Petswag holds the distinction of being Kalyan’s first dedicated pet grooming salon, while the academy stands as one of the first standalone pet grooming academies in India.
Pet grooming in India didn’t come with a rulebook — it came with people willing to write one.
Jessica John was one of them. What started as a simple need quietly grew into a defining mission, and today she’s one of the earliest professionals shaping modern grooming standards in Mumbai. Through Petswag Pet Grooming Academy, she trains groomers who go beyond technique — blending handling, canine behaviour, and real salon discipline into something the industry has long needed: a standard worth following.
Her work doesn’t stop at the grooming table. She mentors, consults, and builds systems that push the profession toward accountability and long-term growth.
In this conversation, Jessica opens up about the mindset, the discipline, and the hard-earned lessons behind building a career — and a generation — in pet grooming.
Let’s begin…
Jessica, it's wonderful to have you with us today. You've built something that many in this industry would consider truly pioneering. But before we get into the specifics of Petswag and everything you've created, we'd love to hear it in your own words — where are you right now in this journey, and how does it feel to look back at the road that brought you here?
I feel grateful more than anything else. When I look back, I do not just see a profession but years of learning, hard work, uncertainty, growth, and a deep belief in something that was not widely understood when I started.
Today, I am in a phase where I am not only grooming, but also mentoring pet grooming students, consulting pet grooming start-ups and business owners on how to set up and efficiently run a pet grooming salon, and helping them build businesses that are professional, sustainable, profitable, and successful.
Being regarded as one of the pioneers of the pet grooming industry in India, and among the early pioneers of professional pet grooming in Kalyan, Mumbai, makes that journey even more meaningful to me. When I began, this was not a clearly mapped-out career path. There was very little structure, very little awareness, and not many people looked at grooming as a serious profession.
Today, I want to contribute far more toward the growth of this industry — by helping create stronger standards, by guiding people who want to choose pet grooming as a career, and by building a more professional, better-trained generation of groomers.
So when I look back, I feel proud, but I also feel a stronger sense of responsibility. Petswag was never only about opening a salon or an academy. It was about helping raise the standard of grooming and showing that this work deserves skill, respect, and professionalism.
As you described, grooming, at the time you entered it, wasn't exactly the kind of career people were mapping out for themselves — there were no clear roadmaps, no established institutions, and honestly, not much social validation around it. So what was it that pulled you in anyway, and at what point did that pull turn into a full commitment? Was there a specific moment when you stopped exploring and started building?
My journey into grooming began because of my Golden Retriever, Shadow. Around ten years ago, when I wanted to get Shadow professionally groomed, there was no grooming service available in Kalyan or even in nearby areas. So I started grooming him at home myself, using YouTube videos and the little knowledge I had at the time. That experience opened my eyes to something much bigger. I began to see grooming not only as a need but as a profession that had immense potential and very little structure around it.
That was the turning point for me. I decided to learn properly, joined an academy, got certified, and took the profession seriously. In the initial two years, I started with home grooming, travelling alone to clients’ homes, and carrying heavy grooming kits. As a woman, that phase came with many practical challenges, and it was not easy. But what kept me going was the trust my clients placed in me and the progress I could see in the work.
Over time, that belief grew stronger, and I went on to start the first standalone pet grooming salon in Kalyan. So for me, the shift from exploring to building happened when I realised this was not just something I liked doing. It was something I was willing to struggle for, grow in, and build my life around.
Every professional who builds something lasting has an origin story shaped by more than just skill — the environment they grew up in, the people who either supported or doubted them, the moments that tested whether they'd stay or walk away. How did your early surroundings and personal beliefs shape the resilience that carried you through the uncertain early years of this career?
The early years taught me a lot about inner conviction. Because this was not a conventional or widely respected path at the time, I had to believe in the work before others could fully see its value. That kind of resilience comes from believing that what you are building has meaning, even when the validation is delayed.
There were practical difficulties, doubts, and moments when stepping away would have been easier. But I have always believed that if the work is meaningful, then it deserves consistency. That belief kept me grounded. It taught me to keep learning quietly, keep improving, and keep showing up with discipline. Over time, that becomes your strength.
Let's step into the grooming space itself. When a dog walks in — a new dog, an unfamiliar temperament, sometimes nervous or reactive — what is going through your mind in those first few seconds? How do you read what the animal is communicating before a single tool is picked up, and how much does that initial read shape everything that follows?
Those first few seconds are extremely important.
Before I think about the haircut or the tools, I am observing the dog carefully. I look at posture, breathing, eye movement, body temperature, muscular tension, tail position, alertness, avoidance, curiosity, and how the dog is responding to the environment. Dogs communicate a great deal without making a sound, and if you pay attention, they tell you how the session should begin, how quickly or slowly you should move, and what kind of handling approach will be most suitable.
That first assessment shapes everything that follows.
It helps me understand not only the dog’s immediate state, but also what questions I need to ask the pet parent before grooming begins. A groomer must know how to ask the right questions about the dog’s temperament, grooming history, past behaviour during grooming, triggers, medical concerns, and tolerance levels. That background is extremely important because it tells you whether the dog is likely to be comfortable, fearful, reactive, sensitive, or already carrying a negative grooming association.
For me, grooming starts well before the first clipper stroke. It begins with observation, calm handling, trust-building, and good communication with the pet parent. The goal is not to rush into the session. The goal is to begin it in the right way for that individual dog.
When you observe new groomers working, there are usually patterns in where things go wrong — not always with technique, but with how they handle the animal. What are the most common handling missteps you see, and how do you know when a session needs to slow down or completely reset rather than be pushed through?
One of the biggest mistakes I see is that beginners sometimes focus so much on completing the groom that they stop paying attention to the dog’s emotional state. They may rush, handle too firmly, move too abruptly, or continue despite clear signs of discomfort. Another common issue is assuming cooperation instead of earning it. Grooming is not only a technical process but also emotional, behavioural, and physical for the dog.
A session needs to slow down the moment the dog’s tolerance starts dropping in a meaningful way. If the dog is becoming highly stressed, panicked, shut down, reactive, or physically unsafe to continue, then pushing through is the wrong approach. Sometimes the most professional thing you can do is pause, reset, change the method, break the session into stages, or even stop altogether.
This is exactly why, at Petswag Academy, we have gone beyond teaching only scissoring and technical grooming skills. We have incorporated specialised training under professionals and experts in dog behaviour, aggression, and emotional understanding, along with a mental wellness coach who helps groomers better understand emotions, responses, and regulation. We want our students to become groomers who can read dogs properly, respond responsibly, and work with welfare at the centre of their decision-making.
A finished groom can look clean to one person and polished to another — but for you, someone who has set a high standard through years of practice, what actually defines a truly professional finish? What are the details that separate good work from exceptional work?
For me, a professional finish is not just about neatness. It is about balance, control, structure, comfort, and suitability for that particular dog. A good groom may look tidy, but an exceptional groom shows intention. You see it in the outline, the symmetry, the blending, the coat preparation, the finishing quality, and the overall refinement.
But just as important is the judgement behind the groom. Exceptional work is not about forcing the same style on every dog. It is about understanding the dog’s coat, skin, behaviour, lifestyle, and what is realistically best for them. The finish matters, but the thinking behind the finish matters just as much.
Something fascinating happens in any training environment — you give the same knowledge to a group of people, and some develop a genuine instinct for the craft while others stay stuck on the surface. What separates those two types of learners in your experience — and when you're teaching someone just starting out, how do you break down complex techniques without losing the integrity of the skill?
The students who grow the most are usually the ones who stay humble, observant, and genuinely curious. They do not just want instructions, but want understanding, and ask why a technique matters, or why a dog responds in a certain way, or why one method is safer and more effective than another. They pay attention to the details, and they are willing to be corrected.
When I teach beginners, I break complex techniques down into strong fundamentals first. That means handling, coat understanding, tool control, body positioning, timing, safety, and discipline. Once those basics are properly built, more advanced techniques become much easier to learn without losing quality. I do not believe in rushing students into complexity before they are ready. Strong foundations protect the integrity of the craft.
A lot of learning happens on the grooming table, but the professionals who truly excel usually build strong habits outside of formal instruction as well. If you were speaking directly to a grooming student on their very first day, what habits would you tell them to start building immediately — and how do you know when a learner is genuinely ready to start thinking beyond the basics?
On day one, I would tell them to start building habits of observation, patience, cleanliness, discipline, and respect for tools. Because they
- Must learn to watch before reacting.
- Need to learn to prepare their workspace properly.
- Should learn how to care for their tools.
- Should learn how to stand correctly and work with intention.
- And, most importantly, focus on learning how to listen when we correct them.
These habits may look simple, but they shape your standard as a professional.
A learner is ready to move beyond the basics when the basics start becoming natural. When safe handling becomes consistent, when they can stay calm under pressure, when their work shows more control, and when they stop looking for shortcuts, that is when deeper learning can begin. Advanced grooming should always stand on strong fundamentals.
The classroom can prepare students for technique, but it's harder to prepare them for the emotional weight of real clients — the ones with high expectations, the ones who are anxious about their pets, the ones who push back. How do you build that kind of readiness in your students before they're standing in front of a real client on their own?
I believe students must prepare for the profession as it really is, not just for its technical side. Remember, grooming is not only about the table. In fact, it is also about communication, emotional maturity, professionalism, and the ability to manage expectations honestly. Clients are trusting you with someone they love deeply, and students need to understand that from the beginning.
As part of our curriculum, we have consciously included mock customer relations and communication skills training to help students understand how real conversations happen in a grooming environment. Over more than ten years in this profession, I have worked face-to-face with many thousands of clients, and I teach my students from those real experiences — not only from theory.
Moreover, I also prepare them to handle difficult but necessary conversations with professionalism. Sometimes a pet parent’s expectations may not match the dog’s coat condition, behaviour, tolerance, or comfort level. In those moments, a groomer must know how to guide the conversation honestly, set realistic expectations, and recommend what is safest and most suitable for the dog. That confidence in communication is just as important as technical skill.
That is one of the reasons I felt strongly about building a dedicated grooming academy in Kalyan, Mumbai. I wanted students here to have access to serious, structured grooming education that prepares them not only to groom, but to carry themselves professionally. When students understand the emotional side of client trust, they communicate better, behave more responsibly, and grow into stronger professionals.
Opening a grooming salon is a dream for many trained groomers — but the gap between being a great groomer and a successful salon owner is wider than most people expect. What is the single most damaging mistake new groomers make when they first step into that business owner role, and how should they be thinking about pricing in a way that reflects their value without pricing themselves out?
The biggest mistake is assuming that good grooming skills automatically translate into business readiness. It does not. Running a salon requires systems, discipline, team management, hygiene protocols, cost awareness, communication standards, and consistency under pressure. Many talented groomers struggle because they focus only on grooming and not enough on how the business itself needs to function.
In addition, pricing also needs to come from clarity, not insecurity. A groomer has to consider time, skill, behaviour, coat condition, products, overheads, and the quality of service being delivered. At the same time, pricing should still make sense within the market being served. Underpricing may bring volume, but it often damages quality, energy, and long-term sustainability. So, it is better to price with honesty and deliver work that justifies it.
Growing a pet grooming business is exciting, but scaling without the right foundations can unravel everything quickly. Before a groomer even thinks about expansion, what are the non-negotiable systems that need to be running smoothly — and once a team is involved, how do you protect the consistency of a brand when multiple hands are working under the same name?
Before any expansion, the foundations have to be stable. That includes service consistency, grooming standards, hygiene systems, appointment management, client communication, team accountability, and proper training processes. If those areas are weak in one setup, growth usually multiplies the weakness rather than the success.
Once a team is there, consistency comes from more than instruction. It comes from culture. Every person working under the brand must understand what quality looks like, how to handle pets, how to speak to clients, and where they cannot compromise on standards.
Remember, a brand stays strong when every person behind it understands that they are representing something larger than an individual task.
Clients who stay loyal over the years, who refer their friends, who trust you with their pet through every stage of its life — that kind of relationship doesn't happen by accident. What does a groomer actually need to do, consistently and intentionally, to build that level of trust over the long term?
Trust is built in the small things, repeated consistently over time. Clients remember whether you handled their pet gently, whether you communicated honestly, whether you noticed changes in the dog’s skin or coat, whether you stayed calm, and whether you were dependable. Loyalty grows when clients feel that their pet is genuinely cared for, not simply processed through a service.
To build that kind of trust, a groomer has to be consistent, transparent, respectful, and steady in their standards. Even on busy days, the client should feel that their pet is in safe hands. You build good relationships in this profession one appointment at a time.
Despite grooming becoming more visible as an industry, there are still deeply held misconceptions about what the career actually involves — what it pays, what it demands, who it's suitable for. What are the ones that frustrate you most, and where do you think the biggest gap still exists in how grooming is being taught across the industry today?
One misconception that still frustrates me is that grooming is somehow simple or secondary work. In reality, it demands technical ability, behavioural understanding, emotional control, physical stamina, cleanliness, patience, and professionalism.
Another misconception is that loving animals alone is enough to become a groomer. Love is important, but this profession also requires training, discipline, judgment, and skill.
The biggest gap in teaching, in my opinion, is that the profession is still too often taught in fragments. Technical grooming alone is not enough. Students also need to understand handling, safety, behaviour, ergonomics, client communication, and business basics. If we want better professionals, we need to train the whole groomer
Pet ownership itself is changing — the way people relate to their animals, what they expect from grooming services, and how informed they are when walking into a salon. How are you seeing the modern pet owner evolve, and looking ahead over the next few years, what shifts do you believe will most significantly shape what it means to build a career in grooming?
Today’s pet owner is far more aware, emotionally invested, and involved than before. Pets are increasingly seen as family, and that naturally changes what people expect from grooming professionals. They want skill, hygiene, empathy, transparency, and a better overall experience for their pet. They are also asking more informed questions, which I think is a very healthy sign for the industry.
Looking ahead, I believe grooming will become more structured, more specialised, and more education-driven. There will be a greater focus on welfare, safety, pet comfort, and professional standards. The groomers who grow in the years ahead will be the ones who understand that this is not just a service role anymore. It is a skilled, trust-based profession.
Petswag isn't just a business — it's a legacy you're building one student at a time. When you think about the long-term impact of this academy, what kind of professional do you hope to have shaped — not just in terms of skill, but in terms of character and mindset?
I want to help shape professionals who are skilled, responsible, respectful, and grounded in the right values. Of course, technical quality matters, but so does character. I want students to leave with discipline, self-respect, patience, empathy, and a strong sense of responsibility toward the animals in their care.
If they go on to build honest careers, technically sound, and rooted in compassion, then I would feel the academy has served its purpose well. For me, legacy is not just about the number of students trained. It is about the standard they carry forward into the industry
Jessica, this conversation has been genuinely inspiring. The depth of thought you bring to every part of this craft — from handling a nervous dog to building an entire school around a vision — says a lot about how far this industry has come and the direction it's heading. As we close, for someone standing at the very beginning of this path, maybe uncertain, maybe told this isn't a "real" career — what is the one truth you'd want them to carry with them long after this conversation ends?
I would want them to remember that this is real work, and it can become a deeply meaningful career if you treat it seriously. Do not let other people’s limited understanding define the value of what you are building. If you are willing to learn properly, stay disciplined, work with honesty, and always keep the animal at the centre of your practice, this profession can give you both purpose and respect.
Every respected profession was once underestimated by someone. What matters is how seriously you choose to show up for it. If you build your skill and your character side by side, this path can take you much further than you think.
Pet grooming in India has a clearer path forward — and Jessica John is a big reason why.
Her honesty, depth, and the way she connects grooming, behavior, and business into one sharp vision is exactly what this industry has been missing. She’s not just shaping groomers — she’s raising the standard they carry into every salon, every competition, and every dog they touch.
We’re grateful for her time, her insights, and the quiet responsibility she brings to this profession. Petswag is just the beginning — and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
