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We entered the pet grooming industry in the early 1960’s. The industry was no where near as advanced as it is today by comparison. Grooming services were often located in kennel grooming departments and shops and salons were somewhat scarce. Mobile grooming was years away. Air conditioning was not yet commonly available making the work of grooming truly hot and sweaty much of the year. Force dryers didn’t exist by today’s standards so you relied on heating elements adding to the hot environment. Today our descriptions of the improvements in tools, equipment and supplies would fill an entire book. Perhaps most important, sources of grooming industry information and education have gone from almost nonexistent to a rich variety.

In the last 10 years there has been a surge of new career seekers leaving jobs in corporate environs and entering the grooming industry to fulfill passionate quests to work with animals. As career consultants to hundreds of them we asked, “Why now?” Their most universal answer is the availability of grooming career information and business planning services. Confidence is derived from information shared with those that have gone before you. Our sharing with them gave them the confidence to “take the plunge” and crossover into a new grooming groomer leaving careers in sales, medicine, insurance, banking, office work, military and dozens more of mainstream professions.

Reliable market statistics for the grooming industry are rare. Unfortunately, the large majority of groomers are not members of grooming associations. The retail and veterinary medical sectors of the pet industry boast large numbers of members in their respective associations. Their associations conduct broad surveys and publish finely documented studies. At PetGroomer.com we are moving in that direction. For several years we have conducted the largest surveys of the grooming industry in its history. You can refer to the Take a Survey pages at PetGroomer.com for more information. However, we can provide you with some reasonable estimates.

• Number of U.S. Groomers:   Est. 60,000 to 80,000

• Number of U.S. Grooming Businesses:  Est. 22,000 to 28,000

Consider this reliable statistic. There are between 4,000 to 5,000 dogs and cats for every grooming business in the U.S. Yet, less than 1% of all grooming businesses groom that many dogs and cats from their regular clientele. In other words, probably less than 50% of dog and cat owners are using the services of grooming businesses. Certainly more pet owners are using grooming services today and their numbers are growing, but as members participating in industry endeavors we could organize and spread the word about the benefits of regular professional grooming to massive numbers of pet. We could all benefit from increased business and more consumer awareness of what professional grooming is. Most pet owners not using grooming services have little knowledge of what the services entail and why grooming supports happier and healthier pets, and that means every dog and cat.

If there is one chronic problem in the pet grooming industry it is the supply of skilled groomers. Every grooming business owner knows that finding and keeping an adequate supply of groomer employees can be frustrating, and it has been that way for decades. Obviously there is a silver lining and that is, the demand for grooming continues to grow every year making job opportunities available just about everywhere, and in every U.S. state. 

A career in pet grooming is a sound idea but to become prosperously employed or self-employed and to protect the well-being of your body from the laborious work of grooming, you need to plan your career in stages and to know the many paths you can follow in the grooming industry. You need to pay very careful attention to your education and to never stop learning. We are fortunate that continuing education is available today and thousands more groomers could benefit from more participation in these programs; they are a gift of opportunity to clearly define ourselves as professionals worthy of a broad public image as such. So from a career perspective we say, “Come on in. The water feels great, but make sure you know how to swim.”

Is Grooming Right For Me?

Pet grooming is not for everybody. Every groomer has stories about a few clients who say, "How hard can it be to wash a dog?" Well, pet grooming is not only about washing a dog, and unfortunately many pet owners bathing their own dogs even cause ear problems getting water down ears, discomforting pets by handling them wrong and certainly, grooming is not just bathing but styling pets. It is an art as well as a practicality of maintaining the health and comfort of pets.

To determine if grooming is right for you, consider these factors:

• Artistic talent is a bonus.

Successful pet groomers have artistic traits. Much like a sculptor sizing up a slab of marble fresh from the quarry and seeing within it a finished statue, groomers aim to style their masterpieces out of the hairy dogs and even some cats. While some breeds only require bathing and drying and a little touchup with scissors or clippers, the excitement of grooming as an art shows best with the styling challenges of many other breeds and mixed breeds. If you have a keen eye and enjoy color, design and using your hands you have the basic requirements to learn the art of grooming. But there is more and it is an important reality of grooming. You are not working with inanimate canvas or marble. As a groomer you are also the temporary caretaker of living animals beloved by their owners and that means substantial responsibilities revolve around your art and daily working lifestyle. If you don't have artistic talent and the inclination to develop it but want to work with pets, consider being a pet bather.

• Infinite patience and respect for animals is required.

Pet grooming is never right for anyone without a sincere and humane appreciation of animals and the willingness to consistently express that character in their work performance. Being a pet groomer has significant demands. You are after all caring for living animals beloved by their owners and families. You must have infinite patience to work with pets. You must have no abusive tendencies for heated reactions towards pet and people, whether emotional or physical. You must temper your reactions at all times without yelling, scolding or resorting to physical admonishment. You must handle stress well and be willing to work smarter. Is that you?

It may seem incredible to you but as employers we actually interviewed job applicants fearful of dogs and cats. The idea of grooming can be appealing for good reason, but there are realities to properly handing animals that can perhaps only be experienced to be understood. Every grooming employer should ask, “Do you fear household pets?” You may have to groom a behavioral pet that requires a muzzle or other restraint system. Some pets bite. You can protect yourself and a professional knows how to do that safely and humanely and with that infinite patience we previously mentioned. Eventually you can gain the confidence of behavioral pets and your grooming experiences will moderate.

When we interview job applicants we also ask how they feel about cleaning up pet wastes. You will have to clean up some pet wastes, perhaps every work day. Some job applicants have halted the interview right there! Did they think we hired someone dedicated to cleaning pet wastes? Okay, so what about blood? Inside of every pet dog and cat nail is a blood vessel. When clipping nails it is possible that you may expose the vessel to the blade and the result is bleeding. Every pet groomer stocks a supply of a powder agent that immediately stops the bleeding. So you may get a little blood on your hands as a groomer, and you will be constantly cleaning and disinfecting areas of the business including floors, counter tops, tables and cages. Does this bother you? If it does you probably won’t be a pet groomer.

• Stamina and good physical abilities are mandatory; some disabilities can preclude a pet grooming career.

Pet grooming is physically demanding. It requires stamina and strength. You should not have serious physical conditions worsened by lifting, carrying and handling pets. Consider that you may groom large pets weighing 70 to 150 pounds. Employers are likely to provide you with instruction and assistance when lifting large pets, but that doesn't mean you won't be exerting yourself. If you suffer from repetitive motion conditions in your joints, such as carpal tunnel, the work of grooming pets is almost certain to aggravate your condition. Consider carefully that you will be working several hours each work day holding brushes, combs, clippers and other tools, and using your body to control and position pets. Consult with your physician if you have any questions about your physical abilities to work with pets in a grooming environment. Also, you will likely be standing on your feet for long hours though some pet groomers are able to perform some duties while sitting. You will likely need to bend over many times a day while bathing pets, cleaning their cages and sweeping and removing wastes.

Hopefully your pet grooming training will include procedures to reduce the impact of repetitive pet grooming duties on your physical well-being. You may find a seminar and demonstration on this subject at a pet grooming trade show. It is a folly to consider that pet grooming will ever be anything other than physically demanding. If you take care of your body, it should endure the toils of pet grooming. We know groomers who have worked for ten, twenty or more years without serious health problems, or unusual physical wear and tear. However, they worked wisely and maintained an awareness for their health.

Can someone with disabilities groom pets? It is not common. Let's look at common disabilities. We've never known of a blind groomer. We do know of a blind hairstylist, but she was only allowed to style wigs, never people. A blind person would not only be risking their well-being but that of living creatures. Dogs jumping or hanging tables is a common danger, and how would a blind person know? Sharp scissors can blind or cut an animal or person far too easily. People without the use of all limbs cannot groom pets without constant human assistance of another person; it's not practical or safe. We've never known of a totally deaf groomer. While they can groom a pet with use of their limbs, hands and the benefit of their eyesight, there are significant dangers. A deaf person would be at risk of bites, and unable to respond to pets calling for help while in their cages, or another part of grooming business. Most pets provide warnings that either you or them are in danger, and you need to hear them. A bark is an alert, and attention must always be paid that there may be reason of health or safety causing the barking. While there are devices to notify the deaf that the phone is ringing, or the doorbell is chiming, there are no devices we know of to alert us to barking dogs, or ones growling to let us know they are about ready to attack. Every groomers gets bit, and in our opinion deaf groomers would be at extreme risk of dog bites and unable to guarantee the safety of pets in other parts of a business where they cannot see and dogs are present. We are open to solutions but suspect that most if not all pet owners would not be comfortable with the arrangements. A deaf person would have to be assisted hands-on full time by a hearing person, and that is simply not possible, nor practical or affordable for a grooming business owner.

Pet groomers with moderate to severe allergies to pet dog and cat fur and contaminants may find it difficult not only to work as a pet groomer, but to find employment. Hair coats collect weeds, pollens, pests and dust then released by grooming. If you have allergies to these various contaminants but decide to persist in pet grooming, be sure to ask your physician to provide written medical clearance to work in a grooming environment. A medical release may encourage an employer to hire you knowing that you are subject to related allergies.

You must be willing to be inoculated, usually with a tetanus booster. Though you may work in an air conditioned environment the bathing and drying area of a grooming business or van is typically warm and humid. Without adequate air conditioning it can be very hot. Can you endure the heat and don’t’ overlook the sound levels of blow dryers and some barking dogs? Today there are sharp designers developing salons and shops with noise abatement design in mind, and some of their ideas can be found in PetGroomer.com resources, and in mid-2006 this topic will be covered in Grooming Business in a Box™ career resources available at Grooming Business in a Box®.

Now that you know about the less attractive working conditions of pet grooming, and the artistic nature requirements, we want to remind you that we love the profession as do thousands of pet groomers. Every day we look forward to the joy we bring pet owners by miraculously making pets look their best. Adults and children giggle and smile when picking up their freshly groomed pet, and most give us immense appreciation every time we groom their pets. Not many other trades can provide so much positive response on a daily basis. Many pet owners view their pet groomer as an extended family member of sorts, and that provides you with the rewards of client loyalty and unique working friendships. It’s not like working in a corporate environment and you get the occasional review of your performance. Count on daily reviews of your performance by pet owners and if you do a great job most of them are going to let you know whether it’s a smile, a laugh, a hug even and sometimes a monetary tip.

Finally, there are more female pet groomers than male pet groomers. It’s been that way for a long time. In our experience we have helped dozens of clients where the husband decided to join his wife in her grooming business and they grew even more prosperous businesses. It’s not as unusual to see males fill the pet bather positions but in the realm of full-charge stylists, women outnumber men by at least 8 to 1. That shouldn’t stop men from entering this field of course. It’s important to realize that grooming is right for either sex as long as the individual has the qualities described here for a professional groomer.

Read more about grooming, and get to know groomers. Consider talking with groomers at our GroomerTALK Message Board. There is even a special forum for career seekers and beginners. Subscribe to all trade magazines, and investigate the industry's organizations and associations. Get to know other pet groomers and ask them questions about their experience and what they perceive as today's career opportunities in pet grooming. Not everything you hear should or will become your truth. Remember pet grooming is an immensely diverse industry where you can a home groomer, mobile van groomer or a commercial salon groomer. You can work as an employee in salons, stores, kennels and veterinarian clinics. As career counselors we try to show you the diversity, and possibilities, in this unique profession. Only persons like counselors experienced persons in all facets of this industry really have seen it all and know where you will best fit in. For now, ask questions and accumulate opinions and facts. Don't rush to judgment.

The Many Career Paths in Pet Grooming

Unlike many professions pet grooming has an extraordinary number of career paths. The best way to explain that is simply to list them for you.

Employment

You can find grooming employment opportunities in:

Grooming shops and salons.

Grooming departments within:

Boarding facilities.

Veterinarian clinics.

Pet day care facilities.

Retail pet stores, small and large (PETsMART, PETCO and Best Friends Pet Care).

Self-Employment

Consider these paths as the owner of:

Grooming shop or salon in a commercial location.

Mobile grooming business.

Home-based grooming business (in your home).

House-call groomer (not mobile vehicle, groom inside pet owner home).

Rent or lease a grooming department within:

Boarding facilities.

Veterinarian clinics.

Pet day care facilities.

Independent retail stores.

“Rent a table” in a shop or salon (limited availability).

Most people entering the industry have no idea there are so many paths. We could write pages on the pros and cons of each path. What is important here is the good news. There are successful pet groomers on every one of these paths listed above! Before you make your decision we encourage you to study all of the paths, even if you are certain of the one for you at this time. Also keep in mind that not every groomer has experienced all of these paths like we have. You do want to know their experience but not to simply adopt their point of view. Only you can choose the path right for you. So learn about all of them. Take all the information in for now and learn all you can. You don’t have to make your decision today.

The employed groomer and the self-employed groomer are very different people. The mobile groomer is a different person than the salon groomer. So we celebrate the diversity of grooming but remind you to keep in mind the diversity and by the time you have gained your grooming education you will likely know the right path for you.

We suggest you further study this subject online at PetGroomer.com in the Information Menus section where you will find the Home, Mobile or Salon Main Menu for self-employment considerations, and Retail Grooming Main Menu for corporate employment opportunities. Keep in mind you will find all 40 of the Information Menus helpful as a career seeker considering a grooming career.

You can also learn more about employment opportunities by viewing hundreds of help wanted ads updated daily at the PetGroomer.com Classified Ads. You can even place a free job search ad when you are ready.

You have another consideration which is the most critical one of your early career in pet grooming. How are you going to learn to groom pets? Which form of education is right for you? How do you progress from the entry-level stage to more advanced stages as a professional groomer, even a certified master groomer? In the next section we will begin to explore these serious questions.

What Can I Earn as a Pet Groomer?

Just as there are diverse career paths in pet grooming so are there diverse ranges of incomes, in fact quite dramatic extremes exist today. Before providing you with statistics we think you should understand how groomer wages are calculated for employed groomers. Also keep in mind when using the term “groomer” we are not referring to pet bathers a.k.a. “bather/fluffers.” Pet bathers do not perform “finish styling.”

Pet bathers commonly perform pre-bath chores such as brushing, combing, dematting, bathing and drying. Their duties often include nail clipping and filing and ear cleaning before bathing pets. Today most pet bathers are paid hourly, and their pay range is often between $7.00 an hour to $12.00 an hour. The midrange is the most common.

Now let’s take a look at groomers or “stylists.” They have additional skills and can perform artistic styling often termed “finish trimming” or “finish styling.” Finish work requires the most expertise and experience and typically earns the high compensation in a grooming business.

Employed groomers are paid in at least four different ways. They are:

1.       Hourly wages (with or without a minimum guarantee of hours in any one pay period).

2.       Salary wages.

3.       Commission wages.

4.       Hourly/Salary plus commission wages.

Confused? It can be very confusing. In our experience with thousands of groomers as consultants most of them thought that commission wages are the highest. This is not absolutely true. There are grooming business owners on the extreme that offer $800 to $1,000 a week through guaranteed salaries, and that is far higher that what most groomers are earning by commission. Of course, the opposite is true, and we advise you again, wages in the pet grooming are diverse. Let’s keep going.

Commissions

Historically, commission wages were first put into place by the owners of grooming businesses. Many of today’s groomers do not realize that fact, especially those that think that commission wages are always or nearly always higher than salaries. It does benefit the owner. Here’s why. The groomer paid by commission is typically given 50% to 60% of the grooming fee charged by the business for each pet they complete. For example if the pet owner is charged $40 for the grooming, a groomer paid 50% commission would earn $20.00 in gross wages for grooming the pet, and the owner of the business would keep $20. Only the more experienced groomers earn 60% commissions. Keep in mind to earn 50% to 60% commissions the groomer usually grooms pets “from start to finish.” That means the groomer not only styles the pet but also does all of the duties we described above for pet bathers.

Now why does this favor the business owner? If there are only 3 grooming assignments for the groomer who has the skills to do 6 assignments a day, he or she is only earning half of their potential. Let’s say the groomer averages $20 a pet. If the groomer does 6 pets a day their average wages would be $120 a day. However, the business owner only gave them 3 assignments and they earned $60 instead of their potential $120. That could be serious loss for some groomers with strict household budgets. Therefore, when you work on commission you can never be certain of your wages day to day, and if you want the highest compensation possible you should consider just how busy your employer is on a year round basis. Business owners have the favor of not having to take the risk of paying you a guaranteed salary.

Now here is a major irony unique to the grooming industry. Most groomers continue to believe that working on commission is always the path to the highest wages. Sometimes it is, but usually it isn’t. You must look at the big picture before you come to such a conclusion, reviewing at least a full year’s payroll history.

We always paid part time employees hourly and guaranteed salaries to our full-time employees. They enjoyed the peace-of-mind that comes from knowing they would have a stable paycheck year round. We had the marketing expertise to be booked almost every work day of the year, so even the hourly workers knew they would have work year round. Keep in mind that you may have 6 assignments in the appointment book to groom tomorrow, but in the morning 3 may cancel at the last minute. Working on commission can be a roller coaster, but it is very popular today.

There is one final reason why some employers pay by commission. Owners that pay by salary have to come to some agreement with you as to how many pets you must groom on average to earn specified wages. You cannot expect an employer to pay one employee $200 a day to groom 7 pets and to pay a similar wage to a groomer with less productivity, say 4 pets. The owner would be in the red before long. Therefore, using commissions the owner is not as concerned about your productivity since you are only paid for the pets you complete.

Indeed commission versus salary is the subject of frequent debate. What is important is that you now know how to calculate wages if you are being paid by commission. The next most important factor affect your annual earnings will be your productivity. Graduates of grooming school can rarely do more 3 to 5 pets, from start-to-finish, after graduation. In fact, the most experienced, productive stylists working alone average 7 to 8 pets in an eight-hour workday, and some would tell you their average expectation is lower, more like 6 to 7. Keep in mind that some workdays you have pets that require extra time because of their poor coat condition, large size or breed. Therefore, we are talking about averages over a long period of time. (Note that mobile and house call groomers may do less because they have travel time between grooming appointments.)

Here is the formula again so that you know how to calculate commission wages:

Service Fee X Commission Rate = Grooming Fee

Imagine if we know the average service fee for your employer. Some grooming businesses are well-managed and the owner can provide you with an accurate average service for their business. Now we can better estimate the income you may earn in a year for a business that has a stable demand for grooming year round. The formula is:

Avg. Service Fee X Commission Rate X Avg. # of Pets Groomed Daily X # Days Worked Annually = Estimated Annual Gross Wages (prior employment taxes)

Let’s assume the average service fee is $35 per grooming and you earn 50% commission. If you work 5 days a week year round, you work 260 days a year less two week’s vacation, or 250 days a year. Finally the owner suggests that the business can provide you with an average of 6 grooming assignments each work day. Now fill in these statistics.

$35 X 50% X 6 X 250 = $26,250 a year prior employment taxes (gross wages)

Many employed groomers with a year’s experience after school will find this a reasonable estimate of their projected wages where work is not seasonal.

Can you make a higher income as an employed groomer? Yes, but in general you will need to work full-time, for a business that can provide you with plenty of work year round, and you must be productive. The higher echelon of skilled groomers do earn $40,000 to $50,000 a year in gross wages before taxes in some regions of the U.S., and usually in upscale areas. There are groomers in very upscale areas that do better even. However, keep in mind the median annual gross wage (prior taxes) in the U.S. for a full-time experienced groomer most commonly ranges in the $25,000 to $35,000 range.

Let’s complicate matters even more. It’s actually important that we do so that you may learn more about the confusing world of projecting your wages from commission earnings. If one business offers you 55% commission while another offers you 50% commission, and both offer the same amount of grooming assignments, are you sure you will make a higher income from the 55% commission? You would think so. It does sound quite logical. However, if the business offering you 55% commission has a lower average service than the business offering 50%, you can actually earn less!

Now are you beginning to see how critical the average service is to your calculation? Most groomers make a serious mistake thinking that a higher commission earns them more. The average service is just as critical as the rate of commission. The problem gets worse; many business owners cannot or do not give you an accurate average service fee to do your projections. Don’t let that keep you from asking them when you apply for a position.

Earlier we said commissions were confusing, and don’t you agree now? As one time business owners we assure you that our employees preferred salaries because we as owners knew our costs ahead of time, and the employees always knew exactly how much their gross wages would be ahead of time. Our wages were very competitive too and often our employees were among the highest paid, because we were booked solid most of the year. Now you can see better why we say it can be very stressful to work on commissions worrying about cancelled appointments and seasonal trends, you name it. But we predict when you enter the industry you are going to be advised by many groomers that commission is the only way to earn the highest wages and that salaries take advantage of you. We don’t agree at all. It is dependent upon the owner of the business and their business activity. Learn how to project your wages from a potential employer paying by commission, and compare that to offers of salaries and judge for yourself.

Employee Benefits

For many people employee benefits are very important, if not a requirement of being employed. We advise you now that the majority of independently owned grooming businesses offer little or no benefits. We didn’t say you won’t find an independent grooming business offering them; we stated that most do not or they offer little in the way of benefits. The larger pet superstores such as PETCO and PETsMART commonly offer the most complete employee benefits packages in the grooming industry for qualified employees, and for that reason alone some groomers prefer to work for them. Unfortunately independently owned grooming businesses are not know for providing much in the way of paid-time off but more and more independents are finding a way to add employee benefits.

Independent Contractor Status Confusion

It is alarming to a degree how many employers advise you that you will be hired on an independent contractor basis. The independent contractor basis reduces the employment tax load of employers and increases YOUR tax burden. This subject is one that covers an entire article by itself. We wanted to add it here because you are at risk when working as an independent contractor unless you are prepared and knowledgeable in this topic. We can assure you that you will have to pay self-employment related taxes to the Federal government (United States Citizens) and often to your State and Local government as well. You need the sound advice of a bookkeeper and/or accountant if you accept an independent contractor position; you may even have to pay quarterly estimated tax payments to the Federal, State and Local government. Typically you will receive no employee benefits because you are not an employee.

Now it gets worse. From our experience as consultants for nearly 2 decades we will drop a bombshell here. And it is a bombshell when the authorities get involved, and sometimes they do. Most grooming businesses hiring you as an independent contractor (which typically favors their ‘bottom line” and not yours) are doing so incorrectly. Generally if you come to work on their property, and they ask you to show up at a certain time, and you cannot take your work home with you, you are an employee and not an independent contractor. There are many tests to determine if you are, or are not, an independent contractor. Employers can make that determination by calling the Internal Revenue Service or completing forms such as their SS-8. Most don’t. They want the bottom line savings and take the risks associated with setting up employees as independents, and indeed we have consulted with grooming employers that have done this and found the authorities taking them to Court.

Now it is possible that you may be an independent contractor working at a grooming business, but as a general rule of thumb, you are not in the eyes of the tax authorities unless every specific condition is met. Keep in mind that each U.S. state also has their own determination procedure so the employer must be in compliance with both Federal and State employment law.

If you are advised by a potential employer that your status will be an independent contractor, be skeptical and become thoroughly informed of your extra responsibilities. We strongly recommend speaking with your bookkeeper, accountant and/or attorney to confirm whether you are truly an independent contractor or not. If you accept the position it is critical that you seek ongoing bookkeeping and tax advice as you will often have to pay in estimated taxes during the work year.

We have consulted with many independent contractor groomers who got into serious trouble with tax authorities for underpayment and untimely payments, and in the end their employers became embroiled as well with the tax authorities. We can assure you that while it is possible to legally be an independent contractor groomer, about 95% of all groomers working in grooming business for which they are not the owners, are NOT legally independent contractors.

We suggest you refer to the IRS official web site as well as the web sites for tax authorities in the state in which you will be working. There are usually publications available on this topic, and don’t overlook our recommendation to get professional help. We cannot encourage you too strongly because in our experience we have seen too many people enduring hardships from averting tax compliance issues.

Self-Employment Income

More than half of all groomers become self-employed at one time. Some return to employment because self-employment does require more work than grooming. Managing a business you own requires plenty of extra duties including financial planning, personnel management if you have employees, client relations, supervision, repaid and maintenance, bookkeeping and tax compliance and more. However, there is a thrill and pride of owning your own business that makes the extra work acceptable if not even pleasurable.

Potentially the highest annual incomes earned by groomers are derived from large businesses with employees. However, self-employment does NOT automatically assure you of a higher income than if you were employed. A shop or salon with several employees should naturally be earning extra gross revenue “rung up on the cash register” which will hopefully after operating costs add to the income of the owner.

A large number of self-employed groomers do not have employees. For example, there are thousands of one person mobile grooming businesses. The out of pocket cash required to start a mobile grooming business is relatively low when compared to opening a new salon or shop in a shopping center. Many of these owners enjoy not having to hire and supervise employees and to “be their own boss.” Mobile grooming surveys have shown the average income for a full-time, 5 day a week, mobile grooming business owner is typically $25,000 to $38,000 a year after they deduct their operating expenses.

In self-employment it is not what you earn as gross sales income of your services and products that matters the most when determining your personal income from the business. It’s what you keep. For example you may sell $60,000 worth of grooming services in one year, but after deducting operating expenses that is what you can take as your income (prior personal income taxes and self-employment axes). It is more than possible, and we have many consultation clients that fall into this category, for a business owner of a large salon to ring up $300,000 on the register and yet after expenses keep only $40,000 for themselves (prior taxes). There are one-person grooming businesses where the owner earns a higher personal income from their business than the salon owner bringing in $300,000 in gross sales. Each and every grooming business is a unique situation.

Now most groomers simply do not know highly successful grooming business owners. Decades ago our company founder’s grooming business generated over $100,000 a year in personal income before taxes. Today there are exceptional grooming business owners besting that and many are our clients. Yes they do exist and many have come to us to help them write business plans to buy their commercial buildings, add boarding, add daycare, add training or become a school of grooming. As our company founder Madeline Ogle, PhD says, “Become the businessperson that grooms.” Anyone with the will to learn small business management as well as grooming expertise and the will to grow a large business can earn a six-figure income (before taxes). If this interests you we suggest you access our grooming management products and services at Grooming Business in a Box® by PetGroomer.com.  However, even the small one person grooming business will find our products suitable for them.

At this point in starting your career it is simply enough for you to know that self-employment in grooming can earn you a greater personal income than being employed, but you will have additional duties and probably work longer hours. You will have to grow a business and manage it well. To make the highest incomes in the industry you will have to hire employees as you grow the business, and that means you must accept the duties and responsibilities of being not only a business owner, but an employer, manager and supervisor. We have clients that even go on to own 2 or 3 salons and the sky’s the limit as to how much you can earn if you an effective owner and manager.

As we said before, pet grooming is a diverse industry on many levels. There are many career paths and associated incomes. Most pet groomers still fall into the category of earning $25,000 to $35,000 a year in gross wages before taxes. Yes, that means some are earning less than $25,000 and some greater than $35,000 a year once they have adequate experience and productivity. Where you will fall will depend upon your skill, experience and wise choice of employment or self-employment. Generally the more “upscale” the area served by your business the better. Further, it is generally believed that the more moderate the climate the more the more likely you will have steady business year round. During harsh winters business may slow. Finally, if your goal is $50,000 to $100,000 a year for personal income before taxes, you almost certainly have to grow an exceptionally large grooming business out of the ordinary and you should expect it to take at least 3 to 5 years to build up such a clientele, sometimes longer.