Help! Am I crazy to consider this? long

[Peaster]

OK, big deep breath. I have been handed a great opportunity to start a grooming service at a local kennel. I went there to speak with them about another doggy related service I offer and thought they already offered grooming and was thinking that maybe I could work there rather than where I'm currently working and do two things there rather than one. (I'm in a corperate and while I like my boss and in general the other girls I feel a bit like a square peg in a round hole and well really want to be a square be peg again:-)

Well they haven't been doing any grooming other than release baths up to this point. And they are in the process of buliding a HUGE new building. They are willing to add full grooming services to what they have been doing. I got the feel of "Yeah we would like to offer grooming as we get asked about it frequently but arn't agressivly seeking a groomer as we are more focused on growing other areas of our business but are open and willing."

I feel like all I need to due is give them a sound business plan. This is what I want and hear are the numbers and I would have a job. I'm really excited but at the same time its not exactly what I was looking for. I am already in the process on starting a business and now I would be starting two. I know it not as much of a start as it would be a part of an established kennel doing well enough to expand but I would have to build the clientle from scratch. But I would have the chance to be myself.

Sorry for rambleing. I guess I'm just realizing that I have the opprountity that I wanted but it will need a lot more work than I expected. I think I'm crazy! Starting not one but two business with in a year of each other. HELP!!

[PuppyFluffer]

That does sound like a great oppotunity, but I worry that you may be putting too many irons in the fire. Starting up a biz is nerve-wracking & expensive. Doing it twice would drive me, personally, right around the bend.

I'll be interested to read other opinions.

[odette]

what is the other service? would it go hand in hand or be a big distraction?who would decide prices on grooming, what are they offering, what are you bringing,.need more info

[Peaster]

My "other" job is animal chiropractic. I just graduated as a DC in April and am going have an animal practice rather than a "human" one. I paid my way through all my undergraduate work as a groomer and went back to it right after graduation to put $$$ in the bank while I worked on getting licenced and my biz up and running. Well I discovered along the way that I really love grooming and don't want to give it up so..... I'm working on figuring out I might fit both professions in my life. I want to continue grooming and don't want to keep working for a coperate company but I guess the starting someplace else from scratch is a bit scary.

As far as the other business questions it seems like a situation that I free to set things up as I would like them to be. Within reason of course.

[odette]

sounds like a great starting place! here we have to go alover to get a bone doc for our sport dogs... sheesh go for it! it will get your name out there, you can become highly sought after and rake in the money. just make sure that you can advertise and do the chiropractic(sp) also. you need cash, they need a draw no one else has. get everything in a contract, chacked by an attorney and go make us proud!

[Poodlestar]

cover every detail

If you do that, then it should be fabulous. You can do both in the same location.

[Mamabearwith2]

Why can't you start up your chiro biz and do grooming along with that yourself? What benefit would it be to hook up with this kennel? Are you doing it to accomodate them because you're flattered they asked you to start up a grooming biz? I think you need to follow your heart and do what YOU want to do.

[AuntieBeth]

such a tough choice...

got to say that if you are blessed to have a specialty then you should go with that. There a way fewer animal chiropractors than dog groomers out there. If it were my choice focus on one thing or another- you will end up not having the time for both but because the chiro will have to be built u you will find it easier to groom in an already established market and may get hooked on the money as opposed to the skill. Do both to start but the responsibility of running both sounds tough- especially if you have a family life.
I believe in specializing... find your niche and service it.

[PoodleeDoo]

go with your gut

Go with your gut. Are you a person who can expand a biz...do you want to? Firstly, you could do both, and open your own office as such. Do grooming t/thu and chiro mon/wed/fri etc... till your chiro is so busy you need to go f/t then hire a groomer or shut down the grooming... or, if you love grooming more... then just advertise both ..specialize as a groomer who has a specialty in chiropractics...and you will happily offer chiropractice as a piece of your animal spa...etc. and just set your schedule so that you may do both. will you be mobile? or will you be solid ina shop?

either way....why build a shop inside someone elses and let them reap the benefits of your education? why not open your own shop even if you start from home? but also remember you will need extra insurance for the chiro part...but i see no reason why you cannot do both... be a chiro who does grooming also as an option; or be a groomer who, unlike other groomers offers chiro service too. and just schedule accordingly and bill accordingly. name your spa.... a spa with such and such a servce. if you want to do both..that s what would do. for example f i was a licensed massage therapst in dogs I would simply call myself a pet rejuvnaton spa and say i do grooming and massage as requested for such and such a price... and then t would be all one biling b/c they are both services...i'd think.

thats what I would do. but i am not someone who wants to work under someone else. I want to make my own money, work when i want to , as long as I want to, and bill what I want to. If you want someone else to set the stuff for you, and you are on a cut, or a commission ..or whatever then you go that route.

Just do what works for 'you.' I know what you mean about not liking the corp world and feeling out of place. and if theres one thing we can do to shorten our lives (from stress) its workin in a place we do not belong ...

go for it. if you love grooming and are good at it... stick with it and be happy that you..above all other groomers can ALSO offer this speciality service. wow. just think..a person could have their dog adjusted and groomed on the same day

good luck!