We were lucky to catch up with Mary Nauta recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mary, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

We are incredibly happy being business owners. We love to travel and explore the world and being business owners has enabled us to have the freedom to go and do. Together we have had the privilege of going to two continents and many different countries.  Truly owning our own business has been one of the best changes we’ve made. Occasionally, the thought of PTO does come to mind but, owning and operating Salon Woof is a privilege we would never want to give up. The benefits definitely outweigh the costs!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi, my name is Mary Nauta. My husband, Keaton, and I own and operate Salon Woof Mobile Pet Spa. We have the opportunity of spending many hours a week with amazing dogs and cats. I am a National Certified Master Groomer (NCMG) through the National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA). I am a member of the Utah Professional Pet Groomers Association (UPPGA). Keaton and I are also Pet Tech certified and trained in CPR and first aid for pets. I graduated from Stylin’ Pets Grooming Academy in 2015. After graduating I began moving my way up through various grooming salons. Most recently, I was one of the top groomers for a salon in American Fork. During my time as a groomer, I have spent many hours developing skills that resulted in me receiving multiple certificates. I also placed in multiple grooming online competitions, both nationally and internationally. I have always loved animals. I have had multiple pets over the years and have cherished them all. Currently I have a mini poodle named Pearl and a lakeland terrier named Rita. My husband, who is an avid animal lover too, and I love being the owners of Salon Woof, with all its current clients. We look forward to getting to know future clients and their furry friends!

Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?

The story of how I met my business partner Keaton is a good one because he also happens to be my husband. At the beginning of 2020, and right before the pandemic hit, we met on the dating app, “Mutual.” After only a few dates the lockdowns happened. Both our workplaces closed which freed us up to spend a lot of time playing games online together. As the lockdown became more relaxed, we went on more dates in person and then, we got married. Flash forward a year: I was one of the lead groomers at another salon in the area. Keaton was finishing up his degree in Marketing at UVU and working part time at a solar company.
I started considering going out on my own and starting a business. My initial idea was to open an in-home salon, but with the housing market being so hard at the time, the prospect seemed beyond us. One day while talking to my mother-in-law on the phone, she mentioned mobile grooming and my immediate reaction was, “No way!” but then I thought about it for a minute and opened facebook to see the ad for Salon Woof. Looking into the business, I decided that I wanted to buy it. Working through the process, we came to the conclusion that we needed to do it together. Keaton had previously worked as a delivery driver which set him up to be perfect to drive. That, coupled with his marketing experience and business knowledge and my knowledge of dog grooming and managing pets and customers in that area, we decided to jump in wholeheartedly! We purchased Salon Woof in November of 2021 nearly one year after we got married. From start to finish it only took a month from seeing the ad to purchasing the business. Two years later and things have gone by in a flash. Working together as husband and wife has been a fun adventure. We have listened to a lot of audiobooks. Some of our favorite authors have been Brandon Sanderson and Neil Gaiman. We also enjoy listening to a different version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens every December. We’ve been blessed along the way with so many people supporting us. My father-in-law who is a successful entrepreneur has made a huge impact on our success along with my previous employer, and friend, who started her own business and the Utah grooming community. We also wouldn’t be where we are today without our amazing clients and their wonderful furry friends, who we adore so much.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

There have been four main sources where we get new clients. The first is our website that utilizes Search Engine Optimization. Shortly before purchasing the business, the previous owner hired a marketing professional to create a website and nail down the SEO work. To this day we are reaping the benefits of that one decision. Our website is one of the top links when searching for a groomer in the area and we have received many inquiries through our website.

The second source is our social media. I make an effort to post daily on our Instagram and showcase our clients we love so much. We have had multiple people reach out because of the work they have seen there. Last year at the Teton Grooming Expo, we had the privilege of attending a class by Quinci Cole, “The Social Groomer”. Through her insight and that of other groomers online, I have learned new tools of the trade to create more of a connection through our social media.

The third source is our grooming trailer itself. We have a giant wrap on the outside of it that is professionally done with our number and name. Countless times we have received texts saying, “I saw you at my neighbors or passing on the street, what’s your availability?” We’ve even had people come up and knock while we’re working.

The fourth source and one of the biggest honors is referrals. We’ve had multiple people reach out because of a neighbor, family member, or friend that we have the privilege of servicing. Word of mouth in the service industry is paramount and fostering a good relationship with your clientele is the best way to ensure that word of mouth is positive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.salonwoof.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonwoofmobile/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salonwoofmobile

Image Credits
https://www.instagram.com/tessajeffs/