Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Murdock.
Hi Angela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started working in the pet industry in 1991, I knew I wanted to work with animals and I took a job bathing dogs for a groomer. I didn’t necessarily see myself being a long-term pet groomer but I had bills to pay. I really wanted to work in the hospital and eventually be a veterinarian, so I worked hard and showed that I could do both grooming and veterinary nursing.
From 1993 to 2005, I worked both as a groomer and a veterinary nurse. I spent 8 years working in an emergency hospital for animals. I also went to school at SLCC and the University of Utah originally intended to go on to veterinary school but eventually burned out on veterinary medicine while working in the emergency field.
The emergency field is very hard on those who work in it and often causes compassion fatigue and burnout. I earned a master’s degree in Urban Planning and graduated in 2008. While in school, I was still working as both a veterinary nurse and a groomer. I really cared about the animals and the people I was serving while grooming and I found that often I was not able to extend the level of care I wanted to due to the limitations of the various businesses I was working for. In 2003-2004, I started to think I could open my own business but with a partner. After a couple of tries with other people, I realized the only way a business was going to happen was on my own. I applied for some help through the Small Business Administration but they declined to say the amount I was asking for was too small.
I was very determined at that point so I went about applying for every credit card I could get my hands on. With all the credit cards, a small amount from my dad, and a landlord willing to take a chance on a new business I was off and running. That was 2004 and I have now been in business for 17 years. I did not intend to keep my business in the long term initially, I thought maybe I would get it going and then sell it once I graduated. I graduated in 2008 when the market crash happened and I had the choice to try to find work in the planning industry which was hard hit by the crash or to keep running my business. At that point, I realized the business I had created was doing well and I would stick with it. Education is never a waste, even if you don’t go into your intended field. I felt proud of my Master’s Degree and proud to choose to be a groomer and business owner.
When I started the business, I took dogs and cats and we just did grooming but I hoped to eventually specialize in cats and even board cats. In 2011, we were able to move to our current location, a 1926 brick home with 2000 square feet. Since the move, we have shifted our focus to cats. We have a cats-only boarding facility and mostly cats-only grooming (we still groom a few dogs, they are really honorary cats). Many people say cats don’t need grooming but they often do, especially those with really long coats and kitties who are aging and can’t take care of themselves anymore.
I felt that cats really needed my help more than dogs, there are so many great groomers out there taking care of dogs, but very few that groom cats and even fewer that want to groom them and understand them too. We have made it our mission to groom and board cats with the utmost care and concern for their well-being. Our clients see this and keep coming back for many years. Knowing we are making a difference for the cats we help has given our lives a purpose and meaning that has been so important to both myself and my employees.
We also have had the opportunity to rescue a few cats and have them live permanently at the facility. Some of our cats were abandoned and some came from local shelters. They have been a source of joy for many clients who love to come and visit them. Clients also really love that we have rescued cats and they often want to contribute to their care and regularly ask how they are doing. We get regular requests to come inside and pet the cats too.
Last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had surgery first and then chemotherapy after. My oncological surgeon has repeatedly told me that she believes that her patients who have a purpose always come through treatment better because they have a reason to fight, she asks me about cats each time she sees me and then tells me she is so happy I have a purpose.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. I started in business knowing almost nothing. I got great advice from SCORE (Senior Core of Retired Executives). However, I didn’t really know how to manage people and I wasn’t good at it in the beginning. I wanted everyone to manage themselves.
Poor management led to staff turnover, and economic inconsistency, and also some turnover with clients when staff was inconsistent. I also dealt with childhood trauma and not understanding my personal trauma came out in my business life. Eventually, through therapy and counseling, I was able to become a better business owner and manager. Today, I have an excellent staff and we are on the road to better financial stability.
The pet industry has also been very short-staffed the last few years and it has gotten worse with Covid. While we have a great staff we haven’t been able to find long-term groomers to employ. This leaves us at the current moment having to limit our customer base. We keep a list of groomers to refer to, but we always hate having to turn away customers and their cats.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I groom cats. We give them baths, comb out long coats and keep them shiny and clean. We give them lion cuts and longer fuzzy cuts to cut down on shedding or keep their coat from matting up.
We trim nails and often give sanitary trims to keep kitties clean in their nether region. We specialize in cat grooming generally but also in cat behavior and we often groom cats with challenging personalities. We are known for being able to groom difficult cats. We are also known for our compassionate care, our knowledge of all things cats, and our consistently high quality of work. This also sets us apart.
I am very proud of creating a successful business that has lasted 17 years. Mostly I am proud of the relationships we create, both with employees and clients. We are told on a regular basis that we are greatly appreciated and that makes a real difference in our lives. Knowing we helped someone and they appreciate us, is something to be proud of.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes! I thought as a business owner, I had to have an open-door policy. I learned with the Covid crisis that I could implement a curbside pick up and drop off service that has helped us limit interruptions and create a more peaceful environment. We are often working on difficult cats, ones that we just need a minute more to finish.
We no longer have to drop everything when a client arrives, we can ask them to wait for a minute and finish the cat, which is best for the cat. We have found people are more patient with us since Covid began and we can reevaluate how we do things and change for the best for ourselves and our cat clients.
Also since Covid began, we have really heard loud and clear from our clients about how much they value us. That has set a bar for the clients we want to serve and helped us to value ourselves even more. Every job is important!
Contact information:
Facebook: Meowser Pet Salon
Instagram: @meowserpetsalon
Phone: 801-466-2814
