22-year-old lady connects with neighborhood via canine grooming enterprise

BROWNSTOWN — A Tampico lady took the abilities she realized from trimming goat and sheep hooves for 4-H exhibits when she was younger and turned them right into a canine grooming enterprise that’s rising by leaps and bounds.

At 20 years previous, Sydney Kidd opened Waggin’ Wonders Boarding and Grooming simply behind Blondie’s Pizzeria in Brownstown.

Two brief years later, Kidd’s enterprise has grown into a brand new location to supply extra providers for her purchasers.

For the reason that opening of her enterprise, she has made a reputation for herself in the neighborhood and made many connections with each furry associates and their people.

“Beginning out, I had prospects who I didn’t actually know or heard of, however now, we’re actually good associates and I consider their canine as like my very own. … It’s type of like one massive household,” she stated.

After graduating from Jennings County Excessive Faculty, Kidd was hesitant about going away to school, but went anyway and accomplished her affiliate diploma in agriculture enterprise.

Rising up in a rural space, she was conversant in agriculture and livestock via FFA and 4-H exhibits. After receiving her diploma, it was tough for her to discover a job associated to the sphere, so she determined to concentrate on touring to the encircling states to groom livestock.

Whereas this place generated a superb revenue for Kidd, it took a bodily toll on her physique, and the lengthy hours turned tough.

By way of her connections and her expertise with livestock, folks in the neighborhood began asking her to do different issues, akin to clipping nails for canine. This led her to work at a small grooming enterprise in Crothersville, the place she realized the fundamentals of grooming canine and different animals.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Kidd labored at varied grooming retailers, but she all the time knew she wished to start out a enterprise of her personal.

“I’m an outgoing individual, and I love to do my very own factor,” Kidd stated. “My mother and father will let you know I’m the child that they didn’t have to inform me to do one thing as a result of most definitely, I used to be already doing it.’”

After numerous searches for someplace to start out her enterprise, she lastly discovered a spot for lease behind Blondie’s Pizzeria the place Nation Pups — one other grooming enterprise — was positioned. The funds to start out her enterprise had been solely lined by her and her rapid household, who got here collectively to deliver her imaginative and prescient to life.

As soon as her enterprise was established, it instantly took off.

“I actually didn’t have a gradual interval, and I nonetheless wouldn’t have a gradual interval. The enterprise actually picked up,” she stated.

It didn’t take lengthy earlier than she outgrew her small store and was capable of relocate to a bigger place simply previous the Jackson County Fairgrounds east of Brownstown. Within the strategy of shifting to a brand new and bigger location, the enterprise continued to flourish.

“I nonetheless had grooming appointments on the books earlier than I used to be formally at my new location,” Kidd stated.

Since organising in her new store, Kidd has been capable of increase her grooming and boarding providers to extra residents in the neighborhood. With this enlargement, she was capable of rent a couple of workers and launch a volunteer program to introduce youth to the sphere of animal care.

In her free time, she likes to provide again to the neighborhood via the native animal shelters. For Mercy Rescue in North Vernon, she supplies free grooming for the animals to assist their probabilities of adoption.

In October 2022, she threw a Halloween celebration at her enterprise and invited the Humane Society of Jackson County to deliver some adoptable canine for photos. Kidd stated these experiences are considered one of many advantages to proudly owning a small enterprise.

“I really feel extra linked to the neighborhood via my small enterprise and my small city. I wish to do issues that assist assist my small city,” she stated.

One other profit to beginning her enterprise at a younger age is it should enable her loads of time to develop the enterprise and alter as she matures.

“It’s actually is a constructive to proudly owning a enterprise as a result of as I become older and my life modifications, I can change the enterprise to go well with my wants at the moment,” she stated.

Whereas Kidd experiences many advantages to proudly owning her small enterprise, there are some challenges, as properly, to a brand new companies proprietor. With any enterprise, it may be exhausting to maintain a steadiness between work and a private life.

“I’m in there every single day, and if I’m not in there, I really feel like I must be there,” she stated.

One other issue when proudly owning a enterprise is establishing a gentle revenue. For some enterprise house owners, the uncertainty will be numerous stress.

“If one thing goes incorrect, you’re the entire monetary supporter of that enterprise. As a small enterprise, I’m nonetheless build up my financial savings so I’ve one thing to fall again on in case of emergencies,” she stated.

With the continued development of her enterprise and her dedication to maintain it profitable, Kidd is all the time reminded why she began this enterprise every time she seems like giving up.

“There are some tough days, however once I see a canine doing one thing humorous, I simply should snicker,” she stated. “I understand that because of this I do all of this.”

Kidd stated she hopes to see extra small companies develop and the youthful generations become involved in the neighborhood.

Waggin’ Wonders provides full grooming providers, from canine to cats to even smaller animals like ferrets and rabbits. The store is open Monday via Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to five:30 p.m. For data, take a look at the Fb web page at Waggin’ Wonders Grooming & Boarding.

The Tribune plans to publish Small City Saturday as a sequence. If you already know a small enterprise or a person that’s concerned in the neighborhood, contact [email protected]