What happens when love, passion, and a knack for grooming blend together? Meet grooming power couple Nathan and Kathleen Austin, who share their unique and inspiring journey in our latest episode. Starting from PetSmart in California, they've built a thriving salon and mobile grooming service. They've weathered the storm of failed business attempts and came out triumphant on the third try, demonstrating resilience and a significant understanding of the grooming industry.
Nathan and Kathleen aren't just business partners; they're a married couple that remarkably manages a harmonious work-life balance. With two beautiful children and a family business, they delve into the challenges and rewards of juggling their professional and personal life. They also impart how they've been able to nurture their children's interest in grooming, turning their family business into an enriching learning experience for their young ones. Listen as they navigate the dynamics of running a business with a spouse while maintaining a strong marital bond.
In an age where social media presence is crucial, the couple also shares their new venture into the digital world and its impact on their relationship. They speak candidly about their individual roles within the business, the art of setting boundaries, and the importance of having shared goals. Furthermore, you'll discover how their stellar Yelp reputation was cultivated through their dedication to top-notch customer service. Find out the secret recipe for their success in the grooming industry, and gain insights into the world of grooming competitions. Tune in to be captivated by their story, their struggles, and their triumphs. A must-listen for anyone in the grooming industry, or those considering turning a shared passion into a thriving business.
Collections – Botaniqa Global, Inc. (botaniqa-usa.com)
Discount Code: HandlingIt
Dog Supplements | PawMega | We Make Dog Food Better – PawMega - Make Dog Food Better
Dog Grooming Solutions – Botaniqa Global, Inc. (botaniqa-usa.com) Discount Code: HandlingIt
What happens when love, passion, and a knack for grooming blend together? Meet grooming power couple Nathan and Kathleen Austin, who share their unique and inspiring journey in our latest episode. Starting from PetSmart in California, they've built a thriving salon and mobile grooming service. They've weathered the storm of failed business attempts and came out triumphant on the third try, demonstrating resilience and a significant understanding of the grooming industry.
Nathan and Kathleen aren't just business partners; they're a married couple that remarkably manages a harmonious work-life balance. With two beautiful children and a family business, they delve into the challenges and rewards of juggling their professional and personal life. They also impart how they've been able to nurture their children's interest in grooming, turning their family business into an enriching learning experience for their young ones. Listen as they navigate the dynamics of running a business with a spouse while maintaining a strong marital bond.
In an age where social media presence is crucial, the couple also shares their new venture into the digital world and its impact on their relationship. They speak candidly about their individual roles within the business, the art of setting boundaries, and the importance of having shared goals. Furthermore, you'll discover how their stellar Yelp reputation was cultivated through their dedication to top-notch customer service. Find out the secret recipe for their success in the grooming industry, and gain insights into the world of grooming competitions. Tune in to be captivated by their story, their struggles, and their triumphs. A must-listen for anyone in the grooming industry, or those considering turning a shared passion into a thriving business.
Collections – Botaniqa Global, Inc. (botaniqa-usa.com)
Discount Code: HandlingIt
Dog Supplements | PawMega | We Make Dog Food Better – PawMega - Make Dog Food Better
Dog Grooming Solutions – Botaniqa Global, Inc. (botaniqa-usa.com) Discount Code: HandlingIt
Get ready to be inspired by the ultimate power couple in the grooming industry. We are thrilled to welcome Nathan and Kathleen Austin to our podcast. Both of them started their grooming journey at PetSmart in California and now they are proud owners of their salon a cut above, which also includes mobile salon. Their passion for grooming extends beyond their work as I went and breed Scottish Terriers. They are both open level competitors in their contest careers, with Nathan ranking 11th in the open category and winning Best All-Around Groomer at Groom Expo West 2022. Not only that, nathan is also a brand new and diseducator and was nominated for Best Up and Coming Groomer. Katie is the vice president of the San Francisco-based Scottish Terrier Club and both of them have amassed a huge following on Instagram, making them the ultimate furtastic duo. In this episode, we'll explore the secrets to their success and how they balance working together as a couple. You won't want to miss this.
Speaker 2:Yay.
Speaker 1:And that was our first ever bio we've read. That was a lot more work than our followers will ever understand.
Speaker 2:We did it, we did it. We're glad to be here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's an impressive bio when Gavin sent that over. You guys have done a lot and you guys also have children, right? Yes, we have two children.
Speaker 3:One boy, one girl ten and eight.
Speaker 4:Our first kid was a boy His name's Owen, he's ten and our daughter is eight. They're just getting to the age where we can kind of get away. So that's why we've really been taking off, Because with the babies you really can't do much right, Because they really I don't want to say they hold you back, but you know babies.
Speaker 3:They need you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they need you. So now we get a little freedom, so we put ourselves out there a lot more.
Speaker 1:I feel you, I am in that baby stage. I have a one-year-old and a five-year-old, so my five is a girl and my one-year-old's a boy named Kip. So we have Kip and Grace. I just started competing when Grace was literally, I think, ten weeks old, so I did it backwards. But here I am, yeah.
Speaker 4:Because how close do we have to fly to? Because most of them are on the west or on the east coast, right. So that was really holding us back, but now we got it.
Speaker 1:It's hard and that was one of my first questions. I knew you guys were parents and I was like, how is there secrets to this? I've had lots of parents reach out to me with this podcast, with this platform, Like I asked, like how is that even possible to compete with children? And so you guys waited until they were a little bit older.
Speaker 3:We did, but I and I would say I was going to say I think a support system is super important, right? That is one of the biggest things. We actually neither of us really have family around us to help take care of our kids, so building a family of our own right, Like people who love us, who are willing to help us, has just been like what we needed to do. Right, To have that help. To get away Not to get away, but you know what I mean. To compete and to show dogs Super, that would be my thing.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and really it's one person. It's Katie's best friend, Kat, and she's one of our co-workers and she her and her family has really helped us tremendously. Like they'll take the kids for three, four days at a time while we fly across the country. I would go on, because we have to compete together, because I don't know if you guys have ever gone to a competition by yourself Just you, but it sucks yeah.
Speaker 2:It does.
Speaker 4:I've done it before, but sometimes I'm like I'll never do this again Because I forget to eat. I forget to, and by the time you're grooming your second dog on the first day, you're dead right. Having somebody there to help you, to me is critical so are you guys from California, or did you guys?
Speaker 2:how did you guys end up in California?
Speaker 4:I was born here, katie was born here as well Born here we're both from the Bay Area. We're both from the East Bay. I was born in San Jose and I lived in Newark most of my life, in Katie. Where were you born, katie?
Speaker 3:Well, I was born. I was born over here, but my dad was in the 80s. We moved a lot until I was nine, but we both grew up mostly in this area but didn't manage to meet until we started grooming, Because I was hired as a bather. He was already grooming for a couple of months and so I was this.
Speaker 4:So I tell people I thought I was this. I was a one year groomer, right, I was the season groomer and she was the new bather that comes in, you know.
Speaker 2:She was like the hot new bather.
Speaker 4:I was definitely, yeah, I was definitely going after her.
Speaker 2:But all the other groomers.
Speaker 4:Actually, the grooming industry is dominated by women, right? So it was me and, I think, six other women and when Katie came on, they were all like don't date that guy. He is no good. And of course it did the opposite thing. All it did was basically like push her to me more, you know, Because she's like oh, he's the forbidden fruit, right? So we're going to be older.
Speaker 2:Are you older, Katie?
Speaker 3:No, nathan's three years older than me, so I was 18. I got Actually I got hired a week before I turned 18. So like I was very young, he was what? 21. So this is actually my only job I've ever had. I've only ever been a dog groomer. I've never done anything else. I thought I was gonna be a vet tech story as old as time, right. Most groomers thought they were gonna do something else with dogs.
Speaker 3:And I was going to college and my best friend was like I'll get you a job as a groomer and you can make money. And then I was like whoa, this is way better. I actually never had dogs growing up, so I didn't. I just love the animals and I was like this is this is it right. Like, grooming is way better than working at a vet's office.
Speaker 4:Yeah, really, how many times? How many times have you heard people say that they were gonna be a vet tech and then started grooming and realized it was?
Speaker 1:better right.
Speaker 4:I've heard that so many times.
Speaker 1:I've trained a ton of vet techs to be groomers and they're like, it's like nurse shifts. You're working every holiday, night times, weekends, whenever because clock still ticks for even the sick. So, yeah, no, that's cool. So you guys met young, gavin and I both met our partners young, so this is gonna be fun.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, that's the best time to meet, because then you can still do young stuff right yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:It leads to a lot of growth, right, you know we were totally different people, take us back to 2007 and, like I don't even know who those people are anymore, right, and so you grow together and I think that's just such a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Luckily for us, we kind of grew into the same direction and we grew to complement each other even more. When before we were like, when we first got together, we were like ice and fire trying to mix. You know, we were like very volatile.
Speaker 3:Okay, well, in the fact that, I was in the fact that I was very straight and narrow. I never did. I was very sweet, didn't do ever anything bad, and Nathan was definitely the bad boy, bad boy, party boy type guy and it total opposite. I had never done anything in my life. That was like crossing the line.
Speaker 2:So you guys started at Petsmart together. How long were you working together before you thought it would be like you all thought it'd be a good idea to like go into business together.
Speaker 3:Oh, like going to business together.
Speaker 2:Well, okay, like going to business, or just like like starting a business, because you guys own your salon together. Now right.
Speaker 3:We do yes, so I mean time wise?
Speaker 3:It's not our oh yeah this is technically not our first business, so I mean we started dating like two or three months after I started working there. We were fast movers, I'm not gonna lie to you. We moved in within like six months, had a joint business or work account not work account, I'm sorry. We had a personal joint account like within six months and had moved in together. So like we were fast. And then we were married within like four years, had the kid at like five years, but we had like started like little businesses together here and there and nothing really stuck until like three years ago where, like that's it, we got to have our own grooming salon. We can do this and like really stuck to it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think the first business was probably about four or five years after we started working together at Petsmart we kind of tried to branch out and we were working at a daycare, but they, they, they, like sub leased us the space as our own, like salon yeah that flopped and then we opened a.
Speaker 3:It was just that I got pregnant and at that time working at Petsmart, and the benefits of that was more important than our own business.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and then we tried to start a cannabis business, a delivery cannabis business, when it was first starting to be a thing, but we came into a bunch of roadblocks with that in the beginning, with financial roadblocks, basically yeah, and that was a second will fail business and you know, by the third one we're like oh man, we got to get this right and we actually spent opening this last business. We spent our life savings opening it and the second month we were open is when COVID happened and they shut everything down oh shit.
Speaker 4:So we immediately thought oh shit, our lives are over, we're not gonna be able to pay our mortgage, we're not gonna be able to pay anything. But you know, in California they put us on the. I don't know if it's the same all across the country but, it's on the they put us on the like essentials list and as soon as we're on the essentials list like the phone, I'm sure, just like you guys the phone didn't stop ringing right and it was like a blessing in disguise for us, because so Corona actually worked out great for our business.
Speaker 4:Unfortunately, or unfortunately unfortunately, people that suffered, but yeah, but for us, like it was, it was a boon.
Speaker 2:Right now you got to make the best of whatever's happening around you something. You feel like you guys naturally like work together really well, because I also work with my partner, and some days I'm like, wow, we're like really good at this, and some days I'm like I am gonna find a new job. So I'm just like are you guys always like on the same page, or you guys like fighting a lot, or how does it normally go?
Speaker 4:so I think it counts on our, our stress levels at home. Sometimes we're a little more stressed at home and in that can reflect at work, but generally we keep the work stuff separate from our home stuff. We're really good at. We're really good at being business, at work with our employees and with with clients. You know we're really good at keeping that stuff separately.
Speaker 3:We really don't fight though really in in general, we've always just really jived and I think, yeah, we're a good yin and yang yeah, I think that something that goes along with that is that we have different strengths and weaknesses, and so we work as a team a lot at work because Nathan's not as good at scheduling and like time management, things like that right, and so like I'm fast, I can take more dogs, I'm quicker, I'm efficient and Nathan's really like artsy, so he like he'll get a dog in and he's like I'm gonna take forever doing this, but it looks a mac at it, right it looks fantastic but then I'm like hey, honey, I love you, but you've been taken way too long on that dog. You gotta move on so.
Speaker 3:I mean. So it's a good yin and yang, because he's his attention to detail is significantly better than mine, but my attention to efficiency much better than his that's funny.
Speaker 1:So you guys kind of have like roles within the business and you stick kind of to it, so you're like more like you. Well, you also groomed him, though.
Speaker 4:So you're like the, the office manager, slash like groomer keeping Nathan on task but yeah, in general, in general I have an understanding that Katie has a better, a better ability to see how everything's working and playing out through the day, so normally if I'm not yeah, she disagrees with something I'm doing, if she disagrees with something I'm doing. I'm usually just like okay, yeah, I'm he's also better at managing.
Speaker 3:So like I can't. I'm terrible at like talking to the employees when I'm upset about something, because I know I just come off as like mean or I can't figure out how to say something the right way. So I'll be like hey, nathan, I've seen this person in the back doing this thing and I I don't want to be the one to go back there, so I'm gonna need you to go and talk to so-and-so in your super sweet way that you always do. You know it's important because if I'm stressed, I'm like hey, you know what I'm stressed, can you help me out? Or this dog's face.
Speaker 3:I think like you would do a better job. Can you do this dog's face for me and vice versa. You know, if he's doing a hand strip and it's taking him a bit longer because I'm faster at it, I'll be like hey, let me help you out for a half an hour. And you know like so we definitely just work together as a team. You know, like there's never a time where one of us is struggling and the other person is just like well, it sucks for you, you know yeah, no, that's nice I was.
Speaker 4:I was telling her just the other day it sounds corny, but she's kind of like it sounds hella corny but she's actually like breathing almost to me. You know, like we've been around each other and work with each other so often. You know we work together, we're home together. When she's around me I feel normal and when she's not around me I feel like something's missing, you know.
Speaker 2:I don't think something's not right. Yeah, I feel the same way with my partner and it's like it's good because, like when we're at work together, like I know that he can handle stuff that I can't handle, or vice versa. But the only like here recently I've noticed what's starting to bother me is like when we finally have like a day off. If we have a day off together or we're gonna go like have dinner, like we'll sit down and you know how normally I don't know how normal dates are but you sit down and you like talk about your lives. And we sit down and it's like, well, what do we talk about? Because we work together, we live together, like we, you know we don't miss a beat in each other's lives.
Speaker 4:So it's like, wow, we're just here yeah, we feel that, but we have the kids right that's true, so that takes up all of our either the kids or our breeding program yeah or and, but also we do work together and live together. But we also have different things. We we really want right, like I really want to be a successful competitive groomer and Katie really wants to be a successful inner show creator.
Speaker 4:So we we're often talking about those things yeah those are, but if not, we talk about how bad the kids are being this week or whatever. Yeah, neither.
Speaker 2:CRRI's partners are groomers. So yeah, I feel like when I'm alone with my partner, the last thing he wants to hear about his grooming because he just dealt with it all day and he like doesn't care. And I'm like talking about shows and he's like okay, but I'm curious, before we like like talking about grooming and stuff with you, or is he just like over it so prior to my new company.
Speaker 1:He didn't mind it because it was like, you know, nine to five grooming. This client did this today but, uh, my income with glamorous pause is solely supporting room curriculum, so he's like not the happiness, but he doesn't really enjoy me talking about everything right now because it's it's you know, a financial like it's Anything I make goes into this new company and he's just, I mean, he's supportive and he has like his own successes and he makes a lot of money, so it's fine. It's just like I have to be on Corey's payroll now and pay bills my early. He pays my bills so recently. To answer that question, um, he could give two fucks about dogs right now Because I am gone all the time and we have two young children and he has like. So, corey you guys probably don't know anything about Corey he has like an excavation business and a new construction business and like riffing and all the.
Speaker 1:Business, all the things. So he's, yeah, he's very, very, very busy. And then I go and To my non groomer husband, I'm like I'm gonna go to competition and he just thinks he doesn't see what that competition world is to us. We're such a small little narrow of people that he's like, oh, so you're gonna take your dog that you groom at your house, travel across the country and groom it in a ring and it's gonna cost us at least to grant a trip. And I'm like, yeah, and you're not gonna be with the kids. And I'm like, uh, no, I brought grace one time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you guys, katie and Austin, have such like a unique like perspective of all this because you guys like support each other and you guys know like what's happening. Like I remember the first time I met you, katie, like I think you were helping Nathan, like Bay the dog or something. We were like we were like outside in some shed at a show and I remember what it was.
Speaker 3:No, I think, I think it was pet quest, I think it was a pet quest.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, oh, they're like a couple. That's adorable.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean. I like hearing that it's. It's definitely like it's nice to have goal. You know, like we have these goals and they're not, like Nathan said, right, they're not always the same. Like he's trying to be more competitive, I'm trying to do more Breeding program type stuff, but we're definitely I mean, I guess it's all pertains to itself, right, it's all to do with dogs.
Speaker 3:Yeah we're always like pushing each other and trying to help each other and like you know, what can I do to help him elevate what he's doing? He's always like, okay, what do you know? Some like I go to Montgomery every year, you know, and that that can be hard for him because same right he's left at home with the kids and he's like I'm gonna miss you. What am I doing? What's the dog show for the week? But he also is like oh god, it's your favorite dog show and it's like yeah.
Speaker 3:Such a big dog show, right? Like that's like a huge one for terriers, you know so. Then he's like, okay, I know it's super important to you, so like every time I'm talking about it, instead of like, oh man, that sucks, you're gonna be gone, he's like, oh, that's gonna be awesome, like I want to. You know, like you're gonna get to see or what you're gonna get to do, or you know so Definitely I try to. I.
Speaker 4:Know, for me personally, I try to be really conscious of the way I React and talk about things, because I know it may not like have changed the outcome, but it'll change how people feel about it or how, yeah, going into it.
Speaker 1:You want to have a positive weekend, and then you know if your spouse is at home with the kids. You can't, you know mom guilt's freaking real.
Speaker 3:So, like you, want to be positive.
Speaker 1:The last thing you want is the husband to be like eh.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but I tell you what I want to be. I want to be like no.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 4:Bullying me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when mom's gone, my husband says the same thing. So, yeah, but you guys are, so they're okay. We were talking about this the other day, gavin night. There's not a ton of parents in the contest career let alone married parents to right. So you guys are kind of like this little gem in a big pile of rocks, like and and it's more rare in this industry, then all the other industries, right. So like, yeah, it feels like it.
Speaker 3:I mean definitely our kids, like They've really grown up in the grooming salon. I mean probably more than kids should. I mean like they're in our salon every day. We like, we work, basically like they're in the salon, they clean up poop, they clean up, pee, they sweep for us they, you know, like they talk to clients, like they've talked to clients for years. I'll be like mommy's still working on this dog and the clients walking in, going talk to them for a couple of minutes While I hurry up and finish and I'll peek out there and watch my kid.
Speaker 3:You know they'll be talking to clients and it's really cute and like this summer They've been in the salon a lot. I mean it's hard right. Like we have full-time jobs. Thankfully we have like the opportunity that we own a business so they can be there, and it's not like Another job where we're like, hey, sorry, the kids can't come.
Speaker 3:Because, honestly, I don't know what we do if we didn't have a job where we could bring our kids with us every day. But, like this summer, I was like, hey, I'm gonna teach you guys how to bathe and so, like our personal dogs, they'll help us, like, bathe them and dry them and brush them.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they do a good job of it.
Speaker 2:You're on to something with that.
Speaker 3:They do a better job than some of our like brand new people and I'm like, oh my gosh, like Do you think you're gonna hate it?
Speaker 4:I don't know. I think either they'll Either they'll be really good at it or not want anything to do with it.
Speaker 1:My mom was a pet groomer, so that was me. I was like I'm never gonna be a pet groomer. And then it was like time to go get a job. I'm like I'm not gonna work for $7 an hour. That's ridiculous.
Speaker 3:And then I got to my mom's salon. So you're like I'm not doing that, I can make $40 at the time yeah Right, yeah, I'm a worker for my dog. You know, when you're in high school, you're gonna be making bank and your Little friends are gonna be making nothing, you know like.
Speaker 1:Better learn this film now you know you're gonna be taking your friends out for dinner. Yep, yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, really.
Speaker 3:It's something you can learn and then not use right if you don't want to it's always there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so do you guys. I'm curious Do you guys work like the same days every week, like y'all go to work together every day, like you don't have any days off, like away from each other?
Speaker 4:Okay, so we wake up, we wake up and, and then we're together From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, like every day we work the same schedule. Right now we have the mobile and we're still building up clientele on the mobile, so there is sometimes where she's in that and I'm, and I hate it.
Speaker 3:It's it's pretty rare though.
Speaker 4:Really we're like I'm. I don't know how she feels, but I'm totally Like this woman has me by the. She has me so tight, you know, like I couldn't do nothing. You know uh really we yeah no. Yeah, um together all the time people ask us how do you do it, how do you, how do you work together and live together? And and honestly, I don't, I don't know. I wish I could tell people like oh you know we do this, we do this, but honestly, yep, she's my best friend, yeah there's not really more to it than that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. We're not just a couple like he is. I could tell him anything. I know I'm not. You know what I mean and I know that's the way it's supposed to be, but it's true, that's, you know, like he is my best friend. I find everything about him interesting and so we yeah, we've always pretty I would say like 95% of our careers We've had the same schedule like yeah always and that's and like, except for when I had the kids.
Speaker 3:But I mean, you know you have to stay home with them for a while.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I feel that yeah, we have my friend and I we have one day. This is just new too. We recently like switched days off, so we have like a day off like away from each other and I hate it so much. I haven't asked him if he likes it. He might but like. He does like reception stuff at our salon and like manager stuff. He's like the manager, so when he's not there, like that falls on me, I'm like I gotta talk to my clients now.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 3:Yeah Well. And then, like, the new venture is the social media right, and so like yeah. It. Yeah, first he was doing a lot of it by himself, so I would do like. You know, I'd be like oh, I guess I'll like work on our personal dogs. Well, he's doing that at the end of the day and it's slowly transformed into me doing like more and more, although he still does all the editing, but it's like now you're a paybacker. Yeah.
Speaker 1:We're like the dog in the door, like nobody will recognize me.
Speaker 4:Oh my god, she helps with the messages, because that's the thing that I find the most. I find all of it really rewarding, but I I'm dyslexic, so I have a hard time like reading and writing stuff and I'm a groomer. So who would guess that right, but uh, so Katie helps me a lot with that stuff.
Speaker 4:Yeah oftentimes Katie will be speaking to somebody on my instagram and like through me or like I'll be speaking through her you know, because I'll like, if I have to read this and type it out, it's gonna take an hour and it's just not gonna get done.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's just not gonna get done, so like usually like to drive to work at home. I'm like reading and messages. I'll be like what do you want me to say? And then I'll respond back.
Speaker 2:Okay, my relationship is very similar to y'all's. That's really interesting, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, that's good news. That's good news then.
Speaker 1:I'm just a little adorable they're adorable, they're so cute together too, and with the social media it's like it's.
Speaker 4:I didn't realize how much it actually takes right. Like to keep the growth going.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:It takes. I mean I spend multiple hours a day either planning stuff or editing or and it. I think some people will just make it look so easy, and I know that it's not now. You know, like when I see people really succeeding at it, I know like, dang, they're putting in a lot of work on that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:So it's really nice to have Katie here as like to help, like, with that load.
Speaker 2:I don't think people understand like, oh, people are so quick to like, bash like influencers, but really like, if you think about it, the time it takes, like first you have to record the content, right. So if you're at work, you have to stop at some point, whether that's like in the middle of your day to record a dog, or like the beginning or end of your day. You have to be there early or late to record content and then editing. I don't know how long it takes you to like edit reels, but I literally like like sometimes two hours like of me sitting there and like oh yeah any little, it takes forever and it's fun but sometimes it's just really tedious.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, you have to feel inspired.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And yeah, and the algorithm, like the algorithms kind of I don't want to say they punish you, but if you're, if you're not consistent right, then you really see like a downtick in your growth or your engagement. So really you really have to keep that ball rolling. So much pressure to be more active on the stories and I'm like, oh my God, I got to come up with five stories and I'm like having a meltdown about it. What are people going to find interesting?
Speaker 2:You did a good job, though. I remember when you first joined Instagram, and you're already like blew up. Like how many followers do you have now?
Speaker 4:16 or.
Speaker 2:I'm just about 16,000.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 2:I think that's hard. It's been really fun.
Speaker 4:It's been really fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he started in October, so not too bad.
Speaker 2:No, that's weird.
Speaker 4:Well, I had one video that went. Really it was like the butthole one where the lips of the cocker and like that, really like.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:That was so funny, that was like a jump story. Yeah, you know, yeah, very relatable, very relatable. Every groomer knows the giant butthole cocker.
Speaker 2:Another thing I was wondering was like so every salon gets like bad clients right, and so sometimes we'll have like a situation where a client comes in and a client is like being mean to Adrian, my partner, and I'm like it makes me mad and I like go out there which wanting to fight this client. I'm wondering that's like a situation you guys have where, like it's the same.
Speaker 4:I kind of do take offense. I think this hit on every now and then and actually doesn't bother me. I try to. Really, I used to be the guy that would be like you know what fuck that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:But now I try to think it's a compliment, because that's my wife and they find her attractive, so good for me, right?
Speaker 3:But no, I mean yeah she there's for some reason.
Speaker 4:There are some clients that jive better with her or jive better with me, yeah yeah, and some and we'll usually just tag team that- yeah. And they're like I, older women. I just I don't know what it is.
Speaker 3:They love me, they love me, they love you.
Speaker 4:So like an older woman comes in and she wants to talk, I'm all ears, not even just old women, old men they do.
Speaker 3:old people love Nathan, so he'll be out there for like a half an hour for and. I'll be like hey, your dog pooped on the table. You know, not even right. But I'll be like your dog pooped, I need you. And then I'll be like dude. I know you're having a good time out there like chit chatting, but like I'm going to need you. I think Nathan's way more laid back, like he generally doesn't get upset with clients for the most part.
Speaker 4:I think I'll have a client yelling right at me and I'm like whatever.
Speaker 3:But I get really hot, I get really like.
Speaker 3:I'm the like meaner of the two of the two of us, and like I can't stand when clients come in and are like rude or but I think I'm pretty good at like playing it really cool. But Nathan just is very like chill, like everything just kind of rolls off his back Like no big deal. I think the only time I ever saw him actually get angry with a client was when I was pregnant, and that was like the only time that I saw him like get mad at somebody where he was like you got to go and so I mean, to be fair, I was pregnant, so I think his I'm sure his levels were a little high. Yeah.
Speaker 4:That's when the guy came. That's when the guy came at the one salon, right you have to tell us now.
Speaker 2:We have to know. Yeah, we just had an episode.
Speaker 4:So I don't want to be. So this guy would come by and he was like a transient and like a homeless guy in the neighborhood, right, and he'd come in and he'd talk to us and see the dogs and I was perfectly I liked, you know, we were nice and we'd give him water, let him use the bathroom, because I wanted to be a good human and he was actually a nice guy.
Speaker 3:But he had some mental issues.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, and he came in and Katie and another Katie was there, the two KDs were there and. I wasn't there, so it was just them, and he came in saying how he wanted to. It sounds crazy. He says he wanted to kill his brother and that if his brother died, that they can't say anything to the police to keep it a secret.
Speaker 3:And it was wild.
Speaker 4:And they both of the KDs were like I feel uncomfortable with them now because he had a knife and he was talking about how he wanted to kill his brother and how we can't say anything.
Speaker 4:So obviously I had to tell him you can't come in here no more, right, I'm like I'm sorry, but you can't come into the salon no more and hang out. You stepped over a boundary and we just can't have you here and kind of all hell broke loose, you know, and I feel really, actually feel really guilty about it, because I actually think he had a lot of, he struggled with a lot of mental illness, but when it came to that situation, right, my wife was there, my pregnant wife and the other, Katie, was there, and you know I had to, you know I had to basically escort him out in the gentlest way I could, but you know, so I got kind of upset.
Speaker 4:But I don't even think I was that upset that time. I think I was. It was more show.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:You know like, trying to seem like like the man of the house, Get out these are my girls, let's go. I actually just talking about it. I try to be so friendly and so nice. They're like just talking about it right now. I just have this guilt.
Speaker 2:You know like.
Speaker 1:I had a knife and I felt so guilty.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I, he really yeah, and he came in with these brownies that were covered in ashes. Oh my God, and he's like you want these brownies and he's like the day before. It was so weird, it was a very bizarre.
Speaker 3:It was probably the weirdest thing we've ever had happen. But Nate, like Nathan is really the nicest guy. It's like sometimes it is infuriating because he's so nice. Like I've been like no, that person, that client, is being rude. Like they showed up late, they don't want to pay a late fee, or they no showed and they don't want to pay a fee. You know the no show fee and have like no, but they've been coming to us for years. It's not, they don't know the rules, nathan. Like they can't, they're taking advantage of us, they don't care about our time and he'll be like oh no, it's not a big, you know.
Speaker 3:like that I would say is probably that's probably one of the only things we fight over is Nathan of like, it's not a big deal.
Speaker 1:Don't worry about it.
Speaker 3:I'll you know. Like don't worry Okay.
Speaker 4:So somebody told me something a long time ago. Right, they told me that it takes more energy to be upset than just to forgive. But forgiveness is an act of kindness to yourself and to them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right.
Speaker 4:Yeah, because if some, if you're mad at somebody, you're upset.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Like you forgive them and you know that that weight comes off.
Speaker 4:that weight comes off the YouTube. So like I just don't get mad at people like that because it's not only do I don't want to spend that I don't, I don't want to feel bad if I'm like nothing bothers me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I see, I see both sides of that too. Sometimes Sierra was talking about like how in clients are. Was it, was it early? You were saying like when clients are early it doesn't really bother her. No, but some people like get really up in arms about that, and so it's just like I think different personality types are meant to handle specific situations. So it's good that you guys are just like complimenting each other well enough to have an understanding of that.
Speaker 3:I definitely think I'd be way meaner to clients if Nathan wasn't always there like I don't feel it in just a bit, but I do think it's important to have boundaries Right, like I definitely. You know, like he'll be like no, it's not a big deal, and I'll be like no, but okay, we have to charge them something because, like they've been warned before, like they're taking advantage. So like okay, I won't charge them the full thing, but I'll do half, or you know what I mean so, like it's always like a compromise because I'm like no.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna charge them the full.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm like I'll charge them the full extent. They're not going to treat us like this. We need to respect our time. And then you know he's the opposite. So then we meet in the middle and I think, as business owners, that's helpful, right, Because then we're never, too mean because we're still good on customer service, but then we're not too nice that we're gets trampled on. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we're lucky to have like I don't know how, but we have like a, we have a five star Yelp with hundreds of reviews. So we've been really like, really fortunate, because I think that back and forth of us like, yeah, you guys really using situations has worked really well, yeah.
Speaker 1:I think that's your guys is super power here, because a lot of people don't have that. Usually it's like a salon manager, that's like this is the way it is, and if you don't like it, then go and you know you guys really work together and you guys really I think it's cool yeah.
Speaker 4:Sometimes, if that situation is playing out and they're like, they see me and they know like, and I come out and I'm like, oh, you know what, don't worry about it. I understand this time. We'll put it, we'll just make it, we'll, we'll, we'll make a warning or we'll make a note in the computer, and then they leave with a smile on their face and then from then on, they're like that's the best, they're the best client ever.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they brought you a Christmas present too. It doesn't always yeah, it doesn't always play out like that it does not always play out like that so don't let them like.
Speaker 3:Sometimes they're like aha if. I do Nathan, I'll get away with it.
Speaker 4:And then I'm like nah, they're like where's Nathan?
Speaker 3:Where's Nathan?
Speaker 2:He lets me get away with this. I'm curious for, like how many employees do y'all have?
Speaker 3:I think we have like.
Speaker 2:I think we have like nine right now. And who?
Speaker 3:Including us, including your employees? No, I don't think so.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I guess that's about it for this channel and I'll see if I can talk to you later about it once and when you finish, and then we'll continue this?
Speaker 2:I don't think so. I'm not sure if Yena caniyorsuns or not. They know, since maybe the have you guys think your employees took a vote right now which one of you guys would be the employee favorite.
Speaker 3:Nathan. Nathan, I'm the nice guy, he's like I said, he's the nice guy and it's not. I wouldn't say that I'm like mean, because I don't think that's the case, but like he would give anybody the shirt off of his back like no lie. I would give away all of our money and like every cent and like I appreciate that about him.
Speaker 3:I would be a terrible business oh yeah, terrible, because he would just be like you know, like, oh, I'll just pay everything out of my own pocket. Like I'll just keep working until I die, you know what I mean? Like he's that guy which I love about him but At the same time I'm like this is a business and we have children and we have like. We need to retire someday. We have to like make money.
Speaker 2:Give it away.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know. So he's definitely retirement. That's true. What is the retirement?
Speaker 4:I don't know yet. I don't know my dog groomer. I don't know what retirement is.
Speaker 3:But I definitely think they they pick him for sure because he's just like. He's Like I said right, like he gets lost and everything. So he'll just talk to like employees, like Till the end of the, until the end of the day. But if I get busy I'm like head down, don't talk to me. I got to work, we'll talk later. Yeah, although I do talk way more than him, I will say I, I'm, I am the talker, he's the listener. So maybe that's why they like him more.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you were earlier. I wanted to say you were talking about how you go out the dinner and you don't have something to talk about with with Katie.
Speaker 3:I.
Speaker 4:Don't need to say much, you know, I just need to be an open ear, sit back and listen and nod my head and smile, and then she's happy. You know, I just need to listen to it's pretty easy.
Speaker 3:But I like it like that I like it, like that I don't want to.
Speaker 4:I don't seem like I'm, but you know, I just like to listen to her thoughts and stuff, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I.
Speaker 1:Like the. You guys shared that because I know I have some Like people, that I don't only have followers guys. I have like 800 people and half of them are from, like, my hometown. So does it count? I don't know I'm here who invited me? But no, I know, I Didn't know. When people like, so I have this student of my name, bridget, and every time she sees like Gavin or one of you guys, she's like oh, she gets so excited. So I know those people like Just hearing, like oh my god, he's just truly that nice of a guy and like I can't believe it's like so cool, like they're gonna love it. So I just love that you guys are being so honest and like just laughing about your guys's qualities verse that are so cute.
Speaker 1:It's adorable so so honest.
Speaker 4:It still blows my mind when people are like it's, I've had people say things to me and I'm like it just totally weird to me out, because I'm just just groomer. Yeah and when people say, oh, I'm a big fan it totally weird like I love it, but it also makes me feel Like weird because my mentors are like some of the best groomers ever, right?
Speaker 4:like I mentored under Nancy Han, she's man, she's incredible. And then I mentored under and Martin, she's like arguably the best groomer ever. So, like when people come to me and say, oh, you're incredible and you're so I'm always, my first instinct is to be like no, I'm not yeah, yeah, like I'll never, Never be that good, I'll never get that good, it's really it's really like humbling and really it's you're writing your story right now, like you will be that later, or so that's just your chapter.
Speaker 1:Hopefully what you're writing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you're noticing you. Like we're trying it. Does you know good to like Walk in a room to and thinking you're the best? Because if that's how you Approach situations like, you're not gonna get anything out of that, you're not gonna learn anything, you're not gonna grow. So I Feel the same yeah. I relate to that a lot.
Speaker 4:I I 100% agree with you, I think. I think it's better to be forever the student.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 4:I mean, I will. I do teach people, but I am forever a student of people around me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, part of the product you can always learn more. Yeah, I.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I don't understand how some people and I honestly I can't even point anybody out that I think would be like this, but I know there are people that think like they have no more to learn.
Speaker 2:You know it's just them.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you have to always stay hungry.
Speaker 2:I think a part of learning too is like because I teach pack rumors too. So I think a lot of like Learning is teaching, because, like, the more you like teach something, it reinforces what you've already learned and sometimes it helps things like click even further. So I Don't think there's anything wrong, yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's. I completely agree with that. I Oftentimes I'll feel I'll be saying something to one of my Like students right now. I'll say something and I'm explaining something, and it's coming out of my mouth and I'm at the same time I'm thinking I didn't know that, I knew it like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Wow, yeah, wow, that actually makes a lot of sense, like wow.
Speaker 2:That's cool. Part of why I wanted to have you guys on here, cuz, like I knew from the moment I met y'all that you were like genuine people and that you were both like so kind, so it's really cool to see that way. That's how you guys are and I don't know. I'm a fan of you.
Speaker 4:I appreciate it, thank you. I'm a fan of you guys too. You know, yeah, I mean we. I mean I think like we all started kind of around the same time.
Speaker 2:I started competing at the same show you did.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, and something I think is super funny and we talk about it all the time, right is like. I mean, even still now it's like this, but especially back then it would be like I would see who is competing and I was like they're so good, you know, like, and so then it was like I'm really startling to find out that other people felt the same way.
Speaker 4:We're always no way.
Speaker 3:No, I'm here, that I'm competing. That's freaking crazy like. I'm competing. Yeah that like made me feel so much better. I was like oh, thank God.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Very humbling feeling. Yeah, I we had people Contact us to say are you gonna be there? And I we immediately thought like, oh no, this person's gonna be there. They're asking us and I'm nervous about competing against them. And then in the same conversation They'll say oh, you're going cuz I was nervous to compete against you, and it's like we were having the same thought so like. It's just very um.
Speaker 1:Yeah, looking down that line to see who you're competing against.
Speaker 2:I was gonna ask Because you guys do confirmation and competition. I was gonna ask which one is like more nerve-wracking for you guys, like when you're going to like a confirmation show or like a big competition.
Speaker 3:For me it's competition, because they, the judges, are rating you on your work and not as much about the dog, right. But when I'm going into confirmation I'm like, well, there's nothing I can do about my dog's confirmation If it's not better than the dog next to me. Like obviously I can tweak my grooms to hopefully like make the judge forget something, but like ultimately it's about the dog and not about me, right?
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 3:Competition is all about me and what I'm doing yeah and I'm like so if I lose, then it's just me. I jacked up, or you know like I know that's not really the case, but you know what I mean like. So for me that's way more nerve-wracking because it's so much about like me and what I'm doing, um, but uh. So yeah, for me definitely competitions are much scarier. Same for me.
Speaker 4:Yeah, same for me. Much scarier being on the stage like I like smile and I'll dance a little and stuff, but I'm just freaking out inside Halfway through your room.
Speaker 3:Hold a milk down mode.
Speaker 2:Yeah, halfway through your room.
Speaker 3:I'm thinking like I don't know what I'm doing. Who tapped me? How did Grim Scouties? Who let me come up here? I don't know who like, who thought I could do this, and then, when I'm done, I'm like all right it doesn't look that bad Like. I guess you're okay yeah.
Speaker 2:I would say the whole time, it's only the last 10 minutes.
Speaker 4:Yep that I actually feel like, oh, this doesn't look too bad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I didn't kill it. Yeah, it's okay.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I didn't kill my dog. Oh my God, yeah, there's so much that can go wrong, right?
Speaker 2:So much that can go wrong and like you're just so many people are watching and so you can't really think about that. Because if you think about that too much and then you just get in the head and it's like a whole spiral.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 4:But I find it very addicting though the adrenaline of it, yeah. You know and if you hear your name called, it's electric.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I always feel like while I'm competing, I'm like I'm never doing this again, and then I finished and I'm like okay, he does, he says that too.
Speaker 1:I did a good job, I still sit there and be like I'm never doing this again. And then I'm like, yeah, first place Gavin Freeman. Like fuck off, come on.
Speaker 4:It's like the best feeling ever.
Speaker 1:I'm like next to him, like he didn't even want to be here. Yeah, no.
Speaker 4:I do feel like my first, like my first couple, my first like four or five shows were so good and I did like so much winning that like when I got in the open this, and I played the place a couple of times in the beginning and I was just like I'm unbeatable, Not that, but like I was, just like I felt so good.
Speaker 4:And it was like so. And then the last, like maybe four, three or four shows I've been, I just scumped, you know. So I've been trying really hard to be like I Well and the talent you guys.
Speaker 1:Well, the talent you guys are against is like the best of the best. Oh yeah, like you guys just put yourself up to that level and it's, you know, it's a lot.
Speaker 4:And I was like I don't care about losing to any member on groom team even member a lot of people that aren't on it I don't like if I lose the Lindsay Dickens. It's like yeah, she's better than me what?
Speaker 2:can I say yeah, right.
Speaker 4:I'm just glad I was up there with her. Yeah, yeah I agree, it's just yeah. The competing is just so fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're going to meet so many cool people and, yeah, I like I know weirdo that it's never gotten nervous for competing. I remember we were with Eva. It was my first company. Well, I have two children at home and the one when I when I competed with Sterling and I think it was Ohio last year at Pet Quest it was like my first.
Speaker 1:Berkeley show and Eva was like, are you freaking out? Like no, I'm going to McDonald's and get like a coffee real quick before we go. But she was like you're not freaking out and I'm like, no, I just need a coffee real quick. And we go in there and I'm sitting there. But I feel like I could either be home with my children or, because I'm not, I have to take this time and really be present and enjoy my you know, my time with, with what I have with my friends and my surrounding and really be present.
Speaker 1:So I've never allowed myself to have those big feelings because I'm like well, this is, you know, I left my kids for this so. I'm just going to be here and have a good time and make everyone around me that are nervous like talk to them and make small talk and make jokes and try to make other people not nervous.
Speaker 4:But yeah, I find it. I find it so interesting the different ways people cope with stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Because that is totally opposite of the way I think I am just so it's very interesting to me.
Speaker 1:I don't know. I've also been through like the trauma ring, so I'm like, well, this is like nothing.
Speaker 4:Why are we nervous about this. We're going to do what we got.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I'm going to do my very best I have.
Speaker 4:I've been through like a my like upbringing was like I would been through a lot of bad stuff. So Katie's always like how are you normal? I'm like well, I'm like well, I'm funny now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you went to humor.
Speaker 4:Crap happened, but now I'm really funny, so it's okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, you guys don't understand how many times he's told me a story and then I've been like you know that's not normal, right, like that is like abusive like not good, like I'm. Like that's not normal, nathan, like that's not. Don't tell that story to anybody, yeah.
Speaker 4:I've been in a group of people and I'm telling them just like something that happened like when I was a kid, and I'm like, yeah, this one time, this and this, and everyone just looks at you, like just stares like what, and I'm like what?
Speaker 1:That's never. It's the best time when they're like I'm so sorry and you're like Bob, what's it? Yeah, what are you starting about?
Speaker 2:Well, I feel like that's so. I feel like that's so many pet groomers, though, I think because we're just like such empathetic people and I you've probably heard this before but like people say, you don't know how much like violence it took to be this soft, and so like I feel like that's what makes like I don't know. A good groomer is like you're empathetic, and sometimes that means you've been through a lot, so I think it just makes you better.
Speaker 4:I just picked your battles yeah. Yeah, I say all the time I feel like groomers not all the time, but generally grooming draws in and I don't know if this is a good word for it there's probably a better word but people that are broken or people that are just different or distressed Need healing.
Speaker 1:Because, animals are so animals are so healing. You just spot in the world. Yeah, yeah. It's healing and having that spot in the world I feel, knowing that you're accepted.
Speaker 4:And I one of my old mentor, or our old mentor, ann Martin, told us that and I thought about it a lot and it's yeah, it's so true. You know, like dogs and animals are just so. When I first started grooming, I always like I had like a short hair and I dressed like cholo and people would be like, oh, I don't meant, my dog doesn't like men. I'd hear that all the time, right, but then when I would get the dog they don't care.
Speaker 4:Like the pet parent would look at me and they'd automatically have this idea of me. But when the dog would come to me, the dog was happy, the dog was looking me and it didn't care what I look like or how I talked or whatever, and that was really. That was really like. Amazing to me and I think that's what drew me to dogs is like they don't they don't care, they don't judge who you are or what you look like they don't judge you yeah.
Speaker 3:They just love you, although you were in the past.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, dogs are awesome. Yeah, you guys are awesome.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for being here today. Before we wrap it up, I was going to give you a chance, if you want to like, share your Instagram or like anything you guys have coming up.
Speaker 3:Nathan Austin NCMG. You guys, you can find us on.
Speaker 4:I'm terrible at mine. I don't post anything on mine, so it's not. It's on Nathan.
Speaker 3:It's my children if I do. Me and Katie are both on my Instagram.
Speaker 4:Nathan Austin, ncmg. Yes, I think we'll see Katie Super Zoo. I'm hoping to see a lot of people at Super. Zoo. Yeah, super Zoo is the next show we're going to, so hopefully we see everybody there.
Speaker 3:Well, I will. That's my band.
Speaker 4:I wanted to do Chicago too, but I couldn't convince Nathan to do both back to back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, and that's hard. I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2:I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure.
Speaker 1:And that's hard to have those two classes or those two competitions back to back.
Speaker 3:But I'm not even going for business.
Speaker 1:I'm going to be Gavin's assistant this time. All right, I'm a bucket bitch, huh yeah, my dogs all have jobs with other groomers, so I'm just talking to a local community college right there.
Speaker 3:So that's what I'm going to go do this time.
Speaker 1:Nice, yeah, so awesome. Well, thank you. I'm going to put a link up in the show notes and you guys have to check out their Instagram because it is hilarious they're he was talking about his butthole video. It's not his butthole.
Speaker 2:It's a guy who has a family. It's a guy who has a family.
Speaker 4:If it gets you to come to my Instagram, it's my butthole all right.
Speaker 1:Just go check out his butthole on his Instagram and thank you so much for listening.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks Thanks.
Speaker 3:Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks Thanks. Don't forget to subscribe to my channel, because if you haven't, subscribed so long, make sure no-transcript.