One option that many new groomers don’t even consider is buying a grooming business that’s already established and making money.
When I opened my first grooming business, I never even thought about trying to buy another business first.
Of course, back then grooming businesses weren’t nearly as common as they are these days, and there as only one grooming salon that was near my home.
There are pros and cons when it comes to starting your own business or buying an existing business.
Starting from scratch:
For example, one major advantage of starting from scratch is you can completely customize your business and grow it as you want to.
You can choose to only groom 3 or 4 pets a day and groom more as you’re ready or as you hire more groomers.
Or you can start out grooming many more pets each day.
You also get to set up your salon the way you want it, and you can buy additional equipment over time.
A disadvantage is all the time, effort, and money you will use to build your business into a money-making machine.
Buying an existing business:
A major advantage is you can immediately have a business that’s established and that’s making good money.
You will already have customers, and as soon as you take over the business you will be putting money into your pocket.
One disadvantage is you automatically inherit any “bad” things from the past, such as customers who had a bad experience with the previous owner(s) and who won’t use your business.
If there are any bad reviews that have been posted online, that can really affect your business and you’ll have to make sure you’re aware of them before buying.
If you are thinking about buying a grooming business, you need to do your homework and make sure that:
The business is established enough so that it will automatically make you money
There’s no bad history with the business, such as pets that have died in the facility
The location is secure if there's a lease, and you won’t have to worry about being forced to move the business
I would never buy a grooming business that was less than 3 to 5 years old.
I would also never buy if a pet has ever died at the facility because of neglect. Sometimes older pets do die while being groomed or boarded, but that is still a rare occurrence.
I would recommend starting your business from scratch, because you will have much more control over everything and you can grow the business at your own pace.
However, I’m also not completely against buying an existing business in certain situations.
To find out more about starting your own grooming business or buying an existing salon, you should watch the video series Getting Started in the Grooming Business:
This is a 9-part series that goes over all areas of the grooming industry and contains tons of important information you need to know if you are looking to have a high-paying career as a pet groomer or business owner.
Click the button below for more information about Getting Started in the Grooming Business:
