Volume 3 Edition 1, Spring, 2004 California City Licenses Groomers by Deanise Stoops Recent events in a West Hollywood, California grooming salon have gotten the attention of the local city council and the results may soon sweep the entire state. On April 1, 2003 Harry, a golden retriever, died in a cage dryer. His temperature was an amazing 109 degrees. The cause of death: dehydration and heat exhaustion. Several months later, another death. This time an 11 year old Lhasa Apso, died while unattended on a grooming table for some mysterious reason when the groomer walked away to change a clipper blade. Another dog, an 11 year old Siberian husky sustained irritation and burns in over 80% of his body after being clipped. This dog s owner sued for these injuries and won the suit. All three of these instances occurred in the same West Hollywood salon. The City Council of West Hollywood has invited the Southern California Professional Groomers Association to participate in the drafting of the legislation for groomers in their city. Mr. Paul Koretz, State Assemblyman from the 42 District, was quoted as saying he wants to create statewide grooming standards and present them to Sacramento. This assemblyman took a personal interest in the amazing number of calls complaining of abuse, injury, and general neglect of pets. This privately owned group of four salons consistently displayed an appalling lack of education, professionalism and overall presentation by the owner, manager and employees. Many people at the hearing were demanding the immediate closure What s inside of this business! Editor s Desk....................3 Is closing these salons the Groomer s Calendar.............. 3 answer? Where do the employees Coordinator s Corner..............4 go? Do they move on to other Q&A with Chris Palowsky..........5 salons to continue with the same The International Scene...........6 Natual Grooming.................7 Point Tracking...................7 W.WWW.WW....................8 Marketing is a State of Mind.......12 Wahl 2003 Groomer of the Year.....13 Creative Styling in Thailand........13 GroomTeam USA Mission Statement To utilize the organization as a vehicle to encourage continued education, growth, pride and the competitive spirit within the pet styling industry. careless methods? Or should we seek to educate our groomers and give the system a way to correct and police itself? So many stylists are concerned about being told what to do and how to do it, but many are missing the big picture. The consummate professional is keenly aware that the client has a right to a safe environment for their pet. Continuing education, as well as sanitation, first aid, emergency and CPR classes should be included in these considerations. Education is the safety net for the salon as well as the clients. Licensing will give groomers the foothold needed to gain the respect of varying levels of authority, including Veterinarians. We must govern our own industry, or someone else will do it for us! A committee from the SCPGA met in West Hollywood on Oct 22, 2003 to answer questions about our industry, its procedures, and the current regulations governing us. The organizations goal was to guide the committee in creating reasonable regulations that are fair to both clients and stylists, and encourage a focus on safety, sanitation and handling procedures. The city council has been extremely open and cooperative; having a desire to pass legislation that will make a groomer responsible for their actions. A primary concern of the city council is the use of enclosed cage dryers: like the one Harry died in. The SCPGA expressed that any piece of equipment is only as safe as the person operating it. When used in accordance with the manufactures instructions and with pets being constantly monitored to guarantee against overheating situations these dryers can be considered safe. Despite information presented about safety shut-off switches on these dryers West Hollywood has chosen to ban Continued on page 11 Da Sylva Wins 1st Annual Lynn Carver Memorial Award Vera Da Sylva, GroomTeam USA s newest American has won the first annual Lynn Carver Memorial Award and the beautiful perpetual trophy that comes with the recognition of being the best of the Best All Around Groomers. The award was created by GroomTeam USA to honor the memory of Lynn Carver who left us, very prematurely, in 2003. Lynn was a competitive in the original 1987 team as well as the 1988, 89, 90 and 91 teams and had served on the Board of Directors for many years until her untimely passing. The Lynn Carver Memorial Award honors the GroomTeam competitor who garners the most Best All Around Groomer awards in GroomTeam sanctioned competitions in a calendar year. The trophy for 2003 was presented to Vero in a luncheon presentation held at the Atlanta Pet Fair in Atlanta, Georgia in March.
Board of Directors Diane Betelak Christina Pawlosky Melissa Verplank Team Coordinator Dawn Miller 03/04 Team Teri DiMarino Treasurer Craig Kokkeler Web Site Administrator Rod Ostoski Webmaster & design Shirlee Kalstone International Liaison Jeff Davidson Newsletter Editor GroomTeam USA P.O. Box 1421 Claremont, CA 91711 Website: www.groomteamusa.com E-mail: groomteamusa@aol.com The GroomTeam USA Newsletter is published tri-annually by GroomTeam USA., Inc. and is the copyright property of GroomTeam USA, Inc. All rights are reserved. Duplication in part or whole is strictly prohibited without prior permission of it s publisher or the Board of Directors. Statements, opinions and claims expressed herein by contributing authors are not necessarily those of the publisher who assumes no liability for authors or advertisers claims or representations. Thoughts from the Editor s Desk 2003 was a good year for GroomTeam USA. In very stiff competition, our team garnered the Silver metal in Barcelona and the new team, slated for the World Championships in 2005 (at a site yet to be determined) is taking shape. The competitive year 2003 closed with Vero Da Sylva holding a slim two point lead over Judy Hudson and the 2004 competitive season just getting under way. See Point Tracking on page X for complete details and the current 2004 standings. As with past columns, I need to make a few acts of contrition for some slip-ups in our last issue. We always try to feature a photo of the author or contributor for each article or column. A few readers noted that I neglected to include a photo of Annette Quick in the Q & A column. This oversight was discovered on press when it was too late to make the addition. So, if you still have your Winter,2003 issue, please cut out the photo at right and carefully paste it in the appropriate spot on page 5. Also, in the same issue, I d like to apologize to Tammy Vranich for spelling her last name with a k instead of the correct h. At least I spelled Jay Leno s name right! With the Corrections Section now behind me I d like to turn my attention back the World Championships for a moment and convey a huge GroomTeam THANK YOU to the Wahl Clipper Company for being so kind, considerate and generous in supplying clippers to the USA Team. Wahl, like Oster Professional Products, Andis Company and Wag n Tails Mobile Conversions are GroomTeam USA Premium Sponsors and their thoughtfulness and generosity to GroomTeam, and our industry as a whole, will never cease to be appreciated and respectfully acknowledged. As per GroomTeam constitution and by-law, which stipulates that one Director of the GroomTeam USA Board of Directors rotates off the Board each year (Directors serve a three year term), Dina Perry, after many years of continued service, has been replaced by Melissa Verplank. Melissa was a competitor on the 1990 Silver metal team that competed in France and she also served as Team Coordinator in 1997-1998 with that team winning the Gold Medal in the competition held in Italy. Melissa was also instrumental in a lot of the organizational aspects you see in GroomTeam today, such as the Premium Sponsorship program and the design and use of the logo. Welcome Melissa! We ll miss you, Dina! Lastly, I would like to address an issue that is relatively unfamiliar territory for me. In past issues we have published a few cartoons, jokes, one-liners and even stories that have been sent to me via e-mail. We always endeavor to give proper credit to the writer or creator of a given piece however, when an item has made the internet rounds we are assuming, by the shear nature of how it has been passed on, that it is public domain and is, therefore, available to reprint without proper permission or credit being given. That said, if you have a cute story, cartoon or clever anecdote, please feel free to pass it on. We all enjoy a fun one. Best regards, Jeff Davidson Editor GROOMER S CALENDAR Arpil 24-26.............................INTERGROOM Somerset, NJ May 1-3..................Ontario Dog Groomers Associa Barrie, Ontario, Canada May 14-16.......................ProGroom Pennsylvania Lebanon, PA May 22-24..........................Lone Star Groomer Houston, TX May 29-30....................German Grooming Masters Wiesbaden, Germany June 5-7...................................GroomFest Charlotte, NC August 14-16...................All American Grooming Rosemont (Chicago), IL September 13-17...........................GroomExpo Hershey, PA GroomTeamUSA Sanctioned Grooming Competitions shown in Bold. September 22-23.............................SuperZoo Las Vegas, NV September 24-25...........................GroomWest Denver, CO October 2-4........................U.S. Pet Pro Classic Dallas, TX October 8-10..............H.H. Backer Christmas Show Chicago, IL October 16-17...............................IaSPDGA DesMoines, IA October 24-25........................Total Look Show Shoreview, MN Oct. 30 - Nov. 1.................NDGAA Fun in the Sun Cape Canaveral, FL November 6-8.................................NEPGP Boxborough, MA NOTE: For more information about each show, links can be found at: www.groomteam 3
The Coordinator s Corner 2004 is starting off on a good, competitive note with GroomTeam sanctioned competitions completed in Mississippi (Gulf Coast Pet Professionals), Maryland (Mid Atlantic Pet Professionals) and the most recent show, The Dawn Miller Atlanta Pet Fair, in Georgia. All were filled with smiles and hopes, as competitors vie for positions on the 2005 traveling team to represent the United States in International Competition. The Atlanta Pet Fair was the vehicle for several landmarks in the pet styling world. A GroomTeam USA highlight was the presentation of the first Lynne Carver Memorial Trophy which is awarded to the contest groomer garnering the most Best All Around Groomer awards in that calendar year. Established in the memory of Lynne Carver, former competitor, GroomTeam member and long time board member, Lynne passed away one year ago and this award seemed well suited to her legacy, as GroomTeam was always close to her heart. Always pleasant and helpful, Lynne was a big inspiration to many groomers and is missed by all. This year s winner, Vero Da Sylva, was presented with the honor during the Atlanta Pet Fair Luncheon. The large, beautiful, flower filled trophy, with the name of the winner engraved on it, will remain in possession of the Atlanta Pet Fair, Vero will receive a memorial plaque and a traveling plaque and photo will accompany the booth for display at all the shows in the coming year. Another milestone was made through the cooperative efforts of the organizers of the Atlanta Pet Fair (Ann Stafford), The All American Grooming Show ( Jerry Schinberg) and the Pet Pro Classic (Pam Lauritzen). These independently operated shows have standardized their contest rules, making these three separate shows competition regulations consistent and easy for the contestant to understand. GroomTeam congratulates them on this cooperative effort. Last, but definitely not least, was one of the biggest surprises of all. Former GroomTeam USA member, Kathleen Putman, had survived a near fatal accident last September. The possibility of her ever being mobile again was slim. At the end of the GroomTeam General meeting Saturday evening, Kathleen Putman, with the help of a walker, entered the room, much to the surprise of everyone there. Accompanied by her mother and her nurses, she wore a t- shirt that said it all: God performs miracles I just groom dogs. There was not a dry eye in the room during the ten minute standing ovation. Kathleen felt that she had to come to Atlanta and thank everyone and also to show that you cannot keep a good stylist down. She still has a long road ahead to full recovery but with our prayers, emails and letters I m sure we will being seeing Kathleen again soon. So please do not hesitate to email her at: kathleenputman@yahoo.com as she loves seeing the mail and is a self proclaimed internet addict. And, on a special note, The Atlanta Pet fair attendees conducted a Kathleen Putnam Auction which raised $6,000, all of this is to help pay for the special plane she had to have to take her from Texas to Ohio, where she is residing with her mother. This just goes to show what a big, wonderful family we really are. Good styling & best wishes Dawn 4
A Little Q & A with Chris Pawlosky* Ask a simple question and get a simple answer (and just a touch of insight!)?? GroomTeam s Q: Chris A: Your name as it appears on your birth certificate Christina Marie Conner Nickname: Chris Birthplace: Warren, Ohio Current residence: Warren, Ohio Number of candles on your last birthday cake: 38 Date that you regularly blow them out: 9/29/65 Grade school hair color: Blond Favorite color: Blue Lucky number: 11 Favorite food: Sea food Coffee or Tea? Both Favorite movie of all time: Little Mermaid (I am a kid at heart) Favorite holiday: Christmas (Get to be with my whole family) Favorite day of the week: Sundays Favorite restaurant: Buena Vista Café Favorite Flower: Morning Glories Favorite Beverage: Milk Favorite participant sport: Soft Ball/Bowling Favorite spectator sport: Not a good Spectator (Can t sit still that long) Favorite flavor of ice cream: Cherry Cordial Best store to max our a credit card at: Amish Furniture????? Cute: Then & Now! What do you do most often when you re bored: Play with Conner and Charles (My children) Most annoying thing people ask your profession Nothing Bedtime:? You never know with two babies:) Favorite TV show: Law and Order Last movie you saw: Daddy Day Care Biggest superstition: I believe all things happen for a reason good or bad Ideal vacation locale: On my Dad and Mom s boat fishing of just hanging out. Coke or Pepsi? Coke Osmonds or Osbournes? Osbournes:) Low carb or low fat? Balance Pet peeve: Clean Dogs #1 regret: I am not sure that I have any! Career high point: Being recognized and held in such high esteem in our industry Paper or plastic? Plastic??? * GroomTeam 1992, 1993 and 1994. Chris is a grooming industry fixture. She has been a top competitor, judge and accomplished platform artist. She retired from competition after winning the Oster International Tournament and has been the Grooming Industry spokesperson for Oster Professional Products since. Chris feels that she has been blessed with respect and friendship in the grooming industry and her work has been recognized with several Crystal Grooming Achievement Awards and her selection as NEPGA s Groomer of the Decade. 5
The International Scene by Shirlee Kalstone MilanGroom, one of the most important contests in Europe, took place March 13th and 14th at Verbania/Pallanza in Italy. The competition attracted 102 competitors who came from eleven countries: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and Cyprus. The 8th International Show was held on Saturday, March 13th. As is the custom at European shows, there were four different classes: Purebreeds Scissoring, Spaniels, Hand-stripping, and Poodles. Results are as follows: Purebreeds Scissoring, judged by Kitty Dekeersgieter (Belgium), Lorena Merati and Marco Vaccaroni (Italy): 1st: Ferruccio Soave (Italy) - Kerry Blue Terrier 2nd: Romana Divisova (Czech Republic) Bichon Frise 3rd: Gianfranco Bruno (Italy) Black Russian Terrier Spaniels, judged by Dekeersgieter, Merati, and Vaccaroni: 1st: Enric Vilavedra (Spain) American Cocker 2nd: Lassie Gomez (Spain) English Cocker 3rd: Chiara Piccionetti (Italy) English Cocker Hand-stripping, judged by Mirjam van den Bosch (Holland), Lorena Merati (Italy), and Flavio Muratori (Italy) 1st: Eve Raison Meo (France) Scottish Terrier 2nd: Ciro Coraggio (Italy) - Lakeland Terrier 3rd: Celine De Antoni (France) West Highland White Terrier Poodles, judged by Kitty Dekeersgieter, Mirjam van den Bosch, and Lorena Merati 1st: Daniella Vereeken (Belgium) Black Standard 2nd: Dagmar Struckelova (Slovakia) White Standard 3rd: Corinna Verschuren (Belgium) Black Miniature Best Groomed Dog in Show was judged by Mijo Klein of France and Umberto Lehmann of Italy. The winner was Eve Raison Meo with her Scottish Terrier. Grooming teams from several countries also participated in the competition, and the winning team was Italia II, composed of Ferruccio Soave, Ilaria Girardelli, Chiara Piccionette and Ciro Corraggio. The Oster European Tournament of Champions On Sunday, March 14th, the 6th annual Oster European Invitational Tournament of Champions was held in conjunction with the show. 24 champions competed, coming from Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The judges were Kitty DeKeersgieter, Mirjam van den Bosch and Marco Vaccaroni. The judges narrowed the 24 entries down to 6 semi-finalists: Chiara Piccionnetti (Italy), Daisy Welkly (France), Romana Divisova (Czech Republic), Barbara de Simoni (Italy), Eve Raison Meo (France), and Dagmar Struckelova (Slovakia). Continued on page 13 6
Natural Grooming From the Inside Out by Greg Tilford If you are one of the many excellent groomers who take pride in their work, you want your services to really matter. Not just to pet owners who want their companions to look good, but also to the dogs and cats themselves, who need your services to feel good as well. And, like any skilled professional, you deserve to be well compensated for your efforts. Nevertheless, many pet owners think that the grooming trade is only about making animals look and smell good, and have not fully considered the importance of proper grooming as an element of health maintenance. A clean, well-kept coat helps maintain healthy skin, aids in the control of fleas, reduces shedding, and makes the animal more comfortable. Likewise, many groomers still have not realized that there is much more they can offer toward the natural beauty and health of their canine and feline clientele than just a bath and clipping. Nor have they realized the nice profits that can be had from the sales of a good, natural pet food and a few select supplements. This is unfortunate, because a very nice chunk of change can be made from smiling patrons who return time and again to buy products that help their beloved pets truly glow. Shinier coats, renewed vitality, greater resistance to fleas, better results at the groom table, and higher year end profits can all be attained with the sale use of just a few natural products. Take it from Mark Lassiter, who s 190 square foot grooming salon in Orange County, California saw net income increases of 35% within four months of bringing a modest selection of natural foods and supplements into his shop. It was quick and easy to learn enough about natural diet and supplements to pass good recommendations on to my clients, says Lassiter, It made my customers happy - we saw dramatic increases in income and repeat business without having to hire additional employees. Or listen to Cindy Adermach, owner of Whiskers in Chatsworth, California; a shop that specializes in the grooming of Cocker Spaniels. We see a lot of skin problems with Cockers, Cindy reports, but most cases just clear right up shortly after we recommend a daily supplement of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which she adds is used in conjunction with natural recipe pet foods, such as Solid Gold or Wellness. In fact, Adermach was recently praised for the beautiful coat of her Cocker Spaniel that recently won ribbons at a major dog show. People came to me asking what [topical] product I was using to make the coat shine so but the truth is I didn t use any. It is the Animal Essentials EFAs I feed. So which types of natural pet care products should the groomer be thinking of to get started? A premium quality, all-natural brand of food is at the very top of the list - one that contains whole meats and vegetables and is void of cheap byproducts, synthetic preservatives, and low quality grain fillers such as corn, soy, or wheat hulls. Once your customers are Continued on page 10 POINT TRACKING Through March 18, 2004 Contestant Points 1. Suesan Watson.....................................36 2. Vero Da Sylva......................................31 3. Judy Hudson.......................................19 4. Linda Claflin.......................................10 5. Julie Ostoski........................................9 Liz Paul............................................9 7. Alicia Bismore......................................8 8. Cheryl Purcell.......................................7 9. Tracy Duncan....................................... 5 10. Karen Tucker......................................3 7
Fredrick, Maryland February 20-22, 2004 Best in Show A: Linda Claflin Best in Show B: Steve Madonna Best All Around Groomer A: Vero Da Sylva Best All Around Groomer B: Irina Phillips Creative Styling: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Tag Team Winning Team: Oster Career Start:1st: 2nd: 3rd: Jessica Johnson Ronda Nottingham Chond Yim Eve Hazey & Rainie Thompson Michelle Badolato Crystal Elsea Heidi Appel Atlanta Pet Fair GroomTeam USA Sanctioned Atlanta, Georgia March 5-7, 2004 Biloxi, Mississippi February 6-8, 2004 Grooming Rodeo A: Grooming Rodeo B: Best Groomed Dog in Show Open: Best Groomed Dog in Show B: Best All Around Groomer Open: Best All Around Groomer B: Judy Hudson Marian Sulters Vero Da Sylva Danielle Ruiz Judy Hudson Angela Kumpe Winners Circle Champion: Jenna Lostale Best in Show: Level 3: Liana Garcia Level 2: Hazel Leaver Level 1: Janet Lostale Barkleigh Creative Styling Contest: Level 3: Sandy Hartness Level 2: Jo Anne Leussink Level 1: Tracie Hoppe Wahl Best All Around Stylist: Andis Company Best in Show: Oster Career Start: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Best 1st Timer: Scarlet s Challenge: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Wag n Tails Creative Styling: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Suesan Watson Suesan Watson Melanie Robinson Kathleen Ingram Nicole Shaffer Tracy Duncan Yumi Maruo Kimberly Turbyfill Leslit Trojcak Angela Kumpe Adriane Pope Beverly Strang 8
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Natural Grooming from the Inside Out Continued from page 7 provided with quality foods it s time to supplement the diet with essential fatty acids (EFAs) and a digestive enzyme/probiotic food supplement. Essential fatty acids are contained in the oils of various plant seeds (most of which contain Omega 6 fatty acids) and meat fats (most notably fish oils - which are high in Omega 3 fatty acids). Dogs, cats, and all other mammals require a mix of omega 3 & 6 fatty acids in their diets to remain healthy. But while it is true that EFAs are added to many brands of commercial pet foods, the oils which contain these essential nutrients are very unstable, tending to oxidize and spoil quickly when exposed to heat or air. There is really no way of assuring that enough of this essential nutrient is available when the food reaches the food dish, especially if the opened bag or can has been sitting around for awhile. We must also factor in the reality that some animals need more EFAs than others, meaning the only way of assuring that an animal is getting enough EFAs is to supplement the diet with a product that contains the right balances of Omega 3 s, Omega 6 s and other fatty acids. Why are EFAs so important? Because they play critical roles in the development and maintenance of healthy skin and coat, the nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular system and muscles. Perhaps most noticeably though, EFAs serve regulatory functions with the body s responses to potential allergens - such the proteins contained in flea saliva. This means that animals that are deficient in EFAs are likely to be more vulnerable to flea bites and other allergies. The visible benefits of daily EFA supplentation: better resistance to fleas, shiny coat, and healthy skin and less body odor. The next ingredient in job of grooming from the inside out is to provide the body with what it needs to fully utilize the premium food that you are feeding. This is accomplished with use of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and digestive enzymes, which can be added to the food in powder form. Many animals, particularly those who have been subjected to a poor quality diet, oral antibiotics or wormers, may have difficulty digesting and absorbing the foods they eat - no matter how good their new diets are. Probiotics and digestive enzymes help correct this by supporting digestive flora and natural body chemicals that play vital roles in the breakdown of food and the transport of nutrients throughout the body. These supplements also make waste elimination more efficient. This equates to more regular bowel movements, better weight control, smaller and less offensive stools, and reduced occurrence of skin disorders that may be related to poor elimination of systemic waste. For this article I ll stop right here - because believe it or not, you and your clients will likely see impressive results just from the simple implementation of these three primary components of natural pet care: Good food. Essential fatty acids. And a probiotic + enzyme supplement added to each meal. And in addition to happy smiles and shiny coats you ll see, you ll enjoy increased profits too! Greg Tilford is a well-known expert in the field of natural pet care. An international lecturer and consultant to hundreds of veterinarians, Greg is a frequent contributor to magazines such as Whole Dog Journal, Animal Wellness, and Off-Lead & Natural Pet. He is author of four books on herbs and natural healing, including All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets (Bowtie, 1999) and is Vice President of Animal Essentials Inc., a company that manufactures and distributes a full line of natural pet care products. To find our where Greg will be speaking next, please visit www.animalessentials.com 10
California City Licenses Groomers Continued from page 1 their use nonetheless. They also expressed concerns about pets not having water available at all times. The groomers educated the committee on the impracticalities of having water bowls in crates as this would be messy and unsanitary. Offering water hourly in Licks-It bottles was a happy compromise. Since SCPGA began working with West Hollywood, the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and New Jersey have become active in pursuing licensure as well. There is strength in numbers. Stylists in these states are encouraged to become involved in any local grooming associations. There are no small voices in a crowd. This is too important to our peers as well as our next generation of professional stylists. Nothing worth having in life is ever easy and this is definitely worth it! In short, we are standing on the threshold of a revolution that has been long over due. We need to put our fears aside and take a proactive role in our own futures otherwise risk being governed by agencies with no knowledge of our industry, much less our skills. What are we afraid of? Raising the bar? Isn t it better to direct our own destiny than sit back and become victimized from a lack of initiative? I encourage your participation and welcome your comments. We need your input, stories and advice, so we can truly represent all of you. Deanise Stoops, CMG, President Southern California Professional Groomers Association PO Box 856 Suset Beach, California 92708 11
Marketing is State of the Art..by Vicky Lynn Morgan Marketing comes before selling. It s quite simple: No marketing, No sales. Even if you have the most incredible product or service in the world, you might as well close your doors if you don t market first. Customers buy for a combination of reasons: (1) They need the product, (2) They have the authority to buy, (3) They have money, and (4) They TRUST. Trust comes from having reached a level of comfort in the relationship with the seller a partnership -- that induces them to buy. That requires marketing! What is marketing? The definition of marketing is applied to a wide array of top of the mind strategies such as 'attracting and keeping customers' for repeat and referral sales. Bottom line: The sole purpose of marketing is to get more people to buy more products, more often, at higher prices. (Seth Godin) Marketing is a cheerful attitude and voice on the phone. Marketing is exposure in press releases and editorials. Marketing is networking. Marketing is knowing your industry. Marketing is knowing your customers habits and personalities. Marketing identifies needs and wants. Marketing solves problems. Marketing is knowing the competition. Marketing is empathic. Marketing is professionalism. Marketing is knowledge and awareness. Marketing is delivering on time. Marketing is keeping commitments. Marketing is ethics. Marketing is participating in trade organizations. Marketing is progressive, inventive, and creative. Marketing maximizes core competencies. Marketing is fluid. Marketing is energy, passion and vision. Marketing creates brand awareness and niches. Marketing is an end run around the competition. Marketing is developing relationships and partnering with customers. Marketing builds trust. Marketing is quality, value, and/or service whatever is most important to the individual customer. MARKETING IS OPTIMUM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SATISFACTION. Marketing philosophy and its strategies must pervade all elements of a business. The concept is grounded in the belief that a company should dedicate all of its policies, planning, and operation to the satisfaction of the customer with the belief that the final result of all business activity should be to earn a profit by satisfying the customer. Where does the responsibility for formulating and implementing a company s marketing program begin? AT THE TOP! Who is responsible for carrying out the marketing plan? EVERYONE IN THE COMPANY! That includes the person that answers the phone, the bather, the groomer s assistant, the groomer and, certainly, the owner. Everyone must march to the same beat! BOTTOM LINE: Marketing is finding and keeping customers. Marketing reminds customers that they made the right decision to do business with you. Marketing is turning satisfied customers into delighted customers into loyal customers for a lifetime. QUESTION: What is your marketing plan? MARKETING IS A STATE OF MIND ~ Is it time to re-write your own marketing plan? Author s Note: Thanks and credit for this provocative statement, MARKET- ING IS A STATE OF MIND, go to Domenic Salvemini, a good friend, entrepreneur, and fellow member of the Somerset, New Jersey, Chapter of NJAWBO, New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners. Reprints by Permission Only - Copyright 9/99 ANIMAL BRANDS, PET INDUSTRY MARKETING & SALES STRATEGISTS ONE SCHOOL ST., CALIFON, NEW JERSEY 07830 Tel: 908.832.9557, info@animalbrands.com 12
Wahl Clipper Corporation Presents the 2003 Groomer of the Year Award LOS ANGELES - February 7, 2004. On February 7, 2004 in Los Angeles, California, Dog World s 49th Annual Show Dogs of the Year Awards were, presented by Nature s Recipe recognized the best of the best in categories ranging from Groomer of the Year, Veterinarian of the Year, Shelter of the Year, and Trainer of the Year, among others. The 2003 Groomer of the Year award, presented by Wahl Clipper Corporation, recognizes an extraordinary individual who has set a high standard for outstanding achievements in the grooming profession. The recipient of the 2003 Groomer of the Year Award is Suesan E. Watson of Hoffman Estates, IL. A Certified Master Groomer with more than 35 years experience, Suesan has been an active Groom Team USA member since 2000 - ranking 5th in 2000 and 2001, and finishing 3rd in 2002. She competes regularly and has won numerous awards, including multiple Best in Show and Best All Around Groomer. The International Scene Continued on from page 6 Dagmar Struckelova of Slovakia, who groomed a Miniature Poodle, was named the 2004 Oster Europa Grand Champion. Eve Raison, who groomed an American Cocker, won the silver medal and Barbara DeSimoni, who hand-stripped groomed a Wire Fox terrier. The 2005 World Grooming Team Championships One of the matters to be discussed at the GroomTeam meeting that will take place in April at the Intergroom show, will be who will host the next world Grooming Team Championships and where they will take place. As of this writing, the two leading organizers and locations are Mijo and Guy Klein s Ciseaux d or in La Grande Motte, a resort in the south of France, and the Northern Groomers Association in Scotland. The American team should be able to take dogs to either location. Previously, the United Kingdom has had a strictly enforced quarantine program in effect whereby any dog or cat entering Great Britain had to spend six months in one of the 80 official quarantine kennels. But all that has changed. A new organization called Passports for Pets, had been pushing for changes in the pet entry system for several years. Finally, the first phase of the Pet Travel Scheme was introduced in 2000, when the first pets were allowed to travel from the European continent across the English Channel via the Eurotunnel Shuttle Service. Since that time, more than 10,000 pets from designated European Union countries have entered into the United Kingdom without quarantine and with surprisingly few problems. Quite a few European dogs have been entered in the Crufts Dog Show since 2000, and this past March, an Italian dog won the title of Cruft s Supreme Champion. Now, beginning this past January 1st, pets traveling from the United States and Canada can also be brought into the U.K. without having to go through quarantine providing the proper procedures are followed. These include (1) a certificate that the pet has been inoculated against rabies and shows no signs of rabies, and (2) a certificate that the pet has been treated for ticks and parasites between 24 and 48 hours before arriving in the U.K. 13
Creative Styling Recreates Itself in Thailand Marea Tully of Andis Company recently introduced me to a grooming school and a web site that has, at least for me, added a new dimension and brought a new meaning to the words creative pet styling. Founded in 2001 by Mr. Sathit Suratphiphi, STARWOOD GROOM- ING CENTER is located in Bankok, Thailand and, according to Mr. Suratphiphit, STARWOOD has educated and trained over 200 students who have won over 33 competitive classes and produced five stylists that have been granted the title of Thai Champion by HRH Princess Patcharakittiyabha (it is spelled correctly but I will leave the pronunciation to you!) With Mr. Suratphiphi s permission, I have reproduced a few of his creative masterpieces here for your enjoyment and appreciation. The amazing red poodle was Mr. Suratphiphi s entry in the class judged by Marea on her first visit to Tailand The photographic reproductions shown here are only a few representations of STARWOOD s incredible creative accomplishments. Please visit STARWOOD s website at www.starwoodcenter.com for many more terrific photos. For viewing simplicity and understanding, be sure to click English Version in the upper left corner after the introduction page. From the opening music and the home page, this website is a masterpiece of creative design and styling innovation. As Mr. Suratphiphi does read and write English, I am confident that he would appreciate hearing from you personally. Mr. Suratphiphi can be e-mailed through the contact us section on the site or directly at: starwoodpoodle@hotmail.com. You can also write to: Starwood Grooming Center, 2098/57 soi Ramkhamhaeng 24/2 Ramkhamhaeng Rd. Bangkapi, Bangkok, 10240 Thailand. 14
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