Sucess Story

Amy Nichols, Happy Tails Dog Spa

Those who are unfamiliar with the relatively new concept of the dog spa might be surprised to learn that there are almost 200 establishments where Americans take their four-legged companions to burn off energy, get a bubble bath, spend the night, receive obedience training, and shop for toys and accessories.

Maybe only dog people understand the heart and soul of a business devoted to the care and comfort of canines, but every aspiring entrepreneur can appreciate the determination, courage, research, and planning that led to the June 2002 debut of Happy Tails Dog Spa, Amy Nichols' brand new business.

Can't we all relate to a lunch hour spent wondering why we are dragging through life in the miserable job we have? Amy was a successful sales executive with Cable & Wireless when she took one of those pensive walks. She stopped in front of a cute pet shop.

"That's what I want to do," the animal lover and dog owner said to herself, "Spend my days working with dogs."

It was a couple of years and a lot of hard work from that moment to the grand opening of Happy Tails Dog Spa. In fact, Amy's first business concept was an upscale pet shop. She wanted to create 'the Nordstrom of pet stores,' a step up from the grocery-size discount establishments. As her idea began to gel, it evolved to a higher purpose: quality doggie day care.

"My customers would be people like me - like I was." said Amy "Working a lot, with enough disposable income to spend on a dog I love." She knew her customers would be educated about dog behavior and issues like separation anxiety. They would be the type of people who, for better or worse, treat their pets more like children than animals.

With a clear image of a huge pool of potential customers in her mind, Amy was not afraid to take the steps that would make her dream a reality. One wise move she made three years in advance was the purchase of a fixer-upper house. Drawing inspiration from both Bob Vila and Martha Stewart, Amy turned her investment into a nice home, which she was able to sell when she decided to say goodbye to the telecommunications business.

Without uttering the phrase 'business plan,' Amy spells out the hard work she did in three little words, "research, research, research."

"I was confident that I had the marketing skills from my job in sales," said Amy, "and I knew I could motivate myself because I had 100% faith in my idea." If you aren't completely convinced that your business idea is great, you might be in trouble," advises Amy.

Self-assurance doesn't ensure banking or real estate success, however. Since Amy was a first-time entrepreneur with a very new business concept that involves animals, six banks turned down her loan application despite the fact that she had more than 50% of the money she needed for a secure beginning. Seven was her lucky number with real estate, too. "Whatever it takes" is her motto, but she admits to being discouraged after being turned down by so many banks and landlords. "That's where the motivation comes in. You better believe in yourself, because no one else will pick you up and push you forward after you have been knocked down."

Information became another source of security. Amy did her homework in a variety of ways. She spent weeks soaking up knowledge on list servs and chat rooms for pet business owners and wanna-be's. She was on her way to a WBC class one night when she discovered just how many resources were available on the Internet, and enthusiastically advised classmates to visit Yahoo Groups to investigate their subject areas.

It took Amy a full month to develop a spreadsheet with twelve months of projected income and earnings. Research included her savvy study of Fairfax County, where she planned to locate. Amy's calculations revealed that dog owners were vastly underserved there. They are well served now. At Happy Tails, conveniently located on the fringe of Tysons Corner, dogs enjoy playgroups that are suited to their temperament and size. They have indoor and outdoor play areas, tons of toys, and a nap room with comfy beds and crates. The gymnasium has padded flooring and fitness equipment. There is a playroom for smaller and gentler dogs, a nursery for puppies, and a lounge for dogs who want to kick back with like-minded company. Soon, Happy Tails' human customers will be able to look in on their dogs -virtually-- via 'dog cam.'

As for the owner, Amy reports happiness and satisfaction even as she shoulders the monthly responsibility of paying seven employees and the rent on 9,000 square feet of commercial space. She has every right to be proud of herself. Six weeks from opening day, Amy already had 140 customers and a waiting list for sleepovers. In a beautiful example of serendipity, the facility she ended up leasing was the only one of the seven she considered whose zoning allows boarding. In a delightful twist of fate, Happy Tails' cage-less boarding has turned out to be its greatest source of income.

Note to dog people: visit www.happytailsdogspa.com for a fun time! Don't miss the photos of the birthday party.

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