Greedy Bitch

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee — founder of The Savvy Groomer — and today’s episode is perfectly timed for February. Because it’s the month of love… and I want to talk about who you’re actually in a relationship with in your business. Not your partner. Not your dog. Your clients. Because here’s the thing no one tells groomers early enough: You can be booked solid. You can be making money. You can look “successful” from the outside. …and still quietly dread your day-to-day life. And most of the time, that doesn’t come from grooming itself. It comes from the relationships you’ve built your business on. So today, we’re talking about: Fling clients Ideal clients And soulmate clients And how falling in love with your clients doesn’t mean being softer, nicer, or more accommodating. It means building a business that actually loves you back. Let’s talk about fling clients. And before anyone feels called out, I want to be very clear: Most groomers did not choose fling clients on purpose. We were taught to accept them. Early in our careers, the message was: Say yes. Take what you can get. Be grateful for every client. And in the beginning, that makes sense. You’re building. You’re learning. You’re trying to survive. But somewhere along the way, temporary clients became the foundation of permanent businesses. And that’s where things start to hurt. Fling clients are the clients who: Book once and disappear Only show up when they’re desperate Don’t read your policies Don’t remember your boundaries And don’t feel invested in you They’re not bad people. They’re just not committed. Here are a few grooming-specific examples — and I want you to notice how your body reacts as I say them. The once-a-year doodle. They promise they’ll be on a schedule… but you don’t hear from them again until the dog is matted and they’re panicking. The “can you squeeze me in?” client. Not because of an emergency — but because they waited too long and now it’s suddenly your problem. The client who disappears the moment you enforce a boundary. You correct pickup time. You enforce a matting policy. You raise prices. And suddenly? Gone. These are fling clients. And here’s the part most groomers don’t realize until they’re exhausted: Fling clients are expensive. Financially, they: Create gaps in your schedule Require re-education every visit Take more time than they’re priced for Emotionally, they: Keep you on edge Create resentment Require constant mental energy Operationally, they: Create chaos Make staffing harder Make income unpredictable And the sneakiest part? You start reshaping your business around them. You loosen policies. You over-explain. You hesitate to raise prices. You make exceptions “just this once.” That’s not love. That’s survival mode. Fling clients are not the problem — expecting commitment from them is. Now let’s talk about ideal clients. These are the clients most groomers think they want. They show up. They pay. They’re polite. They mostly follow the rules. They’re… fine. Ideal clients feel safe. They don’t cause drama. They don’t stress you out the way fling clients do. But here’s the truth that doesn’t get said enough: Ideal clients often represent a comfort ceiling. They keep your business running — but not necessarily growing. You still remind them. You still explain policies. You still manage expectations. Let’s compare this for a moment. An ideal client: Asks questions about price Occasionally forgets policies Needs reminders Refers people similar to them A soulmate client: Accepts pricing without debate Respects systems Follows policies automatically Refers people who already trust you Ideal clients keep you busy. Soulmate clients make things easier. This is why so many grooming businesses plateau. They’re not failing. They’re not doing anything wrong. They’ve just built a business around “good enough.” And if you’ve ever thought: “I should be happier than I am with this…” That’s usually why. Let’s clear something up right now. Soulmate clients do not magically find you because you’re nice, talented, or have good vibes. That idea keeps groomers waiting instead of building. Soulmate clients are created through systems. Clear messaging. Strong onboarding. Consistent policies. And follow-through. Soulmate clients don’t require convincing. They trust your expertise. They understand how your business works. Every boundary you hold does two things: It repels a fling client… and signals safety to a soulmate client. People who value professionalism are attracted to structure. People who want exceptions are repelled by it. That’s not a flaw. That’s a filter. Soulmate clients: Respect your time Trust your recommendations Follow your systems Refer people just like them And here’s the part I really want you to hear: You don’t need more clients. You need better-aligned ones. When groomers shift toward soulmate clients, we see: Smaller schedules Higher income Better retention Less burnout More predictability Business stops feeling chaotic and starts feeling calm. And that’s not luck. That’s alignment. If you’re listening and thinking, “Why does this feel so hard for me?” Here’s the truth: No one taught us this. Most groomers were trained in: Safety. Technique. Breed patterns. Not client alignment. Not onboarding. Not de-alignment. So when things feel messy, we internalize it. We think: “I’m bad with people.” “I hate clients.” “This is just how grooming is.” No. You’re not bad at clients. You’re under-supported. Client alignment is a business skill, not a personality trait. And skills can be learned. Practiced. Refined. When you stop blaming yourself and start building systems, everything changes. If this episode hit close to home, that discomfort isn’t failure. It’s awareness. Most groomers didn’t intentionally build businesses that drain them. It happened slowly. Quietly. One “yes” at a time. And once you see the difference between fling clients, ideal clients, and soulmate clients — you can’t unsee it. Falling in love with your clients doesn’t mean overgiving. It means alignment. Clarity. Respect. And that doesn’t happen by accident. That’s why I created the Business Workshop Library. Inside, you’ll find on-demand workshops like: Identifying & Attracting Your Soulmate Clients Onboarding Clients & Dealing With Difficult Clients Once-A-Year Clients and whether they belong in your business at all ✨ It’s $200 for the year ✨ Or $50 a month You can watch at your own pace, revisit when needed, and apply what you learn to your real business. And if you’re looking for ongoing support instead of one-off fixes, that’s exactly what the Savvy Groomer Circle is for. Inside the Circle, you get continued education, monthly Q&As, real-time conversations, and support as you actively implement boundaries, policies, and systems in your business — not just think about them. And for those of you who want deeper access and closer support, the Inner Circle gives you just that — including direct access to me so you’re never figuring this out alone. You can learn more and join at savvygroomer.com/membership If you’re ready to stop building your business around flings and start intentionally creating alignment, you’ll find the Business Workshop Library at savvygroomer.com/gwg As always — stay savvy, stay greedy, and never apologize for wanting more.

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee, founder of The Savvy Groomer — and today’s conversation might feel a little uncomfortable… …but in the best way. Because we’re talking about golden handcuffs. And before you tense up or immediately think, “Oh, this probably isn’t about me,” I want you to just stay open for a second. Golden handcuffs are sneaky. They don’t show up when you’re broke and desperate. They don’t show up when your books are empty. They show up when: Your business technically works Your schedule is full Your bills are paid And everyone on the outside thinks you’re doing great But inside? You’re tired. You’re irritated. You feel stuck. And there’s this quiet, low-grade resentment that keeps bubbling up. You’re not failing. You’re not irresponsible. And you’re definitely not lazy. You’re just realizing that “working” and “working well” are not the same thing. And if that realization makes your stomach drop a little? This episode is for you. Let’s define it — plainly. Golden handcuffs are when: Your income looks okay Your schedule is full Your clients are “fine” And you still feel trapped You tell yourself things like: “I can’t change anything right now.” “I need the money.” “At least it’s stable.” “I’ll fix it later.” But here’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud: Stability without sustainability is just burnout with better branding. Golden handcuffs are not about being rich. They’re about being dependent. Dependent on: Certain clients you’re scared to lose Certain price points that barely work Certain chaos you’ve learned how to survive A version of yourself that’s always exhausted but “handling it” And the longer you stay there, the harder it feels to imagine anything different. Because your business doesn’t feel optional anymore. It feels like a requirement. An obligation. A responsibility you can’t set down. And that’s the part that feels heavy. Not the work. The lack of choice. Here’s the part nobody likes to admit — and I say this with so much compassion: Sometimes we stay stuck because it’s familiar. Not comfortable. Familiar. You know how to survive here. You know how to overwork. You know how to push through. You know how to ignore your body and your needs. And there’s a weird safety in that. Because changing means: Risk Discomfort Boundaries Conversations Letting go of clients Raising prices Admitting the current model isn’t actually working And groomers? We are exceptionally good at endurance. Hard work has always been the solution. Until it isn’t. Golden handcuffs thrive on beliefs like: “If I just work harder, it’ll eventually feel better.” “Once I hit this number, I’ll slow down.” “I just need to get through this season.” But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Hard work fixes under-earning. It does not fix broken systems. And the thing about golden handcuffs? They don’t feel urgent. You’re not drowning. You’re just… slowly suffocating. And that’s harder to respond to. Let’s talk money — specifically. Because golden handcuffs are usually built quietly, over time. They’re built on: Underpricing “just for now” Overbooking to make up the difference Tips filling the gap instead of pricing No clear budgeting system No long-term plan for you, not just the business You might be thinking: “I can’t afford to raise prices.” “I can’t afford to slow down.” “I can’t afford to say no.” But what you really can’t afford… …is staying here forever. Because the cost of golden handcuffs isn’t just financial. It’s: Your body breaking down Your nervous system living in constant alert Your relationships getting whatever energy is left Your creativity disappearing Your future options shrinking When your income depends on constant output, you haven’t built freedom. You’ve built a cage. A shiny one. A respectable one. A socially acceptable one. But it’s still a cage. Here’s the good news — and please hear this: Breaking golden handcuffs does not mean: Quitting tomorrow Burning bridges Starting over from scratch Blowing up your life Freedom doesn’t come from chaos. It comes from intention. Breaking golden handcuffs starts with choice. Choice looks like: Choosing to raise prices strategically, not emotionally Choosing systems over survival Choosing planning over panic Choosing long-term stability over short-term comfort Sometimes it means: Learning how to manage money differently Creating boundaries that protect your energy Building buffers instead of white-knuckling Adding a new skillset or income stream Getting support instead of doing everything alone And no — none of this happens overnight. But every small, intentional decision loosens the grip. You don’t take the handcuffs off all at once. You unlock them. One click at a time. As we wrap up, I want you to sit with this question — honestly: If nothing changed this year… would you be okay with that? Same schedule. Same income. Same stress. Same pace. If the answer is no? That’s not greed. That’s self-respect. New Year, New Money isn’t about hustling harder. It’s about building a business that supports your life — not traps you inside it. Golden handcuffs only work if you keep wearing them. And you are allowed to take them off. If today’s episode hit close to home, take a breath. You’re not behind. You’re not broken. And you’re not ungrateful for wanting more. You’re just noticing that the way you’re working right now isn’t sustainable — even if the money looks “fine” on paper. And that awareness? That’s the first step to freedom. January’s New Year, New Money theme is about making intentional money decisions — not reacting, not white-knuckling, and not staying stuck because “at least it works.” If you’re realizing you might be wearing golden handcuffs, here are a few next steps: If pricing is what’s keeping you trapped, the Price Increase Masterclass walks you through how to raise prices confidently and strategically — without panic or guilt. You can find it at savvygroomer.com/pimc If your income feels chaotic or inconsistent, Personal Finance on a Leash helps you build money systems that actually support your life. You can find it at savvygroomer.com/enroll And if you need clarity around where your time and money are really going, the Paws & Prioritize Planner gives you simple visibility without overwhelm. You can find it at savvygroomer.com/planner Next week, pay attention to how your income feels — not just what the numbers say. Because New Year, New Money isn’t about hustling harder. It’s about building a business that gives you options. Stay savvy. Stay greedy. And never apologize for wanting more. 💰✨

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee — founder of The Savvy Groomer — and if this is your first time here, let me just say: welcome. You’re in the right place if you love grooming… but you’re tired of being exhausted, underpaid, and quietly resentful about it. Now listen — we’re kicking off January with our New Year, New Money theme. So today felt like the perfect time to talk about something groomers have a LOT of feelings about… ✨ Tips. Cash tips. Card tips. The “oh my god they tipped me $40 I love them forever” tips. The “why didn’t they tip me at all?” spiral. The guilt. The gratitude. The confusion. And before we go any further, let me say this clearly: 👉 This episode is NOT legal advice. 👉 This episode is NOT tax advice. 👉 I am not telling you what to report, how to report it, or what your accountant should do. What we are talking about today is the mentality around tips — because the way you think about tips tells me everything about how you view your pricing, your worth, and your business model. And some of you guys… are using tips as a coping mechanism instead of a strategy. So let’s get into it. Let’s start here: Tips are not just money. They’re emotional feedback. When a client tips you, it feels like: Validation Appreciation Proof you did a good job Proof you’re “worth it” And when they don’t tip? It can feel like rejection. Or disrespect. Or like you did something wrong. Even when logically you know that’s not true. Here’s the thing no one tells groomers: You work in a job where: You give physical labor Emotional labor Caretaking energy Customer service AND artistry So of course tips feel personal. But the problem starts when: Your mood depends on tips Your confidence depends on tips Your ability to pay bills depends on tips Because at that point, tips stop being a bonus… and start becoming emotional income. And emotional income is unstable. So let’s ask the question directly: Are tips income… or are they a bonus? And here’s my honest answer: 👉 If you need tips to survive, they are acting like income. 👉 If your business model assumes tips will “make up the difference,” that’s a pricing issue. 👉 If tips feel like relief instead of appreciation, that’s data. Because ideally? Your pricing should already cover: Your labor Your expertise Your overhead Your energy Your lifestyle Tips should feel like: “Oh, that’s nice.” Not: “Oh thank god.” And if you just clenched your jaw a little when I said that… we need to talk. Because relying on tips is often a sign of: Underpricing Fear of raising prices Fear of client pushback People-pleasing Or being stuck in the “nice groomer” identity And none of that makes you a bad person. It makes you human. Some groomers think: “I can’t raise my prices because my clients tip well.” But what that actually means is: “I’m letting my clients decide my income for me.” Tips are optional. Pricing is intentional. When tips fill the gap, it creates: Inconsistent income Anxiety on slow days Emotional rollercoasters Fear of losing “good tippers” Resistance to change And here’s the real kicker: When you rely on tips, you’re more likely to: Over-deliver Undercharge Avoid boundaries Accept behavior you shouldn’t Stay quiet instead of confident Because you don’t want to risk the tip. That’s not empowerment. That’s survival mode. Here’s where I want to shift the conversation. Tips are data. Not identity. They can tell you: How clients perceive value How consistent your service is How confident your pricing feels to them Whether your experience matches your rates But they should NOT tell you: Your worth Whether you’re “good enough” Whether you deserve more money Whether your prices are fair Consider putting your tips aside for the next week to one month I want you to notice: Patterns Emotions Stories you tell yourself What tips trigger for you Not just how much you get. Because awareness comes before change. So here’s your takeaway for this week: If tips feel essential instead of optional, your next money move isn’t “get better tips.” It’s one of these: Review your pricing Learn how to raise prices confidently Build a budget that doesn’t rely on randomness Create a system that supports consistency And that’s exactly why January matters. You finally have the space to think. To reflect. To plan. And if you’re realizing: “Wow… I don’t actually feel in control of my income,” That’s not shame. That’s clarity. And clarity is where New Money starts. If this episode hit a nerve — good. That means you’re paying attention. This month’s theme is all about New Year, New Money so try to start tracking your tips, and start noticing not just what you earn… but how you feel about it. And if you’re ready to take this deeper: We talk about pricing inside the Price Increase Masterclass: https://www.savvygroomer.com/pimcWe talk about money habits inside Personal Finance on a Leash: https://www.savvygroomer.com/enroll  And we track it all with the Paws & Prioritize Planner: https://www.savvygroomer.com/planner

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee — founder of The Savvy Groomer, and if you’re listening to this right now, friend, take a deep breath… because you made it. You survived the holiday rush. The double-booked doodles, the “just a quick nail trim” walk-ins, the clients who swear they called you “weeks ago” even though it was yesterday. You’ve been running on caffeine, chaos, and muscle memory. But now… it’s over. And this is the part no one really talks about — the holiday emotional hangover. That strange cocktail of exhaustion, relief, pride, and maybe even a little resentment. You’re proud of how hard you worked, but also wondering, “Why do I feel so fried?” You made it through the rush, but now you’re staring at your table thinking, I don’t even want to look at a pair of shears right now. I get it. This is the time of year when groomers start fantasizing about quitting everything and moving to a cabin in the woods with zero dogs and perfect Wi-Fi. But here’s the thing: this quiet moment, this post-holiday pause — it’s gold. Because what you do right now in this space between burnout and renewal is what sets the tone for your entire year ahead. So today, we’re talking about how to reset — your energy, your systems, and your mindset. How to take everything you just went through and turn it into data, not drama. Because the goal isn’t to just recover. It’s to realign. So that January feels peaceful, intentional, and — yes — profitable. Let’s be honest — the holidays don’t just drain your energy; they distort your sense of normal. You’ve been operating in survival mode for weeks. Every spare minute is accounted for. You’ve said yes to appointments you didn’t want. You’ve eaten more granola bars in the back room than actual meals. You’ve run out of patience, product, and probably paper towels. And now that the rush is over, you don’t know whether to cry, nap, or deep-clean the salon. When we’re in that state, our brains don’t stop working — they start replaying. We replay the client who made us feel small. We replay the conversation we wish we’d handled better. We replay all the “I’ll deal with it after the holidays” stuff that’s now waiting for us. That’s the emotional hangover. It’s your system trying to process everything you didn’t have time to feel in the moment. So before you dive back into the grind, pause. Ask yourself: What did this season really leave behind? Maybe it left behind clutter — literal or emotional. Maybe it left behind resentment — toward clients, staff, or even yourself. Or maybe, surprisingly, it left behind proof — proof that you can handle more than you thought possible. Whatever it is, see it. Because awareness is the first step to peace. You can’t reset what you refuse to recognize. You’ve heard me say this before — burnout isn’t failure. It’s feedback. It’s your body, your mind, your spirit saying, something’s out of alignment. Every time you felt that flash of irritation or that tightness in your chest this season — that was data. When you felt underpaid, underappreciated, or just plain done — that was data too. It’s all emotional information. And when you look at it through that lens, it stops being something to feel guilty about and becomes something you can learn from. Let’s talk about some examples. That one client who always calls last-minute and expects a miracle? That’s data about your boundaries. That one employee who’s always “just five minutes late” but you never call it out? That’s data about your leadership. That moment when you snapped at your favorite dog because you were exhausted and hungry? That’s data about your self-care system — or lack of one. And here’s the kicker — sometimes the data is about us. It’s not always them. Sometimes we’re the ones dropping the ball, over-promising, or taking things too personally. I’ll share this story again because it changed the way I see everything: I once had to fire my own groomer. They weren’t bad. The haircuts were fine. But the communication? Not so much. Every pickup time changed, every “what’s included” conversation turned awkward. When I finally asked for clarity, I got attitude. And I remember thinking — “Oh. This must be what my clients feel like when I’m too tired to explain myself clearly.” That was my data. It wasn’t about blame — it was about awareness. Because self-awareness is what turns a good groomer into a great leader. So here’s your journal prompt this week: “What did this season teach me about me?” Maybe it taught you you’re stronger than you thought. Maybe it showed you where you need to delegate. Or maybe it just revealed where you’re stretched too thin. You don’t need to fix it all right now. You just need to notice it. Because that’s the beginning of every meaningful change. Alright — now that you’ve gathered your emotional data, let’s do something with it. Let’s talk about the December Debrief. Think of it as your end-of-year checkup — for your business and your brain. Grab a notebook, open a Google Doc, or just voice-record your thoughts while you clean up your table. We’re going to go through five quick categories: 1️⃣ Money — What actually made a profit? What quietly drained it? Did your add-on services carry you? Or did you undercharge for those “holiday extras”? Look at where the money flowed easily — and where it felt like pulling teeth. 2️⃣ Mindset — When did you feel calm, confident, and in control… and when did you start people-pleasing? Did you say “yes” because you wanted to — or because you were afraid to say “no”? 3️⃣ Boundaries — Where did you hold firm? Where did you give a soft yes that you regretted later? This isn’t about guilt — it’s about gathering the truth. 4️⃣ Clients — Who energized you? Who drained you? If you felt a pit in your stomach when someone texted, that’s not a coincidence. 5️⃣ Body — When did you nourish yourself? And when did you skip yourself? Did you hydrate? Eat? Stretch? Or did you run on fumes and Red Bull? You don’t need a spreadsheet. You just need honesty. Write one “ugh” thought, then balance it with three “I’m proud I…” wins. Because yes, this season had its chaos — but it also had victories. You showed up. You made it through. You built something real. And once you see your patterns on paper, you’ll start to see where to fine-tune. That’s how you stop repeating the same problems every year — by actually learning from them instead of just surviving them. Okay, so you’ve done your emotional inventory and your operational checkup. Now it’s time to clean house — literally and figuratively. Let’s start with your client list. Who’s truly your soulmate client — the ones who pay on time, respect your schedule, and trust your process? And who’s been quietly draining you? If you’ve got someone who’s been disrespectful, chronically late, or constantly “forgetting” your policies, I promise you — you do not need to drag that energy into a new year. Let them go. Kindly, professionally, gracefully. You can say something like: “We love Fluffy, but we don’t feel we can meet your needs anymore. Here’s a list of groomers who might be a better fit.” That’s not rude — that’s leadership. Because when you release what’s misaligned, you make room for what is. Next, look at your systems. Anything that made December harder than it needed to be? Fix it now. Update your reminder texts, your pricing sheets, your “what’s included” policies. Create templates for common messages so you’re not rewriting the same thing a hundred times. And if you realized your SOPs live in your brain and nowhere else — that’s your sign to get them documented. Your future self will thank you. And finally — reward yourself. I mean it. Not the “I’ll rest when I’ve caught up” kind of reward. The “I’ve earned this” kind of rest. Book a massage. Schedule a nothing day. Turn your phone on Do Not Disturb and watch trash TV with your dog. Because rest isn’t lazy — it’s leadership. Your brain needs white space to reset. Your creativity needs silence to breathe. And your body needs care to keep doing this work long-term. Peace doesn’t just appear — it’s something you build. Through boundaries, clarity, and compassion — for yourself and for everyone you serve. So as we head into January, remember — you don’t need to overhaul everything. You don’t need to reinvent your business or make a massive new plan. You just need to make one small, intentional improvement in each area you struggled with this season. That’s how you build a business that feels lighter, cleaner, calmer — without burning it down to start over. And because I know how busy you are, I made you something simple to help: The 5-Minute Year-End Clean-Up for Groomers. It’s a free checklist to help you declutter your mental load, tighten your systems, and walk into January already a step ahead. You’ve survived the season — and more importantly, you’ve grown through it. Now give yourself permission to rest, reflect, and reset. Because peace isn’t something you find — it’s something you create. And honestly? That’s the most Greedy Bitch thing you can do. Alright, my friend — take a deep breath. Let’s look forward to a new year. If you know of a groomer who could use this podcast, feel free to share them. Until next time, stay savvy, stay greedy — and never apologize for wanting more. 💋

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee, founder of The Savvy Groomer — and if you’re new here, this show is where we talk about the real side of running a grooming business: the money, the mindset, and the messy middle that no one warns you about. And today, whew… we’re talking about the holiday emotional hangover — managing people when you’re running on empty. December isn’t just busy. It’s emotionally contagious. Everyone’s buzzing, frazzled, sugar-crashing — and you’re the one trying to keep it all together. So grab your coffee, or maybe that third peppermint mocha, and let’s talk about what happens when your clients’ emotions start colliding with your own — and how to calm the storm without losing your mind. Alright, let’s just call it what it is — December has big energy. Everyone’s rushing, panicking, over-spending, over-promising, and under-resting. And guess who they bring that energy to? You. It’s like being the emotional barista for the entire town. They come in steaming, foaming at the top, and expect you to serve them calm in a to-go cup. I call it emotional glitter — because it gets everywhere. You think you’ve brushed it off, but nope — it’s on your schedule, your inbox, your mood, your poor bather who just wanted to eat their sandwich in peace. Picture this: A client bursts through your door — breathless, late, apologizing — “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, traffic was crazy, I had to fight three people at Target for a Squishmallow, the kids are screaming, the tree fell over…” And before you even realize it, you’re vibrating at a 9 out of 10 and you haven’t even touched a dog yet. That’s what I mean when I say December is emotionally contagious. You can pick up someone else’s stress faster than dog hair on a clean pair of black leggings. Now here’s the first truth I need you to remember: 👉 You can’t calm a client when your own nervous system is on fire. This is what I call emotional triage. Before you start managing their meltdown, you’ve got to check your own vitals. Take a breath right now with me — inhale… exhale… That’s the sound of you taking your power back. I want you to pause and literally ask yourself: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressed am I right now?” Be honest — no one’s grading this. If you’re at a 5 or 6, you can probably stay calm. If you’re at an 8, 9, or full-blown “someone breathe near me and I might cry,” that’s a no. If your number’s above a 7 — do. not. engage. Don’t respond to that text. Don’t pick up that phone. Don’t start that conversation yet. Because you wouldn’t clip hair with a dull blade — so why handle a client with a dull emotional edge? That pause? That’s not avoidance. That’s leadership. That’s saying, “I care enough about this relationship to not come in swinging.” So when you feel that wave of stress hit, try a quick 90-second reset. Step outside, get a sip of water, stretch your shoulders, pet a dog who makes you smile — anything that signals to your brain: “We’re safe. We’ve got this.” And if you can’t physically leave the table, at least change your mental room. Turn on a calm song. Spray some peppermint oil. Roll your shoulders, unclench your jaw. That’s you flipping your nervous system switch from fight-or-flight to focused-and-fine. Because here’s the deal — your energy sets the tone. If you walk into the salon sharp, tired, and snippy, your clients will mirror it right back to you. They’ll start to feel defensive, tense, maybe even combative — and you’ll start thinking, “Ugh, why are all my clients acting crazy lately?” Spoiler: it’s because you feel crazy lately. Now, that’s not shame. That’s awareness. We’re human. We have bad days. But the more you practice emotional triage, the easier it becomes to catch yourself before the spiral. Think of it like brushing out a small tangle before it turns into a matt — You deal with it early, gently, and regularly, so it doesn’t turn into a painful, snarled mess later. So here’s your first little exercise for this week: Before you answer any client text, take three seconds and rate your stress level. If it’s 1–6, respond calmly. If it’s 7 or higher — delay it. You’ll be amazed how many “emergencies” solve themselves if you give them an hour and a deep breath. And when you start showing up that way — grounded, measured, in control — you’ll notice something magical happen. Clients stop spiraling as much. Your team relaxes. The dogs behave better. Because everyone — humans and animals alike — feel safer around calm leadership. That’s your new job title this holiday season, my friend: Chief Emotional Regulator of Chaos. Let’s talk about what I call the mirror principle. Clients don’t actually respond to what you say — they respond to how you feel. Your energy is the message before the words even land. If you’re anxious, they get defensive. If you’re calm, they exhale. If you’re frazzled, they assume something’s wrong. They are literally holding a mirror up to your tone and energy. And this is the part no one tells you when you open your grooming business — you’re not just the groomer. You’re the emotional thermostat of the room. That’s why one of the best leadership skills you can ever develop isn’t a fancy grooming technique — it’s emotional regulation. And I don’t mean faking calm while you’re internally screaming. I mean actually finding it. So what does that look like in real life? Let’s say a client texts you: “Hey! I totally forgot to book Fluffy’s Christmas groom, can you squeeze me in this Saturday?” Old you: panic, guilt, heart racing, scrolling your calendar, bargaining with your sleep schedule like, “Maybe if I stay late and skip dinner, I can make it work?” But the Greedy Bitch version of you — she pauses. She takes a deep breath, checks her schedule, and decides to respond with grounded confidence: “Hey Susan! I’d love to help, but I’m completely booked through the holidays. I can put you on my cancellation list or go ahead and schedule January so she’s fresh for the new year.” You’re not cold. You’re not apologizing. You’re clear, kind, and calm. And guess what? That calm energy is contagious too. When you model calm, people borrow it. When you model chaos, they mirror that. It’s just like dating — if you’re texting someone while overanalyzing every emoji, they feel it. But if you’re confident, relaxed, and grounded in your own worth, they lean in. They trust you. Same thing with clients. They don’t want to feel your overwhelm — they want to feel your assurance. That sense of, “You’re in good hands. I’ve got this.” Now picture this: A client walks in with full-on holiday stress eyes — you know the look. Like they’ve been wrapping presents and crying since Tuesday, running on caffeine and chaos. They’re talking too fast, fumbling their wallet, apologizing for everything. Your job in that moment isn’t to absorb their energy — it’s to transform it. You do that with your tone, your body language, and your environment. Smile softly. Slow your voice. Make eye contact. You might say something like: “Hey, deep breaths — we made it! Fluffy’s here, we’ve got her. Go grab a coffee and enjoy your break.” It’s not about the words — it’s the vibe. You’re giving permission for peace. And here’s the best part: when you do this enough, it becomes muscle memory. You’ll start catching yourself before the spiral — and shifting energy in seconds. You’ll realize: “I don’t have to ride their rollercoaster. I can stand on the ground and hold the gate steady.” You just became the calm in their chaos. And the more you practice that, the easier it gets — for you, for your team, and for every stressed-out client walking through your door. Because remember — your calm doesn’t just change the day. It changes the room. So now that you’ve learned how to manage the energy between you and your clients, let’s zoom out and talk about something bigger — the energy of your space. Because here’s the truth: Even if you’re grounded, your salon can still be chaotic. Every conversation, every bark, every sigh leaves a little energetic residue behind — like emotional fur floating in the air. So if you’re fried, your clients will feel it the second they walk in. That’s why it’s time to do a little energy reset. Not just for them — for you. 🌿 1️⃣ Sensory Reset Think of your salon like a nervous system. Music, scent, and light are the sensory signals that tell everyone — “We’re safe. We’re calm. We’ve got this.” So let’s fine-tune them. Music: Forget “Jingle Bell Rock” on repeat. Pick a playlist that matches the energy you want, not the chaos you have. Think mellow lo-fi, acoustic coffeehouse, even spa playlists. Something that helps you breathe slower. Scent: Peppermint for focus. Lavender for calm. Vanilla for comfort. And please — skip the “cinnamon explosion” candles that smell like a Yankee Candle store on fire. Use a diffuser or light essential oils instead. Subtle is soothing. Lighting: Lighting is huge. If you can, swap harsh white bulbs for warm ones. Harsh light screams “stress.” Warm tones whisper “peace.” You’d be amazed how a 10-dollar bulb can change the vibe of your whole space. And if you work mobile — the same rules apply. Your van is a rolling salon and a rolling mood board. Keep a calming scent, play quiet music between appointments, and clear out that chaos energy between stops. ☕️ 2️⃣ Micro-Breaks Now let’s talk about you. Because no playlist or diffuser can fix burnout if you never take a breath. I know, I know — “I don’t have time.” But here’s the truth: you don’t have the time not to. Every 90 minutes, take 60 seconds to check in with your body. Stretch your neck. Unclench your jaw. Sip some water. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears. You’d be shocked how many groomers are running on caffeine, adrenaline, and vibes — wondering why they’re snappy or emotional. You’re not a machine. Even machines need maintenance. And no,

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee, founder of The Savvy Groomer, and if you’re new here — this show is where we talk about the real stuff behind running a grooming business. The money, the mindset, the boundaries — and all the messy middle that comes with it. And listen… we’re hitting that time of year again. The holidays. When every human being on Earth seems to lose their mind just a little bit. Clients are calling last minute. Everyone suddenly “forgot” that Christmas comes the same day every year. People are cranky, tired, stressed — including you. But here’s the truth, my friend: This isn’t just about the holidays. This is the highlight reel of who people really are under pressure. So today, we’re going to talk about recognizing the patterns we’ve been ignoring. Today's episode is “Data Don’t Lie: Fix, Freeze, or Fire ” I’m going to help you decide how to tell when someone — a client, an employee, even a coworker — has crossed the line from stressful… to unacceptable. And even better — how to stop guessing, and start collecting data so that come January, you’re making clear, confident decisions instead of emotional, exhausted ones. Alright — deep breath. Grab your notebook, grab your coffee, and let’s get into it. Alright, so last podcast we talked about the patterns we may be been ignoring,from clients, the staff, the people who are testing your patience. Now we’re going to flip the script — because this isn’t just about them. It’s also about you. You can’t talk about red flags without looking at your own dashboard lights. Because burnout doesn’t show up with a neon sign that says, “You’re done.” It creeps in quietly. It starts small — and before you know it, you’re running on caffeine, resentment, and survival mode. Let’s be real: groomers are masters at pushing through. We’ll skip lunch, ignore back pain, and say, “It’s fine, I’ll rest after Christmas.” But spoiler alert — “after Christmas” never actually comes, does it? Then suddenly it’s March and you’re wondering why you’re crying in your van between grooms. Sound familiar? So, let’s treat burnout like what it really is — data. It’s feedback from your body, your brain, your business. Let’s talk about your stress metrics. Here are a few I want you to start tracking this month. Nothing fancy — just awareness. How many meals did you skip this week? How many times did you vent about a client or coworker instead of celebrating a win? How many nights did you go home too tired to eat or shower? How many mornings did you wake up with dread instead of drive? If those numbers are creeping up — that’s not weakness. That’s information. We tend to think of data as spreadsheets and numbers — but this? This is emotional bookkeeping. Your skipped lunch is a data point. Your frustration is a data point. That Sunday night anxiety that makes your chest tight? Yep — that’s data too. And if you’re feeling “off,” you don’t need to explain it away. You need to listen to it. Your mind and body are basically the employees that never stop working — and they’ve been filing complaints for months. You just keep ignoring HR. If your business had an HR department, you’d already have three write-ups from your own nervous system. So here’s your wake-up call — start treating your burnout like a KPI. You track revenue, you track bookings, you track shampoo inventory — why not track your energy? Because if your stress is up 40% and your patience is down 80%, it doesn’t matter what your profit margin looks like. You’re not actually winning. Now, I know some of you are thinking, “River, it’s the holidays — of course I’m tired!” Sure. But there’s tired… and then there’s tapped out. Tired is normal. You rest, you recover, you’re fine. Tapped out is when you wake up and think, “I physically can’t do this anymore.” Tapped out is when you start fantasizing about quitting grooming entirely, moving to a cabin, and living off grid with twelve cats. (And listen, I’ve been there.) That’s why these stress metrics matter — because they help you catch it early. Here’s the pattern I want you to start noticing: When you’re at or near capacity, your behavior shifts. You start snapping at small things. You start resenting the clients you used to adore. You start dreading calls and messages that didn’t used to bother you. And that’s not you “being negative.” That’s your energy account going into overdraft. You cannot keep writing checks from a balance that’s already empty. So instead of powering through December like a martyr, I want you to start collecting proof. Proof that your business model might need adjusting. Proof that certain clients or staff members are draining more than they’re contributing. Proof that you’re not crazy — you’re just overloaded. Maybe you’ve outgrown your current schedule. Maybe you need a buffer day each week. Maybe your prices don’t actually reflect the level of effort you’re giving. Whatever it is — your burnout is trying to tell you something. Let me give you an example. Let’s say you find yourself venting about the same client every week — the one who constantly picks fights or questions your prices. That’s not “just venting.” That’s an alarm bell. Or you notice that every Friday, your body feels wrecked, your temper’s short, and your employees avoid eye contact. That’s not “holiday stress.” That’s a system issue — maybe scheduling, maybe culture, maybe leadership load. Whatever it is — it’s not a moral failure. It’s a data point. Take your feelings seriously. They’re not random. They’re reporting. If you’re venting more than you’re grooming — it’s time for a change. And that change doesn’t have to be dramatic. It might just mean saying no to one extra dog a day. Or finally letting go of the client who’s been emotionally exhausting you since 2018. Or maybe it’s delegating — hiring that assistant you keep saying you can’t “afford.” Because here’s the truth — you can’t afford not to. You can’t grow a sustainable business on burnout. You can’t build wealth when your health is tanking. And you sure as hell can’t lead others if you’re falling apart behind the table. So here’s your assignment for this week: Keep tracking your external red flags — but add yourself to the list. Ask: Am I respecting my own boundaries as much as I expect clients to? Am I honoring my own needs as much as I demand others honor my policies? Because if you don’t treat yourself like a valued employee, no one else will either. You can’t attract respectful clients while disrespecting your own limits. You deserve a business that doesn’t burn you alive every holiday season. You deserve to come home and still have enough energy left to eat dinner, to laugh, to actually live. So start using your burnout as a compass. If something keeps draining you — don’t shame it, study it. Because that’s where your next boundary belongs. Alright — you’ve been collecting data. You’ve tracked the red flags. You’ve been observing the patterns — not just in other people, but in yourself. Now what? It’s time to make decisions. And not emotional, spur-of-the-moment, “I swear if she texts me one more time…” decisions. No — I’m talking about strategic, intentional decisions that protect your peace and your profit. And to do that, I want you to use my favorite end-of-year framework: Fix, Freeze, or Fire. This is the moment where you stop surviving the season and start designing the next one. FIX Let’s start with the most hopeful one: Fix. This is for the relationships — clients, team members, even vendors — that are worth saving. Not every problem means someone’s toxic. Sometimes it just means someone needs direction. If a client’s late but apologetic, or a bather keeps forgetting to restock but genuinely wants to improve — that’s fixable. You fix those situations with conversation, not confrontation. That means pulling them aside and saying something like, “Hey, I noticed you’ve been late a few times. I know it’s a busy season, but I need you to plan to arrive ten minutes early so we stay on track.” It’s calm, it’s clear, and it’s actionable. Or for clients, “I totally understand you’re running behind, but I have to stay on schedule for everyone else. In January, I’ll be enforcing my late policy again so I can protect everyone’s time.” Boom. You’ve reestablished the boundary without turning it into a battle. Fixing is about leadership. It’s choosing to teach, not tolerate. To redirect, not resent. Sometimes the people in your business don’t even realize what they’re doing until you show them. But — and this is key — once you’ve taught, once you’ve communicated clearly, once you’ve documented it… If it still keeps happening? You move to phase two. FREEZE Now, this one’s my secret weapon. Freeze means pause, limit, or put a boundary in writing. Think of it like business probation — not punishment, but structure. You’re saying, “Hey, something’s not working here, and before I make a final decision, I need to see some change.” Maybe that means reducing how often you see that client. If they always flake on Saturdays, move them to a weekday. If they keep arguing about price, switch them to prepay only. Or for staff — maybe you take that bather off certain dogs until they’re retrained. Maybe you limit how many big dogs your team handles per day to reduce burnout. It’s not punitive — it’s preventative. You’re freezing the pattern before it becomes permanent. And listen, sometimes “freezing” just means putting your own damn self in timeout. You ever get so frustrated with someone that you think, “If I respond right now, I’m gonna say something I can’t unsay”? Yeah. That’s a self-freeze moment. Walk away. Breathe. Write it down. Then come back when you can lead from logic, not adrenaline. Freezing gives you time to see if someone’s coachable — or just comfortable. Because if you freeze the relationship and they use that time to grow

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee, founder of The Savvy Groomer, and if you’re new here — this show is where we talk about the real stuff behind running a grooming business. The money, the mindset, the boundaries — and all the messy middle that comes with it. And listen… we’re hitting that time of year again. The holidays. When every human being on Earth seems to lose their mind just a little bit. Clients are calling last minute. Everyone suddenly “forgot” that Christmas comes the same day every year. People are cranky, tired, stressed — including you. But here’s the truth, my friend: This isn’t just about the holidays. This is the highlight reel of who people really are under pressure. So today, we’re going to talk about recognizing when enough is enough. Today's episode is “Enough Is Enough: Knowing When to Fire, Freeze, or Fix” I’m going to help you decide how to tell when someone — a client, an employee, even a coworker — has crossed the line from stressful… to unacceptable. And even better — how to stop guessing, and start collecting data so that come January, you’re making clear, confident decisions instead of emotional, exhausted ones. Alright — deep breath. Grab your notebook, grab your coffee, and let’s get into it. Okay, let’s start here — I know everyone’s cranky right now. Clients, staff, even your delivery driver who’s running three hours late. It’s chaos. You’re running on caffeine and adrenaline, praying the power doesn’t go out mid-bath. But I want you to remember something that’s going to change how you see this whole season: Stress doesn’t create bad people — it reveals them. This time of year, people show their true colors. And if you pay attention, this month will tell you everything you need to know about who you want in your business next year. Some folks? When things get hard, they get generous. They bring cookies. They show up on time because they know you’re slammed. They even tip a little extra because they see your effort. Those are your green flag people — your soulmate clients, your team players, your keepers. But then there’s the other kind. The ones who, the moment life doesn’t go perfectly their way, start acting like the world owes them special treatment. They nitpick. They guilt-trip. They send those “just checking in” messages that really mean “Why aren’t you prioritizing me over everyone else?” And here’s the kicker — they’ve probably been like that all year. You just haven’t had the bandwidth to notice. Because when you’re busy and stressed, the little things that used to be “no big deal” start to sting. That tone in their voice. That sarcastic comment. That coworker who “just has a bad attitude.” Let’s be honest — some of those relationships were fine when everything was easy. But now? You’re starting to see what’s underneath. That’s the gift of December. Everyone’s mask slips a little. And instead of judging them — or yourself — I want you to use that as data. Now, data doesn’t sound sexy, right? But data is power. Data is how you stop running your business based on emotion and start running it like the CEO you are. So this month, I want you to become a quiet observer. Think of yourself as a scientist in your own business. You’re not jumping to conclusions; you’re collecting information. Who apologizes when they mess up? Who gets defensive when you set a boundary? Who handles pressure with grace versus those who melt down or lash out? If a client shows up late once, okay. Life happens. But if they’re late three times, complain about the price increase, and then act like they’re doing you a favor by showing up at all — Girl, that’s not a client, that’s a walking red flag wrapped in tinsel. Same goes for your team. If your bather forgets to restock shampoo once, that’s an oops. If it happens every week — and they roll their eyes when you bring it up — that’s a pattern. And patterns don’t lie. Here’s another thing to watch for: how people treat you when you say no. It’s easy for someone to be “nice” when you’re saying yes. But tell them no — tell them you can’t squeeze them in, or that there’s a late fee, or that you’re closed on Christmas Eve — and see what happens. Do they respect you? Or do they try to make you feel guilty? That reaction tells you everything. Because respectful clients don’t make you defend your boundaries. They might be disappointed, but they get it. They’ll say, “Oh, no worries! I’ll book earlier next time.” And then there’s the other kind… “You can’t just make an exception for me?” “Wow, I thought you valued my business.” That’s manipulation, not loyalty. And listen — I’m not saying cut everyone off the moment they frustrate you. This isn’t about being reactive. It’s about being aware. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. You can’t fix what you won’t admit is broken. So instead of venting to your friends or spiraling in your head, start writing it down. Seriously. Grab a sticky note, a notebook, or your phone — whatever works. When something happens, jot down what it was and how it made you feel. You’re not keeping score; you’re building clarity. Because by the time January rolls around, you’re going to look at that list and see patterns that were invisible before. And that’s when you’ll realize — oh. This isn’t “holiday stress.” This is who they really are when they think I’ll tolerate it. You know how people say “the way someone talks to waitstaff tells you who they are”? Well, the way your clients act during December tells you who they’ll be for the rest of the year. So let this month be your audition tape. Who gets cast for Season 2026 of your business, and who’s getting written out of the script? Because if you want peace, profit, and better clients next year — this is where it starts. Not by burning bridges, but by seeing clearly. Collect the data now. Your future self will thank you. Alright, so now that you’re collecting data — let’s talk about how to actually use it. I want to introduce you to a little system I swear every groomer needs tattooed on their forearm: The Three-Strikes Rule. This is my go-to for when you’re not sure if something is “worth firing someone over,” or if you’re just tired and overreacting. It gives you structure. It gives you emotional distance. It gives you permission to stop second-guessing yourself. Because if you’re anything like me — you’ve probably spent hours wondering: “Am I being too sensitive?” “Am I overreacting?” “Maybe they didn’t mean it that way.” Girl… no. You’re not crazy — you’re just conditioned to tolerate chaos. So here’s how this rule works. Strike One: Mistake. They forgot to confirm their appointment. They showed up late once. Your new bather mixed up shampoo bottles. It happens. People are human. Life gets messy — traffic, sick kids, alarm didn’t go off, whatever. The first strike is your grace period. You give them the benefit of the doubt — but you still document it. Because one strike doesn’t make someone a villain, but it does give you context later. Think of it like dating — the first time someone forgets to text you back, you don’t end it, but you notice. You file it away. If it never happens again, great! They had a bad day. But if it does… you’re ready for Strike Two. Strike Two: Pattern. Now this is where most groomers get stuck. You’ve addressed it once, maybe even twice. You’ve reminded them. You’ve set expectations. And then — they do it again. At this point, it’s not a mistake anymore — it’s a behavior. And behaviors are choices. When someone keeps crossing your boundaries after you’ve communicated clearly, they’re not confused. They’re testing you. You see this all the time: That client who no-shows twice and says, “Oh my gosh, I just forgot again, can you squeeze me in?” Or that bather who “accidentally” clocks out early every Friday. They know exactly what they’re doing. They’re seeing if you mean what you say. And listen — this is where your people-pleaser brain tries to negotiate. “Well, they’re going through a lot…” “It’s the holidays…” “I don’t want to be mean.” I get it. But this is where your boundaries either build your business — or break it. Because if you keep excusing behavior, you’re teaching them how to treat you. And when you allow something twice, you’ve just turned it into an expectation. Strike Three: Choice. By this point, they’ve had two opportunities to do better. You’ve been clear, you’ve been kind, and you’ve given them the roadmap. So if they do it again — that’s not an accident. That’s a decision. And when someone is actively choosing to disrespect your policies, your time, or your team — That’s not a miscommunication. That’s a mismatch. You don’t need to explode. You don’t need to have a meltdown. You don’t even need to justify it. You just need to make a note: “This person has shown me who they are.” And when someone shows you who they are — believe them. I can hear some of you already — “But River, it’s Christmas! Everyone’s stressed! Don’t I owe them a little grace?” Yeah, sure. Grace once. Maybe even twice. But if someone only acts like a decent human when life’s convenient for them? That’s not a soulmate client. That’s a seasonal one. And you, my friend, are not building a business founded on people who can’t be relied upon. This Three-Strikes Rule isn’t about being harsh. It’s about being methodical. It’s a way to protect your peace and your profit without letting guilt run your business. Because grooming is already hard enough. You’ve got hair in your bra, your feet are killing you, and you’re trying to eat lunch over the dryer. You don’t need the same people stealing your joy three times in a row. Here’s how to make this practical. Create a simple list — literally, pen and paper, or your phone notes app. Put three columns: Client/Employee Name, Strikes, Notes. Each time someone crosses a boundary or creates unnecessary stress, jot it do

Hello, hello and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee, founder of The Savvy Groomer — and if you’re listening to this while staring at a pile of towels, brushing out a doodle, or half-living on caffeine and leftover Halloween candy… breathe with me for a second. You did it. You made it through November — the month that feels like a tug-of-war between gratitude and grind. We just survived the “Turkey Month Trifecta” — too many dogs, too many deadlines, and not nearly enough naps. Now we’re staring down December — that magical, slightly unhinged season where everyone wants to be on your nice list while simultaneously acting like they belong on your naughty list. And before we dive headfirst into bows, Santa photos, and last-minute “just one more” calls, I want to pause and talk about something groomers rarely do this time of year: gratitude for ourselves. Because gratitude isn’t just about your clients, your dogs, or your bookings. It’s about appreciating how far you’ve come… and giving yourself permission to rest before the next round begins. So today, we’re slowing down, taking stock, and getting real about what you’re not bringing into December. You don’t need to earn your rest. You’ve already earned it. Let’s be honest — Thanksgiving gets all the hype for being the “season of gratitude,” but somewhere between the mashed potatoes and the matted doodles, most of us skipped right past it. We confuse gratitude with over-giving. We think, “I should be thankful, so I shouldn’t complain. I should just push through. I should take one more client, work one more hour, or skip lunch again because — hey — at least I’m busy.” But that’s not gratitude. That’s burnout dressed up like Thanksgiving dinner. Gratitude isn’t about ignoring your exhaustion — it’s about acknowledging your effort. It’s looking back at the chaos and saying, “Wow. I really did that.” You kept dogs safe. You kept clients happy. You kept your doors open, your shears sharp, and your sanity mostly intact. And if you’re listening to this, that means you cared enough to keep growing — not just grooming. But here’s the catch: you can’t receive gratitude if you’re running on empty. You can’t enjoy the fruits of your labor if you’re too tired to taste them. If your idea of celebrating a successful month is collapsing on the couch with take-out and scrolling through client messages you haven’t answered yet… that’s not success. That’s survival. So let’s change that. Let’s talk about what it really looks like to move from grateful but exhausted to grateful and grounded. Here’s what I want you to do — and yes, you can do this mentally while you groom. Think back on November. What worked? What made you proud? What left you feeling like, “That was worth it”? Maybe it was the way you handled a difficult client with calm confidence. Maybe it was finally saying “no” to that once-a-year emergency husky. Maybe it was enforcing your matting policy, or remembering to eat something green that wasn’t a jolly rancher.. Now, let’s look at the other side — the things that drained you. That moment when you felt resentful. That day you skipped lunch and snapped at your bather. That time you squeezed someone in “just this once” and immediately regretted it. We’re not judging — we’re observing. Reflection isn’t about guilt; it’s about data. You can’t fix what you won’t face. So if you noticed that your income didn’t match your effort, that’s not failure — that’s a clue. If you noticed you’re crankier with clients or shorter with your own pets at home, that’s not shame — that’s your body saying, “Hey, I’m done.” The best groomers aren’t the busiest ones — they’re the ones who listen when their energy talks back. So, what’s your energy telling you right now? You know how we tell clients that matting doesn’t magically go away — it only gets worse if you ignore it? Yeah, burnout’s the same way. So before December starts, let’s de-mat your mental space. Let’s brush out what doesn’t belong anymore. If you’re holding onto guilt — let it go. If you’re still obsessing about that one bad review or that one client you couldn’t please — let it go. If you’re still undercharging someone out of pity — please, for the love of your sanity, let. it. go. You are not a machine. You are not a holiday miracle worker. You are a human with limits — and that’s a good thing. So here’s what I want you to do this week: Pick one thing to release before December hits. Maybe it’s dropping a red-flag client. Maybe it’s removing one service that doesn’t make sense anymore. Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to close early one day a week. Whatever it is, write it down. Say it out loud. Because clarity creates calm. You can’t be grateful if you’re buried under guilt. You can’t be present if you’re running on panic. You deserve a version of success that doesn’t require suffering. Let’s talk about the thing groomers struggle with the most: rest. I know — even the word feels wrong in your mouth. We’re a community built on hustle. We wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. But rest isn’t laziness — it’s maintenance. Think about your tools. You wouldn’t groom a full day with dull blades or skip cleaning your tub because “there’s no time.” So why do you treat your mind and body any different? Gratitude isn’t just saying “thank you.” It’s showing thank you — to yourself. You thank yourself by scheduling a break. You thank yourself by eating a real lunch instead of protein bars and promises. You thank yourself by closing your books when you said you would. Because when you rest, you come back sharper. Kinder. More creative. More you. And that version of you — calm, confident, and cared for — that’s the one your clients, your dogs, and your business truly need. Now, before we wrap up, I want to remind you — gratitude and profit can coexist. In fact, they should. If you’ve been nodding along all month thinking, “I know I need to raise my prices, but I just feel guilty,” this is your sign. Gratitude for your clients doesn’t mean charging less. It means running a business that will still exist next year so you can keep serving them. If you haven’t yet, go check out the Price Increase Masterclass at SavvyGroomer.com/PIMC It’s the step-by-step guide to figuring out exactly what to charge, how to communicate it without guilt, and how to handle any pushback like the pro you already are. Because you don’t need to work harder — you just need to charge like someone who’s already earned it. And friend, you have. Before we go, I want to leave you with this thought: You don’t have to start December exhausted just because everyone else is. You can choose peace over pressure. Boundaries over burnout. Gratitude over guilt. Take a deep breath. Let it out. And say this with me: “I’m grateful for how far I’ve come. I honor my limits. My peace is profitable.” You’ve already done enough. You’ve already earned your rest. Now it’s time to receive it. If today’s episode hit home, share it with a fellow groomer who needs to hear that rest isn’t failure — it’s strategy. I highly suggest you check out our free Holiday Boundaries scripts and you can get that at SavvyGroomer.com/HolidayBoundaries And if you’re ready to start the new year with confidence and clarity, grab your spot in the Price Increase Masterclass at SavvyGroomer.com/PIMC Until next time — stay grateful, take a nap, and as always… stay greedy, bitch.

You know that feeling when you leave work completely drained, not because the dogs were tough, but because the clients were? Let’s talk about that. When clients truly value you, they don’t make you feel guilty for setting boundaries - they respect your time, your prices, and your energy. Red flags aren’t just annoying…they’re expensive. “You’ve worked your tail off — and you’re done saying sorry for wanting more. If that makes you a greedy bitch, good. This is Greedy Bitch, where groomers trade burnout for boundaries — and learn to love their business again.” We’re diving into the difference between guilt-based clients and soulmate clients - the ones who make you love grooming again. The Discount Dilemma Remember the clients who always asked for a discount or complained about price increases? You thought you were being kind by giving them a “deal”, but it never made them loyal. They expected more every time, and the moment you enforced boundaries or raised prices, they left anyway. You realized that soulmate clients never asked for discounts - they booked regularly and even tipped more when you adjusted prices. Some even said that you should charge more and that you deserve it! Real Life Example: There was a student who used to have a client named Barbara who completely guilted her into keeping her groom at $45. Barbara told the student she couldn’t justify paying more for her dog than she did for her own hair. The student felt bad and agreed to keep Barbara at that price — as long as she was the one grooming her dog. Later, when that student hired an employee, she told Barbara she had to raise the price to our standard rate of $85 per hour. She said, ‘Well, why can’t you just keep grooming Sasha?’ When the student stuck to her boundary, Barbara left. The funny thing? The student found out later Barbara started going to another groomer — and paying them $85 per groom. That’s when it hit the student: Barbara was never a soulmate client. Just because someone is a regular doesn’t mean they truly value you. The Late Pickup or No-Show Stress Think of the clients who were chronically late or ghosted on appointments. You tried to “be nice” the first few times, but it disrupted your schedule and cost you income. Compare that to your soulmate clients who apologized, respected your time, and even brought coffee as a thank-you. “It’s not about being mean - it’s about protecting your peace and professionalism.” Real Life Example: I had a student who had a client who ghosted her for two appointments. SHe tried to be understanding — the client made it sound like there were things going on in her life, and the student wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. When the client finally came back with her two husky–malamute mixes, they were in terrible shape. The student was too nice again and didn’t charge what the job really required. One of the dogs was so matted she had to refer her to a vet for part of the groom. Instead of being grateful, the owner got upset and wanted her to force her elderly dog into uncomfortable positions just to get the job done. That was the moment the student realized — she was never a soulmate client. The student thought she should’ve stood her ground and protected her time, her energy, and that poor dog’s well-being The Emotional Guilt Tripper The client who said, “But my dog loves you! Can’t you just squeeze us in?” At first it feels flattering - but it’s manipulation in disguise. It’s not your job to solve their poor planning or last-minute emergencies. Soulmate clients plan ahead and understand that respect goes both ways. Real Life Example: I had a student who had a client who always told her how much she loved her and how much her dog loved her. It sounded sweet, but she’d constantly wait until the last minute to book and expected the student to bend over backwards for her. One time, she even asked the student to reschedule other clients just so she could get in sooner. That’s when the student realized — being nice and being respected aren’t the same thing. She seemed kind on the surface, but she wasn’t a soulmate client. The student thought she would’ve saved herself so much emotional stress if she’d just let her go sooner or created those boundaries. The Unrealistic Expectation Client Maybe a matted doodle owner who insisted their dog “wasn’t that bad”. You felt pressure to please them and worried they’d be upset when you had to shave down. You learned that your soulmate clients trust your expertise - they don’t question your judgement. A soulmate client says, “Do what’s best for my dog,” while a red-flag client says, “Can’t you just make them fluffy?” Real Life Example: We’ve had so many clients — and yes, unfortunately most of them were doodles — who insisted their dog ‘wasn’t that matted’ and that we are just being lazy for wanting to shave them down. They wanted their dog to stay fluffy no matter what, even if it wasn’t in the dog’s best interest. But there’s a huge difference with soulmate clients. They always choose humanity over vanity. They trust your judgment, they want what’s best for their dog, and they’re genuinely appreciative. Those are the grooms that leave you feeling good at the end of the day — not drained. The “Energy Drain” Client Someone whose dog you loved but whose parents' energy exhausted you - complaining, gossiping, or creating drama. Even when the money was good, you left those appointments emotionally drained. When you switched focus to soulmate clients, grooming days felt lighter and more rewarding - even if your schedule was smaller. Real Life Example: My student had a client named Marci who left her completely emotionally drained every single time. She complained about something at every appointment, yet she always came back — and honestly, it never made sense to my student. Marci was incredibly particular and neurotic about her dog, even though Panda herself was an absolute sweetheart. It can really open your eyes to how much energy those kinds of clients take. When your day is filled with soulmate clients instead, it’s a totally different experience. You finish the day feeling fulfilled, calm, and genuinely excited to do it all again tomorrow. Soulmate clients don’t guilt you - they get you. They respect your boundaries, your time, and your talent. They make this career sustainable and joyful. And once you stop tolerating red-flag clients, you create space for the ones who truly value you. Protect your peace, charge what services are worth, and stop mistaking guilt for gratitude. Alright, that’s it for this week’s episode of Greedy Bitch. If this hit home, share it with a fellow groomer who needs permission to say “no” without guilt. And don’t forget to grab your Free Holiday Boundaries Script at SavvyGroomer.com/HolidayBoundaries Until next time — stay grateful and as always… stay greedy, bitch.

They call it greedy. We call it boundaries. This is Greedy Bitch — where groomers stop settling, stop explaining, and start living life on their own terms. I’m your host, River Lee — and listen, if your hands hurt, your phone won’t stop buzzing, and your clients are already asking to be squeezed in before the holidays… friend, I feel you. We are about to be in the thick of it. It’s the season of over-caffeinated chaos. Fur is literally everywhere. You’ve got bows in places bows were never meant to be. And somehow, even with all this “holiday cheer,” you’re starting to feel… tapped out. Because here’s the thing no one tells you about gratitude season: it can make you forget your own limits. You start thinking, “I should be thankful. I should say yes. I should just push through.” But that’s not gratitude — that’s martyrdom dressed like a turkey. True gratitude doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. It means respecting yourself enough to say no when you need to. So today, we’re going to talk about something most groomers struggle with — especially this time of year — and that’s boundaries. Because friend, boundaries are not mean. Boundaries are not selfish. Boundaries are how you say, “I’m grateful for what I have — and I want to protect it.” So grab that cold cup of coffee from this morning, take a deep breath, and let’s talk about how “no” can actually be the kindest form of “thank you.” Let’s be real. Groomers have a hard time saying no. Some of us will spend hours dematting a dog so we don’t have to send them home as a shaved naked sacrificial lamb for the holidays… Then someone squeezes in that once a year husky or the doodle who canceled the last 2 months appointments… then, SURPRISE! They have to get in now because it's an emergency. It seems like the holidays mean handling cranky clients —God forbid you tell someone you can’t squeeze them in? That you’ll have to shave their dog like a naked mole rat? Suddenly we’re hiding in the back room so we don’t have to make eye contact with the customer we know is going to be pissed or turning the ringer off so you don’t have to avoid the call from ‘you know who.’ Why? Because we’re scared. Scared of losing clients. Scared they’ll bad-mouth us online. Scared they’ll think we don’t care about their pets we sacrifice so deeply for. And then there’s the guilt. “Oh, they’ve been coming here forever.” “Oh, their dog’s so sweet, I’ll just squeeze them in.” “Oh, it’s just one more little Shih Tzu — what’s the harm?” The harm is your sanity. Every “just one more” chips away at your patience, your body, and your joy. And let’s not forget the soft yes. You know the one: “Let me see what I can do.” “If someone cancels, I’ll call you.” Or my personal favorite: “I’ll try to fit you in somewhere.” No you won’t. You’re already booked up to your eyeballs. You’re lying to yourself out of guilt. Here’s what happens — you say yes out of kindness, but then you’re angry the whole time you’re grooming that dog. You try to smile when they come to pick up but you know they don’t actually appreciate how much you did for them. You’re rushing, your back hurts, you’re starving, and you’re muttering under your breath like, “I swear, next year I’m not doing this again.” But you will — unless you start recognizing that saying yes to everyone else means saying no to yourself. You think you’re being grateful, but what you’re really doing is giving your peace away in tiny little pieces — one soft yes at a time. And listen, if you’ve ever found yourself crying in your car between grooms, eating gas station snacks for lunch, and wondering why you’re so tired — it’s not because you’re weak. It’s because you’ve been saying “yes” when your soul and body has been begging you to say “no.” Alright— let’s reframe this whole thing. What if saying “no” was actually the most loving thing you could do? Think about it this way: When you say no to an overbooked day, you’re saying yes to the dogs already on your table. You’re saying yes to doing your best work. When you say no to last-minute chaos, you’re saying yes to your health, your family, your peace. That’s not rejection — that’s respect. Boundaries are love with structure. You know how we have grooming loops to keep dogs safely on grooming tables and in tubs? Boundaries are the emotional version of that. They keep your career from falling off the table. Let me tell you a quick story. A few years ago, I had a client — sweet lady, older and a terrible planner. Every thanksgiving AND christmas, she’d call me in a panic: “Oh River, I forgot to book! Can you just squeeze in Bailey? Just this once?” And every year, I’d cave. I’d stay late, skip dinner, and tell myself, “It’s fine, it’s the holidays.” One year, I was so behind that I actually forgot to eat for 12 hours. I was shaky, dehydrated, and trying to not shave down the ancient skin tag riddled bichon because ‘surely this is the last time’ while convincing myself I was being kind. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t. I was exhausted, cranky, and if I’m honest, Bailey could feel it. The following year, I said no. Kindly. Firmly. “I’m so sorry, I’m not accepting grooming clients in November or December if they had not received a full groom in September or October. Let’s pre-book for next time so this doesn’t happen again.” She huffed. She whined. And then? She booked ahead. Because clients adjust to the boundaries you teach them. That’s when it hit me: Every time you say yes to something that hurts you, you’re teaching clients that your time and energy don’t matter. But every time you say no with confidence, you teach them that they’re working with a professional — not a pushover. Boundaries don’t scare away the right clients. They filter out the wrong ones. Alright, let’s talk about how to actually do this. Because it’s one thing to nod along, and it’s another to hit “send” on that text that says, “I can’t fit you in.” Here’s where to start: Step one: Decide your limits before the chaos hits. Know the last booking date before the holiday. Are you working the morning of thanksgiving? Are you closed christmas eve morning? Then decide limitations like no full grooms the week of Thanksgiving or Christmas. Maybe set limits of how many dogs per day you’ll groom and see what feels healthy. Write it down — because when you’re tired, when you feel pressure, your boundaries get fuzzy. Step two: Communicate clearly. You can be kind and firm. Try something like: “Hey! I’m fully booked for the holidays, but I’d love to add you to my cancellation list or get you on the schedule for January.” That’s not rude — that’s clear boundaries. Step three: Use your tools. Post booking reminders on social media. Use automated messages. And if writing those texts stresses you out — don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I created a Free Holiday Boundaries Script with word-for-word responses for every “Can you squeeze me in?” and “But I forgot to book!” message you’ll get this season. You can grab it right now at SavvyGroomer.com/HolidayBoundaries Step four: Enforce your boundaries. Once you set them, stick to them. Because if you don’t respect your own limits, no one else will. You teach people how to treat you — and that includes your clients. Before we wrap up, I just want you to remember this: Boundaries are not barriers — they’re bridges. They connect who you are to the life you actually want to live. When you say “no” from a place of love, you’re saying, “I want to keep doing this career I adore, without losing myself in it.” That’s not selfish. That’s sacred. So this week, I want you to pick one small boundary to hold. Maybe it’s no texting after hours. Maybe it’s saying “no” to a same-day request. Maybe it’s taking a lunch break — a real one, with food that didn’t come from a gas station or dunkin donuts. Whatever it is, do it for you. Because gratitude without boundaries is just burnout in a cute outfit. You deserve peace. You deserve rest. And you deserve to be respected — by your clients and by yourself. Alright, that’s it for this week’s episode of Greedy Bitch. If this hit home, share it with a fellow groomer who needs permission to say “no” without guilt. And don’t forget to grab your Free Holiday Boundaries Script at SavvyGroomer.com/HolidayBoundaries Until next time — stay grateful, stay gritty, and as always… stay greedy, bitch.

Booked Solid and Still Broke? Hello, hello — and welcome to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. You’ve earned it. You’ve worked for it. And you’re not asking permission anymore. It’s November — which means most groomers are running on caffeine, sugar, and sheer determination right now. You’re booked solid — maybe even a little over-booked — and you can’t remember the last time you sat down for lunch. And if you did, there was probably a handful of fur sprinkled in that you meant to blow off… but honestly, you were too tired to care. And yet — you look at your bank account and think, “How the hell am I this tired and still this broke?” Or maybe at the start of the month that number looks satisfying… but by the end, it’s just poof. Gone. Listen — you’re not crazy, and you’re not doing anything wrong. The truth is, the system we were all taught is broken. We were raised in this industry — from baby groomer to business owner — to believe that busy means successful. But busy doesn’t always mean profitable. So today, we’re going to talk about what’s really going on when you’re booked solid and still broke— and how gratitude for your clients doesn’t mean giving away your boundaries. Alright, let’s be honest about what’s really happening here. Most groomers? We price with our hearts instead of our calculators. We want to be fair — but fair to who? Because nine times out of ten, it’s not fair to us. Sometimes we look at a yorkie and think, “Oh, that’ll take me no time,” or “They’ve been coming forever; I’ll keep her the same price.” That’s sweet… until you realize that “same price” hasn’t budged since gas was two-fifty a gallon. And the truth is that yorkie doesn’t take you much time because you’ve invested thousands on the right products, education and learned the hard way. You can’t hand a pair of shears to a person who’s never groomed and get the same result, you’ve earned and learned. We need to treat ourselves as the professionals we are. You wouldn’t expect your grocery store to “feel out” the price of milk every week. They don’t stare at you at checkout while you scan the carton and go, “Hmm, this one looks friendly — let’s knock off a dollar.” or when the price goes up they don’t say “She’s been coming forever, we won’t charge her the new price.” They don’t feel guilty or bad when prices change. But somehow, that’s exactly what we do with our grooms. If you’re booked out four weeks or more, and it’s not 100% with your soulmate clients, you’ve outgrown your prices. That’s not a compliment — that’s your business waving a red flag saying, “Hey! You’re overdue for a raise.” And then there’s this thing we all do — we over-give to show gratitude. We tell ourselves, “They’re such good clients; I’ll throw in the teeth brushing,” or “I’ll squeeze in Fluffy one more time.” But real gratitude isn’t self-sacrifice — it’s sustainability. Discounts are not thank-yous; they’re quiet resentments waiting to happen. You know that feeling when you give someone a deal and they still complain? Yeah… that’s the sound of your boundaries cracking. People pleasing isn’t good business. You can’t build a stable business by constantly bleeding value in the name of kindness. When you undercharge, you’re teaching your clients exactly what your time is worth — and they’ll believe you. And listen, your kindness is amazing, but it’s not a business strategy. The goal isn’t to squeeze in every dog or please every person. The goal is to build a business that feeds your life, not drains it. So, if you’re sitting there nodding, thinking “Yeah, that’s me,” don’t beat yourself up. You were never taught the math side — just the hustle side. But that’s what we’re here to fix. Alright — let’s zoom out for a second. We’ve spent so long measuring success by how busy we are that we forgot to ask if any of it actually makes sense. If the phone is ringing off the hook, if people are fighting to get in the door or have to wait 2, 4, 6 weeks, that’s good right? Because here’s the truth: Full doesn’t mean successful — profitable does. A packed calendar without profit is just organized burnout. You’ve just color-coded your exhaustion. And I know you love your clients. I know you’re grateful. But gratitude doesn’t mean giving until you’ve got nothing left. I know for me I have had instances that I wanted to give and give because that’s what felt good, giving of my time, my energy, my skills. I like to be liked. For better or worse, real gratitude starts with fair exchange. Everyone gets value — including you. There needs to be an equal exchange, not just being a martyr. You give your skill, your time, your care. They give payment that reflects the real cost of that. That’s how it’s supposed to work. You can’t pour from an empty bowl. You can’t groom from an empty bank account. It’s not selfish to want to breathe — it’s strategic. When you’re rested, confident, and financially stable, you do better work. Your grooms look better. You’re kinder to the nervous dogs. You’re more patient with that chatty client. You come from a place of peace, flow and confidence. That’s gratitude in action. Your business should serve your life — not the other way around. And busy? Busy is not a badge of honor. It’s a blinking warning light that says, “Hey, you’re running on fumes.” We absolutely have busy seasons but there is difference between ‘I’m busy as I’m prepping to take 2 weeks off” or “I’m squeezing in a few extra grooms before thanksgiving or christmas” If you’re constantly turning potential soulmate clients away, that’s your business whispering, “It’s time to level up.” Raise those prices. Tighten your schedule. Value your time. Because your clients — the right clients — don’t want a burned-out groomer. They want someone who loves what they do. We all know a groomer who over a decade has gone from passionate, patient and excited to burned out. They will tell you how every customer is cheap, takes advantage of them and how every dog is ‘poorly behaved’... or they’ve gone into full denial mode where they’re wearing rose colored glasses and they’re emotionally and physically numb. It’s like that meme where the dog is sitting in a chair while the whole room is on fire saying “this is fine”. The truth, for better or worse, is the only way to keep loving what you do is to make sure it also loves you back. When you shift from being thankful to being valued, everything changes — your confidence, your income, your energy. And let me tell you — that’s when the magic happens. So, let’s talk about what that shift looks like in action. Because what I don’t want you to just nod along and go, “Yeah, she’s right,” and then dive right back into 12-hour days or 7 day weeks. You don’t need another pep talk — you need a plan. Here’s the truth: you don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. You just have to start closing the gap. Start small. Raise one service that you don’t want to do anyway. Add one new fee to set boundaries with a pocketbook hit. Enforce matting or late fees on one client that you don’t care if they leave anyway. (And honestly if they left, you might even be relieved). Change one thing that makes the numbers work a little more in your favor and take back some of your power. If you’re booked more than four weeks out, you’ve already earned a price raise. Period. You don’t need anyone’s permission — your schedule already gave you the green light. Then look at your client rotation. Are these clients maintaining their grooms, or are they stretching it? If half your book is eight-week doodles that come in matted, you’re not running a sustainable schedule — you’re running triage. Ask yourself this: which services are stealing your time without giving a real return? Because those “bath and tidy” appointments that take almost as long as a full groom? They’re not a deal. They’re stealing money out of your pocket.. Try this simple shift — add a small policy fee for things like late arrivals or matting. Those aren’t punishments; they’re boundaries you get paid for. It teaches clients that your time has value. And listen, I know numbers can feel intimidating. But numbers don’t care about feelings — your peace of mind does. You’ve already proven the demand. Now it’s time to make the math reflect it. If this hits home — if you’re nodding along thinking, “Yep, that’s me,” — that’s exactly what the Price Increase Masterclass walks you through step by step. How to calculate your ideal rate. How to communicate the change without guilt. And how to handle pushback like the confident professional you already are. You don’t need to work harder. You just need to start charging like someone who’s already earned it. Because you have. This isn’t about greed. It’s about gratitude — gratitude for the skill, the sweat, and the soul you’ve put into your craft. So this week, pick one small change that honors that. Just one. You know, before we wrap up, I just want to remind you of something simple. You’re already doing the hardest part — showing up. Day after day, you care for pets, deal with people’s emotions, and somehow keep your sanity through the chaos of busy season. That takes grit. That takes heart. So please — give yourself the same grace you give every nervous dog on your table. You know the one — shaking, scared, and just trying their best? You talk to them softly, you move slowly, you let them know they’re safe. Or the cocker who has crapped for the 3rd time on the table, and mom swears she took him out before she brought him? We both know she’s lying but it’s not the dog’s fault, and you’re patient, you’re kind. You deserve that same kind of care from you. Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything’s fine or ignoring how exhausted you are. It’s about acknowledging your effort — the hours, the skill, the love you pour into this work. Thank yourself by charging what your services are worth. Thank yourself by taking a real lunch break, and eating

o let's go ahead and start talking about today's topic, how to create better client boundaries. So I'm gonna talk to you about five different things. So the number one thing I want you to start talk thinking about when you have client boundary issues is, are they your ideal client? I talk all the time about what I call the solem mate client. And what happens with you guys a lot of times is that you just take anyone with money. Anyone who has a wallet is a customer. And I want you guys to start changing that. I want you, when you have a client issue to consider, is this person even worth it? Now, I know that sounds like a dick thing to say, right? That sounds like a really mean thing to say, but a lot of times when you are clashing with a customer, it's simply because you and them are not compatible. Think about to yourself, what is it that they're upset about? Is it something that doesn't make sense for your business model? For instance, you guys know that I require every four weeks for my clients. If I have an issue with a client who wants six weeks, eight weeks, 12 weeks, won't get on a regular schedule, then I'm trying to create a boundary with somebody who's not my ideal client. And it's a waste of time and energy. And I know that sounds super harsh, but a lot of times you guys have to stop chasing the wrong people. It's kinda like if you guys ever known one of your friends who's in a terrible relationship and you're like, why don't you just break up with them and they're trying to save this terrible relationship. That's what happens when I'm watching you guys with these clients that you can tell. It's not that they're, they're bad clients, they're just not the one for you. And too often you guys, if I ask you what's your ideal client, you'll tell me basically anyone who's willing to pay your prices, it has to be more focused than that. Lynn Paleo did a great class on finding your ideal client. You'll find a lot of these issues melting away when you create better boundaries. But part of that is going to be making sure that they are the correct client for you. So number two, how often do we put ourselves in our client's shoes? I find more often than not, what happens with you guys is that you're not actually putting yourself in their shoes. And I understand you're like, how? What does that to do with boundaries? If you create a boundary that isn't sustainable, that's just me. It's not, it's not sustainable. For instance, I see a lot of people that require the person to pick up their pet 30 minutes after giving a phone call. But what happens is that you have a four hour window to get the dog done, and then you expect the owner to come when you call within 30 minutes. And most of the time you guys want busy professionals, and it's a little unrealistic. You cannot create that boundary if it does not make sense to the client. All you're going to do is have someone become more resentful and rebellious. For instance, if I drop off my dog and I ask you, when will my dog be done? I have a standard poodle. And you say, well, it could be anywhere between two and four hours. Let's a two hour window. And I say, okay, I live about 30 minutes away. I'm gonna run some errands. If you could give me an hour warning, that would be great. And you say, okay. And then when you call, you say, okay, you know, Rory, my dog is done. And you know, you have 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, you are going to be charged one. I'm sitting there going, why am I gonna be charged when I let you know for an hour and two, you feel like in this instance that you set a boundary of being able to be picked up in 30 minutes, but you didn't put yourself in that person's shoes. And consider how many of us can honestly drive 15, 25 minutes to go pick up our pet with only five or 10 minutes notice. The reason I'm saying consider that is because a lot of you guys are creating boundaries and then you don't understand why people aren't living up to your expectations. And a lot of times it's because it's just not fair to the client as you're not pitting yourself in their shoes. And that's a healthy boundary. It's, this is my standard, this is my expectation. If you don't meet it, then that's fine. And that's something too, Stephanie, we talked about, are they your ideal client? If your boundary is every four weeks, there's no point in being upset with a client who's a once a year or twice a year pet, because they're not gonna get on a four week schedule because there's nothing you're going to do to get that client on the schedule. So your boundary irrelevant. All you're doing is frustrating yourself. So my next tip for you guys for better client boundaries, number three is going to be clear communication. I love the quote, to be unclear is to be unkind. Often we think that giving them a four page policies, you know, procedures, that they're gonna read through all that. You know, as somebody who's been an apple connoisseur forever, I have yet to ever read the terms and conditions of my apple, you know, my watch, anything like that. So make sure that your boundaries are clear and they're easily understood. For instance, if my boundary going back is the pet to be picked up within 30 minutes, then I have to set the clear expectation to the client. You know, one way I did that in my business is that we had a three hour window for bath dogs and a four hour window for groom dogs. We could definitely call you between two and four hours for groom dogs and two to three hours for bath dogs. That said, they knew no matter what, that dog would be done if it was a bath dog at three hours, if it was a groom dog at four hours. So they did not need to wait for a phone call that was able to set a precedent that they had a 30 minute window past the four hours. So they knew the latest they could pick up was this and they could schedule the rest of their day. So I set the boundary of we're not gonna sit here and watch a goddamn dog all day, but we were able to clearly communicate that in a way that we put ourselves in the client's shoes and able to help them, whatever it's gonna be. And you know, I'm assuming that the, these people are your ideal clients and they understand. I think that's perfect. I think setting those boundaries and making sure that those boundaries are, you know, I hate to say it, but make sure they make sense. A lot of times you guys want these more high-end clients or want these clients that come in regularly and then there's a little, little hiccups where there's inconsistency and things like that. Not you, but just in the general sense, make sure that it makes sense. So with the clear communication, make sure you guys have heard me before talking about client onboarding, right? And a client flow. So with my clients, not now 'cause we're full, but before we were full, what we would do is we would have them go to the website, they would fill out a contact form and we would go through the contact form, you know, and it would state things like, we only do pets every four weeks, what breed, et cetera. And so basically we had the form at that point, we would then call them to make sure basically so I could smell the crazy and book them in their first appointment and then go ahead and you know, explain the policies, explain how we do things, that way they understand how we work. So for instance, right now in my mobile business, I don't go to people's doors. They bring the pet to me. And for me that's a clear boundary because I don't go in people's homes. Why? Because I'm avoiding having them ask me to chase their cat. I can't tell you how many people are like, it's stuck in the bathroom. And I'm like, that's perfectly fine. We're happy to charge you the $50 travel fee, go to the next pet and come back if we have to. You know? And again, that is a boundary, that is a clear communication. This client knew that we had a window and we come to have the pet ready. And if you don't, that's fine, then we're going to have certain fees or anything like that. And those, a lot of times, fees are a great way to create better boundaries, you know, as long as they're fair. That's the thing is what's good for the goose, it's good for the gander generally, you know, I try to make sure my expectations of the client are reasonable, are something that that person can do. Again, making sure they're my ideal client. You know, if you have somebody, if your ideal client has, you know, is a young family, you've gotta think about somebody with three little kids is far less likely to be able to pick something up right on time because they're gonna have to strap three kids in the minivan. Alright, so let's talk about number four. Document, document, document. So things in writing are your best friends before, during, and after. Photos, video, audio, everything is documented in this business. And in my previous business, everything was documented. Every cat I grew, my do it before, a during and an after. Now, most of my current clients don't need a during. They might if we're doing a line cut and if their skin's a little, you know, red or anything like that. But it's important to have video and or audio, especially if you have employees. I will say, when I had my shop, the best thing, well one of the best things I ever did was install in the front, in the reception area, a audio and a camera. That way if I explained to the client, Hey, we're going to do, you know, this pet's matted, you can see the matting again, clear communication, right? And then I set my boundary, which was, it's either gonna be a very expensive shave down, you can go home and brush the dog, you know, or you know, depending upon the case, they might, I might be willing to do small incremental like a, you know, some D matting depending upon how mad at the pet is. And that's a clear boundary. You know, another example of a boundary would be if a dog comes in that needs a D, she, if I see the pet needs a D, she and it is w

Our goal today is to talk about how every customer is not your customer. And I don't wanna talk necessarily about customer service and things like that, but making sure it aligns with what you want and the best way for you to live your life. So this is also for people that are employees. It doesn't even always just mean somebody that is a business owner. And you might be like, how is that? So the best way I can explain it, and I've done this in one of my blog articles, is when we talk about customers, I say, let's say coffee. Lots of places sell coffee. Let's talk about, we have Dunkin Donuts here. That's our like mid-level coffee. We've got Starbucks, which is our more high-end, expensive coffee. And then I'll use the example of McDonald's. 'cause McDonald's is a dollar coffee. You get a dollar coffee any size. So the truth is all three of these places sell coffee. McDonald's, it's a dollar. So with that said, dunk of donuts is your mid-range coffee. It's like 2, 2 50 for a medium cup of coffee and Starbucks is jelly, what, two 50 or $3. Now you're sitting there going, that's not a lot of difference. But when you put in perspective, going from $1 to $3 is literally triple the price, right? Because it's triple the price. If you think about it in the responsive grooming, instead of someone having a $40 groom, now we're talking $120 groom. That is a substantial difference. Even though it's a small monetary amount, the value has gone up significantly. So, and again, you know, going up a dollar from Dunka Donuts to Starbucks, that is again, that is a 50% increase. It's a lot of increase. That'd be like going from a $40 room to an $8 room, right? Why do people choose to get their coffee at Dunka Donuts, Starbucks and McDonald's, we don't actually know. We are not in someone's head to find out exactly why they do things. But if I were to take a wild guess, people go and get coffee at McDonald's because it's cheap, it's cheap, it's convenient, it's fast, they're everywhere. You can just run in and out and grab it. So with that said, that same person gets very similar convenience with Dunking Donuts. However, dunking Donuts is a specialty store. So if you're going to Dunking Donuts, you're going out of your way. 'cause there's not as many of them, let's say as McDonald's. So that said, that person caress a little bit more and they're gonna pay a little bit more. They're gonna vote with their dollars. And Starbucks, I'm a big Starbucks person, everyone knows that I overspend my money on Starbucks. That said, I will go out of my way sometimes a long time outta my way. So with that, I want you to think about who are you? Are you the convenient, cheap, fast person? Are you kind of mid-range? And people would like to be with you, but if they can't, then they won't. Or do you wanna be Starbucks? And Starbucks has a lot of their own problems because obviously there are less people who wanna go to Starbucks, then McDonald's or dunk and donut's, they're gonna do less customers, but that's why they charge more to make up the difference. So in this analogy, you can also look at this for employment. You know your skillset, you know everything that you're doing. So when you're looking at this, you have to say to yourself, okay, how much am I do I need to make in a day? What is reasonable for me to groom? What are my skill sets? What is my branding? All of these things. Sometimes when this is happening, you have to make sure that what you are doing lines up with everything. So let's say if I am a competition level groomer, but my shop looks incredibly tacky and people are wearing overalls and it's not a aesthetically pleasing place to walk in. You know, I walk in and there's hair everywhere, which I understand. Mid Saturday there's nothing you can do. But as a customer, if I'm a wealthy customer, an affluent customer, I don't wanna come in with my Chanel heels and walk all over dog hair in the waiting room. And so we have to think about things like that. If you want somebody who's a little less high maintenance, it's great, but someone who's less maintenance is probably not going to invest the money that you might want. So a lot of times people will say something to the effect of, I want every four week clients who pay whatever I would tell 'em to pay. And they want their dogs, not 10 strips. Like, okay, well who is the person? Who are these people that have enough money and they see value in their pets being clean and maintained? Those are generally the same kinds of people that take care of their own selves. So those are your ideal customers, if that's what you wanna do. If you wanna be Starbucks, when you're looking at that, look at your skillset and ask yourself, am I really the groomer that I wanna be? There are so many opportunities, but again, you have to make sure that your image is on point and not everyone is your customer. So if you own a higher-end boutiquey salon, a new found, a once year Newfoundland walks in the door, you probably don't have time to service them. And even if you do service them, it's gonna take so much more time, energy, money on your part in order to take care of that customer. And you're taking away from the good customers that come in every four weeks. If you want a salon where you're like, oh no, I want everyone come in six to eight weeks, I'm totally fine with that, that's great. But then you have to remember that somebody who's willing to slide on times, you've gotta fill in that spot. So knowing what you want in a customer is gonna be incredibly helpful. And not everyone is your customer. I made my, my last business. So the C rooming business, I'm mobile, I want it to be really tight. So with that, it sounds crazy, but it's a hundred to $165 per cat. They have to be on a four week schedule. And I try to make everyone on the same schedule. And if I make it all on the same schedule, then that's gonna really help me out. I, I don't chase customers. I know the condition the cat's gonna be in. I know all of these positive things, and that's what I want in my business. And because I want those Starbucks level clients, you know, I have a uniform, I have, you know, my branding, I believe is on point with those women. These are not necessarily, they are people that are willing to invest in the right place. I can see that in all the patterns of their purchases and like when I talk to them. And in the middle, you have lots of people in the middle, especially if you want people with young kids. So depending upon where you live, if you live in a commuter town or in an area that's wealthy, but it's mostly young families. Someone with a young family needs more flexibility. They don't know what the hell's gonna happen with their three kids. And so if you want somebody for that, then you have to remember that that person is probably gonna cancel a lot of appointments. That person will do their best. But if one kid gets sick, what are they gonna do? They're not gonna cart that kid to your grooming salon and then wait two, four hours for the dog to be done and then grab the dog again. That's not gonna happen. They're just gonna cancel and let the dog get dirty. And that dog is going to be a lot more maintenance than a dog owned by a woman, let's say in her fifties or sixties when her kids are grown and they're out of the house. And on the flip side, if you want somebody who doesn't view their pet as family, or they don't invest in their pet as family, that's a lot harder sell. Those tend to be your once a year, you know, grooms, you know, either right before Christmas or right before summer. You know, they either wanna shave them because they think they're gonna be hot or they wanna make sure that the mother-in-law doesn't judge them on Thanksgiving. There are so many people like that. I would say that's about half of the community that own pets. And then there's various shades of how much people care about their animals. But when you're in the veterinarian industry, I notice that it's essentially like the people that will pay things. So if the pet gets sick, let's say the dog ate a sock, you have people that'll just put the dog down, you get people that'll put it on the credit card, but only for like one or two grand. And then you have people that say, I don't care what it costs. And we tend to be the, I love my animal, I want 'em to be better, but not everybody is. And we just always assume that people will be that way. And then you start feeling compassion fatigue because you so desperately wanna make all these animals lives better and there's nothing you can do because this person has decided your McDonald's people have decided that it, if not, it is not cheap, it is not wic, it is not convenient, then they don't want it. They will go elsewhere. So back to your skillset. With your skillset, figure out does what you wanna do with your skillset fit your clients? If you're that person who wants to do hands scissor dogs, you need the Starbucks clients because even the Dunking Donuts clients, they can't pay you for your time. The extra time it takes you to scissor up a dog versus just running a five blade through it, it's at least double. And if you want someone to pay you double for your time, and let's be honest, double wear and tearing your body scissoring is so bad for your hands. So how are you gonna attract those people? And then if you're an employee and you love hand scissoring, or let's say you love hand stripping, anything that's a higher end skillset, if you actually know breed profiles and make sure if you have those amazing skills that you're going to work for a place that is actually going to pay you accordingly and actually cares that you have those skillset. So if you're an employee, tell me why you chose the business that you're working for. Do they have the customers that your skillset and what you want fits? And then if you are a business owner, are you getting the clients that you want? And i

So what I wanted to talk about today is when people tell you that you don't have a real job, whether you are a pet groomer, a pet sitter, a dog trainer, this is something we hear over and over and over again. Am I right? And there's nothing more frustrating. So let me begin by talking about what the pet industry means when I'd say the pet industry. What I mean is dog trainers, dog walkers, pet sitters, groomers, people that are doing anything with cats, honestly, behaviorists, things like that. But we know right now that the pet industry is a billion dollar industry. It's recession proof. And we get new customers every day. Somebody is always getting a puppy, somebody's always getting a cat. You know, the shelters are full of them. Breeders are gonna be breeding them. So we have a lot of options. And by options, I mean we have a lot of clients that are coming in all the time, depending upon what kind of business you have. And so when we talk about pet groomers specifically, I wanna see, okay, what is the average groomer actually earn? And according to the census, the median salaries of groomers in the US is only $22,000. I don't personally know any groomer that only makes $22,000. I'm pretty convinced that everyone's lying on their taxes. Maybe I'm wrong. You know, I know we make more than that. So if we're all making decent money, why is there this perception that what we do is not a real job? And everyone thinks that we just play with puppies and kitties all day right now? Okay, so here's the question. If you are a business owner, are you earning double or at least more than you would earn working for someone else with a similar skillset that you have? So I mean that include paying yourself for the hours you spend, marketing, cleaning, being your own receptionist, and all those little jobs. Are you paying yourself for that? And remember, you need to be paid more than just a groomer salary because you risk losing everything. So because of that, you really need to be making more than if you were just grooming for somebody. I don't think everyone should be a business owner. I do not believe that everyone should be a business owner. I think you need to find what's called your zone of genius and stick in it. If you are the most amazing groomer, but you're terrible at being a business owner, try to find some great groomer you can work for. Because the truth is, not all of us are cut out for self-employment. And I know that's a really unpopular idea. But not everyone should own their own business. You know, you can be a great groomer and a terrible business owner as an employee. Are you making a livable salary that reflects the skills you're doing in the physical investment you've been making? And what do I mean by the physical investment? A physical investment in someone else's business is your body is deteriorating. You have an organic machine that is slowly wearing down. Are you doing things that you're gonna get money back? So are you setting aside money for retirement? Do they give you health insurance? You know, what is your employer doing? Because if you're just making, let's say, minimum wage or close to minimum wage, it doesn't make any sense. You could be working out McDonald's or Walmart or even like a local pharmacy stocking shelves. Not heavy stuff. I mean like bars of soap potentially for the same amount of money. So when you're an employee, you are physically investing yourself in that business. So you need to make sure that the money you're being paid, you can set aside money for that and make sure you're a legal W two employee. There are very, very, very few situations in the griming industry where someone can actually be a 10 99, most often a 10 99 is a misclassified independent contractor. It's so rare. And for those of you guys that work under the table, I'm not here to judge you, but it could bite you in the ass because you can't file for unemployment. There's no workers' comp if you're under the table. So just be aware of things like that. Then ask yourself, okay, why don't people think that grooming is a real job? And the truth is, do you have financial security in your job? A lot of us don't, right? And when I say financial security, what I mean is, you know, you're gonna make at least this amount of money per week. Most of the grooming industry is commission, which is perfectly fine. However, it should be minimum wage or commission, whichever is higher. A lot of us will have positions where it's feast or famine. We're in an industry where owners will send you home. They won't have dogs for you. You will go in and it's raining and there are no dogs, or it's snows and you don't get paid for that day. And that's, that's a really tough way to live. You could earn $300 this week and then $2,500 the next week. That is a big swing. And it's all on things that you have no control over. So when I talk about financial security, that's what I mean, you know? And the other reason could be that there is no room for growth. Most salons do not have a grooming salon manager. Most grooming salons are not managed very well. Let's be honest. There's no one actually training in most salons with the standard of the salon is that you want a dog to look like, because like we're not doing breed cuts. And even then we're doing breed cuts. We're not doing competition level show dog clips on a dog. You're doing variations of that. So with that said, there is no room for growth because there is no management in most salons. Honestly, the only places that do have managers are your corporates. But however, your corporates, they don't really manage a salon because they don't actually get to train their staff. They don't actually get to make sure their staff is complying. Yes, they can order, but a lot of times they don't. They have a set budget, and that budget is not reflecting the current needs of that salon and things like that. There's very little control and they have all the responsibility, which is the worst of both worlds. And owners tend not to manage their salons. I am always shocked at how many groomers own their shop and have employees, but they're not actually managing their employees. They're actually training their employees. They're not doing anything to make their groomers and make their salon have more continuity. So that might be when you walk into a salon, you don't know who the boss is. And if you ask for the boss, there may not be a boss. There might be an owner, but that owner could be three dogs deep. So what would be another reason someone wouldn't think this is a real job? How about retirement? Does anyone here have any retirement? How much retirement? How far along are you from retirement? What is your retirement goals? Grooming till we die is not an option. It's really a bad plan. Do you have any savings? And I'm not talking like basic savings. I mean three to six months worth of, you know, an emergency fund. Do you have that? Do you have three to six months worth of personal expenses? Not even business expenses, just personal expenses. Again, there are people who are bad with money no matter where in any industry, but in an industry where you could very easily be injured, severely, there are so many ways that we as groomers can be injured permanently and need some money in case of something bad happens. At least a float until you get a settlement, it could take years. So what's another reason? How about healthcare? How many grooming salons have you ever heard offer healthcare? There are some great salons that can afford to offer healthcare. There's not many, no one's expected in the grooming industry to put any money towards health insurance. Like most employers. It's not even something they're going to talk about. You know, that's, that's pretty crazy. One other thing I'll mention, when you walk into a grooming salon, now, not every, and I know, I'm not saying every grooming salon, the majority, I want you to go to your competitors' grooming salon and walk in the door. Are people dressed like they have a dress code? Or even ones vaguely implied. How many times do you guys walked into a grooming salon? And there's obviously no dress code, there's not even continuity into what constructs as a reasonable wear and what's not. We're not even talking business casual. I don't expect anyone to be wearing khakis or dress shirts when they're grooming. But what is everyone wearing? And people are wearing overalls, like not nice, cute overalls like ratchet, fraying, trashy overalls. How many times have you guys walked into a grooming salon and people wearing PJ pants? What about, you know, tank tops? Wear girls, you know, a little bit of strap showing. That's fine. But some women will actually be grooming. I mean, they might as well have not even worn the shirt. They're just hanging out there, hanging out there for everyone to see. And the dogs don't care. But if a client sees that, that's a problem. Or I love t-shirts. I had t-shirts in my grooming salon, but my T-shirts were for only people who were upfront or under people's smocks not to wear when they're grooming. Why? Because a t-shirt gets wet, then it smells, then you're covered in hair. That client doesn't wanna be handed their dog by someone covered in dog hair. And you're like, that's silly. They're in a grooming salon. Yes, but that dog is gonna go from your salon into their car and they may be going to work. You know, they would like to be clean. The whole point of them paying you is to stop the dog hair from being everywhere. That I can understand. If you were looking from the outside in, you could see these reasons being why people think that we don't have a real job. So what are some takeaways? How can we appear more professional? I think one thing is deciding in our industry that we are going to be treated like professionals. What does that mean? If you wanna make this commitment, don't work under the table. Get a real job. That's a W t

So I wanted to welcome you guys to today's topic. Hopefully we can talk a little bit about how your business is not your personal piggy bank, ba babu. So I wanted to expand upon a great blog post I had. I'd like to begin by reading the blog post. So I'm gonna read that out and you let me know if you guys need the website. My website is savvy groomer.com/blog. All righty. So this is not your piggy bank. Now, let's be honest, we've all done it. We're all guilty of it. The company car in hand, you're at the gas station out to dinner or the store. Is this really a business expense? Probably not. But we tell ourselves this is part of being a business owner. The business paying for things, it starts with a tank of gas, then it is towels that you're actually for the house, but you can always give the old ones to your shop, right? This is a laptop for work. You start embezzling from your own company without even realizing it. Sometimes it's just an occasional thing. Sometimes it becomes a part of life. You've turned your business into a personal piggy bank, which does not allow it to function as needed. Now, is this because you're a bad person? Obviously not. Is it because you're lazy or dumb? Of course not. It's just so easy because there isn't someone to tell you no or to stop it. If you were a manager of your shop, Inc, would you handle your business finances the way you currently do? Well, let's be honest, probably not. You probably would need to show your boss your projected monthly income, the expenses, you'd know how much money the shop needed to make every day so you could plan on how you'd do it or you'd be fired, right? So let's talk about generally the two reasons that you're doing this behavior where you're kind of embezzling in your own business. There's really, the two reasons tend to be you're burnt out or your personal finances are not under control. So let's talk a little bit about these two really specific reasons of, you know, being burnt out or you don't have your finances under control. So first one's really simple. Let's say you're burnt out. Well, why are you burnt out? A lot of times we become burnt out because we are working too many hours. A lot of times people say, oh, I only groomed 40 hours. Great. But if you are a small business owner, how many hours are you picking up the phone, making a marketing schedule, going out and marketing? How much time are you spending dreaming about what you're, you're gonna be doing and actually making that a reality? You know, how many hours are you actually working on your business? And what I have found in my own personal research is that most people in the pet industry are easily working 60 to 80 hours a week. They're doing 40 hours of their service and an extra 20 to 40 hours, depending upon if they have employees or not, of extra tasks, cleaning, doing laundry, you know, not just grooming pets, but returning phone calls, inputting new clients, researching new products, things like, you know, new shampoos, going to trade shows, continue education. All those should ideally be put into your 40 hour work week, just like you would if you were a manager for a different store. Now you might be saying, oh, well, if I was a manager, I would be working potentially more hours. Yes, but there would be a cap. And for the most part, you would be paid for those extra hours or you would've a really regular salary. And most of us don't have a really regular salary for ourselves if we're a business owner, because we'll put the business needs first. If you're being burnt out, that's almost always why you might not be charging enough. A lot of times I tell people, if you have a particular dog breed that you don't like to groom, go ahead and give them your happy price. If you go to the business owner, your pricing can reflect that. You know, why can't you say, okay, we start our olding with sheep dogs at $150. That's the pricing that you may have to go to if you're burnt out, what is the price? You're like, okay, I will totally do this dog. What price is that? Same thing with cats. If you are not trained in cats, please don't do cats. If you are interested in learning to groom cats, check out the National Cat Groomer Institute of America. That's a great place to start, but what's your happy price to groom a cat? So that being said, when you're burnt out, what are things that you can do? You know, we talk about if you're physically burnt out, you might have to start thinking about doing less large dogs. If you were doing a lot of large dogs and your back hurts, you may have to move into smaller dogs or get a new setup where you have a ramp, something that's going to alleviate that. A lot of people are like, oh, I'll just hire someone to do the big dogs. Unless if you are going to have a business plan set up with multiple employees, you don't wanna be in that position where one person calls out and now do you call those people with big dogs and reschedule them? Or if they quit or what are you gonna do that? I see that happening more so with cats, then I see that with large dogs, but don't put yourself in that position. So with that, you know, I want, you know, being physically burnt out, you could be financially burnt out. And we'll talk about that in a second about, you know, your personal fines not being under control. And sometimes when we're burnt out in our business, it's 'cause we feel really trapped, you know? And a lot of that comes down to does your business reflect your personal life goals by being trapped? Did you pick a business style that fits your need? I'm a lot happier mobile versus being at the shop. I felt very trapped. I felt very stuck. Versus some people prefer to be in a salon. They care more about certainty, reliability, and for them being in a salon makes them feel like they're at home and they're relaxed and they know where they're gonna be. And when they're done, they're done. And it's all about what you love. And making sure that your personal goal wants, needs, aligns with what your life path is. If you want to live near the beach, then owning a salon in the middle of the city is not probably gonna be exactly what you want. And eventually you're gonna grow to resent that business, especially if you're not working towards a way that you can either sell that or eventually get rid of that in order to live your dream. So let's go to number two. Number two is not having your personal finances under control. This is far more common in pet grooming People need than people realize, I should say. The truth is, in the pet industry, there are two kinds of people. The kinds of people that the second the check comes, the money's gone. They just cannot catch up. They just cannot make enough money to pay all of their bills. And then the other kind of person, and I mean these in very general terms, after having like a long week of grooming, they just wanna get something nice. Whether that's, you know, splurging a little bit on going out to eat, maybe getting a foot rub, a massage, getting something done that's gonna make them happy. You know, versus putting that money into their budget or go ahead and putting it into savings or retirement, they're gonna be like, you know, I worked really hard and I deserve, you know, when you feel entitled to have a good time, that's when you overspend and you make bad choices. So with that, with this piggy bank situation, a lot of times people will have a business model that's not actually that profitable, especially not if they paid someone for all of the hours they worked for the hours they wanted. I can't count how many times I've talked to clients that have a business where they're grooming 40 hours a week and they're being paid for that, but then they're also working 20 to 40 hours doing admin stuff and maybe their husband comes in and he's their carpenter and he does all the maintenance and he also, you know, fixes everything. And had they actually been paying someone, their business might have actually been in the red. So a lot of times you're not paying employees or because you're not treating them as employees or you're not treating yourself as if you're an employee and working 68 hours is not an option. It's not a long-term thing. And if you have someone who wants to come help you, that's great, but even if they won't take that paycheck, set it in the budget as if you had that person to pay, because that's the what's eventually gonna happen. People don't work for free forever, it just doesn't work. Or they become resentful. You can think that somebody loves to work for you for free, but you love to do good things. But you know, it could take a year, it could take 10 years, but eventually someone will be like, you know what, I'm not gonna do this. Or they're not gonna put a hundred percent of their effort in, which is just as bad. There's nothing worse than having somebody who says they're gonna do something for you and help you out, and then because they're doing it for free, they just half-ass it. It's awful. So make sure you're actually profitable. Make sure you're not using your personal money to put money into the business either. And that's an, you know, opposite piggy bank where your business isn't making a profit, so you just keep putting money in or you don't take a check or you don't take a check as if you were an employee. You know, your business is making money as you as a 40 hour groomer, but if, if you were paying even a minimum wage employee to do the admin work, you wouldn't actually be making any money. Or your business is making money and paying you, but it's not actually making enough money to save money. So there's a lot there. I think there's a lot to unpack. I think this is a great start. So when you're thinking about your business, make sure you're not embezzling on yourself. Make sure you're not putting money into your business that doesn't belong there, as well as taking money out. And a lot of

Let's begin with the topic to topic today is going to be the appointment book for your finances. You're like, what are you talking about? I don't have an appointment book for my finances. I can barely hold together an appointment book for my grooming salon. You can't run whether you own a grooming salon, you're a pet sitter and you have a schedule, you're a dog trainer. Or even if you're a veterinarian, you can't run your day willy-nilly. Letting people come and go as they please. It doesn't work, right? And for those of you guys that are doing that, I would love for you to comment below and say, oh no, I just let people show up whenever they want, pick up whenever they want. They can have whatever services they want. Even when I own my grooming salon, I stopped allowing walk-in nail clips because people would show up whenever they wanted and I would have a dog on the table and they would show up, and then I'd have to put the dog down or back in a crate, go over, check them in. Did they have their rabies? Did they not have their rabies? And it just created a whole mess. So I said, okay, you're gonna go come between this time of the day, or you can make a same day appointment where you can call up and I can schedule in your nail clip. So what does that have to do with my finances? Let's have a conversation about that, right? You're gonna get sick of me saying it. I know, I know. But the truth is, your budget is the appointment book for your finances, right? Because what a budget does. Now, when I say a budget, I really suggest you do a zero based budget, and I can explain what a zero based budget is in a moment. But when you're doing a budget, what you are doing is you are deciding the slots of money and putting a dollar amount, same as you would have. Some of you guys have multiple groomers, you might do more than one pet in a slot, but for the most part, we put one pet in a slot, you know, to come by. We may be grooming multiple pets at once, but you wouldn't just allow 10 people to show up right in the morning, right? It wouldn't work. So what do you do? So with your money, you wanna say, let's say groceries really easy. Let's say I'm going to agree that I'm going to spend $400 a month on groceries. It's pretty safe to say. So you can do that one of two ways. You can either give yourself a hundred dollars a week. Now, some weeks, I should say some months are a little longer. That may or may not be advisable, but at least then you have a set amount of money to do it The same way that you can only do a set number of dogs a day. For those of you guys that go over that set number of dogs or cats, they are grooming, pet sitting for dog training, you get really stressed out, right? It's not long and sustainable. So the same thing with our budget. Now, let's explain the zero based budget. A zero based budget pretty much means you're gonna take every dollar you make and it's gonna have a plan. And this is so backwards because we're told like you want money left over at the end of your budget, right? You don't, because what happens with that leftover money? I mean, it just goes poof, right? What happens is the money at the end of your budget just goes to whatever it is that you want. And if you have an extra $500 a month, you might be like, oh, sweet, now I can go buy those shears. Or, oh, sweet. Now I can go out to eat five more times this month. Instead of saying, okay, the extra $500 is gonna go into retirement, we're paying off debt, or whatever it is this in this moment that you're working on. So with your appointment book for your finances, I want you to look at how much money do you make on average. Some of you guys have a volatile income, you might be commission-based, even if you're hourly. The hourly might not be steady. How are you paid? And if you're not really sure how much you get paid on average, go ahead and take the last six months and figure out your average monthly income. So add up all your paychecks in each month and then divide it by however months you did. So if you did six months, you would take your paychecks per month, add them together, and do that for all six months, and then add up all those six months and then divide them by six. And you could get an average. It's also good to know what your highest was and what your lowest were. In New England, nine times outta 10. November and December are the busiest times a year, because we have Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, in January and February, it's very, very cold here. And because it's cold and it's snowing, a lot of people will push out their appointments. So people that come in December, let's say right around Christmas time, December 25th, obviously they may choose to go all the way to the end of February or even early March, and depending on the weather, because they might not drive in the snow, or they may have the unrealistic expectation that their pet doesn't need to be groomed because it's cold out and they need all that hair. So with that, you know, I know in December and in November that I need to be able to take that money and put it into the Hills and Valleys fund or a savings account, or however I wanna do mine for January and February. If I have a traditional salon in New England now in Arizona or somewhere warm, they have a lot of people that come in the wintertime because obviously it's much warmer in the wintertime and in the summertime it's blistering hot. So a lot of people probably get their pets shaved right before the summer, or they go somewhere else for the summer, so they might have less people. So with your appointment book for your finances, you really wanna say, how much money am I gonna spend on X, Y, and Z? So with us, and I know a lot of times if you are an employee and not a business owner, you're an employee, you need to reinvest with your personal funds into your grooming. So you should have a a little category of how much are you gonna spend on upgrading your equipment? How much are you gonna spend on your education? How much are you going to spend going to trade shows and seminars and continuing education? Because when you're an employee, those are your expenses. Now, you might have a great employer who's willing to pay for some of those things. However, if you're a business owner, those should be lines in your business budget because the business should pay for those things. But if you're a business owner, you're still have a much more volatile income. So there's a lot more things going on there. Anyway. So with this appointment book for your finances, you're going to make a plan, you're gonna make a structure, and you're gonna stick to it. I'm gonna put down in the show notes, there's a great app called Every Dollar. It actually allows you to create zero based budget. It's free if you want the upgraded version. What it'll actually do is link to your bank account and go ahead and you can just swipe your expenses right into the categories. I like the feeling of putting them in. I find that I am a lot more aware of how much I'm spending when I actually have to input. So when I go to the gas station and I input how much I spent in gas, it allows me to keep an eye on that because obviously if I go over on gas, did I make a lot of extra trips I didn't need to, you know, what was I doing that was different that month? And I might have to plan ahead better where let's say if I'm taking a road trip and I'm driving a long distance, I should plan in the beginning of the month to spend that extra money, whether putting a category for road trip or making the gas a little bit bigger. And the same thing with going out to eat. If I'm going on a road trip, I'm probably gonna be eating out more. So that category will probably have to be bigger. So with that said, I wanna challenge you guys to go ahead to either every dollar.com or consider going on the Savvy Groomer page and learning how to make a zero base budget. We definitely go through all of how to create a budget in a meaningful way. And on my online course called Personal Finance on Unleash, I would love to see you guys there. What is a 12 week course teaching people how to do a budget if you're a groomer, but also pet professionals work on that as well. So I wanna thank you so much for being here with me. Feel free to go to my website, which is Savvy Groomer, SS A V V Y groomer.com. So I would love to see you guys at my online course, which is Personal Finance, unleash my website, savvy groomer.com.  

Today's topic is bum, bum. Sometimes things just don't go to plan, right? And I am having one of those times where everything is just not quite lining up.   Things are not bad, but there's just constant shifting and moving, and it's making me a little crazy, to be honest. And I thought this was a great lesson to talk to all of you guys about. So, you know, my entire existence right now is up in the air. And it's been so frustrating because normally I like to have a plan.   I like to have a well thought out and don't say perfect plan, but I'm the kind of person if this, then that. If this happens, then I'll do this, if this, then that. But sometimes things just don't go to plan and there's really nothing that we can do about it except for reevaluate and move on. So for me, this started when I had finally made the decision to move to South Carolina.   And I got a apartment. It was perfect until it wasn't. I was promised that the owner of the home would only be there on a very rare occasion because they traveled for work. So they might be there maybe one day a month. Well, that's not what ended up happening. He ended up moving his girlfriend in and then she had his kid over a lot.   And what I was promised didn't happen. And it made it really hard for me to do my work and it really stressed me out. Now, she didn't stress me out and the kid didn't stress me out. But planning a business where I'm on calls all day where I need quiet to record, this was a big problem. And the only reason I had agreed to live with somebody is because we had basically completely separate areas and completely separate houses,   right? There was no interaction at all. And it sounds really selfish, but that's kind of what I need for my business, is I need a very private, quiet space. There's no way for me to do savvy groomer in a loud house with a young child or someone who's gonna be there all day watching tv, you know? And watching these very loud reality TVs,   which are basically shows where people are yelling at each other all day. And when I explained to them, Hey, I can hear this background noise. This isn't what we agreed to. It wasn't easy to figure out. So then what do you do? Right? Then I've gotta figure that out. And so I put a deposit, I was looking for my house anyway,   so I put a deposit on this gorgeous townhouse. It was perfect. It was everything I wanted. And I really fell in love with this townhouse. And it was taking significantly longer to build than was promised. I was promised this house was going to be done before Thanksgiving. Well, the house was not finished in November, nor was it done in December,   nor was it done in January, nor was it done in February. It was not officially done till March. And that became a problem. Long story short, we had had, I had had rather an independent inspector and they had found an electrical issue. 'cause so here I am, right? And another thing happened in between then. I was having this really uncomfortable home life situation.   And my sister found out she was six months pregnant. The father was not going to be in the picture. So she was gonna need a lot of love support. And as somebody who had gone through a pregnancy on my own and had raised my son for a long time by myself, you know, my son's father and I split when we were pregnant and I lived in my car and there was a lot of trauma around that.   You know how we talk about the Ellis Childhood trauma. So I had to make a decision, you know, she could really use my help with preparing for this baby. She didn't have a lot of time to prepare. Not only that, she had found around Thanksgiving that she was gonna have this baby. So that's right around the busy season for grooming.   So I was like, you know what? My house was gonna be done around Thanksgiving anyway, so I packed up all of my stuff and put it into storage. And I was like, when the house is done, I'll move everything into the house. And until then, I will stay at an Airbnb and Rhode Island and take care of my family. Because reevaluating your,   you know, what you at your core are about is very important. And for me, it was about taking care of my family. And I'm not gonna lie, you know, I really did not have any, want to spend another cold winter. That's really not what I wanted at all. But my love and value for my family, I had to evaluate,   okay, which do I care about more? Right? And that was to take care of them, you know, to make sure that she has a better pregnancy and that she felt safe and nurtured and to help my family's grooming business survive, right? Because she hadn't had prenatal care and they didn't know how the pregnancy was gonna go, go. You know,   there was a lot of, a lot of moving pieces to that. So I was like, okay, I'm gonna stay in Airbnb. I'm gonna enjoy my time. I'm gonna make it work. Well fast forward to purchasing my home. Finally, you know, my sister had her baby, they're pretty comfortable. I covered her maternity leave, so everything should be working out perfectly well when I went to go buy my house,   which I'm very attached to, you know, especially being, being homeless more than once, you get very attached to homes. So we did an independent inspection. It came back that there was an electrical issue and there were some other minor things, but the electrical issue was the big thing. And they basically, the builders told me I had two options,   buy it as is, and they would fix it in theory later. But they didn't agree with the electrical issue that my inspector was finding. Now, my inspector was incredibly thorough. He put readings, and again, I don't know much about electricity, but you know, the, I don't know if it's the voltage or whatever, but it kept going up and down.   One of the bedrooms was completely wired wrong. It had outlets in the house going nowhere. It had just, everything was all messed up electrically in the house. So I had to make a decision, do I close on this house and accept that my electrical issues could potentially burn my house down and take the emotional liability of that if my cat passes away,   or if my son is coming down to South Carolina and, and that were happening, or what would I do? You know? And on the flip side, just the idea of having to potentially rip out all of my walls to make sure that the electrical is fixed. 'cause in theory, everyone's like, oh, well you can just cut a small hole.   Well, we didn't know the extent of the problems. And then I had talked to somebody else, they said, this is why when you're building a new house, we tell you before they patch everything up for you to inspect the wires. Now, part of me was very upset with myself because if I had been in South Carolina where I was, I would've seen these issues,   right? I would've seen these things happening instead, by helping out my family. Now, I was in this new predicament, and long story short, they told me that if I did not close and take the house as is, that they were not only going to keep my deposit, which was well over $10,000, basically, they were just gonna sell it to somebody else for $30,000 more,   which is exactly what they did. So I had to hire an attorney. Thankfully, I do have an attorney friend who was able to fight with them over this and get my money back. But it was really devastating. This house had everything I wanted, had the right amount of bedrooms, I picked out the colors, I picked out the i, I upgraded my stove,   I upgraded my fridge. You know, I had all of the Ikea furniture and all of the furniture I had pictured and planned, and I hadn't ordered yet, but like it was mine. It was all mine. And it was so devastating, it was so devastating. And it was really hard for me to go, okay, what I'm, I'm losing my home,   this home that I've dreamed about forever, right? And then I've also lost this, this whole life. I had planned this life in South Carolina of, you know, riding my bike into downtown and, you know, having drinks downtown and having this very metropolitan life and not having the winner and having a two car garage. And I just had this whole vision of everything that I was going to do.   Now, part of you is like, why am I getting so personal? Why am I explaining this to you? Because I bet you've had things like this happen to you in your life or in your business, right? You've picked out the space to open up your business and you've, you've imagined where everything's gonna go. And you've like already picked out the tile and you've done this and that,   only to find out that the landlord gave the lease to somebody else. Or only to find out the zoning's not gonna let you do it, right? Or maybe you've done it in your house and you're gonna have it in your house. Or maybe you decide that you're gonna get a grooming van only to find out that you're not qualifying for, or you don't have a big enough down payment.   We've all been through this buildup and buildup and buildup, and then great loss. So what do we do? We roll with it. And it's not easy and we pray, or whatever it is that you do, meditate, manifest for a better resolution. And my dream is to have a house somewhere warm. And I've fallen in love with Greenville, South Carolina.   Am I gonna be there now? Not right now. Why? Because the market's crazy. And I have to look at my fundamental values. Does savvy groomer align with what I want? And I had to help my mom and my sister to make sure that their business, their grooming business aligned with what they want long term. You know, I asked my sister like,   do you wanna be grooming cats for a long time? Or is this just now to make a paycheck? What do you love about it? Can you earn enough? Can you earn enough to be a single mom? Because she's gonna be a single mom for a long time. And that kills me. 'cause I've been there. My heart breaks for her and her baby.   And this is my goal for you guys, is for you to make sure your business aligns for your long time. Because then when things

And being mobbed by new people as two groomer shop in town are closing this month. I did callbacks about 10 messages this afternoon, looking for a quick fix on stream. So Brittany, are you doing a intake form? You know, and again, are, you know, are you taking new clients? Are you going to be doing a price increase? Are you going to be streamlining things like, this is where a lot of times this is a great opportunity, especially this time of year. September is the perfect, I like to see you guys do price increases in September and in March, either one or both, either way. So this is a great opportunity to consider, do you wanna do membership grooming, right? And have everyone commit to a four week schedule. And so there's lots of different ways. So you can either hire a VA and a VA can literally do all of that for you. You can have a intake form, right? And when you're doing the intake form, if you do it a Google doc, you can have certain things that if they click something, so Brittany's saying of a drop in price versus a monthly price. Well, and that's the thing, right, is the monthly price should be your, your standard pricing, right? So whatever you want to make, if it was an eight, you know, if you're not following Savvy Groomer, depends on how long you guys have been following Savvy Groomer. So let's say your goal is a hundred dollars a dog at four weeks, it should be a hundred dollars a dog, and then six and eight weeks. There should be an additional cost for that. And so I'm assuming you say drop in, I'm assuming you're saying like a member and a non-member kind of price. So if that's the case, then you know, again, it might be getting rid of anyone who's not going to commit to a four week schedule. If you've had two groomer shops in town close this month, you're, again, if every groomer is grooming an average of a hundred to 160 dogs, you're gonna have 200 calls easily. So it is deciding, okay, am I, how am I going to create stability in my business as these new people flood in, they're gonna be price shopping and, and couch hopping and all that stuff. Not couch hopping. How do I say couch hopping? Yeah, I just pictured like, you know, bouncing around right shop hopping, which sounds like a weird thing to say shop hop. But again, it's one of those things where we have to make that decision of it. How are we going to make it worth our time? And you can also do things like, ha you know, I'm, I'm assuming by the way too, when they're doing their intake form, right? When they're, 'cause I don't, I also would not, I, I wish you guys would not put your phone number on your website or on your vehicles. Don't put it on, don't put it on your signage, don't put it on your, you know, website. Get your phone off, get your phone gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone. Because again, it takes so much more time and money to do phone calls if you hire a VA to go through intake forms and have them like organize them for you and to like, yes, no maybes, they can send out Harvard letters or Harvard texts. Thank you so much for inquiring at this time. We're not gonna be offering you a consultation groom, dah, dah dah, dah. They can bang out all of those things very quickly. Phone calls take forever. The Harvard letter style phone call takes at least 10 minutes. Even if you try to make it five, it's gonna make it 10. You know, if you have to reply 10, that's over an hour. And so for someone like Brittany who, you know, again, she got 10 messages this afternoon, I would figure out where your phone number is and figure out if you can get it off the internet and have them go to a website. Any new client should go to an intake form where you get all the, what information do you want them to know, right? And they put all of that, whether it's through your, some softwares have intake forms built in, or even just a Google Doc where they have to fill in that information or on your website, have that information filled in and then, you know, you let them know you're going to email them back if you're going to entertain them or not, right? A yes or a no. And that would re greatly reduce it. 'cause if you had an intake form and you let people know, pick a day, let's say Monday, I'm really into Mondays right now, you know, if you had everyone fill out those forms and then on Monday you go through the forms, right? And again, you can have Google Docs, you can have things be flagged if it's like a, you know, for instance, let's say are you willing to commit to a four week schedule and they click no, you could have Google Docs like flag those so you automatically know that person is going to get a Harvard letter versus when I say Harvard letter I, I jokingly call that like the denial letter. Like I feel like Harvard has like some of the best, like many people apply, thank you so much for your application, right? But yeah, it's one of those things that you can really streamline that down instead of spending, you know, a couple of hours every single night, right? You could instead just spend probably two or three hours once a week, right? And it, and it is also like, again, do you want to start renegotiating what you have currently with your clients, right? Do you have all the monthly reoccurring clients you want? Do you wanna move into a membership and have a contract with these people? You're gonna have more leverage. There's so many different options to do that. I will say with phone calls it's the least eff efficient. So I would highly suggest getting an intake form. Mogo has them, groomer io has them, groom more has them, most of the grooming software have them, you know, get your, you know, you know, thing off your phone, number off. So you're not trying to answer these questions. Another thing you can do too is send them a text afterwards. Yeah. Tell people to come in and send me an email, but then at least they fill it in and if they call you, you can just text 'em and be like, Hey, thank you so much for the voicemail. You can have it on your voicemail. We return all new client inquiries during our office hours, which is Monday between three and seven, right? And from there, right, you can, you know, we do not return phone calls one, that's another option. You know, if you're a new client, please fill the intake form. Our intake form is on our website and you can even just copy paste, right? You know, thank you so much for your inquiry. Any new clients that were required to fill out this form, any clients who are over X amount of weeks need to fill out this form. And then you've got everyone, right? And you can do all of that and that will really, really reduce your time. But yeah, now is the time to either is to really streamline. 'cause again, if you're having 200 new people, then it's like, okay, is the clientele I have the right clientele? Are they the perfect, are they all my soulmate clients? And what is my soulmate client? Right? If you're like, my soulmate client is a hundred people who get this haircut and they're come every four weeks and they pre-book for the year, okay, well then let's start making that a requirement of anyone new who's coming in and anyone who wants to make an appointment, right? I mean, two, at least 200 people. And that's on the low end, right? And when I sold my shop and we, like I said, we had five employees. I think we had a clientele of like 1200 people. So this is where too, you guys may or may not, you know, have an opportunity here, right? And again, you can always be like, listen, we're gonna be interviewing a lot of people. We're not gonna be doing any appointments over X amount of time. And you can really leverage this. And not in a negative way, right? Because again, you are, you are not any marriage. So what, unless if you have a membership, a membership is like marriage with your clients. And that's why I really love it because you are mutually committed and they are mutually committed. You are promising them a spot in your schedule and they're promising to pay you whether or not they show up. If they're not in a marriage, you always have the option to replace 'em. And that's where I like memberships personally.  

This was a great question. So the question was, I love the first consultation groom. I would appreciate tips on how to better explain the value. Sometimes I think I don't explain it well and wanna communicate it better with them. So this is a great question. So for those of you guys that are not maybe not entirely familiar with the savvy groomer, I teach what's called a consultation groom. So in a consultation groom, let's talk consultation groom. So what are consultation groom? So consultation grooms are essentially the first time you're going to groom a dog or a cat, let's be honest here. So unlike a regular consultation where you're not going to be, you know, manipulating the pet, touching them, grooming them, et cetera, a consultation groom is saying, I'm gonna block off a specific amount of time for you. We're going to work, work through your goals. Like as an owner, what are your goals for this pet's hair? I'm gonna get to know this pet better and I'm gonna be able to evaluate them as an individual. So I really love consultation groups because I think it puts the power back on us and it forces people to understand that no, this is just not like a walk-in service. This is not a service that you can just kind of use and abuse and kind of disappear, right? Consultation room sets the boundary of, hey, you have to interview to be my client, and I have to decide if we're going to have a long-term relationship. So a consultation room is kind of like a first date. It's a lot of getting to know you, you getting to know me, and then us deciding if we wanna pursue anything. So when we're talking about the value, we really wanna focus on what the goal is. So the goal is to create a long-term relationship with that client and with that pet. So I think the easiest way to explain this too, right, to the average pet owner is to say, you know, here at example grooming, we work really hard to make sure that your pet is treated as an individual. We wanna get to know them, you know, and and learn what is the best services for them. And by doing that, we're going to take our time, especially the first groom, because we don't know what your pet likes, what your pet doesn't like. We don't know how your pet's hair is going to react to being groomed, right? And especially with all of these mixed breeds, it's not like I'm gonna h you, you know, a purebred dog and it's gonna be easy. And even then a lot of these purebred dogs don't, it was so nice. Gonna super zoom, like all the well-bred dogs, like, ugh, like a bichon. That looks like a bichon. It was so nice, you know? So again, this is our opportunity to go, hmm, maybe I wanna get to know you. So again, if there's different ways of creating value during this. So what some people do, one of my students does, she has a very high consultation, so she's going to charge her her normal rate for a bath and blow dry is a hundred dollars. Her haircuts go for 150 to $200. So her consultation groom is 300. However, that 300 includes a haircut and then a bath within four weeks. So if they come in for the groom, then she's going to include a bath and load dry within four weeks. And the reason she does that is so that way she can, it's already included and it's already telling you if that person sees value in regular maintenance grooming. And so you could do things where you can say, okay, you're basically prepaying for two haircuts, right? Because in the first consultation room, you don't really know what you're, you're getting into. It also sets a clear divide between regular maintenance clients and you having to re reapply and come back through the process of applying to be my client, right? So essentially what can happen there is by me doing a consultation group, I'm really holding space for that pet. I like to see you guys have consultation groom, you know, no more than one, right? A day, ideally the last groom of the day. That way, you know, it's the last appointment. If they don't show up, you're not mad. You get to go home early. If you don't have any new clients, you've basically built in time, right? You're not gonna have to reshuffle clients. Like again, if you have a new client, they take a little longer than expected, you're not gonna have to shuffle around other clients. You know? And obviously I'm assuming that you guys are staying on time, you're not running behind that day. But even if you are right, that's where ideally you would have a buffer and that dog should be done. A consultation groom in a perfect world should be done straight through, or a straight through is possible. And it's probably gonna be a two hour appointment. If you normally groom dogs in an hour, I would block off two hours, right? That that might be a situation. Everyone does. Their consultation groom's different. Some of my students who are like really holistic, what they're going to do is they're gonna wait till everyone is out of the building, right? At the end of the day, everything's cleaned up and they're going to have this one pet and they're gonna lock the door, the pet's gonna be allowed to sniff and kind wander, maybe have a L mat, right? Just like really kind of relax and chill out while the owner and the groomer are communicating and getting to know, okay, what are your goals? What is this? What is that? Letting the pet just kind of settle, sniff around, you know, if they have a tub area that's there, the pet can wander there. And again, everyone is so different. If you don't have a safe environment for pets to wander, don't do that. But in this case, that's what they do. And again, it's more about, you know, once the pet is calm, then they can say, okay, owner, you can leave. It should take me about an hour and a half. Obviously the owner leaves wherever the owner leaves, you might send 'em to a coffee shop. I love giving clients like $5 little coffee shop gift cards. They can go wander there, you know? And then you have un then you have time to really get to know that pet and give them really the undivided attention. Because in a perfect world, if we took this, if we took this seriously, if we took this in a professional way, we would require people to apply to be our clientele. We would make people prove to us, right? 'cause the goal is a long-term committed relationship with these pets, right? I don't really want to groom a dog that everyone is grooming in town. I don't like it when I'm grooming a dog. And the next thing I know that dog is also being groomed by somebody else down the street and now I've gotta fix that haircut. Or maybe they didn't get all the mats out, or maybe they used Dawn. And now the co you know, the dog is either smelly or they didn't. If it's a deisha dog, they didn't pull that code out. So I'm saying, listen, I am willing to commit to you or are you willing to commit to me? So I think it's mainly depending upon how you're branded in the way that you're going to explain the consultation group. Let's say if you're really highend and you're really luxurious, you would explain that you're an exclusive salon. If you're a membership model, you might say that you're members only and they need to apply for membership. If you're a more relaxed, what I call a dunking donut style grooming business, you may instead opt for more of a casual thing and be like, look, you know, pet, you know, your pet is an individual and they need to be treated like an individual. We wanna make sure your pet has the most positive experience that they possibly can. And so in order to do that, I need to block off this time. I'm not willing to have a dog come into a strange environment and kind of get thrown into the mix. All the other dogs here are so used to this grooming salon. They're used to the people here. I mean, we really wanna set your pet up for success. And the person who just wants a haircut, they're probably not your soulmate client. And a lot of us kind of have to decide what kind of clients we want. It's funny, 'cause I hear so people saying like, oh, I don't wanna lose clients, I don't wanna do this, I don't wanna do that. But on the flip side, they also have a never ending wait list, or they have a never ending phone calls and people calling you. You know, the average groomer right now is grooming about a hundred dogs a month. So it's 20. If you have five days a week, let's say five dogs, and that's a mix of big and small, probably, right? So five dogs, five days a week, that's 25 a week. Four days a week. Even if you're like, well I'm grooming eight. Well let's do that math. I think that's 40 a week. So 40, it's eight. So that's one 60. Even then, that's not a lot of people, if you really think about a Starbucks serves more coffees than that in the morning, right? If you think about how many people go to Starbucks for coffee, you only need a hundred to 160, depending upon how many dogs are grooming per day. Committed people. That's not a lot of people, right? So what the consultation groom does is it forces people, again, if they go over a certain amount of weeks, if you're in every four weeks salon, I would have, if you're over six weeks, if you're over six weeks, you have to reapply to be a regular customer. And again, that shows that you are setting boundaries. And the reason having those boundaries is so good is because, again, if I'm a customer, and I know that if I go over six weeks, I have to go back through that expensive consultation room, right? And again, it's like, nope, we're gonna, it's been too long. We're going to reintroduce them because we put their mental, physical, and emotional health above that, right? And I honestly believe that, you know, we had a, a really busy salon when I had my grooming salon, we were grooming about 40 dogs a day between five people. We had bathers and, and groomers, but all the dogs were incredibly well adjusted because we did things the same way. They knew everyone. We made sure they felt incredibly comfortable. We were hustle bust

So let's go ahead and get started with today's topic. So today's topic is fine tuning those smart goals. All right, so let's go ahead and transition to these different SMART goals. And if you do not remember what SMART stands for, so SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Basically, specific means you know, is it, you know, very clear, measurable, you know how much you know is there achievable and you actually do it real, you know, so here you guys go. So just Googling it specific, be clear specific so your goals are easier to achieve. This also helps you know how and where to get started. Measurable measure goals can be tracked, allowing you to see your progress. They also tell you when your goal is complete actionable, are you able to make action to achieve the goal? Actionable goals. Ensure the steps to get there are within your control. Realistic, avoid overwhelm and unnecessary stress by and frustration by making the goal realistic. And then time bound a date helps us stay focused and motivated, inspiring us to provide something to work towards. So going through all of our comments, right? Okay, so here's Ashley. She's saying, I wanna start my own mobile next by next year. So here's what we've gotta do, right? We've gotta make it specific. So opening up a mobile business when by next year. So instead of saying something along the lines of next year, maybe we say, you know, by March, 2020, right? Or by December, 2020. So by having a specific end date that's gonna help us. So, so we have our for, we have our goal, right? You wanna open up your own mobile next year. So let's look at what our SS is, right? So, and again, if you don't find the acronym you need, look up, there's so many things online, guys, feel free to do that. So ss set real numbers with real deadlines. Say, don't say I want more visitors. Okay? Be clear and specific, right? Who, what, where, when, and why, right? Perfect. So, you know, is this a specific goal? No, not yet, right? So let's start, and again, I'm gonna go outta order because that's how my brain works. If you're a more linear human being, I apologize in advance. So I wanna start my own mobile next year. So I want to you open my own mobile grooming business by let's say December, 2022. Perfect, right? And then we're like, okay, well is this, you know, so first thing I wanna ask myself is, is this achievable, right? And so this is where I might dive into this. So this is, if this was somebody on a coaching call, I'd be like, okay, to, you know, and this is where I would ask myself, how much money do I need in order to start my mobile grooming business, right? And so I'm gonna tell you, ideally six months worth of personal expenses, ideally six months of business expenses, and then let's say a down payment on a grooming man, right? So that's a lot of stuff. So we're like, okay, well we've got these three things that we need to get minimally. Another thing we need to take into account here is what is the lead time for building a mobile grooming van right now for hand V. So like let's say hand V is anywhere between 12 and 26 weeks average from time of financing. So by the time you've asked what you wanna build, you've sent them the down payment, it is 12 to 26 weeks average to get that van built. So first thing we've gotta do is look at right these. So let's do relevant and is it a relevant goal? I hope, you know, I'm assuming that owning your own business is what you want. But you wanna make sure like can you know, do I need health insurance? Is it a situation that I'm okay with potentially not making any money for three to six months while my business is being built? Am I okay with in the very beginning, grooming probably 30 to 40 hours a week and working on the backside of my business another 20 or 30 hours? You know, working, you know, working in a salon 40 hours a week is hard. You know, working in a mobile business for 40 hours a week is hard. But then when we are our own business, we have to do the job of a receptionist, a manager, a groomer, right? We have all that other stuff. So I wanna make sure if I set this date of December, 2022, am I gonna have all of these things, right? So this is where there might be a goal beforehand, right? I might have to say I want to save up, let's say $60,000 and we're gonna say $25,000 down payment on a grooming van. Let's say, you know, $15,000 business expenses. Yeah, I mean that's, you know, and then let's say you don't have a spouse or anything. So you know the $20,000 for personal expenses, you know, if you're starting from zero in this example, is it likely you're gonna be able to save up $60,000? Unless if you have something to sell or to do? This may be very difficult 'cause let's look at December, 2022. If we're looking at 12 weeks, $60,000 by let's say September, 2022. That is January, February, March, April, may, June, July, August, September. So it's eight months. Eight months. That's how much I'm gonna do my math. $60,000 divided by eight, that's about $7,500 a month saved. So a lot of times we're gonna say, I have this audacious goal and I'm like, okay, well let's break down that goal, make sure it's a smart goal, make sure it's a realistic goal. So I wanna say it was 60 grand. I'm gonna do 25, do thousand dollars down payment on my grooming van. I'm gonna $15,000 to save for my business expenses, which is my grooming van, payment insurance, marketing for my website, et cetera. And I'm gonna have 20 grand set aside for my emergency fund, for my personal life and my business. That way if I have to pay this and that and I have nobody come in, or God forbid we get shut down for covid, or God forbid, instead of 12 weeks, we're at 26 weeks. Or you get fired early from your current job because your job finds out that you're gonna be opening up your own business. Whatever it is, let's use that as an example, right? So we're gonna have 60 grand. So that's where the question becomes, is that achievable, right? In eight months am I gonna be able to save $7,500 a month? So let's say this person at this point, so let's say you're looking at the $60,000 and you're like, there's absolutely no hope of me being able to do that before December, 2022. So then let's go. So let's say instead I want to save up, you know, I want to open my own mobile grooming vis by December, 2023. Now this is less sexy, right? This is less sexy. 'cause we always wanna do everything now I don't wanna wait two years, I don't wanna do this today, I wanna do this now. But here's the thing is that by you having money saved and by doing it the right way, it's going to be so much smoother. When people open up businesses on a shoestring budget, they have so many problems in their business. Anytime there's a little problem, it's a giant hiccup, right? Because if you're sick with C O V I D for two weeks and there's no one to groom and you have to reschedule everybody, if you have 15,000 worth of business expenses in the bank and 20,000 for personal expenses, you're gonna take the time to heal. You're gonna do the right thing by you, okay? This just allows you to have so many more choices. And about $25,000 down on a grooming van is about average right now because don't forget you, you may or may not be able to roll your taxes into your payment. You may or may not be able to put everything into your loan. So we wanna have that little bit of buffer and extra, okay? So I wanna open my own mobile grooming business by December, 2023. I will save up $30,000. Well, I'll save up thir $60,000 by September, 2023 and place my order for my van in September, 2023, right? So that may be a little more realistic and I, I know it's not sexy to have realistic goals. It's more fun to like beat the odds and be crazy and this and that. But sometimes it just takes, you know, but so like here's again an example, right? I'm gonna place their order here. So you know, she's saying she might pay for conversion. So you know, and then finance the van. Well a grooming van, a professional grooming van is anywhere between $85,000 and about $120,000. Your van, your sprinter van is anywhere between 35 and about 65 K. You know, your conversion is generally anywhere between realistically 40 to 60 K. So that's about where we're at. You know, there are some conversions that are cheaper. So you know, if we're gonna get a sprinter, which I personally think you should only do, you know, I have pretty strong opinions. So you take what you guys want from it. I personally do not believe in D I Y grooming vans. I think, you know, and again, I know it's not a popular thing to have an opinion on. I think there are definitely people that can do it, right? I just think that for the most part it's not wise. You know, we don't suggest clients shave their own dogs, right? And you don't need, you really don't need a college degree to do that. Engineering is a college degree. Engineering should be respected. It's not easy. You know, if you're gonna do it, just be aware that you really should never sell it because God forbid someone kills themselves, kills a dog, you will be liable as a manufacturer if you were having an issue with a hand V van you call handy and they have a team of engineers and customer service to help walk you through a problem. And now that they have those QR codes, it literally pulls up videos how to fix something in common reasons that things could be, you know, not ideal. So, you know, and here's my thing, Ashley is like, if you're going to pay outright for the conversion and you're gonna finance the van, that's absolutely not a problem. But that means you need to save up realistically. I mean let's, let's even do it on the very low end, you know, 30 to $60,000. You know, to me, you know, it makes more sense for you to have some money in your emergency fund than have it down on the van. So that's really nice. So actually like here's the thing is if you're gonna have like