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Q&A with Melissa Verplank on Dog Groomer Education

image of paragon pet school founder melissa verplank, cmg, who discusses dog groomer education

  • Why is a formal education so important in the professional grooming industry?
    Formal education gives an individual a major head start in their new career. Jobs are plentiful in the field. Thriving salons and exceptional pet stylist know there is more to grooming a dog than just giving them a bath and a haircut. To become skilled, and proficient, takes dedication to mastering the craft. There is so much to learn – many people struggle with where to even start. Can groomers teach themselves? Sure. But it generally takes longer. My mission has always been to help people accelerate their careers as rapidly as possible. The hands-on, structured training program facilitates the most rapid training opportunity.
  • How far has education come in the grooming industry over the years?
    We have seen strides in the education field for professional grooming. When I entered the field in the late 70s, there were very few schools, only a handful of books and a handful of trade shows around the country. That’s it. Since then, we have seen voluntary certification organizations form promoting education, skill enhancing workshops and testing. Tradeshows are flourishing. Successful stylists host private clinics around the country. GroomTeam USA has a system in place tracking our country’s leading competitive stylists. Videos created by industry leaders allow access to a wealth of information regardless of where someone lives. The Internet has had a huge impact on our industry like so many others. With just a few keystrokes you can find almost anything you might be looking for. One of the exciting things about professional grooming, there is always something new to learn.
  • Are you satisfied with the overall level of education among professional groomers or is there room for improvement?
    There is always room for improvement. Unfortunately, I don’t believe education or continued education is valued as highly as it could be in our field. It always shocks me when I meet a groomer who’s been doing this for years but is attending some type of educational event for the very first time.
  • What is the ideal way for a novice to gain a foundational education in pet grooming?
    Entering the grooming industry is easy. There are virtually no barriers to overcome since the industry is not regulated. Today, individuals have access to all wide variety of quality educational materials. Someone just needs the motivation, dedication and drive. The key is to look for quality educational material being produced by respected leaders in our field.
  • How important is ongoing education for grooming professionals?
    Continued education is at the heart of all thriving individuals and businesses. Continuing education not only increases your skill set but it also builds confidence. Experience combined with education demonstrates you are motivated and driven to succeed. Focused on going education opens up to new possibilities, new knowledge and new skill areas. It’s fun. It’s exciting. In many cases, it allows you to network with others in your field.
  • What are some of the most effective ways for groomers to continue their education?
    Start at where you are and build your skills up slowly. Build begin with a solid foundation starting with; canine (and feline) psychology, pet handling, basic anatomy, breed identification, combined with safety and sanitation. Next move into what I would consider core skills. Core skills that would include; learning about common grooming products, trimming nails, cleaning ears, bathing and drying, brushing, combing and dematting skills, and safe and effective equipment handling. Once the foundation in the core skills have been mastered, then branch out to easy haircuts moving into more advanced all trim styles and unusual breeds.
  • What are some common misconceptions about groomer education? How would you dispel them?
    As the saying goes, you will only be as good as the instruction that you receive. Be careful. Do your research before you blindly jump in to any type of learning endeavor. Do Google searches on individuals to find out what their qualifications are. Check credentials, references and reviews before you invest time or money into any type learning.
  • What is Paragon School of Grooming’s approach to groomer education?
    I am a self-taught groomer. But I understood the importance of education and mastering my trade. When I open Paragon, my goal was to shorten the learning curve for new individuals entering the field. Today, we teach the skills that took me years to master – and teach them in just a few months We focus on foundation in core skills in a structured setting. We simplify the task of grooming pets. By reducing the complex methods and techniques into easy to understand terms, we help individuals quickly master the skills necessary to groom any breed.
  • How can Paragon’s GroominarNetwork  be a valuable resource for professional groomers?
    For less than the cost of one groom a month, members have access to our exclusive learning library. Currently we have over 1200 ‘how-to’ lessons from top pet stylists and leading industry experts. Our library is made up of a wide variety of topics related to the grooming industry. Whether our members are just starting out or are seasoned veterans, we have videos in our vast library that will inspire them and help them grow their careers These lessons are streamed on demand to any computer or mobile device with a high speed Internet connection.
  • What does the future hold for Paragon, GroominarNetwork, and professional grooming education overall?
    The pet industry is an amazing field to get into. The opportunities for well-trained groomers and pet stylist is limitless. Helping people care for their pets is extremely rewarding. Being successful in this career is not a matter of luck. It is based on commitment and dedication. Education, skill enhancement and effective communication are the keys to a successful career. One of my greatest inspirations is to help others in their careers and to inspire them to greater heights. I am always looking for new opportunities to make learning easy and accessible to anybody who wants to apply themselves.

 

California Fire Victims Update

From November 16 – December 31, The Paragon School of Pet Grooming took the revenue from a groom a day and donated a total of $1,350 to the California Professional Pet Groomers Association (CPPGA).

Having experienced a devastating fire herself, Melissa Verplank realizes the importance of giving back when able, and challenges The Paragon Team and other business owners to do the same!

Below is a special update from Melissa Verplank on Paragon’s impact on the California Fire Victims:

Transcript
Melissa: Hi, guys, Melissa here. You know, awhile ago I talked to you about the California wildfires and how devastating that was, not only for everybody involves, but especially the grooming community. There was a group of core folks in California that really pulled together and started raising money to help these guys get back on their feet and put their businesses back together. It was pretty amazing in a very short amount of time how much money they were able to raise for those folks that really really needed some help. And I’ve lived through a fire, and it was a barn fire. And we came out okay with that particular situation, but living through that fire, I know how difficult it can be and sure, insurance came in and ultimately we got a beautiful new barn, but initially, I mean, what we needed just to get ourself back on our feet, all of our horses were fine, but everything that they needed burned in that fire, from the hay, to feed, to lead lines, to halters. Stuff that we needed immediately.

Melissa: As soon as the fire was somewhat under control, we went down to our local TSC, luckily they kept the doors open for us, because I think we were going down just before they closed, and we called and they said they would hold the doors open. So, really a great situation with TSC, but I think we dropped probably $800 just in initial stuff that we needed in 15 or 20 minutes. We had quite a few horses, and we needed a lot of stuff. And so, that’s where this money was coming in for the folks that had situations with a fire where they lost their businesses, they lost all their equipment, they lost everything. They needed so initial finding just to get back up on their feet immediately following those fire.

Melissa: At any rate, the Paragon School, what we started doing, was we took a groom a day and the revenues that we earned from that groom, we put into kind of a kitty. And I just wanted to let you know how that turned out and we’re still donating that money, but this was for the fire situation. We sent off money initially and then, we just kept raising money. From November 16 to December 31, we were able to raise, at the Paragon School, donating just one groom a day, $1,350 and that is going to be heading off to California just to continue to help with that funding to get those folks back on their feet.

Melissa: One of the things that I just said to my team was, “Guys, this was so easy. One dog a day. We’re able to take the revenue that that one, just that single dog generated and put it into a pool that we’re able then to turn around and give back and help somebody who was really really in need.” And I said, “I think we just need to keep doing this.”

Melissa: So, I’m going to challenge all of you that if you’ve got a business that’s going well, what can you do to help somebody who might not be having it go so well. I mean, there’s so many natural disasters that affect businesses in the grooming community. And I said, “Let’s go ahead and just keep it rolling and keep putting that money aside so the next time there’s a crisis that we can go ahead and step up to the plate right away and send that fast check that people need well before the insurance companies will step in to help them get back on their feet.”

Melissa: My challenge to you is do the same thing. Not everybody has a perfect day and life doesn’t always go exactly the way you think you want it to go. And so, I just feel really good about being able to help those people that need a little help to get started before insurance kicks into place when a natural disaster strikes.

Pet Groomers in California Need Our Help

Our fellow pet groomers in California need our help! Join us and make a donation to the California Professional Pet Groomers Association (CPPGA). This organization will help fund those in need and distribute the funds that come from your generous donations.

We have accepted the “Groom One for California” challenge of sending the proceeds from one grooming per day and we are asking you to do the same. Any amount helps!

Below is a special message from Melissa Verplank and the link to make your donation: https://www.paypal.me/CPPGA