We had the good fortune of connecting with Tammy Rodgers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tammy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always been very independently driven but after working in the pet industry for close to 30 years and having to now rely once again on my skill/trade to pay the bills alone , I had to go back into the field and my managers were younger than my experience in the industry. At that moment I had to ask myself WHY???? Am I still working for other people when my experience should be valued and now I can control how my customers are treated and the way to run a business would now be on my terms. That’s when the light bulb went on in my head. I was sitting on a decent 401 k that I had received from my divorce and it was doing nothing for me at that point. I decided I needed to look into what it would take to open my own shop/storefront. After doing the numbers and realizing I would be starting with nothing but debt and a huge over head and monthly responsibility that not only would just myself have to groom a lot of dogs a month, just to pay the rent space and that wouldn’t include paying myself or the water, electric, business insurance plus the inventory to run the store. It didn’t make financial sense to me at all. That’s when I started looking into being a mobile groomer and providing a very unique high end experience for the pet and owner. That route made more sense to me financially and being mobile allowed me to market myself daily with a full wrapped van that people were drawn to naturally. I also knew that I could pay cash for this 2 year old van and not have huge overhead debt and only do 6-8 dogs a day and make a decent living. That allowed me to go into business for myself and start the journey of Puparazzi Mobile Pet Spaw , little did I know in 5 years I would have bigger plans for this brand as it evolved.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The business is two fold, it started as a local owner operated van to a trademarked name that Franchised in 2015.

We started as a one van operation as an owner operator and I was the only groomer I worked 5 days a week. I made my own schedule and loved the pets and pet parents I met along the way. After the first year I was turning away lots of clients that were wanting on my route but I couldn’t take any more business when I had reached my capacity. I decided I could duplicate this success and get another van and hire a stylist, when van number 2 came into the operation.
After running 2 vans for a while it looked like we were going to need to get that third van going but I had a couple people ask me if I was a Franchise? I really didn’t even know what that was, I started to do my research and realized there are a lot of franchises our family supports a lot. So that’s when I started looking into expanding on a national level and not having employees but having business partners instead. I would like to say that the concept of the plan seemed like it would be easy but the reality is Franchising is hard, not only is it a lot to learn but it is not like selling shoes. Each candidate needs to be a good fit, both parties need to be on the same page. After all this is a 10 year agreement and we have to work together, my job is to help you be successful and that means we have to be able to communicate and strategise in building your business once it is launched. We do a matching process that allows us to determine fit and whether or not we will award someone a Franchise. It is not about the money, in the end we make the final decision. What I have learned today is that you have to be thick skinned to make it in any business, you must have a good work ethic and never quit. It takes a lot of tenacity to keep going even when things are tough.

Our concept was founded in 2010 when I decided to take my 35 years of pet grooming experience on the road. I thought to myself, “how can I fuse together the love for my family and my pets?” Mixing the elements of my children’s acting and modeling careers and the love for my pets, I created a rather unique concept called Puparazzi.

At Puparazzi, we strive for excellence in our industry and believe that we have set a bar that other grooming concepts wish they could achieve. The distinct nature of our service endears us to the pet-loving population and we treat each pet like the star they truly are!

As pet lovers, we understand that pets are more than just animals, they are members of our family. Our on-site grooming business gives our clients peace of mind, as we take gentle care of their pets in the safety of their own environments.

Puparazzi is a mobile grooming business that provides professional pet grooming services to customers at their location. Our professionals take gentle care of our clients’ pets in the safety of their home or office.

We understand that pets are more than just animals, they are members of our family. Knowing they remain on their own turf throughout the grooming process gives our clients security and peace of mind.

A trip to a traditional pet groomer can be traumatic for some pets. Let the pets stay home! We offer a cage-free environment and schedule a reasonable number of pets per day. This ensures that we can spend as much time and give as much individualized attention as our pets deserve.

MISSION
Puparazzi is dedicated to creating a better, safer, more convenient spaw experience for all pet parents. We are dedicated to education and providing support of local rescue and shelter operations.

OUR COMMITTMENT
Is tending to your pet while you have peace of mind knowing they are being pampered like the true star they are.

CORE VALUES

Live the dream of providing a better, safer, more convenient spaw experience for all pets.

Love the education we dedicate to pet parents.

Play  We are as popular as the ice-cream truck, when children run after the van yelling “Puparazzi!”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love a little Winery in Camp Verde called Alcantera winery, it is a quaint location not to far from Phoenix with a lovely place for wine tastings, they have a vineyard on site and offer wagon tours, , music, great food and a warm welcome from the staff, we probably visit there at least 3 times or more a year.

Sedona would be the next place to visit , I mean who doesn’t love big beautiful red rocks. I love the little shops all over, there are places to hike and check out, and quite a few great restaurants.

If you’re looking for a cute lil town I think Pinetop has some great things to go do and see. We love getting out of the heat in the summer and staying in a Air bnb for a few days. We love Charleys steakhouse.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents and family are my biggest supporters. They have always believed in me and knew I wouldn’t fail! They encouraged this big move after a very rough time in my life.

Website: www.puparazzimobile.com

Instagram: @puparazziinternational

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/tammy-rodgers-06bb8129

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petfranchiseopportunities

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