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Mobile Pet Grooming Business
Mobile pet grooming comes to the pet owner,
adding an extra dimension of convenience
for the customer. As with other mobile businesses,
there is a big cost advantage for the entrepreneur
versus a traditional storefront operation:
- no costs for store rental or purchase
- no real estate taxes
- no utility bills
- no investment in furniture or fixed equipment
Instead, a mobile pet grooming service can
be run out of a car or small van. Additionally,
many customers may elect to have their pets
groomed more frequently, when they can do
so more easily.
Before entering this business, it is imperative
that you already have some hands-on experience
with pets and pet grooming to determine that
it is to your liking. Getting a job in an
existing bricks-and-mortar grooming business
is one possible way to learn the ropes without
first enrolling in a pet grooming school.
Note that many states, counties, and/or localities
license pet groomers, often requiring examinations
and/or formal training.
Besides visiting pet owners at
their homes,
also approach nonprofit organizations
that
tend to offer car washes as fundraisers,
such as scouting troops, schools,
youth sports
teams, volunteer fire companies,
rescue squads,
etc. Suggest that they add pet
grooming,
with you as the provider (perhaps
at reduced
cost), to their menu of services.
Additionally, look to forge alliances
with
pet daycare sites (those without
their own
grooming operations, of course),
dog walking
services, etc. This is a way
both to expand
your customer base quickly and
to reduce
the amount of driving around
that you must
do.
The feasibility of providing your service
on site at large employers and shopping centers
(see our discussions of mobile car washes and mobile oil changes) hinges on:
- Having adequate facilities at your disposal
in which to perform your services and to
keep safe custody of pets until their owners
return to pick them up. Be mindful of local
health and animal welfare ordinances.
- Limiting the length of time between drop
off and pick up of a pet. Otherwise, you
may end up unexpectedly devoting too much
of your time to low-value pet sitting rather
than to high-value grooming, or you may have
to add extra staff to assist in this regard.
At shopping centers, it is entirely reasonable
that you set a firm limit on the amount of
time that you will hold a pet. At office
parks
and office buildings, you probably would
have to mind a large group of pets for the
entire working day or shift. If so, your
charge should reflect that added level of
service.
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