Pawlished Mobile Grooming

02/06/2024

Hey Arkansas! Go check out my friends at Bow Wow & Meow Bakery & Boutique in NLR / Maumelle. They have some super cute new items in for Pride, Father's Day, and for Mom's! They also have the best foods for your furry love's & can get you on an auto order / auto delivery program. PLUS .. they make all of their own cakes and treats IN STORE. That's right. No cute treats shipped from overseas sitting on shelves for who knows how long with who knows what in them ... All made fresh and there in store! These are the treats I gave for Christmas each year! Go check out their awesome treat bar, fun toys and grooming supplies, seasonal items and even some human options! Don't forget to order your cake for your pets next Birthday! Plus, when you visit the store you get to take your pets with you and speak face to face with their awesome employees who are so knowledgeable and will love on your pets! Does it get any better? I WISH I could share this awesome place with my Louisiana friends too.

08/05/2024

The Benton High School Wrestling Team is seeking Business Sponsors. They have many levels to choose from. My son, who is also in Band, will be a Freshman and it's his first Sport since he was a toddler. He is super excited and eager to participate! If you are a business owner or know one that hasn't already committed to a school or team (or travel ball) and would like to Sponsor, please reach out. I know many businesses have kids themselves and have already given all they can give. It's tough for a lot of us small businesses right now. We are just trying to reach anyone that may be able to, want to and maybe needs that little tax write off! I can send all of the opportunities to anyone interested. Of course I will be, but they have each been asked to search for multiple donors as they are trying to build up the Wrestling program. We would be grateful for any shares and leads!

28/03/2024

❤️😂😵‍💫🚛🚗💈🐕💅✂️🛁🐾🦴👇
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/15ardhFitaWVWXhH/?mibextid=14AR8G

01/03/2024

Price increases will go into effect in May.

Edited to add:

I know I posted this would go into effect in May, but I have been so busy with end of school year stuff. This will go into effect June 1st. It will be a $10.00 increase for all current clients.

Price increases. Many groomers dread this moment as inevitably there are clients who either become angry or try to guilt their professional groomer into not increasing their price. Neither of these responses are warranted nor should they be tolerated. Your professional groomer doesn't raise prices for the fun of it, it is a necessary part of staying in business. Here are some things your professional groomer needs you to know:

1. Price increases are necessary. Just like any other profession, price increases are a necessary part of running a successful business. No small business can continue to exist without ever increasing their prices.

2. Inflation affects your professional groomer too. The costs of power, water, gas, and rent have all increased. Your groomer must increase prices to cover these expenses.

3. Salon expenses you may not be aware of have also increased. Shampoos, conditioners, clipper blades, scissors, sharpening services, the list goes on and on...all of these expenses must be covered by increasing grooming prices.

4. Professional groomers must be able to make a livable wage. They cannot operate a professional salon for minimum wage. They must be properly compensated for increases in doing business as well as their skills and education.

To sum things up, if you expect your professional groomer to stay in business and thereby care for your pet, please do not complain when they increase prices. Remember that if they cannot earn a proper living, they may decide to close the doors...which leaves you searching for another groomer.

01/03/2024

The final cuties from February's spa visits!

01/03/2024

More adorable friends from February!

01/03/2024

I haven't posted any photos in quite awhile. I'm going to attempt to post monthly. Here is the first group from January and part of February. 💞

22/02/2024

I want to follow up my last post and just say that I know it may appear tacky to post something like that on a business page.
Being mobile only though, I don't have any other means to communicate with my entire client base. I can't post a sign for all to read on the door or countertop. I am also not one to complain a lot, but with these issues being ongoing and with so many clients. Not just a few or not just the ones this week .. it's the only way to get the message across. I am not a fan of sending individual texts or singling people out. I also do not see most clients when I am at their homes, so a conversation in person is not always an option. So I apologize for the tacky Facebook post. Thank you to those who have reached out. I appreciate your support. Times are hard. Really hard. I am very understanding and super easy to work with. Clients are rarely home when I come which means schedules are not an issue and my clients are super easy to switch around within the same week to accommodate other clients and their needs. I am more than willing to work later in the day or a weekend if given plenty of notice of any issues. I am happy to send an Invoice and wait for payment if it is discussed I'm advance. So many options for scheduling and payment. I cannot keep having lost income or waiting for payment that was not discussed prior to services of I'm counting on it for bills, product and fuel. It's not fair to me or to clients that are waiting for a spot in the rotation. Please just be honest with me if you need to discontinue services. No judgment at all. I just ask for consideration of me and my time and efforts and for all of my other clients or potential clients.

21/02/2024

Current clients:

Hey friends. I'm at a crossroads right now with a few options, and I don't particularly like any of them .. but here's the deal:

Louisiana pricing started out much lower than Arkansas due to other local mobile and shop pricing. Since we moved back here, my auto insurance (I'm speaking for business expenses and not personal, though those did too) nearly tripled. Fuel has not come back down as I had hoped it would. Maintenance for the van (with a Warranty and Extended Warranty) has cost me thousands upon thousands due to supply issues during and still, after COVID. Product costs continue to rise. Taxes, etc. Every single thing I use or need to keep this van on the road and keep your pets looking amazing, has cost me my savings and then some. I am 8 years in and worse off than I was my first year of business. I have had two small price increases in the almost 4 years here. My credit card processing fees have also hiked. Those do not get passed on to you. In the last 5 months I have had multiple cancellations or people asking to skip visits because they are out of town or have also been hit hard financially. While I understand this and definitely relate, it hurts my bottom line even further. Having all of you on a regular rotating schedule means I have to keep waiting list and cannot accept new clients. That waiting list does me no good for that last minute cancellation because I then have to use my time at home to go through and see who is close by, that would fit the slot and call and hope their dog wasn't just groomed elsewhere. Being mobile and setting aside time for you and your pets at your home, I can't just put out a bat call and say I have an opening for the first to show up. I wish I could. If it's a large time slot, I am then tasked with hopefully finding 3-4 clients on the waiting list, in the same area, to take the opening. I then have to explain that I can only do their pets just this once, which also isn't fair to them.

I have also had many clients over the last 8 months or so, leave their Invoices unpaid for weeks at a time. I currently have just under $500 unpaid and $600 for the week in cancellations. That is huge for a small business that is limited to how many clients they can fit in a day with drive time and one on one spots.

As of now I can't afford the service the van will need in 3000 miles. That's embarrassing because I am not a frivelous spender, at all.

Mobiles across the country are $30 higher than I have been. I hate to raise prices, but I cannot operate in the negatives and I am a mobile service providing a convenience. I am also dang good at what I do, providing top notch, on time, extraordinary service using the highest quality products resulting in precision haircuts and healthy skin and coat and happy pets. I am rarely late and efficient. My rates are not much more than mediocre shops or home groomers and actually less than the big box stores when you add in their special packages and rates for rush visits.

Hair and nail salons .. my human counterparts in the same service industry for humans all collect deposits that are non refundable before you are even allowed to book with them. They also have and uphold their cancellation fees. I have not.

Daycares are very different, yes, but they hold spots for your kids when you go on vacation. You still pay for those spots. Many are asking to cancel or "skip" a visit, only a day or so prior to scheduled visit (you all know your dates 4-6 weeks in advance) and I'm expected to just be out that income and send their next dates. Well, this week has resulted in a $600 loss I am unable to fill.

So I'm at a crossroads. I either raise prices by $15 to $20 to hopefully get back ahead of this crazy inflation.

I start a monthly subscription and you pay monthly in order to have a spot.

Or, and I am heavily thinking bout just selling the van and building a small salon on my property so that my expenses are not so high and if someone cancels, I can open it up to anyone available and not worry about digging through a huge waiting list while trying to cook dinner for my family, and hope I eventually find someone, or a few that I can work into a route tomorrow.

I don't know what I'm going to do and I know times are hard for everyone, but if you are going to be traveling a lot, or if your budget is no longer allowing for it (a lot are in this boat .. hello Swepco) then please just say so and give up your spot because I do still have so many calls daily of people that really would like a mobile service, and I am one of two locally ..
If I can't afford to maintain the van or buy products or fuel, then I won't be for long. Screenshot is my current outstanding Invoices.

If any of you read this far and are not clients yet or are on my waiting list. I know many of you have said to call if I have cancellations. The problem with that is I have to spend time going through to see who lives in the same area, whose pet or pets will fill that slot and then start making calls and hope that someone hasn't just had their dog done, because y'all aren't just sitting home waiting for me to call either.

01/01/2024

Happy New Year! I am looking forward to another year of pampering your sweet four legged family members! Show them off below!

16/10/2023

💯. It was just shared with me that Walmart is now offering grooming services. Groomers everywhere are mortified because their prices are so low and if you do the math for how long the services take the groomer to perform them, they are making only about $56 a day. A day! So they can only fit in two giant dogs. At the price Walmart is charging and with their commission, hourly would be about $7. Tell me why it's ok for a Cashier or someone stocking shelves to make almost double that? Your groomers are skilled professionals who put so much into their trade to ensure the proper safety, handling, medical training and breed profiles of hundreds of breeds to offer you the best of their ability in the cleanest, safest and most luxurious environment they can. We put money into our buildings our vans, our home salons, our tools, accessories and products, our continued education and classes to learn the latest and greatest. If mobile, our insurance rates, fuel, our time on the road or at one stop catering to pets with special needs, anxiety and behavior issues, dryer seizures and those who need extra time or attention and care.

But wait .. I checked and a small dog bath and basic trim is $56. That includes a good bit .. but it's $8 more to file nails. (I include that). It's $8 more for a**l glands (yup, I include that) and $18 more for a de-shed. (You guessed it .. my amazing process and bathing system and tools take care of that too. No reason to upcharge). Finally, it's $10 more for extra brushing, beyond 15 min. (Whelp .. yep. I brush and comb and brush and take a fine tooth comb through each and every one of my clients .. for no extra charge). And .. you also get more than a "basic trim" depending on breed. So that is now $100 to get your dog to Walmart for their beauty visit. I know some of the big box stores charge more for things like a high quality shampoo and even to use a conditioner. Want your dog done one on one? Okay, that's more too and they have certain times for that.

Suddenly my mobile price doesn't look that bad, huh? Especially considering my State of the Art mobile salon comes to your doorstep. Hello, have you seen the gas prices? Yeah, they haven't dropped in 3 years. (Psst. My prices haven't gone up nearly where they need to be for the services I offer)

So before you head off to save money at Walmart, make sure you know what you are truly receiving .. you will likely end up paying more for much much less. Oh, and they will expect payment before you leave. They won't chase you for weeks for payment.

My pricing does not match my skills, the luxurious products used, or convenience I bring.

Support your small businesses and appreciate the skills and value they bring with them, before we suffer the same fate of many local restaurants and other small businesses we all love and have watched disappear.

07/10/2023

Our Branding is so eye catching that our Conversion company, Hanvey Engineering & Design even uses it in their advertising!

Of course I am super proud of it. It's my design, brought to life by a childhood friend of mine who owns the best, multi award winning Marketing Company out of Denver and Portland! Talk Out Loud

Also, proud of the amazing business that I built from the ground up using these two very important business tools. My skills, experience, amazing customer service and commitment to my loyal clients are the Cherry on Top!

28/07/2023

The costs associated with running a legal / insured business are high and endless.

You want the cleanest (rust free, temperature controlled, non oil leaking on your driveway, no hunk a junk) and safest environment? You want someone skilled, licensed and insured? No dull, dirty, rusty tools? Someone to be reliable?

That all costs small businesses a huge amount of money. The van payment, insurance (auto and business in a mobile), fuel to get to you, tools. (blades are $30-$40 new. Shears are $150 and up. Clippers are $250 and up). Sharpening and maintenance are $10-$20 each blade and shear. We can use 3-4 different blades for one pets spa day. A dirty / tangled coat can dull a blade quickly. I just paid $450 to have about 30 blades and 18 shears sharpened. Hoses wear out, dryers need new brushes internally, batteries need water, etc. The van needs two belts and a new idle pulley (because I idle ALL day every day). Products: Shampoos and Conditioners. They range from $50 - $80 a Gallon. Then you have ear cleaners, laundry detergent, paper towels, bows and bowties, bandanas etc. The unreal amount of taxes and fees paid to the State and Government. I'm still battling the transfer of the company between the two States. It's expensive and I have wasted $$ with wrong info from both States and business professionals, resulting in extra steps and wasted filing fees.

I'm not posting this to whine or get sympathy .. but I am posting to show you all why I need you to pay your bills. I am very lenient and easy to work with. If you need time to pay because my availability does not align with your payday, I am more than happy to send an Invoice. However, we must discuss and agree on that beforehand. I am not pointing fingers at any client or going to single anyone out. I am increasingly having people not pay when services are rendered. My invoices have 4-5 reminders attached over a week and a half period. I am having to send out texts or reset reminders to go beyond 2 weeks. It's not fair to me to have to wait to be paid or have to chase down payment for services rendered. I have bills to pay (business bills). I rarely even take funds for my own bills. I also have a huge waiting list of people who have been patiently waiting for 2 years or more for a spot. I am going to have to start cracking down, because if I don't .. y'all will have to be out searching for a new groomer because I can't ask those I owe to wait. My bills have to be paid on time so that I can continue to operate. Please pay yours.

I'm also having an increase in people cancelling one dog or more when I show up, after confirming. That leaves me a huge gap I cannot fill last minute. That's income I count on lost. That's someone on the wait list that could have had a spot. I cannot do a high number of dogs like salons can. I come to you. That limits my ability to make a lot of income. Prices are already on the low end a far as a mobile service goes. I don't want to have to have a significant increase. Many human and pet salons, nail salons, etc. All are requiring cards on file and deposits, etc. I have not cracked down on any of that. But .. groomers are very hard to come by. They are closing down everywhere. Retiring, unable to pay bills, tired of chasing clients for payment, tired of being canceled on. Tired of dogs misbehaving. They are leaving. Young kids are not interested in the industry. We are all full and doing all we can to keep going.

Please stop taking spots you don't intend to keep. It puts me in an awkward spot to have to make hard decisions to let you go and I don't want to do that. I don't want to create tension or threaten to stop servicing you. I also hate texting to remind you of payment. Please don't put me in these positions. I love you all. Just pay your bills and keep you appointments please. Many others are waiting for your spots.

Also, if it were only one or two of you and a rare occurrence, I wouldn't feel the need to make this post. I hate that I did.

16/06/2023

Some days we lose, and some days we win. What is important though, as small businesses and humans .. is that we lift each other up and support one another with either words or actions and understand that some things are out of our control, but bad situations are most always temporary.

The drawback to mobile is that I rely so heavily on a vehicle. We all know how much fun that can be when things break and we are at the mercy of a tow truck, parts being available and a mechanic. Which these last few years have proven to be so difficult on all of those fronts. However, on days like today when a storm knocks out power for almost 300 THOUSAND customers. Myself included .. and you can't go to the groomer, or the salon, or to breakfast, or even get fuel .. well, your food trucks and mobile groomers are still open! Yay for Fuel and Diesel Generators and Inverters .. today is a win for me! However, many local salons are waking up to no power and having to reschedule, which can be havoc on their overall schedules and pocketbooks! Please be patient and understanding with them and try to be flexible in your rescheduling!
Be kind to your neighbors .. and your kids .. (who want to keep opening the fridge and get you to cook eggs with no power. We are all doing the best we can in situations we can't control. Hope you all have a wonderful day and keep your eye on your local pages for support or needs, for yourself or some you can help others with. ❤️

For reference, the photos attached are showing the good and the bad. The first photo being towed in the dark was the last time I had a major break and was towed back from Arkansas. The second photo is my current win. Working when the rest of the South is without power. (Including my home)

07/06/2023

I guess I have been nominated for locals love us. This is a hard one for mobiles since we are super limited in our availability and do not service nearly as many customers as our brick and mortar friends, therefore don't have many opportunities for votes! Here is the link to Vote, if you feel inclined. Google reviews are also a great way to support small business. Even though we are full and cannot always accept new clients, reviews help keep our business fresh and relevant in the event we do need new business! Thank you all for all of your support and kind words or votes!

17/02/2023

I'm not going to lie ... I get so excited when one of my clients has amazing lashes! It kills me to have to trim them when they get too long, or when mom & dad don't want lashes. 🙃

" Yep, you have a serious lash problem there Lottie "

15/01/2023

This is a very real and scary Season. Please keep a very close eye on your pets as you let them outside. Even if you are in the middle of a neighborhood in the city. I know of people personally who have lost pets during this time and they did not live in the Country.

CAUTION***********
FYI: The next 4-6 weeks is mating season for coyotes. Please do not let your dogs out alone. The coyote gets your dog to chase him and then somewhere in the distance the pack waits for your dog. Then the outcome is tragic as they can & will attack/kill your pets. Just be aware it can happen to your beloved pet. {Coyote breeding typically peaks in late February and early March, the gestation period averages 58 to 63 days. Male coyotes can become more aggressive during this time of year, the long and short of it all is that coyotes always pose a risk to your dog (and other small pets). That risk increases during mating season. If you have issues feel free to contact us.

11/01/2023

Oooodles of Doodles ...🙃😊❤️

... 🙄

08/12/2022

Where in the World is the Pawlished Mobile? 🤔😉😊🐩🐾❤️

06/12/2022

Please share this sweet boy and his story and need for a home. It's no secret that almost all of our 23 animals have come to us as rescues. I have the experience and ability to care for a special needs pet, but you all know that Is just do not have the time to dedicate at this time. Please share .. can we find this doll a forever home by Christmas?

https://fb.watch/heldlqa0fl/

07/11/2022

Why yes, that is the lovely Pawlished van currently being loaded up for it's 2nd tow back to Louisiana. My husband is on his way to pick me up as this beauty will be towed back from Little Rock. I made it about 20 min outside of Little Rock before I ended up stranded. Again. Those of you scheduled tomorrow in Louisiana, I have already contacted my morning appointments. I'll update as I can. It should be an easy fix. Just tracking down parts. I will contact everyone as I need to to get those affected rescheduled.

02/11/2022

Yay! Happy Mail!

I will be plugging in my routes for January to July, 2023. I should have the routes finished by December, hopefully and will know if I have any openings.

Are you on the waiting list for 2023? Visit www.pawlishedmobilegrooming.com to join the Wait List. You will not hear from me personally unless / until I have an opening in your area but feel free to message to ensure I receive your wait list request.

A few reminders about the routes and schedules going in to the new year:

1) All clients must agree to a rotating schedule of 4, 6 or 8 weeks. I may be able to offer a different frequency, but no more than 8 weeks as my routes are carefully planned out by location and pets in the area as well as fuel, the amount of time needed to complete each service on my route and water.

2) I am not currently accepting new clients, but I am always accepting Wait List Requests ONLY in the following areas: Benton, North Bossier and parts of Haughton.

Wait List is NOT first come first serve. Spots are offered upon availability and will be offered to those that reside in the area my opening is in, whose pets needs (time needed to complete) and frequency choice match closely with any openings.

3) I am currently still servicing Arkansas on a very small route. I regret that I had to back down to just a few days, but business decisions are not always easy. So may things forced me into the changes, but I am grateful that I was able to come back and service my entire original clientele for 8 days every month for two entire years! For those of you that I had to stop servicing due to tightening my route there, I miss you all very much! All of that being said, I no longer have a waiting list for Arkansas and will not ever be accepting new clients there.

Louisiana: You guys have really been welcoming these past 2 1/2 years. I have been at capacity here for quite awhile. I was going back to Arkansas for 8 days every month for the last 2 years. Early this summer I cut down to 3 days. You guys filled that extra week in under 2 hours and I still have a small waiting list. Wow! Thank you!

4) I will have a few other announcements early next year, but for now I am focusing on finishing the year strong and pampering all of your precious littles for the Holidays, while also trying to find time to get this schedule for January to July 2023 done.

5) One very important last reminder: I try my very best to accommodate schedule changes, but y'all, this schedule is packed full. It's tight. I almost always run right on time and pride myself in that. Please help me by allowing access to your pets on time, when you are not at home I offer key on file service. Try it. Its life changing! Almost all of you utilize this option and it keeps me on track and ensures your little is pampered, even if you are busy! Please try to limit the chatter. I love you all and can stay and talk all day. Seriously. I can. I enjoy visiting! However, it does cut in to my carefully planned and tight schedule and can leave my next client waiting on me. If you need to make a schedule change, I can usually switch you with someone in the same week, but moving times during the day or even moving to another week is not always possible as every day is booked full and others are already in those spots and every hour of every day is needed for me to stay on time. I will not remove a pet for one visit just to move your time by an hour because that is still cutting into my day, and taking income that I count on to pay the bills. If you take a spot while I have others on a waiting list be prepared to keep it, or pay to hold it if you need to cancel last minute. I value all of you and your schedules and time and need y'all to remember and understand that I have a huge clientele whose time also matters, as well as needing to get home to my kids at the end of the day and I have business bills, van maintenance, products, supplies, insurance and fuel that have all shot up times ten over the last 2 years and I need to maintain the income I count on. If you cannot keep your rotation, it needs to be offered to someone waiting that can. I am here to service you all. I love what I do. I love your pets! This is a business, I am licensed and insured and legal and I need to be able to pay the bills to continue for a long time!

Thank you all for your support over the last 6 years and for your continued support as we enter year 7.

2023 .. Lets go!

21/09/2022

Tupelo Honey said he doesn't care what day it is, he has better things to do. 🎵 He could, watch dad wash the car in the rain, chew dad's new guitar strings. Bark at the lawn guy just the same, as he did yesterday. He don't need to waste his time. Getting pampered and talking with me. He has better things to do. 🎶

21/09/2022

Ruby Tuesday and I were just having a discussion while she sits under the dryer, about our feelings on Hump Day. Ruby Tuesday said Wednesday is not her favorite day of the week. She is partial to the day before Wednesday, while I told her I prefer Fri-yay.

09/09/2022

It's FriYay! Murphy is going into the weekend with a fresh new Pawlished style! He has been a nail trim client for a bit, but his mama has been waiting for a spot on the rotation. She sent me this super adorable photo of him after his spa day! Looking pretty darn dapper Murphy! Thanks for trusting me to care for and pamper your sweet boy!

Enjoy this beautiful weekend! I worked in Arkansas last weekend, so I'm looking forward to having a few days to spend with the family .. and the weather should be beautiful all weekend!

XOXO

27/08/2022

Louisiana .. I hoped to have all of these posted yesterday, but .. kids.

Thank you all for welcoming me and supporting my small business from day 1. You all started calling before I was even ready to take new clients and you haven't stopped. I never had to put out a single advertisment, and I still .. 2 entire years and a few months later .. have yet to set up my voicemail. Yet you all jumped on board, grabbed your rotating spot and continue to spread the word and call. You all waited so patiently for 2 years while I continued a very full week in Arkansas and allowed me that time to continue my loyalty there. I appreciate you all so much for that. When I did decide to scale back in Arkansas (mostly due to the wear and tear on the van, and my kids) you all filled hat entire week in less than 2 hours. I have enjoyed getting to know you all and you super cute dogs. I am having the time of my life! Thank you so much for your support. Especially during a pandemic and rocky economy. Happy International Dog Day to your sweet little ones! I am excited for many more years with you all.