We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Miriam. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Miriam below.

Miriam , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

I built my business, Cute to the Bone, completely from scratch more than nine years ago. It started as a small grooming salon with a big heart, and over the years it grew into a place known for kindness, patience, and truly understanding each dog’s personality.

Less than two years ago, I sold the grooming portion of the business.
When I did, the name Cute to the Bone came with me, and it transformed into a small pet-accessories venture. I thought selling accessories would be enough to keep my connection to the pet world alive, but it wasn’t the same.

During that time, the person who bought the grooming salon constantly needed my help — advice, guidance, and hands-on support. Every time I went back to assist, I realized something important:
even though I was still around pets, it would never compare to working “paw-to-hand” with them the way grooming does.

I also noticed something I didn’t expect:
the dogs remembered me — and they missed me just as much as I missed them.
Their reactions, their trust, the way they relaxed with me… it reminded me of who I am and what I was meant to do.

When I learned the salon might eventually close, something inside me said “No. This is where my brand was born. This is where I belong.”
So instead of letting the original home of Cute to the Bone disappear, I decided to acquire it again — bringing back not only grooming, but also integrating the accessories business I had created.

Now, I am scaling up by returning to the very place where everything started, but with more experience, more clarity, and a renewed passion.
I built Cute to the Bone once, and bringing it back has been easier this time because now I know exactly what is possible when you lead with love, consistency, and service.

Scaling up for me has been a journey of returning to my purpose, reuniting with the dogs who trusted me, and giving new life to the brand that changed my life more than nine years ago.

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.

My name is Miriam Dueñas, and if someone had told me years ago that I would one day become a business owner, I wouldn’t have believed it. I never saw myself as an entrepreneur. My intention was simple and pure: I only wanted to work with animals, not with people. I believed that if I focused on pets — their energy, their personality, their trust — everything else would fall into place. What I didn’t know then is that in every career, no matter the field, we always end up working with people too.

My journey into dog grooming began long before I ever picked up a pair of shears. In my home country, I studied veterinary sciences for 2 years, and animals have always been part of my heart. When I came to the United States, it was my brother who recognized my passion and encouraged me to pursue grooming. What many people don’t know — something I’ve rarely shared — is that enrolling in grooming school came during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. My marriage was falling apart, my emotional world felt unstable, and grooming became a small light of hope. I joined the program with my then-husband’s “permission,” not realizing that it would eventually become the foundation of my independence.

I worked for many years in the same grooming salon, surrounded by extraordinary people who became mentors, friends, and the reason I fell in love with the craft. Eventually, I gathered the courage to open my own place alongside two friends who didn’t know grooming but had other strengths to contribute — reception, marketing, customer service. But within three months, life took another unexpected turn: they left, and I found myself alone with a new business, a failing marriage, and no financial safety net.

I went through a very painful divorce at the same time I was trying to keep my salon alive. I had no savings, no emergency funds, and barely enough income to cover my basic expenses. I moved in with my mother, and together we supported each other through those difficult years. The one constant blessing was my older brother, who stepped in to help whenever he could, never letting me give up on the dream he knew I carried in my heart.

When I look back today, I can say with complete certainty: God is great, and His timing is perfect.
He carried me through the darkest emotional and financial season of my life and allowed me to rise — slowly, humbly, and with resilience I didn’t know I had.

What I want people to know about Cute to the Bone is that this business wasn’t born from money or convenience.
It was born from faith, love, survival, and a deep calling to care for animals with respect and compassion.

Cute to the Bone is not just my brand —
it is the story of a woman who rebuilt her life with her own hands, one dog at a time.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the most important lessons I’ve had to unlearn — and one I am still learning every day — is the idea that I must bend my decisions or my ethics to please others.

When I started in the grooming industry, I worked for many years in a salon where the phrase “time is money” was repeated constantly. That mentality shaped everything: too many appointments in very little time, rushing through grooms, and pushing past the natural rhythm that dogs need to feel safe. Eventually I realized how uncomfortable and unsafe that culture of speed was — for the groomers and especially for the dogs. Grooming requires calm energy, patience, and presence. Rushing goes against everything I believe in.

At the same time, in my personal life, I was used to letting others influence or “approve” my choices. I wasn’t used to making decisions confidently for myself — whether with clients, with my work, or even in my marriage. So I had to unlearn that habit in both areas of my life.

Opening my own salon forced me to confront that. Suddenly, every decision was mine. I had to learn to say “no” when something went against my values, especially when a client insisted on something that wasn’t in the dog’s best interest.

And the truth is:
I am still in that process.
I still struggle sometimes to say no. I still have moments where I want to keep everyone happy. But now I am aware of it, and I know this is a life lesson I am learning step by step.

What I have learned so far is that being firm with my ethics creates a safer, more loving environment for the dogs in my care — and it builds true trust with my clients. With every decision I make, I am becoming stronger, clearer, and more aligned with the kind of groomer and woman I want to be.

It’s a journey, and I’m still learning — but I am proud of the progress I’ve made.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

For me, one of the biggest challenges in managing a team has been learning to stay firm with my work principles. In the past, I kept employees even when I knew they were not the right fit — allowing behaviors or work habits that I would never accept from myself — simply because I needed someone to fill the position.

But eventually, those employees would leave anyway, and I was left feeling disappointed in myself for lowering my standards for someone who wasn’t committed, who didn’t work as a team, or who didn’t align with the values my business needed.

Over time, I learned that managing a team is a balance — almost like a fair exchange.
You are not your employee’s owner, but they can not be yours either . A workplace has rules, expectations, rhythms, and a culture that must be respected. As a business owner, you must be clear about where those boundaries are, especially when someone’s actions could put your reputation at risk.

Another important lesson is this:
if an employee is not happy in your business, they shouldn’t stand in the doorway — occupying a position that someone else may truly need, appreciate, and value.
A healthy team is built with people who want to be there, who believe in the mission, and who shows up with commitment, not resentment.

I’ve had many disappointments in this area, but I’ve also found the opposite — people who truly “wear the jersey,” who understand that if they respect the workplace, follow procedures, and honor decisions, the business grows. And when the business grows, everyone benefits: the environment becomes healthier, teamwork flows naturally, and there is more financial stability for everyone on the team.

My advice is this:
Be clear about your standards, protect your ethics, and don’t be afraid to let go of someone who doesn’t align with your values.
The right people will not only fit into your team — they will lift it, support it, and help create a space where morale grows because everyone understands they are contributing to something meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Cutetothebone.net
• Instagram: Cute2bone
• Facebook: Cute to the Bone