Meet Paragon Certified Groom Tech Dakota Tutor: Letting Passion Lead the Way
Meet Paragon Certified Groom Tech Dakota Tutor! Based in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Dakota discovered that sometimes the path you planned for yourself isn’t the path you’re meant to follow. While studying finance in college, Dakota realized that the pursuit of financial stability had pulled her away from a lifelong passion for animals. After years of dreaming about working with animals, she decided it was time to follow that passion and pursue a career in grooming.
Through Paragon’s Groom Tech Certification, Dakota has been able to combine her love of animals with a career that feels meaningful and purposeful. Her dedication, openness to feedback, and passion for her work have already made her a standout student and a Rising Star.
Her mentor, Kaiti Roberson, shares:
“When Dakota first joined Paragon she told me she did this to follow her passion after taking a break from college. Her passion shines through in every submission! She consistently puts great effort into her work and is always open to taking advice and growing as a groomer. She is truly a Rising Star and I can see her passion taking her anywhere in this industry 🙂”
Why did you choose dog grooming as a career?
During my sophomore year of college, two years into my finance degree and on my way to a firm where I’d sit in front of a computer crunching numbers all day, I came to the realization that somewhere along the way I’d let my want for financial stability take away my passion.
From the moment I can remember, my dream has always been to work with animals. Growing up, when asked what I wanted to do, my answer was always the same: “I want to be a vet so I can play with puppies.” Now I can finally say I let the little girl in me win, and I know I’m exactly where I am meant to be.
What did you enjoy most during your coursework?
During this course, my favorite part has been expanding my knowledge in an area I’m passionate about and spending time with so many unique animals.
Where can we see your work?
You can find my work at Petsense by Tractor Supply in Diamondhead, Mississippi.
What are your future goals?
My biggest grooming goal is to be able to do nonprofit grooming for fur babies in need. Something as simple as a bath, nail trimming, flea removal, or dematting could make such a difference for so many animals, and I would be honored to make that difference.
Any advice for aspiring groomers?
Not every pup that enters your salon will be easy. That’s when love, empathy, and compassion will be a better grooming tool than any other you can acquire at a store.