 Start-up
Costs Menu
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What Type of Pet Grooming Business?
What most career seekers also don't realize
when asking the startup costs for a pet grooming business is that there are many types of
pet grooming business, and their costs vary dramatically. If you have not done so already,
please read the Home, Mobile or Salon Main Menu page.
As you can see, opening a home-based,
mobile-based or a commercial location involves a lot of consideration on your part. The
costs to build a home business is different from a commercial based business. Sometimes
the commercial building provides adequate electricity, heating and air conditioning
whereas the home based business involves building out a work area and often improvements
to electrical, heating and air conditioning systems. Those type of upgrades can be very
expensive. You also need linoleum or similar floors, and never carpet. Home business as
well as commercial ones may need upgraded water heaters. These are just a few of the
considerations you need to make figuring startup costs for a home versus commercial
location. For a good list of some of the purchases you are going to need to make, read
Salon Design Main Menu.
Mobile grooming businesses must of course
figure the cost of their van with all of the required features. Don't forget to include
financing costs like interest if you purchase your van with a loan. Indeed, don't overlook
repair and maintenance not only for the vehicle itself, but all of the grooming equipment.
You must also project your auto insurance and fuel costs too.
If you are not certain whether your business
will be home, mobile or commercial, prepare an Annual Profit and Loss Projection for each
method of operation. Quite often "the numbers" advise us which strategy is
appropriate based.
Where Can I Get More Help?
Pet Grooming Business Plan
Helper & Sampler, a Grooming
Business in a Box®
workbook with CD-ROM now
includes a manual and computer
spreadsheet (plus many more
spreadsheets) to track start-up
costs for mobile, home or salon
grooming businesses. It creates
a shopping list and adds up
total costs based on your
shopping, and even tracks costs
for leasehold improvements link
plumbing, electrical and more.
Nothing comes close to being so
complete in figuring start-up
costs. The "Box" is associates
with
From Problems
to Profits, the most popular business book in grooming.
If you have never used the services of a
lawyer and accountant, DON'T BE SHY. You are going to need an accountant to help you with
your tax returns, and talking over your business venture beforehand can save you thousands
of dollars. Be honest and let them know you have made the decision to become
self-employed. If you have already read From Problems to Profits, you will know best how
to approach them because accountants and lawyers are covered in the book. Show your
startup cost projection to your new accountant and encourage them to say whatever is
necessary about it. Listen and learn, just like we did. Your sure to be glad and you'll
grow as a business person because every business person has professional working
relationships.
Go to your library and learn more about small
business management, and take courses too. Of course you are busy learning pet grooming,
and it is VERY busy work, but your livelihood is at stake if you underestimate your
startup costs and the income and expenses you face in your first few years of business.
Your local Small Business Administration,
Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Development Centers are good sources of
information. Also, Find A Groomer, Inc.
offers a Becoming
the Business Person That Grooms Workshop, startup consultations
and business plans.
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