Danielle Myers Builds Happy Tails Pet Salon One Dog at a Time
Danielle Myers with her Shih Tzu Koah
“I’ve been grooming dogs for 15 years,” Danielle said. “I always did it on the side, even while working full-time. It’s a skill I didn’t want to lose.”
A Pivot Moment
Over the years, Danielle worked in healthcare, senior living, and higher education, all while continuing to groom dogs in her spare time.
That changed after Danielle experienced significant medical issues that led to an extended medical leave.
“I realized I wasn’t going to be able to go back to my old job,” she said. “But I was still grooming dogs on the side. My husband kept saying, ‘Why don’t you do this full time?'”
Doing Things Differently
As she began to consider that idea seriously, Danielle also reflected on her experiences in the grooming industry and what she wanted to do differently.
“A lot of places focus on speed,” she said. “You’re expected to groom a certain number of dogs a day. But that doesn’t always work for the dog.”
At her own business, Danielle takes a different approach. She tailors each appointment to the dog’s comfort level.
“I’ve worked with so many dogs that were absolutely terrified to be touched,” she said. “We take it slow. If they don’t like the table, I won’t use the table that time. I build in play breaks, belly rubs, whatever the dog needs. Over time, as you build that relationship, you see real change.”
Finding Support at CFCC
When Danielle decided to move forward with opening her own business, she knew she needed guidance. A friend who had worked with Cape Fear Community College’s Small Business Center encouraged her to reach out.
Her first appointment came before Happy Tails Pet Salon was even official.
“I was still asking myself, ‘Can I do this? Should I do this?’” she said.
Director of CFCC’s Small Business Center, Jerry Coleman, walked her through what opening an LLC actually involved and followed up with a clear startup checklist and direct links to the resources she needed.
“That alone was unbelievably helpful,” Danielle said. “Even though I’ve been doing this for 15 years, I’ve never done it on my own.”
Danielle returned to the Small Business Center for follow-up meetings, bringing questions, documents, and new challenges.
“Once you open your LLC, you just get flooded,” Danielle said. “At my second appointment, I walked in with a stack of papers and asked Jerry, ‘What is this stuff? Is this real?’ And he went through it with me.”
One of the biggest stress relievers, she said, was having someone knowledgeable help her sort through what was legitimate and what wasn’t.
Building Confidence as a Business Owner
The support wasn’t just technical.
“Jerry helped me feel confident in my voice as a business owner,” she said. “Pricing, boundaries, and priorities. It’s hard when you’ve got a thousand things that all feel important. He reassured me that every business owner struggles with that balance.”
Looking ahead
Danielle’s business continues to grow one dog at a time. Her focus is building long-term relationships with both dogs and their owners.
Over the next year, she hopes to launch a mobile grooming unit and eventually hire an additional groomer she can train using her own approach.
For now, she’s grateful for the support that helped launch her business.
“Having someone who didn’t know me, who could see what I was trying to create and support that, meant everything,” she said.
