable location, and she or he discovered it! Bark and Bathtub Pet Salon is situated in Lusby, Maryland, about 20 minutes away from the salon in Prince Frederick the place she’d gotten her begin and labored for fourteen years.

“I wished to be respectful of my mentor. Plus, I believed there was a requirement in Lusby. There was no different pet groomer there,” she continues. “I began taking a look at buying facilities. Some landlords don’t need canine of their house, however City Sq. in Lusby labored out. The owner was very accommodating and high quality with canine.” 

With a constructive landlord on board, Voegtli felt good concerning the house, however there was an impediment…It was huge! “It was over 2,500 sq. ft. It was intimidating. However my husband was optimistic. He helped me see that it was an area I might develop into it,” she shares.

The placement had different issues going for it in addition to the constructive landlord, together with being a former hair salon, which labored in Voegtli’s favor: “This saved me cash on the build-out as a result of the plumbing, electrical energy, lighting, and structure have been already in place.” 

The licensing and paperwork for the canine grooming salon went easily, too. “Calvert County helps small-business development throughout the county,” she continues. “In addition they have assist workers in place to encourage companies to begin, develop, and flourish.” 

Voegtli shared that her greatest impediment was leaving her outdated job: “I began at Rita’s Grooming in Prince Frederick, MD as a bather after I was 14 years outdated. I began out prepping the canine for the proprietor, Rita. She then taught me carry out shave-downs on the canine, and later she taught me breed commonplace haircuts together with scissoring expertise. I couldn’t have carried out any of this with out her. I’d prefer to thank Rita for being my mentor and introducing me to the world of grooming.” 

Nevertheless, after 14 years of working for Rita, Voegtli was able to department out. 

“She was pleased for me and wished me nicely,” she added.

Although Voegtli initially deliberate to function as a one-woman salon, she expanded earlier than she even opened: “A good friend and fellow groomer wished to return and work with me. We opened on October 5, 2021; myself and Victoria, the opposite groomer.” 

At her earlier salon, folks tended to drop off their canine within the mornings and choose them up later. That allowed the groomers to work on them all through the day, however Voegtli observed that not everybody appreciated that, and a few wished to choose up their canine sooner. At Bark and Bathtub, she is ready to accommodate that. 

“We work straight by means of on our purchasers. In fact, if prospects must drop off their canine earlier than work and choose it up later, we will accommodate that too, however 90% of my purchasers desire to choose up their canine as quickly as attainable,” she shares. 

For the pups who’ll keep longer, Voegtli got here up with a inventive option to provide a secure, but kennel-free expertise: “I created Doggie Suites. They’re round 6 ft. x 8 ft. for canine with anxiousness and homeowners preferring a cage-free expertise. It’s an upsell for $10.”

She’s added two extra workforce members, too. Now a workforce of 4, every groomer works one on one with their canine. 

“We don’t have a separate bather or dryer. Every of us works on one canine at a time. I like having the one on one with the canine, and plenty of of our purchasers recognize that too. They like realizing who’s engaged on their canine from begin to end,” Voegtli says.

As well as, the one-on-one strategy permits every groomer to do what they assume is greatest for his or her shopper. “Each groomer is explicit about their canine,” she continues. “We are able to take our time and use the merchandise we really feel are the very best for our shopper on that day.” 

With issues falling in place for the Bark and Bathtub Pet Salon, Voegtli is happy. And to be able to present the best-quality grooming expertise, the close-knit workforce continues to be taught collectively: “We’re doing month-to-month persevering with training coaching streaming webinars. We may also be attending expos yearly. This ensures we’re offering the very best providers and merchandise to our purchasers,” she says. 

To conclude, Voegtli shares this parting recommendation to groomers contemplating going out on their very own: 

“Do it. I used to be actually scared and nervous at first. I used to be questioning if I used to be making the suitable determination not just for my profession, however my household as nicely. It has all paid off. It’s an astounding feeling to run your individual salon and provide prospects and pets the expertise you wish to present.” ✂️





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