# Need advice from other groomers



## Groomer (Mar 26, 2013)

I'm on the fence about selling my shop! I have worked so hard to get it just the way I want it. BUT- I feel like it's taken over my life and not paying me enough. My phone rings constantly and I really can't do more than 6 dogs a day without having old injuries bother me. I do have a groomer and she's great. Just with grooming, employees are expensive. Paying a groomer is immediately 50%/60% + employee expenses. I've been told to go to hourly and I tried hiring without any luck for over 2 years. My prices are about 40% higher than the competition and still I have groomers coming in demanding 50-75% as employees. At 75% I'd be paying out of my pocket for each dog they groomed. They say x shop pays %60 and I try to explain if I paid them 40% they'd still come out ahead! The other places around here are just so outdated with broken tables,dryers,etc. (I worked places and know owners) The local grooming school tells its students that they must get at least 50% or the owner is taking advantage of you. Its like a restaurant paying a chef commission on every plate. Its all skilled work and yes groomers deserve a fair wage. When I'm paying 50%, the other 50% isn't going in my pocket. Taxes, insurance, advertisements, disposables, receptionist, eats it up and leaves a few dollars. 

My rent is under 2k a month (Plus other expenses)so at least that's good. I priced out mobile and buying a new van plus expenses came to just over 3k a month. I love running a business but the profit and income I want just isn't there after all the expenses. So I'm here asking for advice because I'm strongly considering opening up some other type of business where paying hourly is the norm!


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

We are having this exact discussion here...http://www.facebook.com/groups/petindustry/ I will write more in a bit.


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## Groomer (Mar 26, 2013)

Do I need to make a facebook account to view the page?

It's just so hard to do so much work and having employees demand so much money. They get to come in work until finished and then leave. They can't seem to understand that what I do doesn't work like that. I'm there hours after they leave still working. Then with commission you get "I'm not being paid to clean" deal. Then they won't take hourly because that means "The boss is trying to take advantage of us" Its just become so much worse in the last 10 years with needs and demands.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I think you need facebook, as its a closed group. I know what you are saying, and I dont hire groomers for those very reasons. I cannot make any money at 50% by the time I pay payroll taxes, workmens comp, more supplies etc. Not to mention its not worth the drama. I hired a bather instead, hourly. Best thing I ever did. I can easily do 5-8 more dogs a day, and make more money without ruining my body faster from wear and tear. I also stay very busy, booked at least two weeks, year round. When it starts getting to three weeks out, I raise prices. This weeds out clients, but I still make the same money, doing less dogs. Working smarter, not harder. The bather is responsible for cleaning, so when I am done at the end of the day, I vacuum the last of the hair and leave. If you prefer to keep groomers, they should be signing a contract. It should state what they are responsible for doing, in addition to grooming. Cleaning, laundry, etc. If the decline to sign it, send them packing. 

Unfortunately, selling a salon is not profitable. The price comes from equipment, as the client list is useless to a new owner, except as a mailong list. Those clients are not in contract to stay on with new ownership/groomers, and many leave. Even though you may be grossing good numbers, the shop isnt worth good numbers to a new owner. The tangibles are the only thing you can put a number on. Stinks, cause as a business owner, I know how hard I have worked to make my salon what it is now.


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## Groomer (Mar 26, 2013)

Thank you for the advice and I will hopefully sit down a join facebook just to see the postings!

Three shops around me have sold in the last 2/3 years. I'm actually speaking to the business broker who sold the other shops. They ranged in asking price from 115k to 125k. She said they sold for between 10 to 15% less than asking. One of the listings information was very similar to mine except my rent is $1500 less/month and my pets are about $25 higher to start. Gross income was very close. That shop was 4 miles from mine. Right now I have 18k in equipment (including depreciation/ used market value). Build out was just over 50k. I wanted to price at 68k for a quick sale and she said to ask for more than that. 

I have no issues with my current groomer. Just finding another have proven very hard to do. My last interview wanted M-F 9:30 to 3pm, 70%, paid vacation and the ability to call out with a days notice. The last place she worked went out of business. Oh and her words "owner was cheap"

Before that was a groomer who had graduated grooming school. Couldn't use clip combs, couldn't do faces, pluck ears, trim nails without drawing blood, couldn't clip inside of legs or sanitary. Any blade between a 5f and 3 she couldn't use. Tried training her for 7 weeks and finally had too many offenses that I had to fire her. Called out 22 days out of the 8 weeks of work.(Drunk, car accidents x5, personal issues, I have a concert, etc) I was paying $25 an hour for her to cause stress and injure pets. She also couldn't understand safety procedures. And "Don't smoke in front of the building" 3 times a day I'd have to remind her to get out from in front of the building. "Oh I'm sorry, I forgot" Wow. At least the other 3 or 4 times she'd go out back. 

Before that I had one who just couldn't get to work within an hour of a start time. Constantly called out sick over boyfriend issues, childcare issues, personal issues, moving issues. At least she didn't cut dogs and was friendly. 

crazy right?


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I feel your pain on finding a good groomer. I have seen plenty of what you talk about when I managed a grooming salon at a vet clinic years ago. Car accidents, bf in jail, showing up drunk, etc. After seeing that, I decided I dont want employees at my salon! Lol Wow, thats crazy that people are paying that kind of money for a salon, but heck, go for it if you can get it. I think thats crazy, but if someone will pay it, its all good. Def join fb if you can. There are tons of groomer groups, and thousands of groomers that you can ask questions or get info from in the groups. Thats what we are all there for. From business stuff to grooming critiques. I can point you to the good ones if you join. Just let me know.


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## Groomer (Mar 26, 2013)

Thank You graco I almost felt like the only one with this issue. Yesterday I actually had an interview with someone and it seems like a good match. They showed up on time and have been in the business for 30 years. Same workplace for the last 7 years but they've been scheduling her to work 6 days a week from 7am to 6pm. (under new owners) The three other groomers in the shop are also looking to leave. Also, had a chat with my current groomer who actually said she would love to go out into mobile If I ever decided to expand. She can drive a truck and trailer and while looking into those my expenses would be much lower per month. Huge bonus because I could pay for a trailer in cash unlike a van where my quote was $76k for the small one. Ouch. Talking to you this short bit really helped me not feel so alone in this issue. 


I do have a question for you Graco. What advice can you give me on providing benefits. What are some things I can provide that would go a long way in how my employees feel? Last year I gave out a Christmas bonus and every summer I buy a new clipper and blade set along with clip combs. I've looked up insurance but it just doesn't seem to be possible to provide that.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

It sounds like maybe you have a good match with the new interview! Fingers crossed for you. Trust me, you are NOT alone out there! Get on fb and you will see hundreds with the same issues, and its a great place to get many points of view, from owners and employees alike. That is great to do Christmas bonuses! And a new clipper or other toy is very nice too. Do you and your groomers attend seminars and trade shows? Anyone wanting to compete? Paying for all or some of those expenses, and being supportive of continued ed whether its seminars or competing is huge, IMO. Any paid vacation? I see alot of salons giving the standard 2 weeks paid vacay a year. You could also put blackout dates on that, like the busy times before Xmas, etc. Just throwing ideas out for you. Do you ever take everyone out to dinner and drinks, and talk about what they are feeling? Where they would like to see things changed, etc? Sometimes its nice to get out of the salon environment, helps to create comraderie and friendships, so getting along and working well together comes easier. Hope this helps some?


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## Maryanna (Jun 14, 2013)

Why don't you rent a spot to a groomer or groomers, rather than hire them as employees? So it's like a hair salon does; they are their own business, have their own DBA, insurance, equipment, clients, etc. And your rent may or may not include supplies (shampoo, conditioner, etc.) but it should include rent for the building and utilties, and tubs. Talk to other grooming salons in your area to see how they do it and check with your local and state business divisions (including labor and tax) to see how you would do this. Some salons here charge rent plus a small commission, with a slightly higher commission if the groomer does one of the 'owner's' established clients.


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## Gumiho (Mar 16, 2013)

I'm not a groomer, this is my personal opinion:

To me the 50% - 75% only sounds reasonable if the groomer is providing their own supplies and cleaning up after themselves. Otherwise, the party responsible for the bulk expenses should be entitled to the higher percentage. If the shop is providing the shampoo, finishing sprays, clippers, brushes, ect on top of space/rent and utilities... Then they should be getting the 50-75% portion.

I second that it could also be set up like some beauty and tattoo parlors. 
Groomer *rents* the space (a single grooming station, with access to communal shop supplies like a bath, kennels, ect) with a monthly fee, pays a small commission to the shop on top of that (10-40% depending) and provides their own supplies.


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