Look in the mirror and say “I am my most valuable asset.” Tell yourself this every day! You are the most important thing about your life and your business. Despite the fact that you may think it is your car, or your favorite thinners, or even your bank account, it is YOU that is the most important part of the success equation. Without you driving the car, or using the thinners or using the money, those things are worthless.
And the part that makes you unique is your mind. Your ability to think and reason before taking action is a precious gift. And throughout life, we need to improve our thinking. The ability to improve our quality of thinking makes it easier to solve problems. Our ability to think positively lets us see opportunity around us. Negative thinking shuts doors to success.
I recently saw a report on ABC News about how our new dependency on using search engines even GPS makes us dumber? WOW! In the ‘good old days’ you used a map and directions you wrote down to get from Point A to Point B. You may have stopped when you were lost to ask for directions. Then you had to remember those directions. But now you just program a device that tells you to turn left or right. You actually lose problem solving skills as a result.
Just think of how many people struggle to figure out math problems when they don’t have a calculator.
People used to memorize phones numbers, addresses, and birthdays. Now they are stored away as reminders in our cell phones. Sure it makes things easier, but it turns our mind to mush in the process. I have read that the brain has an unlimited ability to memorize facts. So why turn that ability off?
You need to invest regularly in self-improvement and professional development. You can open your mind to knowledge by attending a seminar at a tradeshow. Or you can exchange information in online forums and places like Facebook. You can open up a copy of the AKC Complete Dog Book and memorize facts about your favorite breed. You have to exercise your brain the same as any other part of your body.
Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning. Why stop now? I continue to learn from the top professionals around me. There are always new products and new standards to talk about. Many groomers are inventing their own products. And almost all of them are happy to share their knowledge with you.
With positive thinking and lifelong learning, you can continue to find new ways to be a value to your customers. You can jump years ahead of your competition by developing new skills that are in demand. By valuing yourself as your biggest asset, you can catapult your career and life to higher levels.
To stay on top of the grooming game, professionals need to keep learning. That’s been my motto for years. It’s always worked for me. Educational opportunities were limited 20-30 years ago. Fortunately, opportunities abound today for motivated groomers.
As a professional pet groomer, our job is to know how to groom all breeds of dogs (and cats for some). What needs to be done to make a purebred look like it’s supposed to look. How can we make mixed breeds (designer dogs) cute. What’s the best way to remove shedding coat from a full coated dog. Being versatile is our job.
Fire safety isn’t something any of us should procrastinate on. Many of us ignore taking the basic steps we need to protect ourselves. I’ve always known professional grooming salons can be prone to fire. Until I experienced my own fire, I didn’t know how much you could do to prevent one. And even for those of us that have taken every precaution to prevent fire, unfortunate scenarios can still unfold.
Is scissoring becoming a lost art? I’m all for speed and efficiency but if you are proficient with your shears, you can trim a dog almost as fast without the shortcut aids of clippers and guard combs .
