Today we’d like to introduce you to Vivian Walker.
Hi Vivian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My introduction to the grooming industry all started in 1999, my mother owned her own grooming business in Spring Valley. I was only 10 years old when she opened. I have so many great memories of going to work at the salon after school and on the weekends. When I was a teenager all I dreamed of was to own my own salon, I would tell my mother all the time that I would make my dream come true one day. I worked with her until the age of 23. I knew I wanted to spread my wings and gain more knowledge in the trade, so I decided to look for employment at another salon. I went to my interview at a local salon in Lemon Grove, I remember being so nervous and the manager cross checked my work and in the end she hired me. It was very intense! By this time, my son was 4 months old, I was a single mother working fulltime as a groomer.
I still had my dream of owning my own salon. For 3 years I saved every Tuesday’s Pay and saved every single tip I received during that time. Also, during these 3 years my boss promoted me to a manager position where I was transferred to the new La Mesa location. The time of managing was so essential for me to experience what it takes to run a business. I knew right away that I could handle the challenges, it was a great experience managing a staff and operating the salon daily. In my 3rd year of employment, I knew it was time to start preparing for the possibility of becoming a young entrepreneur at the age of 26. I gave my boss a 1-year notice of me leaving, by this time I managed to save $10,000 and I knew that’s all I would need to open a decent salon. My boss was heartbroken, she was very worried about the thought of me leaving. I was her right-hand woman, she never had to worry about a thing at the salon as long as I was working. At this time, she said, “Vivian, I want to sell the La Mesa location to you.” She mentioned, “It’s already yours, the clients love you and you’ve treated it as if it was your own.” I was in shock and honored! I had so many emotions going through me, it was overwhelming. After much thought and discussions about finances/contracts we came to an agreement.
It was on March 15, 2015, at the young age of 26, a single mother, very scared but also excited, I became the owner/CEO of Barking Beauties Pet Salon Inc in Downtown La Mesa Village. That was the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey! Running a business can be such a roller coaster, lots of ups and downs. Over the course of 6 years, I was able to provide dozens of jobs to many young people, I think that was the most rewarding part of owning a business. I loved throwing parties for my staff, dinners, taking classes to further their education, seminars/conventions and many more things. My life was very very busy during those 6 years, I honestly don’t know how I managed to keep everything in order. Raising a child, running a business and managing 8+ employees, the financial pressure can be overwhelming but somehow, don’t ask me how, I made it through! After experiencing a devastating event in our community of La Mesa, many businesses suffering from the damages from riots and looting during COVID-19 I decided to sell my location. It was the hardest and honestly the most selfish decision I’ve ever made as a boss. My mental state was not good and I knew it was time for my next chapter in entrepreneurship. I also needed to give my son the attention he deserved, as he was getting older and began participating in sports. I needed to be more present for him.
In February 2021, I sold the location to a longtime friend and invested in a Custom Mobile Grooming Van, picked it up in Indianapolis with my mother. In April 2021, I took my salon on wheels! It was the absolute best decision of my life. I have become the mother I always wanted to be for my son, it’s provided me with a more flexible schedule, and I also do not have the amount of stress that I had in the salon. It was scary to make that jump, it was an emotional time in my life, wondering if I made the right decision but I knew the risk was worth it. It was sink or swim and sinking was not, nor has it ever been an option for me. Fast forward to this year, 2025, I am approaching my 10-year anniversary of owning my small business and I couldn’t be more blessed, grateful, and just overall appreciative of the ongoing support from my friends, family, CLIENTS and the La Mesa/San Diego community. It has been the most rewarding 10 years, and I look forward to many many more!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Running a business has many challenges. I made some financial mistakes in the beginning years, I trusted some people that I probably shouldn’t have trusted. Terminating an employee was always hard for me. As a boss, you carry a lot of weight on your shoulders. I dealt with some pretty interesting challenges from a back injury to the pandemic. The pandemic was definitely the biggest challenge.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Pet Grooming has been a passion of mine since I was a preteen. I groom most breeds but I’d say I specialize in scissoring and working on senior/aggressive pups. When working on scared/senior/aggressive pups, It takes a lot of patience and trust. Being mobile makes the experience much more calming for them and even for myself, it’s wonderful. Poodles and Yorkies are my favorite to groom because they allow me the chance to work on my scissoring and really get into it!.
What sets me apart from others? I’m not really sure, but I can tell you the feedback I’ve received from clients over the years. They’ve said, I’m reliable, personable, and they can see how passionate I am about not only grooming but for all pets! All of my furry clients become extended family members to me, their owners as well. There’s no better reaction than the excitement of my furry client as I approach their homes, It makes me so happy!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The advice I would give to anyone starting out would be, to be patient and disciplined. Starting a business takes time, sacrifices, discipline, and lots of planning. If you stay the course, then your dream will come true. Without a doubt, it will! I wish I knew to take the time to find a GOOD CPA, you trust your CPA with everything you have and unfortunately my first CPA was not a good decision, and it was because I was in a rush to just find someone. It resulted in a huge financial mistake, and I am still paying for it to this day. But thankfully, I have an amazing CPA now and she’s helped me correct things over the years. You know, most people say I am resilient and a mentor for many. I’m proud of myself for never giving up and pushing through all the hard obstacles that came along the way over the past 10 years. I hope my story inspires someone and your dreams come true too!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://booking.moego.pet/ol/BarkingBeautiesPetSalonInc/landing
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sd.groomer.vivi/
Image Credits
credits to my friends who took these pictures!
