Grooming pooches is great business

NEW DELHI: Calling all pet lovers: It's time to become entrepreneurs. For those who came in late, pet grooming is the most recent business proposition on the table. `Come discover the avenues to profit from pedigrees' is a tagline from promoters that sums it up without making any apologies about profiteering. The good news is, it doesn't take just cold acumen, but good-old love for pets to start off and make a successful business venture out of it.
Although pet grooming is a component of the larger pet industry, it is relatively newer compared to the more established pet food and accessories business.But the business potential indicators already look very promising.
In NCR alone, two pet grooming parlours have opened in the last two years (the one in Gurgaon will open in January 2009) and are run by individuals with ambitious future plans. Moreover, the 3rd India International Pet Trade Fair to be held end of January in Noida will prominently feature pet groomers from the city.
With initial investment costs relatively low between Rs 3-5 lakh, those already in the business are cashing in, being early birds, to expand their clientele and establish a brand name. Most vouch they had no business background and only an utterly hopeless love for pets helped them take off.
The story of pet groomers Sanjeev and Preeti Kumar is a case in point. "I was a schoolteacher and Sanjeev was the branch head of a bank. We had well-paid jobs, but an incurable love for pets,'' says Preeti, who owns Scooby Scrub a newly-opened pet grooming parlour in Niti Bagh. Sanjeev recalls how the business venture took off. "I was buying pet food for our dogs in CP when it occurred to me that I can start my own shop. We opened our first store in Aurobindo Place. The pet grooming parlour idea came later. Now that the venture takes up a good amount of our time, we've quit our jobs,'' says Sanjeev.
According to the couple, the initial investment includes expenditure on certified training, paying shop rent, buying equipment/material shampoos, conditioners, blow dryers, scissors, blades, clippers, ear cleaners and brushes. "Both of us went to a training academy in Thailand which gave us certification. It cost us Rs 1.7 lakh per person for a three-month long grooming course, which is actually less expensive than courses in Singapore,'' explains Sanjeev. He now offers his own certified training a 20-day basic grooming course at a cost of Rs 40,000.
The absence of a business background has not deterred groomers from taking the leap from being pet lovers to entrepreneurs. In fact, most have aggressive plans for business expansion. Dr J P Gurubaxani, a vet who will soon open a grooming parlour at his Gurgaon (DLF IV) shop Petswill, says he wants pet parlours to become a common feature. "I want to replicate the Shahnaz Hussain model for the pet grooming industry. Every twentieth street should have a parlour,'' says Gurubaxani.
At Mumbai's Nariman Point, 23-year-old Aanchal Malhi is close to opening her grooming parlour called It's A Dog's Life. Aanchal is a journalism graduate from Monash University, Australia, but pets overrule everything else for her.
"I left two media jobs and invested Rs 3-5 lakh to set up this business. There was no one to guide me about the business, but my mom helped me out,'' says Aanchal, who lives in Mumbai. In September 2008, Aanchal enrolled for a course in grooming from Singapore's Dog Care Academy. Before her own place comes up, she has been providing home grooming service and already has 20 clients.
Aanchal has a tie-up with Dr Gurubaxani through which she gets her supply of dog care products. "It's a good strategy to tie-up with a vet. The other advantage comes from setting up business when the industry is new. This way, you grab early clients. Also, word-of-mouth is the best advertisement in this business since it's largely service based,'' says Aanchal, letting out some of the trade secrets like a seasoned businesswoman.paulomi.mehta@timesgroup.com