What are some things to know/do before opening your own buisness

[chelsichan]

Im going to go to grooming school after I graduate (im in 10th grade) and I want to open my own buisness eventually. Do you think its good that I want to start planning everything now? I really need advice. I barely know the first thing about opening my own buisness. I would really appreciate it if you could give some advice. I got some good advice from my introduction form (im new) but Im greedy and want more =D hehe.

[toomuchfunbnme]

Best of Luck!

I think it's great that you are planning for your career now! I didn't see the other advice that you received, but I am wondering if there is some kind of career guidence or work/study program at your school? Also I know that Junior Achievement is a great program for young people to gain valuable business experience. Here's an interesting link For Junior Achievement that has examples of successful teen entrepreneurs. http://studentcenter.ja.org/aspx/Pla...s/stories.aspx

From past experience, I have learned that any type of business, sales and cutomer relations experiences can be very valuable to a grooming career.

Even if these types of experiences are not involved directly with working with animals, the business expeience that you gain from them can easily be applied to the grooming industry and be very valuable to you. I mention this because I think that sometimes grooming training seems to lack actual business training and experience.

Here's a link to the U.S. Small Business Administrationss Teen site which may be helpful to you. http://www.sba.gov/teens/meetse.html

It sounds as if you are going to be very successful young entreprenuer! Best of luck to you!

[Chicken]

The best experience you will get will be working in other grooming shops. Before opening my shop, I worked strictly as a bather, just as a front end person, and then just as a groomer. By the time I opened my shop, I saw how to run a shop well, and just as important - how NOT to run a business.

10th grade is plenty old to get a part-time gig after school (if possible) at a local groomer & start learning the ropes. I'm sure most places would be delighted to help teach you all the aspects.

[toomuchfunbnme]

Almost forgot!

I almost forgot! In case no one else suggested this to you before...If you want to get a lot of excellent business knowledge that is all about opperating a grooming business, then you should definately get the book "Problems To Profits". It will give you wonderful insight into the "business end" of opperating a grooming business and how to do it the right way so that you are very profitable. I have even used the business information from this book to opperate a non grooming business! Good Luck!

[Fluffy Puppy]

It's always good to plan ahead.
But personally, I would go out and work for other groomers for a while after grooming school. You will not learn everything there is to know in school. (well come to think of it, even after 15 yrs, you will never learn everything lol)
Working for someone else for a while will help you get the feel of how a shop is ran and operated. Plus it will give you time to work up your speed and fine tune your grooming skills. Plus, it will give you time to save up money for equipt and other business expenses.
I didn't start my own shop until just 4 years ago..I graduated school 12 years ago and prior to going to school, I worked for 4 yrs as a bather/brusher in a shop.
I would try to get your foot in the doors now. Call around and see if any of the shops need some weekend help, or even offer to voulenteer somewhere.
I started working in a grooming shop when i was in 10th grade too....I started out just working on Sundays cleaning up the shop, then in the summer, I started bathing/brushing. Then eventually I started getting trained on shavedowns and Poodle face and feet.

Good Luck

[Misty]

Hi and welcome to the group. I think it is great that you already know what you want to do. I think the best thing that you could do would be to save up your money and buy Stephen's Business in a Box. Or at least the book From Problems to Profits.

[fifi]

Congratulations on having a great sense of direction at such a young age! I don't think I got mine until I was 30.

Everyone has given great advise I agree with all of them. Have a written plan for the next several years. A weekend job in a shop is a great idea. Plan to work in a shop after grooming school for a few years at least and take some night classes, at your local community college, in business management.

Having your own shop is awsome, but don't get in too big of a hurry. Take your time and plan well. It will pay off in the future. Remember, the best things in life are worth waiting for. Don't know who said that, wasn't me.

[fairlane]

You could try some of the bigger pet stores in your area.
Some will hire you and send you to school for trainning.
Not sure how old you have to be for employment.
Could be good start for part time employment after school or when schools out in the summer. Just dont forget about high school thats most important.

[Carisa86]

I'm excited to hear that you are 15. I just turned 21 and my business partner will be 21 in May. We graduated High School in 2004. We met at grooming school in the fall of 2004. We graduated on Dec. 17, 2004 and opened our place the 20th of Dec. (2004). It is located in her town and live 20 minutes away. We rent a spot in a pet store. We pay rent by the number of dogs we do. Which was very nice when we first started since if we had no dogs one day we didn't pay anything. Now two years later we have over 400 clients and this week alone we had 10 new ones!! I personally would have worked at another place first because I would have been too scared alone, but since we were doing it together and we learned together it's been awesome. Our goal is to open a doggy daycare, grooming and boarding facility soon!! So I encourage you to go with your goals and if you have any questions just send me a message!!

[Carisa86]

Oops, are you fifteen. I don't know where I got that from. But I reread it and you said you were in the 10th grade. Oops!!

[plushpuppy]

Follow your dreams. I opened my shop right out of grooming school. although I am alot older than you I had alot of management experience, retail, and customer service experience(most important) I also had space in my home that my husband converted to a shop. as young as you are you have plenty of time to open your own shop. Get as much experience as you can take some management and business courses, but most of all HAVE FUN

[pamperedpups]

Carisa- WOW... what an amazing story! How wonderful that you have such a good friend and business partner, not to mention a great set-up for your business! Do you have a website yet?

[jbates]

Startin

ADVERTISE-ADVERTISE-ADVERTISE INTERNET.. Don't wast big money on actual book ad..they call all of us anyway asking prices. Don't UNDERCUT us older estab guys..try to make mobile friends..maybe here is safest..can't always trust competiuon. Get A mentor.

[Waggles]

It's great that you are planning for your career now. Prehaps, consider getting a part-time job with a grooming shop in your area until you graduate. For the business aspect, check with your local Small Business Adminstration. Go to www.sba.gov to find about about your local office. They probably offer several seminars and classes that will be beneficial to you as a future business owner and have a wealth of on line information. More specific to the grooming industry, Problems to Profit is a good reference book. Good Luck.