Katie Rourke Dowding has strong views on The Business Of Grooming
Let’s be blunt: far too many groomers are underselling themselves, especially when they’re just starting out.
If you don’t know what it costs you to groom a dog, how on earth can you set prices that keep you afloat?
Your overheads are unique to you—your rent, insurance, products, equipment, energy bills, training, the whole lot. What the salon down the road charges has nothing to do with your reality.
Enter The Hourly Rate Calculator
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The Hourly Rate Calculator is a spreadsheet that takes all the aggravation out of working out what your prices need to be. It is pre-populated with figures from this tax year, from me and other groomers gathered during the seminars - you need to replace these figures with your own, guesstimating if you don't know the real answer. Whilst guesstimating, err on the side of slightly too expensive rather than slightly too cheap. Interest rates are set to rise and everything you need to buy to run your business will rise too. Protect yourself against this inevitable eventuality. |
Don't input your figures in survival mode! If you want a holiday, input that figure in the Personal Section. If you want a new drying cabinet, input that into the Business Section. If you do not budget for it, you will not be able to afford it! You're going to need Microsoft Excel (bloody expensive),Libre Office (free) or Open Office (also free) to run it on. Whilst it does run on an iPad or tablet with Excel or Numbers on it, it might be mighty fiddly to use... This spreadsheet is probably NOT going to work on your mobile phone. |
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The Back Story... |
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When you're compiling your price list (whether you publish it anywhere or not) you need to start with cold, hard numbers. Not guesswork. Not Facebook polls. Not vibes ...and certainly not £5 cheaper than the groomer up the road because raising your prices later is just hell. You’ve Got Two Options:
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The Hourly Rate Calculator has done the maths for you, all you need to do is be honest with your numbers. |
Here are a few of the expenses you're likely to encounter as a professional dog groomer.
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Why It MattersIf you’re charging £55 for a full groom and it’s costing you £58 to do it, you’re not running a business. You’re running a charity. And if you're not making minimum wage after you've paid all your expenses, you'd be better off stacking shelves at Tesco. This calculator gives you the clarity you need to price properly—with profit built in, not tacked on as an afterthought. It's not just for new groomers either. If you've never sat down and worked out your hourly rate with actual figures, now's the time. This tool pays for itself the moment you stop undercharging. I do mine every year in November and then I implement my annual price rise on December 1st. It's a good habit to get into. |
The Hourly Rate Calculator is a digital download. After you order, the email you receive will contain a link that will allow you to download the spreadsheet. It will also show a password, which will be a series of digits. You will need to enter this password when opening the spreadsheet.
The Seminar
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In a fairly blunt and brutal seminar, candidates will learn how to:
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In the fun practical afternoon session, candidates will learn how to save money and create a USP by making their own:
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If you'd like to host a seminar (minimum 10 participants) please contact Katie