Puppy love creates business opportunity
Many businesses are born from spotting gaps in the market and acting upon them, but when that gap is also a passion, it’s a real bonus! That’s the case for our Colchester Seedbed Centre customer, Muttley and Mabel, who have been open for business for less than a year but have already made strides in the grooming and pet care industry.
The perfect location for business
It was at the start of 2018 when Jo, founder of Muttley and Mabel, spotted a real gap in the market that was close to her heart: “We have dogs ourselves and one of the things about all the local dog groomers that we didn’t like was that they’d leave the dogs in crates or drying cages afterwards. We realised that something was missing here that we could take advantage of. We wanted to provide a service that looked after the dogs and made them feel happy before and after they’d been groomed. We don’t put them in cages; we give them their own little play pen with dog water bowls, a bed and toys so it’s a nice place for them to relax whilst waiting for their Fur Baby Parents.”
“When setting up, the most important thing was the location, we needed a place on the northern skirts of Colchester, which is where we live. We knew this was the perfect area because we’re familiar with all the local dog groomers and we knew there was a niche market here for a really good grooming salon.”
“The Capital Space Colchester Seedbed Centre was perfect for us because not only was it in the location we wanted, but it had excellent terms – the monthly rolling contract is great because we aren’t tied into anything long term, which gives a bit of peace of mind when setting up a business which is risky nowadays. We also love that there’s so much parking, which is great for our customers.”
Expanding into new markets
Muttley and Mabel have grown into the sector rapidly; when they started, the team consisted of two full-time stylists – now they have four. In addition, they have opened up a Pet Care Clinic side to the business, which offers quality, teeth-cleaning services, canine massages and dog weight clinics: “We now have a Registered Veterinary Nurse working with our pet care clinic which is an additional service we offer to our customers; having that side open up has been a real milestone for us. In the future we are hoping to expand the business and open up more branches – we’ve already looked into Capital Space’s Waterhouse Business Centre in Chelmsford.”
Advice for new starters
Setting up a business is never easy; Muttley and Mabel have only got off to such a flying start because of hard work and dedication from Jo and her team: “For people looking to start a business, be prepared to work any amount of hours; we haven’t stopped once since the idea was conceived in April last year. From finding premises, to branding, to providing the service, it’s all incredibly hard work, so be prepared for it. Then hopefully, in the long term, you’ll reap the rewards!”
