Today we’d like to introduce you to Jade Joy.
Hi Jade, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In my previous career, I worked as a nurse in trauma and women’s health, but I was getting frustrated with the US healthcare system and the bureaucracy it entails. Working in a perpetually short-staffed environment made me feel that I could not provide the quality of care my patients deserved. I decided to make a career shift to focus on my true life passion and work with animals.
I attended a grooming school in Houston on weekdays while working in a grooming salon in Austin on the weekends, and started my own business soon after. The business started as housecall but I soon transitioned to a home-based salon where I groomed dogs in my garage with the most basic equipment I could afford. The business grew quickly through word-of-mouth and positive online reviews so I decided to hire staff to help and open a brick-and-mortar in South Austin.
I’ve kept it small so I can do what I do best and focus on the quality and care of the dogs. I truly love the bonds I develop with my clients and their dogs, many of which I have had for over 12 years now.
I got my Master Groomer certification through the NDGAA a few years ago and stay active doing continuing education to stay up-to-date on current trends and knowledge.
I recently started offering Pet Tech Pet CPR and First Aid classes for pet owners and pet professionals looking to learn more about dog and cat health and feel confident in the event of an emergency in the home, on the trail, or in the salon. It’s a great way to combine my medical knowledge with my love for pets.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Opening my brick-and-mortar was quite an endeavor. Navigating the permitting processes of the city to obtain a change-of-use permit and finding reliable contractors was much more of a headache than I anticipated. I had contractors leave mid-job which left me to figure things out, and endless delays. During the process I was still grooming full-time and managing to run back-and-forth to figure things out. It took months longer to open than I had planned and budgeted for, and I spent everything I had to convert my dream to a reality.
As with many other small businesses, Covid was a huge hit. When the city shut down, I was faced with frantic clients needing appointments and worried employees. With my nursing background, I knew what kind of impact a respiratory virus could have on my staff and clients so I took some pretty extreme precautions to try to keep everyone safe. I adjusted schedules to minimize exposure, enforced mandatory masking, rearranged the salon, changed some policies, and had thorough cleaning procedures. Rescheduling 6 weeks’ worth of clients was a logistical nightmare and it took us months to get fully caught back up. Luckily the majority of clients were extremely understanding and supportive, and many offered to prepay for appointments or even make donations to the staff and for that, I am so grateful. We have come a long way since then but in many ways, we are still recovering from it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Austin Pet Stylist?
At Austin Pet Stylist is a brick-and-mortar salon owned by Jade Joy, a Nationally Certified Master Groomer and we specialize in grooming for smaller breeds. We are open Monday through Friday.
We always prioritize safety above all else and try to work with owners to find a schedule that works to keep their pet healthy and happy and achieve the owner’s desired style. We educate owners about their skin and coat and try to be an active part of their healthcare team by reporting any concerns discovered during grooming. We spend a good couple of hours with each pet which is more than their vet, so we often see things that others would not.
We offer professional bath packages that include a thorough bath and conditioning, brush-out, hand blowdry, and ear cleaning. Baths are a specialty of ours and we especially love our chihuahuas, frenchies, bostons, and pugs. When deshedding we use a variety of tools to remove as much undercoat as we safely can. They are great for in-between haircut appointments to maintain a fluffy dog or keep them smelling fresh. Professional baths can be a lifesaver for humans that have seasonal allergies!
We also offer maintenance grooms for smaller dogs who are on regular schedules. Regular schedules allow for us to have a relationship with your pet and establish trust. Through consistency, your dog will know what to expect and will make the process a positive, safe experience. We love grooming all breeds, but pomeranians, terriers, toy poodles, and small mixes are some of our favorites.
Nail trim and smoothing is included in all bath and groom packages for no additional charge.
We do offer nail trims by appointment. Please text the current rabies vaccination paperwork to book.
Jade will now be offering Pet Tech Pet CPR and First Aid classes for pet owners and pet professionals looking to learn more about dog and cat health and feel confident in the event of an emergency in the home, on the trail, or in the salon. Pet professionals or owners may text to set up a class.
To reach us please TEXT (don’t call!) 512-200-4229.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Brittany Watson is my salon manager and friend, and she has played a vital role to bring the business to where it is and navigate through the tough times.
Edith Coffey – a longtime employee who helped establish our high standards and supported me in many ways as a teammate and friend.
Calais Morgan has been a mentor and supporter of my business from the beginning.
Clients – Really, I could never do this without my wonderful and loyal clients. I look forward to seeing so many of them and they keep me going every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.austinpetstylist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinpetstylist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austinpetstylist
Image Credits
Auburn Media
Gloria Segrest
