Conversations with Jessica Aucar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Aucar.

Hi Jessica, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since i was young I had a passion for animals, dogs specially. So I got certified for grooming many years ago with the hope that that would start the path towards my dream. And it has been my dream for a long time to have my own business in the pet industry. But being a stay at home mom made me believe it was not something I could do along raising my 3 boys. A few years ago we unexpectedly lost one of our beloved pets “Shelby”. Shortly after, I felt a pull towards starting my own business. And even though I kept putting it to the side, the feeling kept pushing me towards starting something. So I decided to start and see where it took me. I started with the basics, just picking a name. And from there I started creating my logo (Shelby being in it) and it came together. I learned how to make a website and slowly built it, created social media profiles, registered the company and did all the legal aspects necessary to run a home based business. From there I started putting the word out there, and slowly started getting clients. Returning clients! With time I have continued to grow my clientele. And little that I know it has been over 2 years of running a successful pet grooming business from home. Which offers me great flexibility as I schedule clients during the morning and during the afternoon I go back to being a mom and drive my kids around. This process has proved me that its ok to have dreams while being a mom. I have learned what I am capable of and have dreams of growing the business (on the works). Slowly my vision is coming to pass.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. It has been a learning path. Running a business requires time. And that time has to come from taking time away from other things. So I have had to learn to juggle more thigs, without completely letting go of some household responsabilities I have as a mom. I have had to learn prioritizing what really matters in my life, balancing personal decisions with business decisions. Even though my dream carries weight in my heart, my kids and husband come first so I have had to learn to say no to business sometimes. But doing so has also tought me that it can be rewarding to make the right choice even though it might not be the easiest business wise.
Another challenge was the legal aspect of the company. I had no idea the registration process or the steps necessary to have a legal business. I applied and learned the process to start a business.
As I have considered growing the business, my plan has not yet come to pass since finding the right location with the right zoning has not been easy. The restrictions have been more that I anticipated, but I will patiently continue to look for the right spot for the business.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I offer pet grooming in a home environment, making it a calmer environment for dogs. Dogs are more at ease since they will not be held in a waiting area (crated) for long periods of time or in a loud environment. Dogs are scheduled one client at a time, which means they wont be at the location for longer than their grooming session. Pet grooming at Jess A Pet Company is a 1 – on – 1 service, which means I take care of everything from beginning to end. I can tailor to each dog’s needs and take my time with each one of them. Jess A Pet Company is about quality service rather than quantity. My company stands out from others because I know my clients (human and furry), its not just a grooming card with numbers and notes in it.
The client’s interactions with the company are directly with me, so any questions or concerns I personally take care of it.
At the end of each appointment, dogs go home with a personalized hand written thank you card and some home made all natural dog treats.
Pet sitting and walking is also another service offered by my company. I offer a meet and greet prior to starting the pet sitting services, where all details are discussed.
Is it part of my plan to offer pet photography as a service. (coming soon!)

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success can be very subjective. To me success means finding balance. It means taking a small stride every day in the right direction. Its not about the amount of income I get but about making my clients happy. Success is about setting an example to my kids. Success is learning do new things and to not be afraid of walking down an unknown new path. It is about feeling joy in the things you do, even if they are small. Success is being able to juggle both the business and mom role. Its being able to be at my kid’s school activities and run a succcessful business at the same time.

Pricing:

• I offer pricing based on size and type of grooming package.
• Basic groom (bath, towel dry, nail trim, ear cleaning, brushout) Price varies by size.
• Mini groom (basic groom + blow dry, sanitary trim, paw pads shaved, and face and feet trim) Price varies by size
• Full groom (mini groom + all over haircut) Price varies by size

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessapetcompany.com
• Instagram: @JessAPetCompany
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16ueuU68ef/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits
Karlie Stone, Brandy Craig