Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chris Lacquement. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chris, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry

The pet grooming industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with an influx of investors from outside sectors. I’m not referring to established pet-centric corporations like PetSmart or Petco, but businesses entirely unrelated to the pet industry. Historically, the industry—outside of these well-known chains—was largely dominated by independent owner-operators, many of whom were groomers themselves. These individuals invested great care into their businesses, as they represented not just financial endeavors, but their livelihoods and reputations.

Recently, there has been a surge in franchise businesses and investors entering the pet grooming market. Unfortunately, many of these franchises are more focused on the business of selling franchises rather than prioritizing the groomer’s experience or the quality of services provided. In my opinion, this shift presents both challenges and opportunities, depending on how one positions themselves within the industry during this transformative time.

Personally, I have worked with many of these franchise businesses, offering consulting services and guidance when asked. I believe that the ability to grow rapidly through investor backing or franchising presents a unique opportunity—one that can either help or hurt the industry, depending on its execution. This is why I believe education must become a central focus.

There’s an old saying: “Why dig for gold when you can sell the shovels?” With the growing interest in this booming industry, I anticipate a massive shortage of quality groomers in the near future. My goal is to help address this issue by providing the education and training needed to support the next generation of skilled groomers. My mentor, who played a profound role in shaping my career, asked me to keep his methods alive. To honor this, I am committed to opening a school that preserves the traditional, time-honored approach to grooming that has been the foundation of my success.

As someone who has built, purchased, and sold numerous grooming stores—both brick-and-mortar and mobile pet grooming businesses—I’ve seen these changes firsthand. My personal journey began in a traditional apprenticeship, starting by sweeping floors, working my way up to bather, and later assisting groomers by roughing in haircuts. I lived with my mentor, working at the shop in exchange for room and board. This long, hands-on learning process stands in stark contrast to today’s grooming schools, which often graduate groomers in a fraction of the time—if they’ve even attended a formal program at all.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I learned how to groom in a traditional apprenticeship environment, starting from the ground up. My early tasks were answering phones, sweeping floors, and running errands for the groomers. Eventually, I worked my way up to bathing, but it was a long time before I was allowed to touch clippers or scissors. By the time I had just started working as a groomer’s assistant, most grooming schools today would have already graduated students and sent them into the workforce. I don’t believe this is the right approach to creating quality groomers. Grooming is an art form that requires talent and time to develop.

In my apprenticeship, I was trained to master scissor work before even touching clippers or blades, meaning most of my early work was done entirely by hand. It wasn’t until after I finished my apprenticeship and got my first independent job that I discovered guard combs existed for grooming. I called my mentor, excited to tell him we could cut dogs’ coats to specific lengths using guard combs, to which he laughed and called it “cheating.” However, once I integrated this new method with the precision scissor work I had learned, I became unstoppable—both faster and producing higher-quality work than many of my peers. This way of learning gave me a distinct edge in the industry, one I believe schools today simply don’t have the time to teach.

I was taught to be customer centric. My focus was never on profits or P&Ls; it was on delivering high-quality customer service and exceptional grooming. This approach is what helped me develop a loyal following in my city, which served as the catalyst for starting my first business. I saved $18,000, bought a grooming trailer, and began pulling it behind my personal vehicle to groom dogs and cats. Within five years, I expanded to 7 vans, 5 stores, and $5 million in yearly sales—all while never focusing on money. My focus remained on the groomers, the customers, and the quality of the work.

A very dear friend of mine once said, “When people come first, success will follow,” and I live by these words. Treating people well and doing good work always comes first. When you treat your groomers right, stop focusing on maximizing profits at their expense, and deliver quality service, the business will blossom. The joy of changing lives and helping others far outweighs any satisfaction that comes from just having money in the bank, though many may disagree. I am deeply proud of the businesses I’ve built on this principle of kindness and service. I’m also proud that my customers trust us with their beloved four-legged family members. Some forget that we are entrusted with caring for what people love most, and that responsibility is not something I take lightly.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

To launch my first business, I saved $18,000 while working at a local salon for six years. During the last three years there, I felt like I had hit a ceiling, earning $69,500, $69,900, and $70,500 consecutively. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t grow beyond that, which led me to approach the salon owner with a proposal to start a mobile pet grooming business connected to their location. They declined, but allowed me the flexibility to work part-time at the salon while building my own business on the side.

So, I purchased a mobile grooming trailer from a local builder and towed it with my personal Nissan Xterra. At the time, I was still working at the salon, and the owner permitted me to keep my job as long as I didn’t wrap the trailer for marketing purposes. While I couldn’t advertise while driving, this arrangement allowed me to maintain an income and organically grow my business. However, after my first weekend working for myself, I was let go from the salon. I believe the owner didn’t think I would actually go through with starting the business and changed their mind once I did, deciding to cut ties quickly.

This put me in a sink-or-swim situation, and I chose to survive. I worked 10-hour days, seven days a week, driving around Dallas and grooming pets. My goal was to build a reputation as someone who truly cared and was willing to go the extra mile. If a client asked about an additional service but declined due to cost, I often provided it for free, within reason. If I felt that an elderly client’s thin skin might be harmed by sharp nails, I’d sand and file them down at no extra charge. Even when a customer declined a $5 conditioner treatment, I’d include it anyway. My focus was always on going above and beyond, showing clients that I cared more about their pets than the money. This approach, where thought and effort were given to each and every client, was what helped build my business from the ground up.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

While working tirelessly to build my mobile grooming business, pulling my trailer around town, I pushed myself to the brink. I worked 10-hour days, seven days a week, neglecting basic needs like eating or taking breaks. After about six months at this pace, I became severely ill. One evening, I came home from work feeling weak, and as I climbed the stairs to my condo, I realized I wouldn’t make it up. I crawled the rest of the way and collapsed into bed.
After several days of feeling terrible, I visited a local clinic and was diagnosed with the flu, given some medication, and sent home. But a week later, my condition hadn’t improved, and I became seriously concerned. I was driven to the emergency room and had to be wheeled in, as I had lost control over my body and its functions. What began as simple flu symptoms quickly escalated into a fight for survival.

Over the next several weeks, I lay in a hospital bed undergoing countless tests, needing assistance to eat and use the restroom. Despite the efforts of specialists, no one could figure out what was wrong with me. After accumulating a $50,000 hospital bill, I decided to check myself out, and my sister drove me home, where I spent six more weeks recovering before I could return to work.

Although we never pinpointed the exact cause of my illness, I am convinced that my weak immune system, due to poor self-care, allowed a virus that most people would fight off to wreak havoc on my body. This experience, however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. As someone who once believed that no one could care for my business as I did, I was forced to learn a crucial lesson in delegation. I hired someone to keep the business afloat and fully expected everything to fall apart in my absence—but it didn’t.

This eye-opening experience taught me that scaling the business beyond my little owner-operator setup was not only possible but essential. I realized that one person cannot build an empire; it takes a team. From that point on, my focus shifted to developing and empowering that team. This lesson was the catalyst that propelled my business to new heights.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://k9businesssolutions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrislacquement/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lacquement-a47925198/
• Other: whiterockpetgrooming.com
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