If your passion is working with animals in some capacity, then perhaps you should consider a mobile dog grooming business. This is a great way to be around your furry friends and offer a great service to the community that is very much in demand. Pet lovers are always looking for someone reliable to keep up the appearances of their beloved pets.
The fact that it this service is mobile offers so many advantages for you and your customers. Customers will love the convenience factor of having the professional come to their home or wherever the animal is located. Plus, it not only gives them extra time, that would otherwise be devoted to traveling, to use on other tasks, but there is also the increased probability that they will use your services more often.
For you, having your own business will be a dream come true. Having the flexibility of working your own hours is a great feature of being an entrepreneur and allows you the freedom to plan around your own schedule first. You can work when you want and plan your days off and vacations easily. This is especially important for mothers, for example, who want to fill the time during the day while kids are in school. Since you are the boss, your schedule can be as broad or as limited as you desire.
From a business standpoint, you first have to decide how this will fit into your daily routine and responsibilities. Since there will be an initial investment for equipment and supplies, there needs to be sufficient time to work in order to not only regroup the outlay of cash, but to start earning a living from your business. After all, your love of working with animals is much more rewarding when you are paid well for doing it.
You will also need to do some research to see everything that is involved in this line of work. This can be a very inclusive area so being familiar with the requirements will help to cement your decision to get started. This includes insurance and bonding, if necessary. Plus, there are going to be certifications and standards that must be met in order to brand yourself as a true professional in your field. Having the right credentials goes a long way to expanding your customer base if people know that you are a trained, and certified professional, and not just someone trimming hair out of the back of a truck.
Next, comes a business plan. Unless you have the resources available to purchase everything outright this is going to have to be worked into the budget. But a business plan also covers what your fees will be charging and how to repay any monies that are borrowed. If you plan to approach a bank or other lending institution, they are going to require a business plan in order to consider your loan proposal.
Finding the right vehicle is going to be your biggest challenge. You might be able to find someone who is looking to downsize, trading up to another vehicle or retire from their grooming business altogether. If not, you will need to look for one elsewhere. Buying a new model can be a tremendous amount of money so it is better to start with used and make sure that the business is going to meet your expectations.
Running a business also means keeping excellent records- of everything. Keeping meticulous track of your expenses, income and deductions are not only important to determine how well you are doing, but for tax purposes, too. If you do not feel organized enough to keep up with everything, then it could be a wise investment to hire an accountant, or at the least a family member who can assist.
You have a vehicle, credentials and a plan: now, you need a name and a way to get it out to potential clients. Branding is an important part of running a business and makes it much easier for people to remember who you are. Being associated with a cute little animal, a loveable character, or even a catchy name, has landed numerous customers for the companies who took the time to properly brand their name.
Having the perfect name is no good unless people know how to find you, and that’s where marketing comes in. In the past, efficient marketing meant spending thousands of dollars to stick your name in the phone book with everyone else. Those days are gone. Now, everything from Facebook, Twitter, the perfect website, and the right marketing can catapult your company to having more clients than you can handle.
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