I have to give up..

[jlb0831]

This thread I'm posting is an emotional release for me.. Just a way of letting out the extreme sadness I'm feeling right now..
I'm forced to give up on my 25 year long dream of having my own business.
I started grooming from my home almost a year ago and do house call. Things started to go pretty well, so I quit working at a shop to persue it full time.. Then the bottom dropped out and I'm getting NO new clients. I'm surrouned by other salons, and do live in a "poor" town. But I'm totally familiar with the other shops work in the area, and without saying too much, I'll just say they are less then perfect groomers. I even had one call me the other day to help them with a dog that they didn't know how to groom.. Their equipment was old, rusted and the shop was dirty.. They use white rain shampoo and conditioners on the dogs because it's "cheap".. I'm just SO blown away that they are working full days, and I've got zilch.. Clients that I have gotten are all amazed at how great their dogs look, and all tell me horror stories about the other places around here. But non of that matters, really..
I've applied to a "pet something" that I use to work at years ago, and also to a veterinarian practice that advertised for a groomer.
I've spent what I could on advertising.. Flyers, brochures, free website places with my website posted (which is really nice), handed out business cards everywhere I could, etc. But I can't generate enough cash flow to do anymore advertising. I groom from my home, and I think because I don't have a "salon" many people assume that I must not be very good. I don't cage dry, give individual appointments and have yet to have a complaint.. Every one of the customers I have gotten rave about me.. But good reviews alone don't pay the bills. They also don't provide Christmas for my family... I've actually had to explain to my 8 year old daughter why there will only be one or two presents under the tree for her this year.. But her God Mother always spoils her this time of year, and it's not like she'll have a "bad" Christmas.. But I should be the one to provide her with those things she wrote down on her list to Santa.. NOT her God Mother.. Hell, I'm still trying to figure out a way to buy a new clipper since mine is no longer working well.. And I'll need one to work either of these jobs I'm interviewing for.. And I've already been "offered" the pet something job.. The "test dog" they are having me do is a "formality" as they put it, considering they know my work already.. Yes.. After I start working full time again, things will get better finacially for us, bills will get caught up, along with rent (behind in everything)... But that doesn't change the fact that 25 years of working for someone else and endoring much mental and physical abuse by 99% of them has still gotten me "no where".. I still can't have my own business.. My dream.. And I'm beyond sad about it.. Especially when these other salons are so busy.. My heart just aches.. But there are no other choices for me.. I guess all I can do for now is just be thankful that there IS a roof over our heads and we still have many blessings in our lives.. We have each other and good friends, and we're loved by many.. And I have my wonderful poodle, who brightens every day.. Those are the best blessings one could ask for.. But my own grooming salon just isn't meant to be..
So, to all you salon owners out there: I know many of you are going insane this time of year.. Your tired, over worked, stressed out and eat dog hair for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (lol)... But be thankful. No matter how tired, cranky and achey you are,,, Please know that you are truly blessed and fortunate.. And I salute ALL of you for all your hard work..
Happy Holidays to you all, and thank you for being here. I'm so happy to have a place to go to vent.. lol.. I might have "lost it" months ago if not for the great advice, guidence and knowledge I've recieved here.
Now.. With my luck, I'll be offered both jobs I'm interviewing for, and I'll be posting another thread asking for advice on which one to accept..... Stay tuned!!

[partipoomom]

Jen, I'm really sorry you're having a rough time. I truly wish you could have my shop where you live. If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know. And give that big goofball a kiss on his poodley nose for me. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him, and now with Trinket gone, I think of him even more often.


Bless you, and give your daughter a hug from me too.

[dogspaw]

I truly understand where you are right now. Please dont look at your situation as a point where you have to give up, rather a point where you have to take a step back. Sometimes we have to take one step backward to move many steps forward, but dont ever close and "lock" the door to owning your own business. It may just be that the time is not right for you right now. You have to work to support your family, everyone understands that, but things could change so completly in just a few months time. Once you catch up, start getting a little extra equipment, or start a little savings account (or a big glass jar in the back corner of the closet like I did) but never give up on your dream. I hope you do get offered both jobs, then you can choose which one suits you better and the dream to be a successfull business owner one day.

[borzoimom]

Good Luck on getting offered both jobs. But don't look at it as giving up your dream of your own shop, just as a detour along the journey. You said you started grooming from home a year ago; that was just as the economy was taking a nose-dive. Even though the other shops are busy, it may be because owners have to choose to feed their children or have a beautifully groomed pet. The owners may feel that they can live with a less than perfect groom for the time being. Eventually the economy has to turn around and there may come a time that will be right to try again. When that time comes, start slowly and carefully and holding onto the "other" job as long as possible to make sure your shop can support itself. Either way look at the bright side, you are still able to groom dogs and not sitting behind a desk somewhere doing mind-numbing paperwork. Good Luck and let us know where you will be working.

[alina1686]

(

I know how you feel, my condo is getting foreclosed on, I am filing for bankruptcy, and all I have now is my shop. So I can't give up on it. You shouldn't give up yet either. The funny thing is that working for someone else you will actually make money, when you open a business, like you know, there is no profit for a while. Like everyone said, just look at is as a detour. Starting a home grooming business seems like a hard thing to do, maybe offer house call? I spent a ton of money on advertising too and it didn't seem to get me ANYWHERE! Its so unfortunate that all of those other groomers actually have business with the condition of their shop too. If only people would understand! So, good luck with everything and just try to set some money aside for your business, it will work out eventually...

[gr8danlvr1]

Have you dropped cards off @ surrounding vet practices? It is free, and everyone who enters those doors has a pet. Also, do you offer your existing customers a discount for referrals? If you are getting no new traffic, then you really need to have your current customers working for you. Offer your customers a discount if they refer someone who actually shows up for the groom. I believe some offer a discount to the new client on the first time also, just to get them in the door. Just remember, Petsomethings are open @ night, so you can still groom out of your house during the day and then go there of a night. Just have them set you up as a part time stylist, you can still work like 35.5 hours and be considered part time. And like others said, don't give up, just consider it another slight detour. This has been probably one of the worst years to try to open a business in quite sometime.

[alina1686]

Yea, I would not have thought of that! Work part time at the vet or the pet-something and work part time out of your house. Just schedule dogs at home 2-3 days out of the week!

[kats_melody]

I know how you feel, my condo is getting foreclosed on, I am filing for bankruptcy, and all I have now is my shop.

My husband and I had to make a similar decision last year. It was either keep the business or keep a house that the mortgage company was giving us fits about. We got behind two months when Richard had a heart attack. We could not get caught up fast enough, and when the mortgage company threatened to lock us out of our own home, we told them they could have it, moved out to a rental, and filed personal bankruptcy. It was one of the smartest moves we ever made.

Those who were willing to work with us while we reorganized got 100 cents on the dollar in settlement or their loan instruments were reaffirmed. Those who decided they could get blood out of a turnip got ZERO. We are now current with our remaining creditors and are putting our financial house in order. Since we let the house go, we were able to keep the business instead of liquidating the business assets.

Our new rental is three times the size of our old place, on three acres instead of one. The landlord lives next door, and is glad to have us living in a house he would have lost if we were not renting from him. There is less stress on my husband, because if something breaks around the house, the landlord fixes it.

We had to cut back on some business expenses due to the economic downturn, but we may survive yet. We have run into those who say we are less than honorable people because we filed for bankruptcy protection. We only say that GM, Chrysler, and several financial giants sought similar protection, and survive today. We didn't get a big bailout, no free money, and we have self-financed every part of our business. Where we were able to meet reasonable creditor demands, we did so. When other creditors decided to take advantage of our predicament by arbitrarily raising rates, fees, and tacking on attorney charges instead of working with us, they got nothing.

So don't feel badly, do what you have to do. Waiting on a white knight in the form of help from the government for the little guy isn't going to happen.

Best of luck to you.

[spudman]

sorry

If it were not for the other groomer I let move into my shop I would be in the same boat as you. It has been hard for me to watch her do well and be patient for my own clinets to bulid. I can say that I have not had a month that I haven't had new dogs. And I envey those that are so busey this time of year as I went one week with only three dogs all week. That was last week even the first three days this week were bad.
If you take the job at pet-something remember that they will frown on you doing dogs at your house insted of doing them at there shop. If I were not so honest I would have done that to. But then I may not have made myself stick it out hear at home. Most weeks I wish I had a big shop that needed help on weekends and monday as that is my slowest days.
I second the person that says at least you get to still groom dogs and not have to do something elce.

Hang in there and if you can still work out of your home and not give up on that all togather.

Take Care ............... OLGA