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Paragon President to Speak at GROOM’D – formerly Atlanta Pet Fair

Paragon’s Education and Training for aspiring dog groomers and dog grooming businesses stands out from other trade or vocational schools because its curriculum is developed and delivered by a team of industry experts. One of those experts, President Joe Zuccarello, will be taking his knowledge on the road March 10-12 to share with groomers across the nation at the GROOM’D – formerly known as Atlanta Pet Fair, at the Georgia International Convention Center.

GROOM’D, catering to 2,500 pet professionals and 100 exhibitors,  is one of the country’s largest trade show and conferences for professional pet stylists. At GROOM’D, talent meets technique, passion transforms into profitability and  professional groomers get the tools to stand out. The show features the latest products, education, pets and employee safety training, and networking opportunities.

Team Paragon and it’s sister division, Learn2GroomDogs.com, will be on hand with show specials and lots of tips – Come visit at booth #331!

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“Dogfather of Harlem” Kicks Off Global Groomer Training Quest:

Pup Relief Tour Heads to Nigeria for Intensive Dog Grooming Workshop Feb 8 – 15th powered by Paragon Curriculum

Four trainers. Twenty-five students. Eight days. Two job offers. And a lot of dogs! The inspired mind behind the national sensation of the Pup Relief Tour is going global with his quest to promote the grooming profession in an intensive skill development workshop in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.

Paragon School of Pet Grooming is delighted to lend professional curriculum support to Brian Taylor, aka the “Dogfather of Harlem,” and his team of volunteers as they prep to train 25 self-taught groomers who will vie for employment at a popular daycare, boarding and grooming operation. The tour kicks off February 8th, with Paragon providing the training curriculum, process and procedures.

Critters Veterinary Centre in Lekki, which also serves as a boarding and grooming facility, is hosting the workshop and supplying the dogs. In addition, Critters will offer employment to 2-3 groomers exhibiting impressive skills and potential which will significantly improve the groomers’ annual income.

“Paragon’s mission is to elevate the grooming profession, in North America, and around the world, through excellence in skill development. We’re thrilled to help Brian and his team bring the highest level of groomer training to this outreach project,” said Joe Zuccarello, President of the Paragon School of Pet Grooming.

In preparation of their departure, the volunteer trainer team brushed up their coaching skills using Paragon’s online training platform, and were supplied with additional textbooks and materials to make the most of the intensive workshop.

Taylor cited Paragon’s curriculum, textbooks, beautiful illustrations, and instructional videos as key advantages of the Paragon partnership.

“The school’s curriculum is rooted in the unmatched experience and teachings of industry icon Melissa Verplank, Certified Master Groomer, and their team is hand-picked from the best of industry experts. This is an incredible opportunity for groomers in Nigeria to access this kind of content not readily available in their country,” Taylor said.

Taylor is passionate about opening avenues to the grooming profession at home and abroad. The banker-turned-successful grooming business owner became a social media sensation during the height of the pandemic when he spearheaded the non-profit Pup Relief Tour in 15 cities across the United States. The team groomed 1918 pups whose pet parents faced financial hardships and raised awareness of pup health and well-being through grooming.

For the Nigeria venture, Taylor is joined by Pup Relief Tour Ambassadors, Labree Blaxon, Owner, Fluffy By Nature, (California), Latonya Smith, LC’s Detroit Salon, (Michigan) and Gianna Richardson, Gia Styles Grooming (Virginia). All have successful pet grooming businesses here in the U.S. and are primarily Black-owned.

Together, Paragon and The Pup Relief Tour are committed to raising awareness of the shortage of dog groomers and to help pet lovers discover the lucrative opportunity of a career in pet grooming.


Boost Your Pet Business with IBPSA FLOW Sept. 22-24 in Orlando!

Would you like less “sweat” and more “equity” in your pet business? Check out the International Boarding & Pet Services Association’s FLOW Business Conference, sponsored in part by team Paragon! Conference tickets include full access to all education sessions, workshops, roundtables, and panels; plus the IBBY Awards, Exhibit Hall, and the traditional Meet & Greet held the night before opening.

Paragon President Joe Zuccarello will lead three seminars this year on topics close the the heart of pet business owners:

  • 10 a.m. Sept 22 – To Groom or Not To Groom – Joe will discuss proven strategies on how to attract, build, and lead a team of grooming producers you are proud to serve your customers. Learn more.
  • 1 p.m. Sept 23 – Perfect Pricing – Joe will help you understand just where your prices need to be in your market, what the customer is really buying, and how to communicate pricing and price increases to your customers. Learn more.
  • 8 a.m. Sept 24 – Employ Differently – Joe will share with you FOUR key elements to positioning yourself as an employer people want to come work for and a place where they are more likely to stay longer. Learn more.

Joe will be joined by our groom-focused friends Dave Campanella at Best Shot Pet Products and Chris Miller from Boss Pet Products on topics ranging from Mastering Rebooking to Grooming at Retail insights.
We’re so excited that IBPSA will have such a strong representation in the grooming category this year. We hope you’ll join us!
Learn More & Register below!

Register Here


Come See the Paragon Team at SuperZoo in Vegas

Planning to be at WPA’s SuperZoo show August 23 – 25 in Las Vegas? Stop by and visit the Paragon & Learn2GroomDogs.com team at booth #7563! And if you own a pet business, don’t miss President Joe Zuccarello’s talk on How to Add Grooming Services to Your Retail Store to Drive Traffic and Profit!

Our partners at WPA put on a great show!

Here are some of the highlights for SuperZoo 2022:

  • 800 New Products
    See, touch and test debut products in every category to get ahead of buying cycles—and the competition.
  • 1200 Exhibitors
    Source the hottest products and trends in the marketplace to delight returning customers and attract brand new ones.
  • 20,00 Pet Pros
    Meet, mingle and talk shop with people who “get it” to generate new ideas and lasting connections.
  • 65 Education Sessions
    Uncover marketing, hiring and other business-boosting insights with SuperZoo’s industry-leading education program

Register here: https://www.superzoo.org/attendee/registernow/


Don’t Miss Artero Jornadas Grooming Show May 15 & 16

Our good friends at Artero are getting ready to host some of the most prestigious groomers from around the world in this 2-day Grooming Extravaganza May 15 & 16 in Atlanta! ARTERO JORNADAS is a unique spectacular show which has been celebrated in Spain for over 15 years.

Artero will feature 12 of the top Groomers from around the world who will share their expertise and extensive knowledge! (Several are Learn2GroomDogs.com experts, including Victor Rosato, shown above!)

The extravaganza promises to be educational, fun and interactive!

Featuring: Riza Wisnom, Lindsey Dicken, Irina Pinkusevich, Michell Evans – The Grooming Tutor, Pammie Charmichael-Hogg, Luis Martín del Río, Jessica Adorno, Fan Yu, George Goginashvili, Jay Scruggs & Sue Zecco – Super Styling Sessions

Guest Hosts: Victor Rosado & Sue Zecco

Brought to You By Edu Artero & Alex Artero.

Pssst: Paragon Students USE CODE PARAGON50 to get 50% off ticket prices!


Check out a preview of what’s in store:


Paragon Teams Up with IBPSA Flow Conference for Pet Businesses

Save the Date for the IBPSA FLOW Business Conference!

September 22, 2022 – September 24, 2022

Rosen Shingle Creek; Orlando, Florida

Paragon is delighted to work with our partners at the International Boarding and Pet Services Association for another great FLOW Conference!

Each Fall, the IBPSA brings together business owners and decision-makers from pet care facilities and other pet care businesses such as pet sitters, groomers, trainers, and dog walkers for targeted education, trade show access, networking, and just plain fun!

This year, Paragon President Joe Zuccarello will be presenting on topics such as “To Groom or Not to Groom,” “Perfect Pricing,” and “Employ Differently.” In addition, our friends Dave Campanella from Best Shot Pet Products and president Chris Miller from BossPetEdge.com will be joining and exhibiting at FLOW. Together, the team will infuse the FLOW conference with a healthy representation of grooming industry expertise.

Conference tickets include full access to all education sessions, workshops, roundtables, and panels; plus the IBBY Awards, Exhibit Hall, and the traditional Meet & Greet held the night before opening.

In addition to the main conference, you can add on Pre-Conference classes such as Pricing for Profit, Pet First Aid & CPR, Heroes for Healthy Pets, and a Design/Build/Maintain Workshop.


Paragon Teams Up with PACCC for FREE Grooming Employer Webinar

 

Pet businesses knows good grooming staff are worth their weight in gold. In this special Webinar, Paragon President Joe Zuccarello teams up with partners at the Professional Animal Care Certification Council (PACCC) to give you 4 Ways to Win the Employee lottery! As an extra bonus, webinar attendance is worth a CEU credit in PACCC’s credential program. Check out the details below and register early!

Employ Differently: How to Compete for Employees and Win

WHAT: It is a great time to talk about how you can put your business in the best position possible to attract and retain employees! How? By Employing Differently!
Join Joe Zuccarello, President of Paragon, and the PACCC leadership team for this PACCCC Educational Series. Learn the FOUR main elements to being a competitive employer in a world where it seems almost impossible to find employees.

PRESENTER: Joe Zuccarello, President of Paragon. leaders in grooming education. He possesses more than three decades of experience in the pet grooming, product development and pet business consulting disciplines.

WHEN: April 4, 2022 at 2:00 PM in EST

WHERE: Online via the link – click below to register. The webinar is FREE but you must register to be able to access. Easy.

Register Now


Paragon and Learn2GroomDogs.com Founder Makes Pet Age’s Power 50 List

Melissa Verplank, CMG, petentreneur and founder of the Paragon companies, was recognized by Pet Age as one of the “Power 50” influencers and visionaries who’ve improved the pet care industry.

According to the popular trade magazine and media brand, the inaugural Power 50 list is designed to recognize the people whose vital work has made a substantial impact on the pet market. The selection team identified the people influencing the pet care community in positive way.

“The Power 50 honorees are making important contributions to the pet care community, to the well-being of companion animals and using their dogged drive and steadfast leadership to pursue uncharted territory in the pet care industry,” Pet Age wrote in its article.

“I am deeply honored to be included in this collection of outstanding industry icons,” Verplank said. “Our work at Paragon is truly a team effort and our impact on the industry was made possible through the synergy of our collective talents.”

Honorees of the Power 50 include mavericks such as Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus, Mike Bober from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, and Andrea Faccio from Nestle Purina.

Pet Age cited Verplank’s involvement in the ground level of the voluntary certification testing programs, where she earned her Certified Master Groomer title in the mid-1980s. She was a member of the traveling team for GroomTeam USA, representing the United States in World Team Competition in France in the early 1990s. Later, she was the GroomTeam USA team coordinator, served on the board of directors and currently sits on its advisory board. She assisted in the start-up of the International Judges Association and is an approved grooming judge with the United Showmanagers Alliance. Today, she remains a highly sought-after industry speaker, contest grooming judge, author and a two-time Cardinal Crystal Achievement winner.

Verplank’s foundational Notes From the Grooming Table and Theory of Five are perennial top sellers in the grooming instruction category and underpin the curricular development of Paragon’s educational platform. Verplank founded Learn2GroomDogs.com in 2011 and took the renowned Paragon School of Pet Grooming online in 2018 to extend its reach, training individuals and corporate teams.

“Our unifying mission across the Paragon companies is to elevate the grooming profession and those who work in the industry to the highest possible standard through continuing education. For my own skill development and the thousands I’ve witnessed who’ve become better groomers, I know first-hand that education is everything,” Verplank said.

 

 

 

 


NEW Paragon Program: Nails & Ears Technician

We are proud to announce the launch of our new program, Nails and Ears Technician. This program is perfect for pet retail employees, self-wash employees, pet sitters, dog owners and more!

You will learn…

  • Safety and Sanitation
  • Pet Handling Basics
  • Nail Trimming
  • Nail Filing
  • Ear Cleaning and Care

You can become a Nails & Ears Technician in under 30 days!

Enroll Today


Facebook Live: Staffing Solutions

Is your salon short staffed? Are you marketing as much for Employees as you are Customers? Join us LIVE Thursday, September 30th at 7pm EST to discuss the importance of being dedicated to talking about why prospective employees would want to work at your facility.

Participate in the Live Event and be entered to win 1 hour FREE Consultation with Joe Zuccarello.

Visit Facebook Page


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