Unfortunately, many pet
grooming business owners, as well as owners of other service
traders, overlook forming and nurturing good working relationships
with professionals. Your business needs them regardless of whether
you think you need them. Effective handling of your legal and
insurance needs can make a dramatic impact on the success of your
pet grooming business. Carrying the heavy workload of owner,
manager and groomer can deprive you of the benefits derived from
your professional working relationships.
If you are a new career
seeker, it is never to early to make introductions with an
insurance broker (notice we didn't say "agent") and an
attorney. Every business needs adequate and complete insurance
coverage, and the counsel of an attorney to help you with forming
your company and to be just a telephone call away as the need
arises. You shouldn't need an attorney often, but they are
invaluable for the pet grooming business owner hiring employees,
forming contracts and applying for business loans, and using pet
care business forms of a legal nature.
Even
Groomers Need a Company Attorney
An attorney who
understands business affairs can save you dollars and protect your
business with legal safeguards. You should have an attorney right
from the start of your business. Don't wait for an unfortunate
situation to occur before finding an attorney. The importance of a
good working relationship with one cannot be over stressed. Don't
be shy. They understand and admire your intent to create a new
business, and to protect it.
Be honest. Advise them you are working within a
budget. Ask if they can do the work you require for a
"project fee." Don't be shy and not inquire about their
fees. Ask them to advise you when a project exceeds an agreed
budget. Sometimes you can assist them with the work and reduce
their fees too. They understand. Enjoy the peace of mind that can
come from knowing your attorney is just a call away should an
unfortunate incident arise. Your attorney wants you to succeed.
You should discuss
employment issues, business and personal liability issues, pet
care liability and related business forms with legal implications
(see below), possibly tax planning along with your Certified
Public Accountant (CPA). Attorneys are helpful in reviewing and
negotiating contracts and leases.
Minimizing
Risk
Prevention is always the
most effective policy. As a pet grooming business owner, you face
many risks in the operation of your business. There's splashing
water around the tub area creating puddles that someone could
easily slip in. Prevention posts a wet area stanchion in the area
and the bather asks for assistance to clean the spill immediately.
We know of dogs that have the ability to strategize
their escape. Really! They wait for the perfect moment when an
arriving client opens the front door and zoom! They leap out of
your arms, off a table where unsecured, and in seconds they are
down the street, groomers chasing after them. You just know a car
is going to hit them. There is always the possibility of a
dangerous dogfight when you allow pets of different families to
make even the slightest contact. Of course, groomers are at risks
of dog bites, and pets are at risk of clipper burns and cuts.
People slip in unknown puddles of urine from a departing or
arriving pet, and the list goes on.
Yet there are salons
with excellent safety records that have been in business for
decades with dozens of pets groomed every day. The secret is
prevention. We must recommend again you read From
Problems to Profits. Specifically, refer to safety information
in Chapter Ten - Developing a Safety Program. There is no
other complete safety reference work as complete in the entire pet
grooming industry. It covers personnel policies and procedures for
safety, building design for safety both interior and exterior and
how to avoid mistakes. It is your greatest source for starting a
preventative safety program, and you must have one to protect your
business investment.
We have a lot more
information for you too, beginning on the next
page.
