[Mister]

So i used to groom in a biug city but moved farther away than i had hoped (40 miles each way) so was forced to quit and now i work at a self serve place and i hate it. I dont feel challenged at all and i make no money plus only work part time when i was told i would be working close to full time.
So i interviewed with some nice older ladies who are starting a dog daycare, boarding and grooming place very close to my house and they loved me and i also had my freind go interview with them and they loved her too.
So they open mid June and we will start grooming again! Im super excited!!! I miss grooming so much, i mean sometimes its a total pain but its worth it to make the dogs look and feel better. I love making the customers happy and a total bonus is that Mister can come to work and be in day care all day ha ha ha.

I do have a few questionsa for you groomers....i will be paid as an independant contractor meaning i will have to put aside money for my taxes and i am essentially not even kn the pay roll at work. Opinions on this please!?! Have you done it, does it work for you, did you hate it or love it?

Also the business is brand spanking new so clientelle wont be built up yet so i was going to do bath dogs as well as groom dogs and work in the daycare and boarding too....what is a good window of time that it will take to build up?

Thanks!

I think i might be crazy for doing this but i think its a great opportunity and its not forever. I will be making a lot more money than i am now and i will be challenged on a daily basis which is important to me

 

[partial2poodles]

It sounds like you will have either too much to do, or not enough grooming. Its so hard to predict anything with a new, Multi-faceted business. I think when you aren't grooming, they will have you cleaning, exercising, feeding, checking in and out. How can you be paid a fair income? I like more structure......I am not adverse to helping out a lot. I hate being bored BUT I would like to see monetary rewards for all my hard multi-tasking. I have always quit because of feeling WAY underappreciated......since they are NOT putting you on the books, tell them you want paid in cash....fair is fair. Tell them you want to get a feel for where the business is heading before you get put on payroll...so get cash. And you should be getting no less that 8-9 per hour for kennel work and 50% of your grooming price and YOU should set that price and set those schedule times.

 

[grooming goddess]

I have both employed groomers as ICs and worked as an IC. No one benefits. Most of us actually don't meet the legal standards to be an Independant contractor anyway. Will you be making your own hours? Setting your own prices? Setting your own appointments? Carrying your own liability insurance? Your own workers comp? Working at any other grooming shop? If you answered no to any of these questions...be very wary.

 

[flyingduster]

yeah, check out petgroomerforums for HEAPS of good info on being an IC, they have a lot of awesome down-to-earth help there about doing it properly, and why. Like GG said, be very wary of it, it's not always as good as it sounds!!!! Do make sure you seek the proper info on what an IC actually is and if you will truely be working as one, or just a low paid employee!!! I know you want to get back into grooming ASAP, but don't screw yourself over in the process!!!! Maybe a good search of the right info and a chat with the owners again might come to a better arrangement...

And as for the timing to build the clinetelle it will depend on the whole IC thing too (are they your clients or theirs??) but again, petgroomerforums will have a lot more help in that matter too, though of course there are huge variations too!!

 

[Mister]

Can you guys please guide me to some good threads or a good website that explains just what an IC is? I will be having a meeting with the two owners and my friend who is also being hired and i want to make sure i know what im getting myself into and if i even want to do this.

Im checking out the petgroomer forum right now but not finding much.

Thanks!

 

[Cameo]

On PG.com there is a whole section devoted to IC's but here's the IRS's definition, which also leaves a bit a confusion because it's not a hard and fast rule.

IRS.gov Search Results

 

[flyingduster]

here is the whole section on IC vs employee: Employee vs Independent Contractor there's 7 pages of different discussions on the matter.... lol

in particular this thread outlines the general differences: http://www.petgroomerforums.com/chat/showthread.php?36660-employee-vs-IC-in-laymans-terms-quote

 

[Reesmom]

When I started back grooming about 5 years ago it was in a place like this. I moved back to my home state and got in with a trainer that was starting that kind of business. I ended up managing the entire thing and grooming. Way too much!!! I did build up a great clientele in about a year. I stayed there for 3 years and loved it. I still am friends with the owner. I still have the majority of the clients even though I have my own business now.

My advice, don't take on more than you can do. It's easy to do in a situation like that, and trust me it's not fun.

Good luck!!! Congratulations.