Pooch pampering Inc - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Pooch pampering Inc

Hindustan Times | ByNeha Tara Mehta
Feb 10, 2008 12:08 AM IST

A dogged determination to follow your dream can come with lots of licks and wags. Ask Geetika Nigam, a jewellery designer-turned-MNC operations head-turned dog groomer, writes Neha Tara Mehta.

A dogged determination to follow your dream can come with lots of licks and wags. Ask Geetika Nigam, a jewellery designer-turned-MNC operations head-turned dog groomer.

HT Image
HT Image

Nigam spent much of the last decade juggling careers. When she turned 28, panic set in. "I worked on US-timings in a Gurgaon MNC. I didn’t get to see the sun for days, and realised I had to start something I really wanted to do before hitting 30,” she says. And what she really wanted was to be a vet. "I had studied commerce in school, so decided to repeat my Class XII with sciences. But no school wanted to take me," she says.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

So Nigam, who used to bring home "chickens, piglets and pups" as a child, did the next best thing: started Paw Prints, a professional residence-based dog-grooming service, spurred by her experience of growing up grooming five dogs at home.

With an initial investment of Rs 3 lakh on pet clippers, shampoos, ear cleaners, lotions and shears that her cousins sent from abroad, Nigam found her first client in June 2006: her mother, who had six dogs. “At first, it was hard to educate people on the concept of pet grooming, as they thought bathing your pet was enough.”

But with each wagging dog she groomed, word spread of her services. Nigam now employs three people to help her groom nearly 70 pooches a week — primarily in Delhi’s embassy area. She broke even ten months ago, with her client list growing ten-fold in a year. She recently invested a lakh on a dog dating website.

“It’s so much more fun working with dogs than with human beings. I get paid for work I would love to do for free,” she says. But there is a downside to working with dogs. “It’s hard to date a guy who is scared of dogs,” says the lady who stays home alone with her four dogs.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away!- Login Now!
Stay informed on Business News along with Gold Rates Today, India News and other related updates on Hindustan Times Website and APPs
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 15, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On