Meet Andrea Richardson of Jazzy Pawz by Andrea in Inman Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Richardson.

Andrea, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Being a longtime dog lover, I’ve always had a passion to be part of the pet industry. But I became very motivated to pursue my life passion after the sudden loss of my mother and grandmother. At the time, I was working as a front desk agent at a luxury hotel here in Atlanta where I would interact with clients. Most of the clients would come in with their pets, and that would be the highlight of my day, my face would literally light up at the sight of the dogs. It was then that I decided to enroll in online classes to become a certified groomer. Shortly after that, I opened Jazzy Pawz.

Great, 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?
In growing any business there will always be challenges, and I definitely have had my fair share of struggles. I spent four years building a loyal client base and grooming out of my West Midtown apartment, but realized I wanted to expand beyond my home. After relocating to Inman Park last year, I did have some challenges maintaining my existing clientele. It almost felt like I was starting over. But I never gave up! We just celebrated our one-year anniversary at our Inman Park location and very proud to say that business has doubled. I’m happy that I took the necessary risk of relocating in order to grow my business.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Jazzy Pawz by Andrea – what should we know?
The vision of my pet spa and boutique was simple: to create a loving, peaceful and relaxing pet salon where furries can come and get pampered, and most importantly, be treated like family. Along with R&R services including paw soaks, facials and massages, pets can get fabulous with additional services like nail pawlish and hair coloring. Furries can top off their visit to the spa by indulging in some retail therapy with some modern, out-of-the-box pet apparel from couture dresses to event-themed costumes.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think having a strong work ethic and passion is critical to the success of Jazzy Pawz. When you have a strong passion for what you do, you work hard at it and it shows in the quality of your work. I’m so blessed to be able to get up every single day and love what I do.