Today we’d like to introduce you to Frankie Ortiz.
Frankie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have always loved dogs and wanted to do something different than my corporate job. With the support of my husband Brandon Hughes we started the adventure of opening up a mobile dog grooming business. Instead of studied and took classes to become a certified mobile dog groomer. I also had a friend who was already a mobile dog groomer that allowed me to ride along and get some hands on training. We flew to Indiana to pick up our new. Mobile grooming van. That in itself was an adventure, we ran into some crazy winter weather but still made the best of the trip. It was hard to believe that Fergies Paw Spa would soon be in business. The new van already had our graphics and business information on it and we started receiving phone calls for appointments as we were driving back to San Antonio. Once we got home the real work began. We worked with a website designer to get our website up and ready. We also started planning our kickoff party and inviting friends. We had a very successful kickoff and had many friends and family in attendance. We were so excited and nervous at the same time but were ready to begin this new adventure. We named our business after our Fergie and her image is our logo. She was our chihuahua we lost after 17 years. She was so very special to us and is now all over the area. I also wanted to pay homage to my home state of New Mexico so the state symbols the Zia Symbol is in the logo as well. In the beginning things were a little slow, so I began posting on social media to draw some business. I also did a couple of events here and there to get our business out there. Fast forward to today and business is good and client referrals are helping us stay busy. It’s hard to believe when I started I was like yes I can take you now, to today actually having a schedule and seeing when my next available appointment is and how I can meet the clients needs. I definitely could not do this without the support of my husband, family and friends. They are always willing to lend a hand, when it comes to events, making treat bags or helping spread the word about the business. I am grateful to have such a strong support system.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I continue to learn on a daily basis. Thank goodness for other mobile dog groomers, they are always willing to share tips to help and share tools and ideas that work for them.I appreciate my clients for sticking with me through my growing phases. It was hard in the beginning to figure out a routine to be able to get to my clients in a timely manner and route that made sense, so I wasnt driving from one end of town to another. Thank goodness for scheduling software that made my life so much easier.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a mobile dog groomer, servicing San Antonio, Helotes and Boerne. My love for dogs is the reason I became a mobile dog groomer. I want to provide a one on one spa experience for my clients dogs. The benefits of being mobile is I come to the client and the dog is never in a kennel. Most clients like the convenience of not having to leave their house, and can continue with their daily tasks knowing the dog is safe just right outside their home. I only use the best iGroom products and receive compliments from our client on how clean and fresh the dogs smell once the groom is complete. I finish the groom with a cologne made for dogs, a cute accessory and a treat bag. I take pride in ensuring the client is happy with the finished product. I also offer new clients a tour of the mobile grooming van so they are familiar with the process and where I will be working with their dog.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love San Antonio and working with the clients. I get to meet so many different people and work with all kinds of dogs. I enjoy getting to drive around our city and discovering hidden gems. There are alit of places I was not familiar with and now get to enjoy on a regular basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://FergiesPawSpa.com
- Instagram: fergiespawspa
- Facebook: Fergie’s Paw Spa
