The Daily Groomer
Alex Martin and Shannon Wynings Roberts
Alex Martin and Shannon Wynings Roberts
Tales, tails, and tangles from professional groomers across the world
5d ago
Summary In our latest episode of The Daily Groomer, I’m joined by Elizabeth Gibbs as she shares her journey from washing her childhood dog to building Barkwood—a luxury grooming brand now featuring multiple mobile vans and a brick-and-mortar salon. We talk through her early days at Petsmart, the lessons she picked up while working with Jess Rona in LA, the challenges of launching and funding her own business, and how she’s scaled while keeping her standards sky-high. Elizabeth opens up about pricing, facing fears, and the power of a strong team. This one’s full of inspiration and real-world, hard-earned insight. Timestamps 07:49 Celebrity Dog Grooming Experience 13:14 Starting a Mobile Grooming Business 16:48 Budgeting and Side Hustles Explained 26:24 Charging for Quality Service 30:54 Embracing Change and Uncertainty Stay connected with our guest speakers! Follow them on their social media @gibbsgrooming . For more grooming tips, insights, and stories, check out our website at The Daily Groomer . Join and be part of The Daily Groomer Community!
Dec 3
Summary In our latest episode of The Daily Groomer, I sit down with Greg Thomas—a multi-unit franchise owner who’s built an impressive career, starting out delivering water and eventually running dozens of businesses, including his newest venture, Salty Dog Pet Grooming. We dig into his humble beginnings, how he turns struggling businesses around, what it takes to build a loyal team, and the simple, low-cost marketing strategies he actually uses. Whether you’re launching your first salon or looking to scale, Greg brings real numbers, real talk, and a few wild stories about growing big without losing who you are. Timestamps 08:47 Overwhelmed New Business Owner Journey 13:54 Ideal Business Start Timing 22:53 Employee Retention Framework 27:12 Increasing Success through Collaboration 39:04 Skyrocketing Franchises in Dog Industry 43:31 Boosting Profits in Grooming Salons Stay connected with our guest speakers! Follow them on their social media Salty Dawg Pet Salon Atlanta . For more grooming tips, insights, and stories, check out our website at The Daily Groomer . Join and be part of The Daily Groomer Community!
Nov 19
Summary In our latest episode of The Daily Groomer, I sit down with Michelle Ayala, solo owner of Filthy Gorgeous Grooming in Albuquerque, to talk about what it really takes to build lasting client loyalty. Michelle shares how she kept her mobile grooming business going after a major surgery forced her to step away for three months. We get into setting boundaries, having honest conversations with clients, making tough calls, and planning financially for the unexpected. Her story is a real look at the resilience behind the scenes—and how strong relationships can carry your business through hard times. Timestamps06:05 Surgery and Client Communication 08:07 Practical Long-Lasting Dog Haircuts 13:03 Client Bus Visit Dilemma 15:19 Maintaining Client Relationships Crucial 25:11 Grooming Career: Reality Check Stay connected with our guest speakers! Follow them on their social media Filthy Gorgeous LLC . For more grooming tips, insights, and stories, check out our website at The Daily Groomer . Join and be part of The Daily Groomer Community!
Nov 5
Summary In our latest episode of The Daily Groomer, chat with Brandon Pedro—a young entrepreneur balancing college, semi-pro soccer, and helping run his family’s successful dog grooming business, PCoCo’s, in Coppell, Texas. We get into how Brandon built their standout social media presence, the strategy behind viral content, and his top tips for groomers looking to document their journey, connect with their community, and stay consistent online. He also shares how family and culture inspire the heart of the business. Whether you're new to social or ready to level up, Brandon’s advice is practical, honest, and easy to apply. Timestamps 10:56 Optimizing Social Media Content Platforms 14:29 Using Trending Audio for Training 18:04 Finding Your Social Media Niche 23:31 Branding and Client Engagement 30:49 Effective Content Trends Discussion Stay connected with our guest speakers! Follow them on their social media @pcocodoggrooming . For more grooming tips, insights, and stories, check out our website at The Daily Groomer . Join and be part of The Daily Groomer Community!
Oct 22
Summary In our latest episode of The Daily Groomer, I sit down with Tammi Bui, the owner of Wishbone Pet Care in Houston, to talk about how she built a full-service pet care business from the ground up—without any grooming experience to start. We get into what it’s really like to offer grooming, boarding, daycare, training, and wellness all in one place, and how she’s structured her team to keep things running smoothly. Tammi shares honest insights about growing beyond grooming and what it takes to add new services in a sustainable way. If you're thinking about expanding your offerings or adding wellness to boost both your revenue and reputation, you’ll definitely want to hear her practical tips and real-world experience. Timestamps 08:06 Service Synergy in Pet Industry 15:13 Pet Wellness Transformation Advocacy 22:14 Managing Pet Care Team Dynamics 29:22 Starting Multi-Service Business Tips 31:22 Boarding and Daycare Profitability Stay connected with our guest speakers! Follow them on their social media Wishbone Pet Care . For more grooming tips, insights, and stories, check out our website at The Daily Groomer . Join and be part of The Daily Groomer Community!
Oct 8
Summary In our latest episode of The Daily Groomer, I had a great conversation with Josh Fitzgerald, the new CEO of Zoom and Grooming, about his journey from franchise owner to leading a national mobile grooming brand. We talk about what it really takes to grow a successful grooming business, the value of authentic customer service, and some of the challenges new franchisees face. Josh also shares his vision for the future of the company. For groomers, business owners, or anyone who loves stories, this episode is worth it. Timestamps 04:47 Mobile Ventures and Franchise Growth 10:56 Problem Solving in Business Ownership 18:11 Expectations for New Business Owners 29:19 The Power of Owner-Customer Connection 34:29 Challenges of Rapid Growth Stay connected with our guest speakers! Follow them on their social media Josh Fitzgerald . For more grooming tips, insights, and stories, check out our website at The Daily Groomer . Join and be part of The Daily Groomer Community!
Sep 24
Summary In our latest episode of The Daily Groomer, I’m chatting with Rebecka Star, owner of Pampered Paws Grooming in Palmer Lake, Colorado. She shares her story of growing from mobile grooming into a successful brick-and-mortar shop, and all the lessons that came with it. We talk about building a strong team, encouraging ongoing education, and handling the tough stuff like pricing and staff management. Rebecka keeps it real—whether it's setting boundaries to avoid burnout or having honest conversations about raises with her team and clients. If you’re in the grooming world, there’s a lot here you’ll relate to Timestamps 05:50 Entrepreneur Buys Grooming Business 10:11 Small Town Dog Grooming Advantage 16:15 Evaluating Dog Groomer Candidates 21:12 Salon Profitability Adjustments 26:49 Gradual Price Increases in Pet Grooming Stay connected with our guest speakers! Follow them on their social media @pampered_pawsgrooming . For more grooming tips, insights, and stories, check out our website at The Daily Groomer . Join and be part of The Daily Groomer Community!
Sep 12
After Hours Episode #84: In our latest episode of After Hours, I had an awesome sit-down with Jonathan David to chat about everything grooming. We talked about our recent trip to Hershey, the rumors flying around the industry, and what really happens behind the scenes with competition judging. There was some trade show drama, lots of laughs, and even a few wild stories from Australia and TikTok. Jonathan also shared the sweet story behind surprising his husband with a golden retriever. Super real, unfiltered, and honestly one of my favorite convos yet.
